Can you explain to me about twitter....like do you add everyone or only people you know and what do you do?

[unknown]

I just got a twitter and I don't understand it at all.....what do you do and do you add anyone or is it private like myspace and facebook....is it basically all status updates? I just need a short summary or explanation about twitter

[Windowphobe]

Twitter is sort of a microblog, with posts limited to 140 characters. Unless you have a private profile, anyone can follow you, and you can follow anyone (though you can be blocked).

Twitter's pitch is "What are you doing?" If it's important for your friends to know what you're doing at any particular moment, you might as well put it up on Twitter. (You can even do this via text message.)

The last thing I tweeted (that's the verb form) was the fact that Amazon.com is now shipping DVDs of "Parker Lewis Can't Lose," a favorite early sitcom on Fox. Anyone who happens to be searching for this sort of thing will be able to read this tweet, whether following me or not.

There is also a direct-message option for people who are following one another.