04-08-2010, 12:30 PM
Rick-O, now that you mentioned it, Twitter happens to be where I saw this convention take root, it may have a different source. It's funny that you picked it up, thinking it's current lingo. It's actually a software instruction, originally.
If I understand correctly...
When you use the "@" symbol in Twitter, it's a shortcut to route the comment you're posting as a direct reply to a specific poster. It's not just a decoration, or shorthand, it's an actual software instruction. Outside Twitter, it's inert, it's just a keyboard symbol.
However, I could be wrong. I'm not an active Twitter user. For all I know, it may have entered the common language, in forums in general. Anyone else know about this? I assumed it originated at Twitter.
If I understand correctly...
When you use the "@" symbol in Twitter, it's a shortcut to route the comment you're posting as a direct reply to a specific poster. It's not just a decoration, or shorthand, it's an actual software instruction. Outside Twitter, it's inert, it's just a keyboard symbol.
However, I could be wrong. I'm not an active Twitter user. For all I know, it may have entered the common language, in forums in general. Anyone else know about this? I assumed it originated at Twitter.