So the whole retweet system in Twitter has always seemed sloppy, with two sets of syntax:
RT @berkleebassist
and
(via @berkleebassist)
This new system, proposed by Chris Messina, the same gent who came up with hashtags (you know, #hashtags), is quite elegant in its simplicity. The whole entry, New microsyntax for Twitter: three pointers and the slasher, can be read for greater clarity, but it basically comes down to this:
/via is for basic quoting, as in:
Here is a tweet /via @berkleebassist
/cc is like the classic email carbon copy, meant to catch someone’s attention even though you’re publicly tweeting something:
Here is a tweet /via @berkleebassist /cc @diabola
/by is a direct quote that’s not a retweet (RT) or overheard (OH), as in something you’ve lifted from someone’s blog or a longer-form item (news article, etc.)
“It’s more like the cite or blockquote HTML tags” http://lessn.jeffbyrn.es/d /by @chrismessina
The whole thing came to my attention because of a great bit on atebits support on the new native retweet feature that’s built-in to Tweetie 2.1 for iPhone. Apparently, Tweetie 2.1 has already adopted this excellent set of microsyntax, which I think is great. Kudos to atebits!
(Via FactoryCity by way of atebits, makers of Tweetie)
