The ReTweet syntax is not that simple though. Some people prefix a tweet with RT @username, others suffix the tweet with (via @username) and I have seen people using a unicode recycling symbol to signify the retweet. Formalising should take issues like that out of the way.
However, I do agree that commenting on retweets is an important part of the user-made system and it would be sad to see that go, possibly encouraging people to continue to use the old method. I like some of the ideas and criticisms that others have made, but I don't think any are perfect yet (not that I offer any better solutions I'm afraid, but talk like this can only lead to better ideas and better ways). Phil -- Phil Nash Twitter: http://twitter.com/philnash Find some music: http://yournextfavband.com Web development: http://www.unintentionallyblank.co.uk On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 1:25 PM, Vision Jinx <vjn...@gmail.com> wrote: > > I agree with a lot of points Mashable made here >> > http://mashable.com/2009/08/13/project-retweet-analysis/ > > Were ReTweets ever broken? I didn't think so.... RT @someone - very > sweet and simple (KISS - Keep it simple ...) > > "The existence of Project Retweet — ie. formalized retweeting — > essentially implies that Twitter felt that current retweeting > practices need repairing. But were retweets ever really broken?" > > - Since I felt that RT @someone was easy and simple (and easy to add > to my code) I didn't feel the need to even explore this new API and > add clutter to my code. > > > "the RT and @ symbol will be stripped from the tweet. What you’ll see > instead is the original tweet, from the original author," > > - I don't like that, I want to be able to add my own comments and give > credit (read as "a mention") to the one I follow too by RTing their > user name also so my followers can see who I find interesting to > follow. Plus this seems to be the preferred method users have adopted > (from my exp)... Additionally, I have a real problem with services > that modify my content/text on me. I didn't ask you to so leave it > alone. :( > > > "So let’s say that you follow me but don’t follow Mashable. Now when I > retweet Mashable, you’ll see the tweet from Mashable, not from me. > This could get a little hairy." > > - I agree, If I start seeing a bunch of stuff show up from from ppl I > don't follow, I don't think I will like that and be less inclined to > click any links too. > > > "You’ve already become accustomed to seeing tweets from the people you > follow, so a retweet from a trusted party actually means something." > > - Yep! > > > I also like how it mentions that the Users created ReTweets, and now > with Twi***r trademarking Tweet™ this most likely will mean they will > claim ownership of ReTweet™ also, does this mean we will have to now > use RT™ @someone or RT® @someone :/ > > > Long story short... I just keep thinking, If it ain't broken, don't > fix it ;) That's my $0.02 on it. > > > On Aug 15, 3:00 am, Paul Kinlan <paul.kin...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hi Guys, > > When I saw the original message stating that the retweet API I was about > to > > say straight away that I despise the idea, but I thought I would refrain > - > > give it some thought. I still despise the idea and I have to make it > known > > the reasons why I think it is a very very bad idea and in the long term > will > > negatively affect Twitter as a communications platform for the future. > > > > 1. You are embedding a user developed based meme into the Twitter > > infrastructure - the popularity of RT itself may wane after some > point. > > Users are very fickle, they change their minds, take a stand and don't > > listen to them - you know your platform and I am pretty sure you know > that > > this is a bit of a hack. Let users use they system how they want, > they will > > evolve how they use it, constraints via an API > > 1. Twitter already has the capability to do smarter things > > that completely negate the need for this API if they just change > > the current > > API a little > > 2. Not every app will use RT API (especially legacy ones) and not > every > > user will use it and as such Twitter and this list will get lots of > > questions why certain RT's are accessible by the retweet API. Again, > RT's > > are a user concept, and is very easy for them not use. > > 3. Whilst I use TweetDeck, I really dislike the amount of utility > buttons > > it has and the amount of options it has - introducing another API for > > another function is tantamount to the same thing, you are asking us > app > > developers to include more options in our apps. The great thing about > a RT > > is that I just hit reply and type RT at the front. > > 4. A big thing that people have requested is that quite often there is > > not any room in the very limited 140 characters to add comment to a > retweet, > > this doesn't seem to solve that problem. > > 5. Authority of a user based on a RT and credit to the originator is a > > misnomer, no one actually needs it, very very few people care about - > and > > when they do care about not getting the credit for the original tweet > you > > have to ask why do they care? and why should we care? again it is > still very > > easy to bypass. If you have a problem with it, as per the Twitter TOS > you > > are the copyright holder of your content. > > > > My honest vote is not to pollute the Twitter API with a special RT > > capability, rather: > > > > - Enhance Favorites and the favorites API, allow me to get a list of > > everyone's favorites, allow me to see a list of people who favorited a > > tweet. If you look at the proposal for RT API it is doing something > similar > > to this. The entire UX for Favorites makes a lot more sense than > retweet - > > infact you can go as far as saying if you like something favorite > (star) it, > > if you really like your favorite - Forward (RT). > > - Allow me to get a list of a users favorites (similar to the > "Likes" > > feed in FriendFeed) - this type of concept is so powerful, I can > discover > > people who share very similar likes. I can also do Best of Day > > very easily > > - Enhance in_reply_to, allow me to see all tweets that reply to this > > tweet in an object returned by the current api ( that is so I don't > have to > > keep re-querying the search API), further more allow me to request N > levels > > deep of replies to a given tweet (yes this is similar to threaded > comments) > > > > So by enhancing Replies and favorites you can remove the need for special > RT > > API because you can combine both parts of the API to get at the > originator > > of a popular tweet, have notification and visual queues of popular > tweets. > > thus keeping the twitter API simple. > > > > Paul - grumpy - Kinlanhttp://twitter.com/PaulKinlan >
