That leaves me wondering how Twitter’s new policy of blocking duplicate tweets works with these auto posts. I had never considered that people were doing it that way. I guess Twitter doesn’t compare the tweets very far back. -Gabe

It’s going to take a while for all the auto posts people set up weeks or months in advance to go away. (I get a few that are the same exact tweet/list every Friday).

Like auto follower DM’s, it’s an idea with that most tried with good intentions. I’m glad there are new alternatives.

Since I couldn’t find your first name anywhere, I hope you don’t mind I call you PW. :)

I think that does work if you at least classify the people you recommend in the beginning.

As far as I am concerned there is no right or wrong – there is what works for you. So in the end it’s all good.

Thanks for your comment.

-Gabe

You definitely got folks attention with this one. I confess, I didn’t get through all these blog comments, so if I’m repeating someone else’s thoughts here, I’ll apologize upfront.

My opinion is not really not one of opposition, but I’d submit that a list of @’s has a utility IF the tweeter is being careful. I for example follow a bunch of different music artists, so I’ll offer a tweet something to the effect of “some great #blues #musicians worth a listen…” with their handles to follow. I have no issue with clustering like friends/followers that way. Gets back to your initial point of at least offering some reason for following them.

But I do agree that people have gotten carried away and try to exploit the trend.

I’ve come to find that in Twitter just like the offline world there are people that I’ve come to trust and I’ll look long and hard at the folks that they offer for a follow Friday. There are a lot of folks just making noise. You let them talk, and then move on.

For me in offering my own follow friday suggestions, I put out a couple (2 or 3) in a single tweet, and limit myself to 3 or 4 tweets on a given Friday. Don’t know that it’s right or wrong, but it seems to work for me.

As I said before – in the end we all respect how you use Twitter.

And Jeanne – thanks again for adding so much value to this post.

I do have one favor to ask of Fatigued Angel – if you leave another comment can we know your first name?

Thanks,

-Gabe

I am sorry you thought I was directing that message ONLY to you…
This may be your blog, but as there were Many replies I was Simply stating another Point of View for ALL to Consider.. I did NOT address it to you like I did this one or anyone in Specific..

I know WHY #FF was started, but I also know that many things on this earth are created for one purpose and then used for another.. I do not use it blindly, that was my main point. I was trying to explain that I use it to show Gratitude for those I follow.

I am sorry if you felt I was attacking you or anyone.. That was NOT my intent or purpose.. Just like a piece of music that was originally composed as classical can be rearranged into a jazz tune.. The one thing in this life we CAN count on is Change… I was simply explaining
the way in which my usage of #FF had changed from the Original purpose.. @Mashable even refers to it as a Game.. I was explaining a new evolution and usage..NO insult or anger meant.

The “you” was like the Royal “we” meant for all the readers..In fact,
I even said “any of you” …Again, sorry if anyone, including you, felt anything other than a different opinion being offered. Since #FollowFriday is not even spelled out any more it ALSO can also
morph in meaning… as #FF “Friends I Follow”.

Many times a RT does not even allow room for any Thank You’s.
So this is the method I have adopted. I have never been one to live
IN a box and I guess maybe that led to my morphing of the usage.

I am sorry if my tone came across harsh. That was probably aimed at the Spammers that want 10,000 followers overnight for some $$scam reason.. I care MORE about Quality Followers than Quantity.
My cat also just died and I am sorry if my pain came thru in my tone.

I agree with you that a great thing about twitter is that we all have the choice of who we like to follow (aside from the spammers who follow me faster than I can block them, of course… but I’m working on keeping up with them). :)

While #FollowFriday used to be one of many methods I used (in a sense) to express gratitude to my twitter friends, I have always understood #FollowFriday as having been designed for the purpose of “referring” people to follow others.

When I want to thank someone on twitter, I just do it as I go… throughout the week. In the past, I may have “thanked” a twitter contact I really like by “referring” people their way in a FF… but I wasn’t just listing twitter accounts I was thanking and throwing a #FF hashtag on it.

I HAVE (and DO) walk in the chronic illness “moccasins” and the last thing I am concerned with on twitter is ego issues. I don’t see where this post is unsympathetic in any way to the chronically ill. On the contrary, this point has saved me (a chronically ill patient) a lot of headaches/time!

As I explained previously, I have made the choice that I’ve decided works for me… which is to discontinue #FollowFriday altogether. I am fully aware that others may have much different ideas on this subject.

For the record, I am far from physically healthy, I do not have a big ego, I DO express gratitude regularly to my twitter friends, and I do NOT hear anyone here telling anyone else what they must do/must not do with their FollowFriday habits.

I took your post as simply a thought-provoking jumping off point to examine how I have been spending my time and, frankly, overdoing in a way that is unhealthy for my numerous chronic illnesses.

Gabe, thank you for your post! It has clearly resonated with many people.

Jeanne

From your tone I would surmise that you would not be happy with any response I could give you, but let me offer these observations.

As I mentioned in the beginning of the post (via @mashable), #followfriday was created for the sole purpose of recommending others to follow, yet you use it for something else. I do think that most people understand this hashtag as meaning we should follow the people you recommend. If this is not your intent, why not simply thank them – I do that all the time to a group of people when they retweet me and it doesn’t have to be on a Friday.

Secondly, I have never pretended to be some sort of Twitter authority whose words should be followed verbatim by everyone. I offer my opinions but always expect people to do what they wish – as they should – and they (and you) have every right to.

That’s the great thing about Twitter – we all have a choice of who we like to follow. -Gabe