Before Google Plus, I spent a fair amount of time updating Facebook and twitter. Since Google Plus became available, I initially have found myself focusing less on twitter. I don’t make much use of the G+ circles, but I do like the ability to follow people and comment on their posts, and have people comment on mine. I also like the fact that I am not bound by limits on the number of characters I enter, even though I initially thought this would be a negative.

I recently created a facebook quiz: How well do you know James Packard Love? When a co-worker filled out the survey, I looked to check her answers. At the bottom of the questionnaire answers was the following advertisement.

The message, Hey James, Hot singles are waiting for you!! had a picture a single woman. She’s single alright, since my father passed away.

Dear Facebook.
I appreciate the suggestion, but I really don’t think of her this way.

Today I installed a Linux version of tweetdeck, specifically for a Ubuntu 8.10 version of Linux. First step was to install Adobe Air: http://get.adobe.com/air/ Adobe knew I wanted a Linux version, and downloaded the install program to my computer.

[additional instructions added upon request] I found it necessary to open a terminal, and use the command line to finish the install. After opening the default terminal program (from Applications/Accessories menu), I used the command line to change the directory to the place where the install program was located. I then had to make the installer executable, using this command in the terminal: sudo chmod +x AdobeAIRInstaller.bin

To run the install program, I next used this command from the terminal command line:
sudo ./AdobeAIRInstaller.bin

The installation program worked ok, installing the files in /opt/Adobe AIR

Next I had to download a copy of tweetdeck, from here: http://www.tweetdeck.com/beta/. For some reason, the first time I tried, the download button did not work, but I was able to look at the web page source code to get the URL for the download. But the second time I tried, it worked the way it was supposed to. I’m not sure why the experience was different the second time, unless it was that Adobe Air was not yet running the first time. In any case, I was unsure how to install tweetdeck, but after searching for some answers, I went to the Air directory: /opt/Adobe AIR/Versions/1.0, and ran the application installation script, which asked me for the location of the application to install, and then worked well. However, it turns out it would have been much easier if I had realized that the Adobe Air Applications Installer is now on my Ubuntu Applications/Accessories menu. It turns out that is also the location of the menu entry for tweetdeck.

In any case, tweetdeck seems to be more functional and attractive than Twitux, and easier to configure and use than some other Ubuntu Twitter clients I have tried.

I subsequently installed two other Air clients, including DestroyTwitter and Twhirl. I was able to install both directly from the web pages of the publishers, and both installed menu icons in Applications/Accessories. Both worked fine.