Plurk is cool and fun to use but I fail to see the comparison. I've been using it for a few days now and it doesn't serve the same purpose as Twitter does. Its definitely a fun microblogging site with neat features and a quirky feel to it but its not an information portal like Twitter. There's plenty of tweeple on Plurk but I haven't seen any groundbreaking conversations and benefit from using the service. Twitter killer is far from what this service is.
christiananderson
· 1 year ago
The comparison is they are both microblogging sites. That said, there certainly can be differences in how one uses each. Further, Plurk has more FriendFeed-like conversation features than Twitter.
I agree too that Twitter has evolved into an information portal. I check Twitter first for breaking news. Plurk users are still feeling out Plurk and much of the conversation I see is around how to use it effectively and who is on Plurk. If / as more people migrate over to Plurk, you'll see the tenor of conversations change and evolve into something that closer resembles what you're used to on Twitter / FriendFeed.
hardblogginmama
· 1 year ago
Given the visual timeline feature, the conversation feature and the Friend -vs- Fan feature, I think Plurk has identified a niche that Twitter does not have.
The Karma thing is catchy. Who doesn't want good karma? That hook alone piques folk's interest.
As for Plurk being too "teenage-girl," can you elaborate? (I'm 43, like Plurk and not offended at all!).
Twitter, naturally appealed to the geeky side of us. Early-adopters already have a sense of "how stuff works" so new sites, especially sites that push an envelope, simply represent a micro-challenge and not a threat to a comfortable paradigm.
But for many - most - people now on the web, first they must understand how some new site is going to improve their life or make it more fun. The geek in me sees something new as, "Hey what can this do?!" The practical IRL person scoffs that they don't need that new shiny widget until some tipping point of social proof is reached.
Then they have to shift their paradigm in order to successfully use that new site - not something that happens easily because it involves a bit of learning and time.
Plurk appears to be aiming straight for the middle. I say that because that word, "Karma" is in there (bullseye) and there is no API (yet). Karma aims for the masses, no API leaves out the Geeks and the pseudo-Geeks like me who just want to put Plurk on a WordPress blog.
I agree, Christian, given enough time (and an API), Plurk can be every bit an information portal like Twitter.
Cheers! Val
christiananderson
· 1 year ago
great thoughts! thanks so much for contributing. please comment often. maybe even guest post?
i was kicking around a follow-up post. i think i will go ahead with it. it should address several of the points you raise.
I've been testing plurk out and highly enjoying the experience. Plurk lacks in the extensibility of twitter, but I suspect that's something that can be worked around.
Techn0tic 6 days ago
I'm not convinced by Plurk as yet, FriendFeed seems to be the more natural (or at least more established) alternative but seeing as both Jaiku and Pownce have been making headway in this space, Plurk has a lot of competing to do and I noticed the service stuttering a bit today with all of the new signups. Having said all of that, Twitter continues to be hugely popular and even despite their best efforts, even Twitter themselves don't seem to be able to force a mass exodus to other services (except when they need somewhere to complain about Twitter being down)
Smc2911 6 days ago
I signed up last night and further twitter problems (the api seemed to be crippled and so twhirl wasn't working) meant I spent quite a bit of time plurking. I liked it!
Karen 6 days ago
I've found plurk interesting but still find twitter most compelling.
Carruthk 6 days ago
plurk is ok but I still prefer the way the messages stream past you in twitter
Javurek 6 days ago
Timeline idea is great, but I hope Twitter will sort out its problems. imho Plurk is just a fad, but timeline interface is here to stay.
Adityakelkar2000 6 days ago
Really liked the interface. haven't used it though.
Moz Tom 6 days ago
Plurk has no API, @Smc2911, and I think that we can agree that means it is very useless. They also do not support comments on their blog posts (twitter does), and don't link to their get satisfaction page (twitter does). I don't think Plurk's gonna last, it is very reminiscent of "xanga", and from the random selection of users on the front page, many underage, I think that's the only crowd it's going to appeal to.
Devilinthedetails 6 days ago
Seriously? YOu're talking about a service that won't render it's timeline in Firefox? As Moz Tom says there is no API, which means that in order to use it I have to run Firefox (for everything else) and IE for Plurk. Not gonna happen.
Cosmichog 6 days ago
Good overview of twitter and plurk here, at www.jonbishop.org Check it out. (Jon's a friend of mine who has a good working knowledge of both).
Geek Mommy 6 days ago
Plurk is really good for conversations - but not really good for microblogging. The formats are different. While the mobile site (http://www.plurk.com/m/) is really slick and great from a smartphone browser, it's still a different experience than Twitter. Since Robert Scoble has already declared that it holds no allure for him, and Kevin Rose has said that the Kevin Rose on plurk is not him - I suspect it won't prove a Twitter-killer. But that doesn't mean something else won't.
Snoop Bloggy Blog 6 days ago
I usually use Twitter and Pownce but they both give me headaches. I mess around with Plurk.
Jasongoldberg 5 days ago
I'll be a slow mover off twitter. I'd rather root for them to get their act together than rush to the next cute kid on the block.
Christiananderson 5 days ago
Plurk won't kill Twitter for several reasons: plurk does not have open APIs Plurk does not have a desktop app plurk does not lend itself to mobile updates plurk does not have the community plurk does not allow links in profiles plurk does not support porting contacts from Twitter plurk is pissing off robert scoble This could all change, but it would have to happen soon to leverage current interest.
Jimwu 5 days ago
What about Pownce?
Ryangraves 5 days ago
Agreed, why haven't people jumped to Pownce very quickly.
M Barger 5 days ago
LAME-O! Plurk has decided to forbid people and also highly recommend against the things I find very helpful about Twitter! Twitter does have problems, but one of the things I like about it, is it's ability to connect me with like-minded (ie techie) people. Plurk has no search feature to help me connect, and advises "Only add people who are your good buddies. Don't add people you met for 3 minutes at a party." Dudes! Your missing the point!
Nishith 5 days ago
Interesting UI. I'm game to trying new social apps. The problem though is that they don't give me any instant gratification unless I patiently hang out over there and create my friends' network. Hope the recent initiatives like friend connect etc goes mainstream soon.
jansegers
· 1 year ago
I'm testing Plurk.com but I can't get the idea behind it. I'll wait to launch of http://kwippy.com to use the phrase Twitter killer if I were you...
christiananderson
· 1 year ago
I didn't use the phrase Twitter-killer in reference to Plurk, nor would I. I did say others have wondered aloud whether FriendFeed might be. I don't think either are. The only Twitter killer will be Twitter.
Plurk will have to dial back the Karma stuff and tweak the language if they want massive geek adoption. Plurk in its current form is too teenage-girl -- unless of course, that is the demo they want.
Geeks too will want a mobile app, a desktop app and open APIs. We're spoiled by Twitter and it will take all of those pieces for a Twitter replacement to get real traction.
(UPDATE: oops, i kind of did wonder aloud if Plurk might be a Twitter killer. In its current form, its not. I stick by my assertion that the only Twitter killer is Twitter.)
All Comments
I agree too that Twitter has evolved into an information portal. I check Twitter first for breaking news. Plurk users are still feeling out Plurk and much of the conversation I see is around how to use it effectively and who is on Plurk. If / as more people migrate over to Plurk, you'll see the tenor of conversations change and evolve into something that closer resembles what you're used to on Twitter / FriendFeed.
The Karma thing is catchy. Who doesn't want good karma? That hook alone piques folk's interest.
As for Plurk being too "teenage-girl," can you elaborate? (I'm 43, like Plurk and not offended at all!).
Twitter, naturally appealed to the geeky side of us. Early-adopters already have a sense of "how stuff works" so new sites, especially sites that push an envelope, simply represent a micro-challenge and not a threat to a comfortable paradigm.
But for many - most - people now on the web, first they must understand how some new site is going to improve their life or make it more fun. The geek in me sees something new as, "Hey what can this do?!" The practical IRL person scoffs that they don't need that new shiny widget until some tipping point of social proof is reached.
Then they have to shift their paradigm in order to successfully use that new site - not something that happens easily because it involves a bit of learning and time.
Plurk appears to be aiming straight for the middle. I say that because that word, "Karma" is in there (bullseye) and there is no API (yet). Karma aims for the masses, no API leaves out the Geeks and the pseudo-Geeks like me who just want to put Plurk on a WordPress blog.
I agree, Christian, given enough time (and an API), Plurk can be every bit an information portal like Twitter.
Cheers!
Val
i was kicking around a follow-up post. i think i will go ahead with it. it should address several of the points you raise.
christian
Go to http://www.socialmedian.com/story/298302/twitte... to view the live feed. SocialMedian is in closed beta to access the feed use invite code: MEDIAdeluge
Comments (18)
Adamant1988
7 days ago
I've been testing plurk out and highly enjoying the experience. Plurk lacks in the extensibility of twitter, but I suspect that's something that can be worked around.
Techn0tic
6 days ago
I'm not convinced by Plurk as yet, FriendFeed seems to be the more natural (or at least more established) alternative but seeing as both Jaiku and Pownce have been making headway in this space, Plurk has a lot of competing to do and I noticed the service stuttering a bit today with all of the new signups. Having said all of that, Twitter continues to be hugely popular and even despite their best efforts, even Twitter themselves don't seem to be able to force a mass exodus to other services (except when they need somewhere to complain about Twitter being down)
Smc2911
6 days ago
I signed up last night and further twitter problems (the api seemed to be crippled and so twhirl wasn't working) meant I spent quite a bit of time plurking. I liked it!
Karen
6 days ago
I've found plurk interesting but still find twitter most compelling.
Carruthk
6 days ago
plurk is ok but I still prefer the way the messages stream past you in twitter
Javurek
6 days ago
Timeline idea is great, but I hope Twitter will sort out its problems. imho Plurk is just a fad, but timeline interface is here to stay.
Adityakelkar2000
6 days ago
Really liked the interface. haven't used it though.
Moz Tom
6 days ago
Plurk has no API, @Smc2911, and I think that we can agree that means it is very useless. They also do not support comments on their blog posts (twitter does), and don't link to their get satisfaction page (twitter does). I don't think Plurk's gonna last, it is very reminiscent of "xanga", and from the random selection of users on the front page, many underage, I think that's the only crowd it's going to appeal to.
Devilinthedetails
6 days ago
Seriously? YOu're talking about a service that won't render it's timeline in Firefox? As Moz Tom says there is no API, which means that in order to use it I have to run Firefox (for everything else) and IE for Plurk. Not gonna happen.
Cosmichog
6 days ago
Good overview of twitter and plurk here, at www.jonbishop.org Check it out. (Jon's a friend of mine who has a good working knowledge of both).
Geek Mommy
6 days ago
Plurk is really good for conversations - but not really good for microblogging. The formats are different. While the mobile site (http://www.plurk.com/m/) is really slick and great from a smartphone browser, it's still a different experience than Twitter. Since Robert Scoble has already declared that it holds no allure for him, and Kevin Rose has said that the Kevin Rose on plurk is not him - I suspect it won't prove a Twitter-killer. But that doesn't mean something else won't.
Snoop Bloggy Blog
6 days ago
I usually use Twitter and Pownce but they both give me headaches. I mess around with Plurk.
Jasongoldberg
5 days ago
I'll be a slow mover off twitter. I'd rather root for them to get their act together than rush to the next cute kid on the block.
Christiananderson
5 days ago
Plurk won't kill Twitter for several reasons: plurk does not have open APIs Plurk does not have a desktop app plurk does not lend itself to mobile updates plurk does not have the community plurk does not allow links in profiles plurk does not support porting contacts from Twitter plurk is pissing off robert scoble This could all change, but it would have to happen soon to leverage current interest.
Jimwu
5 days ago
What about Pownce?
Ryangraves
5 days ago
Agreed, why haven't people jumped to Pownce very quickly.
M Barger
5 days ago
LAME-O! Plurk has decided to forbid people and also highly recommend against the things I find very helpful about Twitter! Twitter does have problems, but one of the things I like about it, is it's ability to connect me with like-minded (ie techie) people. Plurk has no search feature to help me connect, and advises "Only add people who are your good buddies. Don't add people you met for 3 minutes at a party." Dudes! Your missing the point!
Nishith
5 days ago
Interesting UI. I'm game to trying new social apps. The problem though is that they don't give me any instant gratification unless I patiently hang out over there and create my friends' network. Hope the recent initiatives like friend connect etc goes mainstream soon.
Plurk will have to dial back the Karma stuff and tweak the language if they want massive geek adoption. Plurk in its current form is too teenage-girl -- unless of course, that is the demo they want.
Geeks too will want a mobile app, a desktop app and open APIs. We're spoiled by Twitter and it will take all of those pieces for a Twitter replacement to get real traction.
(UPDATE: oops, i kind of did wonder aloud if Plurk might be a Twitter killer. In its current form, its not. I stick by my assertion that the only Twitter killer is Twitter.)