My general rule of thumb for following someone on Twitter is: do they mention Flex, Flash, AIR, or Actionscript in their recent twits or bio? If so then I follow. If they are designers then I almost always follow. And if they are into social marketing then I sometimes follow. However, a few days ago @LeoLaporte mentioned RunPee.com on his podcast. Over the next few days I picked up about 100 new followers to my Twitter account: @polyGeek.

Many of the new followers were of the social marketing variety and I thought it would be advantageous to follow them back just for marketing reasons. And besides, some of them have like 80k followers. If just one of them mentions RunPee.com then it’s a big deal for me.

The downside is that I’m following so many people now that the people that I really want to keep track of are being drowned out. I’ve been using Twhirl since it came out and loved it. But, it doesn’t do groups so I broke down and spent an hour or so setting up TweetDeck. Now I have the Everyone group by default, then I created a Got Flash group where I put everyone who has anything to do with Adobe Flash. Then my family/friends group which is handy because they don’t twitter much and so I almost never see what they say. Finally I have my The Gang group. That’s the 50, or so, twitterers that I want to keep up with the most. And it’s the only panel that’s always visible on my monitor. The Gang isn’t necessarily the most popular Flex/Flash twitterers. But they are the people that I’ve either met personally, probably at 360Flex conferences, or that I’ve been carrying on conversations with for years now.

Here’s my favorite 50 Twitterers

• 360Flex: Best Flex Conference out there!
• adamflater: Technical Architect and Evangelist for RoundArch
• adobeTed: Red no Blue, ahhhhhh….
• Algorithmist: Mathematician, Algorithmist, Programmer and tennis player, but not necessarily in that order.
• BenStucki: Awesome
• bit101: I am he as you are he as you are me as we are all together.
• brandon_ellis: 45, married, kids, Adobe UGM, Adobe ACE, C#, SQL, Flex, Flash, AIR, RIA Dev, Skateboarding, Cycling, Beer, Punk Rock
• crucial: Flash Designer, ActionScript Programmer and Motion Graphics Artist. A “Flash-Guy” by choice, it’s what I like, it’s what I do, and I make no apologies for it
• dan_mcweeney: Digital nomad working for adobe
• ddura: Platform Evangelist at Adobe Systems focusing on AIR, Flash, and Flex
• doloresjoya: RIA UI Brand Designer. ATM Working w/ PS, Ill, Flash, Maya, Mudbox, Flex. In free time Art 3d/CG, Drawing, Creativity.
• dougrdotnet: I am a Flex/ActionScript/CF developer with a passion for Web Technologies and Programming
• ericfickes: I program the internets, select the databases, skate the parks and score the goals in ice hockey. That is, when I’m not Family-ing
• instante:
• jenfloyd08: Web mistress (Coldfusion & Flex), foodie/chowhound, mom.
• jenschr: Freelance Flash developer
• jeremysaenz: The Flex Gangsta
• jesterxl: Flex and Flash Consultant.
• jdowdell: Some people meander down the center of the sidewalk; I walk alertly on the edges.
• joshtynjala: Flash and Flex RIA developer spending some time building casual games for the web and mobile devices. Sometimes known to wear a bowler hat.
• jwilker: Founder 360|Conferences, inc. ourstartupstory.com Disruptive conference organizer, community guy
• leifwells: RIA Evangelist at Roundbox Global, Adobe Community Expert, Flex Authority Editor in Chief [NOTE:My Tweets may not reflect the views of my employer.]
• LordBron: 360Conferences, http://OurStartupStory.com and family make up my life
• matt_legrand: Washed up jogger who enjoys sitting behind a computer and staring off into an oblivion . . . wait what was the question?
• mchotin: Sr. Product Manager, Flex SDK
• mdowney: Product Manager and Technology Evangelist. Expert in Adobe software including Flash, Flex, and AIR. Now building iPhone apps.
• merlinc:
  
• mesh: developer, video game player, father
• Monsanto: eMarketing, ColdFusion, Flex, SQL, IT Values
• parkerkrhoyt: I am a father, husband, photography enthusiast and pilot most of the time. I work for Adobe as a Senior Product Specialist the rest of that time.
• PeterBell: Application Generation
• peterelst: Flash Platform – Consultancy & Training
• phillip:
• Quasimondo: Computational Artisan, Speaker, Tinkerer, Mad Scientist, Radical Atheist, Sceptic, Scavenger, Dog Appreciator
• quetwo:
• randytroppmann: Web developer: Flash, Flex and Runningmap.com
• richtretola: AIR and Flex developer, author, and community evangelist. Adobe Community Expert and InsideRIA Community Manager.
• reboog711: Technical Entrepreneur, Adobe Community Expert for Flex, Podcaster
• ryanstewart: I obsess over Rich Internet Applications and work at Adobe as a Platform Evangelist
• savvasmalamas: Flex and Air love..
• scalenine: I am an Experience Architect for EffectiveUI.
• schmidt4brains: Software Geek @ EffectiveUI
• scottjanousek: Mobile Technologist – Flash, iPhone, Android, Gadgets, Mobile, Interactivity
• seantheflexguy: Author of ActionScript Cheatsheets, Adobe Flex Developer Champion, Owner of Kannopy, Inc.
• simBateman: Just a guy that seems to get stuff. Applying technology to business is my thing.
• thanksmister: Flex|AIR|RIA Developer
• thillerson: ‘m a bass player, electronic music maker, developer for effectiveUI, flash, flex, rails, java programmer, and I fancy myself a philosoper of sorts.
• tomcornilliac: Flex, AIR, RIA developer.
• twgonzalez: Dad/Husband, Data Visualization/UX Specialist, Consultant, Artist, Software Engineer, Entrepreneur, Surfer
• UnitZeroOne: http://www.linkedin.com/in/unitzeroone
• visualrinse: Designer/Developer WebAddict Adobe User
• wadearnold: Flex, PHP, and Banking… what could be better?