推特三人組Meet the men behind one of the world’s fastest-growing social networks by Beth Bowyer Wei
Your favorite singer tells you what she just had for lunch. Then your favorite actor lets you know his Christmas plans. Next, your former classmate informs you that he’s watching a movie, and your cousin tells you her latest test score. All of this information is delivered to you on one simple webpage courtesy of Twitter, the micro-blogging site that’s taking the world by storm.
Thanks to the Twitter trio – Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams – people around the world are connecting at the speed of a “tweet,” a short update
Dorsey has always loved cities and the way information travels through them. In 1991 at age 14, Dorsey held his first-but not his last part-time job designing dispatching software for taxi companies in St. Louis. By 2000, he had started his own company to dispatch taxis, ambulances and couriers via the Internet. The fact that the users of his software -drivers- were simply reporting their locations gave Dorsey an idea. Add to that a desire to stay better connected with friends and he conceived the concept of Twitter.
In 2006, eager to pitch his idea. Dorsey approached the podcasting company Odeo, based in San Francisco. There he met Stone, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who had already published two books about social media. Stone, a native of Boston, had also co-founded xanga.com, a website that hosts blogs and social networking profiles. Within a few weeks of their first meeting, Dorsey and Stone created a prototype of Twitter. The pair was soon joined by Odeo's co-founder Williams, a veteran Silicon Valley executive and co-inventor of Blogger.com. The son of a Nebraska farmer, Williams had displayed an interest in business and marketing even as a teen. Sensing Twitter's business potential, he enthusiastically got involved.
The excited trio of Dorsey, Stone and Williams launched a full-scale version of Twitter int the summer of 2006. Fueled by Dorsey's brilliantly simple concept, Stone's communication and marketing skills and William's technology business sense, Twitter soon grew into a multi-use media platform. Dorsey said, "My whole philosophy is making tech more accessible and human." By connecting people so quickly and conveniently,Twitter is doing just that.
How does it work?
Twitter asks members one simple question: What are you doing right now? Unlike Facebook and MySpace users, Twitter users don't need to manage complicated profile pages. And different from blogs, Twitter messages aren't lengthy, time-consuming posts. Because user updates, known as "tweets," are limited to 140 characters, information can be written-and read-quickly. But the site does more than just keep friends connected or let celebrities mingle with fans. It's also a place for people to set up business connections, share information and find answers to questions in a quick, informal way.
Why call it "Twitter"?
Dorsey, Stone and Williams wanted a name for their product that encompassed the idea of users updating statuses from anywhere. This concept included sending updates to friends' mobile devices- causing the devices to twitch. While checking a dictionary the team found the word "twitter" in a nearby entry. The definition? "A short burst of information" -exactly what people share on twitter.
Since 2006, more than 17 million users have joined Twitter to socialize, express political opinions and even report breaking news. The network is a "tweet" for everyone．
More Information
With new technology comes new vocabulary!
Some new twitter-inspired vocabulary includes the word tweet. As a noun is means a user's status update. As a verb it means to write a status update. RT or retweet is a verb and it means to "tweet" content from another user's update. To DM or direct message someone is to send a private message to another user.
Grammar
The excited trio launched a full-scale version of Twitter in the summer of 2006.
full-scale=complete and using all resources.
The police chief ordered a full-scale investigation to find out how the bank robbery had occurred. There might be full-scale war if the hostile nations can't agree at the peace talks.
Vocabulary
dispatching (v)-Rob works in the dispatching department of a taxi company so he is constantly communicating with the drivers.
*Within seconds, the police dispatched two police officers to the house that reported theft.
*The ambulance was dispatched to the scene of the car accident.
dispatch (v)-分开，分派，派遣
Companies that offer electricity, phone or cable TV services often dispatch technicians to clients' homes.
ambulance (n)-Several ambulances arrived at the scene of the accident.
conceive (v)-怀孕，想象，构思，构想，由．．构思出来的．
How did the inventor conceive this creative idea?
*The musician took a year to conceive his latest album.
*The popular play was conceived by a group of young college students.
taking by storm (idiom)- 风靡大众．
That designer's unique, environmentally friendly clothes are taking the fashion world by storm.
*The new movie took audiences in Asia by storm.
*This new teacher took her classroom by storm.
entrepreneur (n)-After building several restaurants and hotels, the young entrepreneur started his own grocery store chain.
veteran (adj)-老资格的，经验丰富的.
veteran(n)-老手，经验丰富的人.someone who has experience in something..
The veteran politician lost the election to a younger, less experienced candidate.
*Bob is a veteran campaign fundraiser.
*Charlie is a veteran baseball pitcher. He can handle all sorts of situations.
enthusiastically (adv)-热情地，充满热忱地。
Eager to improve his English, Greg enthusiastically signed up for the three-day speech camp. *The students discussed the new project enthusiastically.
*The new quarterback was enthusiastically welcomed by the team.
enthusiastic (adj)-热情的，充满热忱的
accessible (adj)-easier to use, more people able to use and get to it.
The governor wants to make higher education more accessible to low-income students.
prototype-initiate desire原型，模型，蓝本proto-首先,type款式，样式
The company finished designing the prototype of their new car last month.
He is the prototype of a good father.
encompass (v)-include all, complete include.包刮，包含。
Billy and Ling's wedding encompassed aspects of both the East and the West.
*The proposal encompasses renewing the community center and the garden.
*The magazine encompasses articles of many different subjects.
twitch (v)-抽动，抽续颤抖，痉挛
After a long run, sometimes the muscles in my leg twitch.
*Nancy could feel her lips twitching when she was giving the speech.
*My legs twitched constantly after climbing the mountain.
socialize (v)-During freshmen orientation, students have make opportunities to socialize and make new friend.
mingle- mix with, 往来，交往。与某个对象交往用"With"
The famous movie star still loves to mingle with his childhood friends.
*Helen rarely mingles with her colleagues.
Chat Room
networking(n)-指网状的组织或系统。当动词是指建立人脉或拉关系。net 是网子
social networking-网路上的社群，一群和你因某一种因素建立起来得关系的人，如学校，地区，兴趣，理念，专业，信仰等。
social networking site-社群网站。
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twitter-twitter网站.原本是鸟叫的啾啾声. 也有"突然蹦出来的简短信息.
tweet-使用者所更新的信息.
retweet- 是tweet延伸出的,指把所看到的信息,转发到你自己的tweeter上.
pheeter-是 phony tweeter 的缩写.phony-假的。
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