Blog
Obscure Holiday Calendar: FebruaryGet Down With the Twitter Language
An @reply is a public message sent from one person to another, distinguished from normal updates by the @username prefix. If a message begins with @username, we collect it as a reply. Reply publicly to any update on Twitter by using the @username format.
Syntax:
@covalentlogic Thanks for the training today!
d (Direct Messages)
Direct messages are private messages sent from one Twitter person to another. You can only send a direct message to a person who follows you.
Syntax:
d covalentlogic How do I reply privately again?
The difference between an @reply and a direct message
An @reply is a public message sent regardless of follow-ship that anyone can view. A direct message can only be sent by someone you follow and is a private message that only the author and recipient can view.
There's no edit - You can only delete
Once it's out there, you can't edit it. You can delete an update by clicking the trash icon on the right end of the update on twitter.com, but you can't make changes.
RT (Retweet)
RT is short for retweet, and indicates a re-posting of someone else's tweet. This isn't an official Twitter command or feature, but people add RT somewhere in a tweet to indicate that part of their tweet includes something they're re-posting from another person's tweet, sometimes with a comment of their own. Usually, you use RT and the @username to show who's content you're retweeting.
Syntax:
RT @covalentlogic "A goal without a plan is just a wish." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
TwitPic
TwitPic is a third-party photo-hosting site that allows you to share photos on Twitter. After setting up your TwitPic account at www.twitpic.com, you can upload photos, add a message and automatically post a tweet containing a link to your photo on your Twitter account.
Syntax:
http://twitpic.com/c0val3-Introducing our new creative tank: our new office!
bit.ly
Bit.ly is a simple URL shortener. Twitter users take advantage of bit.ly to create a stronger message - most URLs are long and take up too many characters in a tweet. Bit.ly shortens your link to give you more room for your message.
Syntax:
Check out Covalent Logic's Knowledge Base at http://bit.ly/Hno9s