From Telegraph to Twitter

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Differences
Similarities
References

Introduction

The practice or the science of transmitting information from one party to the next especially through an electronic means is called communication. Communication is inevitable. It takes place in everyday life whether the people involved in the process are close to one another or far away from each other.

Also, it takes place consciously or unconsciously. Communication can be verbal or non-verbal. Long distance made it difficult for individuals to communicate. This, as a result, led to the invention of technology that would enable messages to be relayed over long distances. Twitter as form of communication is more appealing than telegraphy (Fang, 2012).

Differences

Electric telegraph is an ancient system of communication that has since been obsolete whereas twitter is a current micro blogging and a networking social system of communication service. Electric telegraphs and signals were conveyed from one locality to the next using wire as a medium of transmission (Robert, 2013).

It is this signals that were translated into meaningful messages. The electric telegraph came after the non-electric telegraph which Claude Chappe invented in 1749. The non electric telegraph used sophomore which is a flagbased alphabet. The system was visual and relied heavily on a line of sight to communicate (Loretta, 2008).

Samuel, F.B. Morse invented the electronic telegraph. In order to convey the message, he initially used thirty five wires containing gold electrodes. He plunged the wires into water transmitting the message on the receiving end via electrolysis. The message was enabled by the amount of gas that that came as a result of electrolysis. Morse later investigated with electromagnetic indicators in the mid nineteenth century.

He got funds from a congress that saw him through with the telegraph idea (Mary, 2013). Characters sent via a twitter message are called tweets. This was an invention from an undergraduate student at the University of New York, Jack Dorsey. His first idea was using a short text message to communicate to a small group of individuals. He created twitter in March of the year 2006 and was launched in July the same year (Vasellaro, 2008).

While telegraphic information is retrieved in the form of writing in a paper, twitter is a type of communication that takes place in the internet. For one to send telegraphic information, they must have a telegraphic machine. The message is written by the sender of the message in a paper after which it is telegraphed to the receiver who also must be able to access the machine.

Twitter, on the other hand, relies on the internet. One is only required to log into their tweeting account to view ‘tweets’ form their followers. This can be done on a computer or via an internet enabled mobile phone (Robert, 2013).

While twitter requires membership, sending a telegraph does not require one to be a registered member. Telegraphic means of communication does not require one sign up for an account in order to send or receive information.

With a telegraphic machine, one is able to send information to anyone so long as they have the telegraphic machine. One can also read information sent to them without being a registered member Twitter on the other hand requires one to register as a member for one to view or post messages for others to view (Mary, 2013).

Telegraphic form of communication was not flexible and convenient as compared to twitter which is flexible and convenient. Telegraphic machines are not found everywhere. One has to get them from a designated location like in a post office. This makes the process time consuming and less efficient.

Twitter, on the other hand, is faster as internet is easily accessible. One can ‘twit’ via their mobile phone, tablet or a cyber café. One can ‘twit’ while travelling, having dinner, when they are about to sleep, first thing in the morning when they wake up and even in the toilet (Robert, 2013). Such flexibility was impossible with the telegraph.

Telegraphic form of communication is conventional and less attractive unlike twitter which is attractive and easy to understand. Telegraphic information is written on a paper in black and white. It is less attractive and can prove to be difficult to understand sometimes because it has no illustrations in the form of a video or photographs.

Twitter, on the other hand, uses motion pictures and photographs as well as videos that keep the readers entertained. These attributes enhance the comprehension of the message. Twitter also offers its users the option of sending messages in different formats, styles and lengths. The telegraph was more restricted (Mary, 2013).

Whereas twitter information transfer takes place instantly, telegraphic information does not take place instantly. When using the telegraphic form of communication, one does not get a feed back as soon as they send the information (Tom, 2009). This is because a process must take place before the receiver of the message corresponds to the message.

Further, the long distance that one has to travel to access the machine also delays information. Using twitter on the other hand is an instant means of communication. A click of a button and the information is read by the receiver and replied instantly for as long as both the receiver and the sender are on the same site (Neil 1985).

While telegraphic means of communication can be used to relay any amount of written information without limitation twitter has a limit to the number of characters that can be sent. In the telegraphic means of communication, one can write as much information as they please and the information will reach the receiver just as sent. It gives the sender of the message a chance to express themselves in writing without limitation on the information to be sent (Loretta, 2008).

As a result, it is appropriate for the formal type of communication. Twitter on the other hand has restriction on the number of character sent to the receiver. The maximum number of characters that the sender can send is 140 only. This limits one in expressing themselves (Standage 1998).

Twitter can be used for advertising while the telegraphic means of communication cannot be used to advertise. Telegraphic communication technology uses written information only and has no tools for formatting.

This makes it difficult to advertise. Furthermore, telegraphs are intended for few receivers. Twitter, on the other hand, is appropriate for advertising. Many individuals access the internet causing to reach a wider market. The site also provides tools that enable users to reformat their information thereby making it more attractive (Vasellaro, 2008).

Telegraphic means of communication is not only used to relay messages but can be put into other uses like the telegraphic money transfers, a feature that twitter does not have. The telegraphic machine was reinvented and is able to perform other functions.

Western Union and Money Gram are the largest money transfer organizations which came into operation the same year that telegraphs came into operation-1851 (Tom, 2009). Twitter cannot be used for money transfers because it has not been designed to do so, furthermore, many would not consider it safe as millions of people access the site (Robert, 2013).

Similarities

In addition, there are a number of similarities between the two. First, both telegraph and twitter are means of communication. In both, there is a sender, a medium of communication, a channel of communication and the receiver. They are both used to relay information.

They both have the same format of communication which is written message. The first message transmitted by a telegraph was “what hath God wrought” while the first message sent via twitter was “just setting up my twttr” (Loretta, 2008). The two gadgets are unlike phone, which send voice messages.

In both means of communication, the sender of the message has to write or post written information which has to be transmitted to the receiver through a medium. The receiver then reads the message, understands, interpret the information then respond back in the form of a written message to the receiver, who was initially a sender (Neil 1985).

Both telegraph and twitter are used to relay messages over long or short distances. Telegraphs started in the form of cables that were connected from one city to the next in 1838. Morse demonstrated the gadget by guiding an indicator through wire in Morris town. He later secured funds from a legislative body that assisted him mount a demonstration line in the middle of Baltimore and Washington DC (Tom, 2009).

It was unmanageable to hide the wires below the ground and had to hang them from pole to pole. It took a long time before telegraphic cables were put through the Atlantic Ocean to connect the whole world.

Twitter also uses internet cables to communicate worldwide. The use of telegraphs and twitter has made the world a global village. For example, somebody in the United Kingdom can easily communicate with somebody in Africa clearly and easily by twitting or via a telegraph. They were both invented for one basic need-to communicate (Robert, 2013).

Both telegraph and twitter started on sketchy grounds before developing into the wide networks in later years. People have come up with better ideas that have seen the technology grow from a frame to a wholesome system that ensures efficient and effective communication.

Their introduction got positive responses from people who contributed positively towards their growth. Both can be accessed by any individual who wishes to use them. There are no restrictions as to who can use the technology in terms of social class or age among others (Mary 2013).

Both have been used to relay important messages. During the civil war, Associated Press used a telegraph to dispatch information to various relevant offices. AP collected presidential poll results in1848 using a telegraph for the first time that saw Zachary Taylor secure victory in the presidential race.

President Abraham Lincoln state union was transmitted via telegraph. The contemporary world today has seen presidential and parliamentary campaigns carried out on twitter among other social networks (Vasellaro, 2008). Technology keeps upgrading from one decade to the next. Twitter is an upgraded form of technology that has made communication easy and enjoyable making it highly preferred to telegraph in the contemporary world (Vasellaro 2008).

References

Fang, I. (2012). Alphabet to internet: Media in our lives (2^nd Ed.). Kansas: Rada Press.

Neil,P. (1985). Amusing ourselves to death: Public discourse in the age of show business. Viking: Elisabeth Sifton Books.

Standage, T. (1998). The remarkable story of the telegraph and the nineteenth century’s outline pioneers. New York: Walker and Company.

Loretta, O. (2008). Peek-A-Boo World. New Jersey: Paulist Press.

Tom, S. (2009). The Victorian Internet: The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century’s On-line Pioneers. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Vasellaro, J. (2008, October 27). Twitter goes mainstream. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from online,wsj.com/article/SB22461906719455335.html.

Mary, B. (2013, March 30). The history of electric telegraphic and telegraphy: The beginning of an electronic communication inventors. History 1800. Retrieved from about.com/od/tstartinventions/a/telegraph.htm.

Robert, M. (2013, March 30). The invention of telegraphs changed communication forever: A communication revolution wired the world in the 19^th century. History 1800. Retrieved from about.com/od/inventioninnovations/a/telegraph01.htm.

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From Telegraph to Twitter

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