When Twitter started out it was used almost exclusively by geeky tech types, first as a way to stay connected at conferences, and later as a general water cooler to keep in touch, network and exchange ideas, and blow off some steam. Today, Twitter is a massive mainstream mashup where many if not most users #hashtag every second word, follow hundreds of real-world celebrities, almost never use direct messages, but actually, really, truly do use the Discover tab. Matthew Panzarino from The Next Web, an early-days user, decided to start a new account some seven years later and see what the modern, far more populous Twitter felt like for first time users.
