Bird’s Eye: This is the fourth last issue of Tikkunista. At the end of the year, weekly issues will end, and a Twitter feed will start. The Bird’s Eye likes a twitter feed. (Backstory to this change is here). I am deeply appreciative of the many kind words readers have sent, and also of those who have written to say, “Twitter? Arrrgghh! How do I do that? Help!” Here’s some support….

* Tikkunista on Twitter

The easiest way is to go to the website https://twitter.com/PeterTikkunista and read the tweets there. You can do that from whatever program you are reading this in. There are a few tweets there, just to test that it works. (Let me know if it doesn’t, please.)

* Get to Know Twitter: New User FAQ

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent messages. People write short updates, often called “Tweets” of 140 characters or fewer. These messages are posted to your profile, sent to your followers, and are searchable on Twitter search.

Do I need anything special to use it?

All you need to use Twitter is an internet connection or a mobile phone. Join us here! Once you’re in, begin finding and following accounts whose Tweets interest you. We’ll recommend great accounts once you’re signed up.

* Get the Most Out of Twitter #Hashtags

One of the most complex features of Twitter for new users to understand is the hashtag, a topic with a hash symbol (“#”) at the start to identify it. Twitter hashtags like #followfriday help spread information on Twitter while also helping to organize it.

The hashtag is a favorite tool of conferences and event organizers, but it’s also a way for Twitter users to organize themselves: if everyone agrees to append a certain hashtag to tweets about a topic, it becomes easier to find that topic in search, and more likely the topic will appear in Twitter’s Trending Topics.