TwitFactory offers a superb timeline view. You can easily search in messages using the search field on the right hand side of the toolbar above the timeline and searches are fast. Composing a new twit, composing a direct message, replying to a twit or retwiting it are a one-click operation through that toolbar or a context-click in the twit tself. The two buttons at the left of the search field allow to switch from timeline view to mail-style view and back.

If you prefer a more "pro" presentation, switch to the mail-style view. Display is faster and you'll never see more than one twit at a time. Again, switching back to the timeline view is one click away. URLs are clickable, shortened URLs are resolved, twitter or identi.ca screen names are also clickable.

You can always read your incoming and sent direct messages independently but if you prefer a conversation view, it's also one click away.

TwitFactory allows an unlimited number of twitter or identi.ca accounts.

To compose a twit or a message, just click on the corresponding button in the toolbar, double-click on the twit's view itself or use the contextual menu. That action opens a new area at the bottom of the window. You can select any account you defined as sender, attach images to be posted on Pikchur.com, add a signature and shorten a URL. The number of available chars for your message is clearly visible at the bottom-right corner of the text area. You can decide to send your message immediately or send it later, a feature you'll love when you're offline...

A single click on a button in the editing area opens a dialog allowing you to shorten a URL. If the clipboard already contains a URL, it's automatically inserted in the "Source URL" text field. Then select the online service you want to use to shorten the URL, click on "Shorten URL" and when it's done on OK.

Clicking on an avatar in a twit or direct message, use the corresponding contextual menu entry or use the dedicated toolbar button will open the requested user profile. You can also view an abitrary profile through the Find User button in the main toolbar. That page allows you to follow or stop following another user.

Preferences are a user's nightmare: geeks want geeky features and other users scream in front of these geeky features. TwitFactory offers a range of features that should please both users: non-geeks and geeks. First, you can manage the list of URL shorteners TwitFactory knows; you can also define how you want these short URLs to be resolved. Do you want to display the expanded version, or preserve a short version and have the expanded one in a tooltip? Then you can specify rules to detect image hosting web sites and try to display images in the twits or direct messages. No need to have the browser visit flickr.com, you can view the image directly in TwitFactory! Third, you can define how long you keep the incoming twits and messages in the account folders (the sub-folders you created yourself are not affected) before moving them to the kitchin sink the archive and how long you keep them in the archive before trashing them.

But that's not all!!! Preferences allow you to define filters, to automatically dispatch incoming twits or direct messages to a given folder depending on a string or regular expression match. Yes, we know, adding regexp matching to preferences, that is geeky... But that's useful too :-)

Not only TwitFactory does allow an unlimited number of accounts but it also allows an unlimited number of folders and an unlimited depth of folders per account... Associated to filters (see just above), you'll be able to sort and preserve your important twits.

Adding a new account is also is a one-click action. Then specify the service, the screen name and the associated password, the signature if you want one (very useful for job-related accounts used by more than one person) and the automatic refresh rate if you want any.