Microsoft vs. Apple. Google vs. Yahoo. And now, Facebook vs. Twitter.

Industry battles, especially in the technology arena, are often cast as epic matchups between one company or another. Typical consumers may not really know a battle is under way, but to those involved — and to various industry watchers — the stakes are momentous and epoch-making. The future of the web, the future of computing, the future of communication — any of these may be at play in these one-on-one bouts.

The latest battle pits two social networking companies against each other: Facebook and Twitter. And what’s at stake?…Read more