Q. I still don't get Twitter. How is it different than text messaging? Why do I need to tweet everything I'm doing? "I'm e-mailing Kim Komando right now." Who cares? I just don't understand the point.
—Mike in Dallas, listening online through Kim's Club 

A. Well, Mike, Twitter is that cool new thing everyone is talking about. Ask people what it's for, and you'll get many answers. Some involve head scratching.

Twitter is a micro-blogging site. It lets you post messages of no more than 140 characters. They show up on your page, which is on the Twitter site. You can follow other users. Their updates also appear on your home page. You can also send direct messages to specific people.

So, that's what it is. But what is the point? That depends on what you want to get out of it.

Some people use Twitter to keep up with close friends and family. You can choose to only follow people you actually know. The only updates you'll see are from them. You'll know if your friend is down the street at the bar. You'll know if your sister is home sick.

Yes, a phone call or text message could do the same thing. But Twitter lets you reach everyone simultaneously. It only takes one tweet to update everyone. For example: "Hey, anyone up for poker?" or "Got a flat tire. Anyone have a jack I could borrow?"