Should I get a Twitter?

Don’t get one unless you have some sort of mobile device.

I don’t recommend it, just because I have one and I honestly hardly ever use it.
There’s no harm in getting one; it is free.
and you can text your ‘status’ to the website with your phone.
However, you can also do this with facebook.
And if you’d like, what I do is created a Twitter account, and I just linked it to my Facebook Page. That way, friends on Twitter who post their status show up on my Facebook wall.
Just a suggestion (:

Is Twitter used for academic or professional purposes?

My impression of it is that it is more for social purposes. For that, I think Facebook is enough.

It is used for business/professional purposes I am sure.
But not that I use it for, so I’m unaware of how to use it for that purpose

Just get facebook and use the status updates. It is basically the same thing. Twitter is a fad but less useful than other services like facebook or instant messaging

I personally think it’s a waste of time. I am an avid facebook user, but once I created my Twitter account I never used it. Stick with facebook.

AGREEEEEEED.
With all the others.
Haha,
Moral of your question and our answers; Twitter is a no-go

Twitter is an incredible tool when properly use. The learning curve is quite steep, and Twitter is actually working on how to facilitate the integration of newcomers.

Having said that, take Twitter as a stream where you come when you are thirsty.
My 2cents advise : (provided you already have a twitter accnt)
1. define your center of interests (food, sports, economics, politics, younameit)
2. use services such as Listorious to find related tweeps
3. follow them on twitter
4. read and learn
5. engage into discussions w/ them

hope it helps
cheers

I got a Twitter account so that I could follow Dr. Michio Kaku’s commentary on the Japanese nuclear power plants situation.