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    Twitter ... Explained by Founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams (RT)

    By | Work + Money – Fri, Jul 16, 2010 4:01 PM EDT

    genConnect had the opportunity to talk to Biz Stone and Evan Williams -- in person -- and asked them all about their brainchild Twitter.com. The micro-blogging website has been widely popular among everyday people, celebrities, the media, businesses ... and most recently the Old Spice guy and Allysa Milano. With 105 million registered Tweeters, as of reported figures in April, we had the Co-Founder and CEO of Twitter answer a few of our questions in a little over 140 characters.


    genConnect: Why is a Twitter status limited to 140 characters?
    Biz Stone: 160 characters is the international limit for text messaging. We designed Twitter to work on all mobile devices in the world (which means approximately 5 billion cell phones). 140 characters leaves room for the name of the author of the Tweet and can be read in its entirety on any device.

    gC: Who first turned to Twitter?
    Evan Williams: Twitter didn't really start with younger people. It started with more of the technical and professional community. Twitter is not a "social network"; it's an "information network" - where people go to find customized news and information. While they're seeing a growth in the number of young people who join Twitter, it actually started within the working communities.

    gC: What do you enjoy most about how Twitter is being used by the masses?
    Stone: People are basically good. If you give them a tool to do good, they will do good. People have turned to Twitter during disasters, emergencies … to help other people or raise awareness for charities … It's the idea we can build something to have a positive impact in the world.

    gC: Define Twitter? What is it really?
    Williams    : Twitter is a "real-time information network." A person can chose to tune into the news they want to listen to. It gives you the ability to make choices and see around corner.
    Stone: People are like a flock of birds - moving around an object in flight. It looks amazingly choreographed and complex but really it's rudimentary communication …

    Tx, Fellas. Do you Tweet? We do @genConnected. RT this article.Not wowed by Twitter? Check out our interview with David Kirkpatrick, author of The Facebook Effect.