Top 10 Twitter Software for Linux

For those who think microblogging is no business and just a fan-following vogue, let me tell its one of the most powerful media today. Twitter reigns the microblogging world with an exponentially growing membership. It’s real value lies in instantaneous communication with people. Real time interaction with instantaneous feedback to updates is what makes Twitter a popular social network. With increasing popularity, Twitter now has several software have come up. The Linux users would be glad to know that there are a number Twitter software for Linux.  I would like to list the top 10 Twitter software for Linux running Ubuntu.

1. gTwitter (easy-to-use Twitter software for Linux that provides automatic updates)
2. Twhirl(real-time tweet updates)
3. Pwytter(standout multi-platform Twitter client)
4. Twitux ( check out friends updates and public timeline optionally)
5. Mitter(multiple interfaces, display avatar pictures )
6. Spaz(intuitive design, customizable and directory listing of users)
7. Twitterfox(context menu with copy, re-tweet, open this tweet in new tab, delete tweet)
8. Twitbin(Firefox extension the allows )
9. Genome Do
10. BTL

1. gTwitter

This is a lightweight easy to install software Twitter client for GNOME. It features a pretty simple interface that’s quite user-friendly. In the gTwitter app you’ll automatically receive all the Twitter update from your friends or from the public timeline. It offers a status box at the end of the Window.

gTwitter lacks the option for audible tweet notification. On the better side its nice for those on work and who want to avoid the ding every few minutes. Everytime you hear a ding for tweet you feel like watching what’s going on in Twitter. With gTwitter you can keep away from this. If you don’t want to miss the updates, set the gTwitter to “always on top”. It hides the Twitter window whenever you click on the anther  window .

The software is in it’s beta version written in Mono/C#. According to the developers, the gTwitter would soon have the direct message viewing facility and near the top of the development priority list.

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2. Twhirl

This is a Twitter desktop software based on Adobe AIR platform. Twhril supports multiple accounts over multiple social networks. The desktop software offers a number of exciting features.

Let’s take a look at features twhirl version 0.9

• Notifications are displayed for the new messages.
• Twhirl features Twitter Search and TweetScan options.
• The user can follow the topics in real-time with saved searches
• Find the tweets automatically using the @username
• Video recording on Seesmic and sharing on Twitter immediately
• It can auto-throttle the Twitter API usage
• English spellcheck for the Tweets.

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3. Pwytter

Pwytter is a unique multi-platform Twitter client with rich features. This free open source software has been developed in Python / tkInter.

Let’s get into its features of Pwytter

It’s high on performance allowing asynchronous version check, Friends/Followers loading for quick startup and asynchronous url loader (favorites, images, …). In addition, it offers file system cache for faster resource loading at startup (images, users, favorites).

Let’s take a pick at the features

• You can create and remove the favorite
• Three different modes of timeline support - Composit, Replies and DirestMessaqges
• Assistance to choose the current timeline with new popup menu
• You can send X-twitter headers
• Image and user hints
• Easy reply icon - add@name automatically
• There’s a better editline handling
• Automatic and manual refresh
• User interface appears in 14 languages

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4. Twitux

Twitux is another simple Twitter client for GNOME. It seems a bit quirky on first take, the client refuses to wrap tweets to conform to the size of the Window. Twitux lacks a built-in posting Window. Instead you can go to the menu options or press Ctrl+N to be able to post. Twitux doesn’t offer an easy way to reply to a tweet. It cuts off the right side of any tweets longer than one time. It forces the user to enter the username that you are looking for manually.  Generally, the clients automate the process of replying and sending direct messages.

For the new tweets Twitux offers a popup notification. It allows the user to select a Twitux to check for the new updates. Further it can also be set to provide only the friends updates or only the public timeline. One of the handy features included in Twitux is the spellcheck that makes sure that your tweets are correctly spelled.

Twitux is in beta and buggy. It would be worthwhile to watch the Twitter software when it’s full version is released.

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5. Mitter

It is a Twitter software for Linux that features multiple interfaces. It is much like the gTwitter, that keeps your Twitter status up-to-date and offers your friends’ updates. Mitter allows you to display avatar pictures on your personal timeline. Mitter  supports multiple different interfaces based on the system you are using. With PyGTK installed, you can experience a smooth interface that features a nice window where you can see your friends timeline and update your status. In case, you lack the necessary requirements, it offers you the console interface. The status update features seems a bit gawkish to handle. The problem is not evident in the latest version.

The mitter isn’t a complete software and needs to be upgraded to be an efficient Twitter client.

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6. Spaz

This Twitter client is an open source software with an intuitive design and customizable.  It’s offers an automated one step installation. Spaz is developed in pure Javascript, XHTML and CSS and utilizes the Javascript framework. The feature of this Twitter software includes

• It offers the directory listing of users following you on Twitter and your followers
• Development tools and debugging and debug logging
• Spaz offers multiple themes and supports user-created themes
• Allows user defined CSS override
• There are event sounds using the Tokyo Train Station Soundset by Dominik Dimaano
• It allows markdown syntax support
• It has a short URL decoding
• It enables short URL decoding

Spaz were written in RealBasic and compiled for Linux

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7. Twitterfox

This is a Firefox extension which highlights the tweets from your friend on Twitter. It features a tiny icon on the status bar that notifies the   updates by your friends. It provides a small text input field to update where you can update your tweets. Moreover it’s pretty easy to install this app.

Let’s have a thorough look at features of Twitterfox 1.7.7.1

• There’s a context menu for tweet that comes with the option for copy, re-tweet, open this tweet in new tab, delete tweet
• The background color of the read/unread messages can have a brighter contrast
• You can mark all as read menu item to the main context menu
• For status update you have the in-reply-to-status-id parameter
• Debugging tools
• da-DK, th-TH, vi-VN, ar-SA, ar, and kw-GB translations

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8. TwitBin

This  Twitter software is basically a Firefox extension the allows an user to keep up with the Twitter conversation right from the browser sidebar. With Twitbin any user can send messages, receive messages, share links and much more.

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9. Genome Do

This is an intelligent launcher tool that makes it simple and easy to handle Twitter on Ubuntu. It allows the user to search for various items in your desktop environment like applications, contacts, bookmarks, files, music, etc. Genome Do offers instantaneous action oriented desktop search results that take into account the users habit and preferences. It also provides graphical depictions of search results, like for beatles search it shows the album cover of beatles.

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10.  BTL

BTL is a pearl script that integrates twitter with bash.  It updates the new tweets into the users console. This could well be called a biff for twitter. It notifies the user on new updates in a console. When it comes to informing on the new tweets in the console, it’s the best ma at work. It’s independent of YAML and accepts multiple accounts. It’s a great service that could be considered in alpha at present.  But it’s important to know that installing the BTL could cause you a neck pain.
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