I think Twitter’s moves over the next few months are going to be fascinating to watch.

Great and honest update. Thank you

I would add few things about Twitter. In my opinion what Twitter built is a
new form of messaging bus with unique form of message type (140 characters
with a link). Everybody is welcome to put any message there and anybody can
pick up any message. Addressing is very simple. It is the simplicity, near
time delivery and an OK quality of service which won customers, developers
and vendors over, and allowed to grow Twitter to the level of audience
which has today.
I think that Twitter didn’t anticipate that they will create plumbing or
utility for the rest of us. They want to become the destination now. I
understand their desire to make money, but I am not sure if this is the way
to go. I think better model would be the transaction model, where people
would pay to use the API, pay per post, pay per get. Twitter would control
the flow, provide data analysis, encourage developer community and charge
for it. Let others figure out all the possible use of Twitter, don’t try to
build another social portal.
At this moment the barrier of entry to build Twitter-clone is low. They
should take a lesson from Microsoft with the MS Office. MS Word is average
product, but thanks to macros, plugins, document format Microsoft was able
to insert itself into a business processes. Therefore it is very expensive
to remove it and replace it with much better or cheaper products. I don’t
think, Twitter has reached the level of integration yet. Cutting its ties
with LinkedIn put every integrator on alert and people might think twice
about investing in the Twitter integration.

Thanks for your time reading this.

cheers

Vaclav
prosyna.com