Why I Loathe and Love TrueTwit
TrueTwit is described as a service to users on twitter that helps them root out spambots. That would be a good service if it worked. Instead it spams human users by assuming that we are spambots. A spambot is not bothered by the TrueTwit validation procedure, it simply ignores it. And therein lies the TrueTwit cleverness : only humans look at their ad-filled pages.
Then, Alfred wants to follow another user on twitter, Carol. She also uses TrueTwit. What happens now? TrueTwit knows that Alfred was not a spambot when he followed Brenda. But with this Carol-following-business, they are not so sure anymore. So they send him through the validation process once again. And he will be sent through that process every time he tries to follow a user that uses TrueTwit.
This is a very good idea. I mean the part about pretending not to remember that a user was not a spambot the last time he or she was validated. It means that TrueTwit gets loads more hits on their ad-stuffed pages.
However it is not good user experience for either Alfred, Brenda or Carol. Alfred may be sick and tired of repeatedly trying to convince TrueTwit that he is not a spambot, and then un-follows people who use TrueTwit. Or, if Alfred follows a few people before going on holiday or for some other reason is off line for a couple of weeks, the validation-deadline expires. That means that Brenda and Carol will be told that Alfred is possibly just another spambot. They are not likely to follow back, even if Alfred perhaps followed them because of shared interests. Alfred may even decide to unfollow Brenda and Carol.
So the conclusion is : By NOT implementing the simple functionality of remembering that Alfred, or any other user, is NOT a spambot, they make twitter worse for both non-members AND members. Who would want a service like that? The answer is : The people behind the TrueTwit-service that gets loads of hits on their pages. They have made a service so bad, that you sign up so you don't have to use it , by forcing others to do your dirty work. They are in a sense very clever people and thats why I love (a very tiny fraction of) TrueTwit.
Still, I loathe TrueTwit for the vast amount of time I and countless others spend re-confirming that we ar not a spambots. Time that could be used for doing good in the world. Or more likely, time that could be used reading interesting tweets by newfound twitter friends and followers.
If you are using TrueTwit, I hope this little rant makes you at least rethink your membership. I will still be your friend though, because I'm so desperate for followers on twitter.