March 18th, 2009
The Admiral had explained ‘twittering’ to me in words of one syllable and yet I still found the concept baffling. I asked for a diagram.
Later that evening I began to explore for myself. There had to be a reason for the popularity of this typing-based pastime and I was determined to find it.
I arrived at the conclusion that the world was in the grip of typing-induced delirium, because after several hours spent amongst all this random keyboard spawn, I was unable to find any actual writing.
I was also finding it difficult to see the possible attraction in following the nonsensical ramblings of strangers when I could barely follow my own.
But just when I was about to give up on the idea altogether and slide into coma-level apathy, I stumbled upon a correspondent by the oddly familiar name of @Spore, who was about to change my opinion altogether.
Categories: 1. Graphic Design Dilemmas |
Tags: Ignacious Spore, The Admiral, Twitter | No Comments
March 12th, 2009
Even though the Admiral was using a mobile phone rather than a keyboard, I still felt that he was essentially typing. But he took issue with this, insisting he was neither typing nor texting, but in fact ‘twittering.’
“Twittering?” I queried. “Not typing?”
“Hmm.”
“Not texting?”
“That’s right. It’s when you describe in 140 characters or less what you are doing. Let me give you an example.” He began poking at the device. “Going to meet my colleague, the eminent psychologist Lydia Pine-Coffin.” He looked pleased with this.
“But you’re not. You’re typing.”
“Well yes, but you misunderstand. It’s about social networking, it’s about micro blogging.”
“It’s about typing.” I took the device and punched in the following letters: ‘hav just stuffd my armdillo and now thinkng tacos for brekfst.’ I showed him this marvellous piece of prose. “Typing.”
“You’re being childish now,” he scolded. “Deliberately obtuse.”
“Bum bum bum,” I retaliated, deciding to stick with childish rather than have to look up obtuse. “You don’t need 140 characters to describe what you’re doing. Just write ‘typing.’”
But it seemed the Admiral was far from alone. Most people’s list of hobbies would be headed with ‘typing’ if they ever dared admit it. Maybe it was like going to the bathroom - I enjoy my rest breaks but I wouldn’t necessarily class them as a hobby.
Categories: 1. Graphic Design Dilemmas |
Tags: Ignacious Spore, The Admiral, Twitter | No Comments
March 3rd, 2009
I went to visit the Admiral hoping he might be able to explain the Da Vinci Code to me in semaphore or some other language I might understand. I felt the story may help me solve the mystery behind the worst logo in the world, but I wasn’t so committed to the idea that I would read all 600 pages myself.
I found the Admiral in typical pose, hunched over some miniscule technical device, poking and prodding, his milk-bottle glasses growing thicker by the hour.
But it turned out this wasn’t another piece of his electronic fiddling. He was texting, and the miniscule device was in fact a phone.
It was difficult to see how this gadget could be dialled by anyone outside Lilliput, and this gave rise to my theory that either phones were shrinking or my hands were expanding at an alarming rate.
And just when I was getting to my next question - how could a form of typing ever become so popular? - the Admiral dropped a bombshell. He wasn’t typing. He was ‘twittering.’
Categories: 1. Graphic Design Dilemmas |
Tags: Ignacious Spore, The Admiral, Twitter | No Comments
