Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

23rd Nov 2014, 4:27 pm

The title says it all, I keep finding these spurious @ symbols before names, why?

cmjones01 · 23rd Nov 2014, 4:36 pm

I think it's adopted from Twitter, in which it indicates that what the writer is writing is addressed to, or replying to, a particular user. The '@' means it's easier for computers to spot that the message, on a 'broadcast' medium like Twitter, is relevant to a particular user and therefore make it more prominent in that user's view of the conversation.

I've noticed it adopted as a convention when addressing usernames in other media, too.

Chris

Sean Williams · 23rd Nov 2014, 4:36 pm

@merlinmaxwell, it is just a way of expressing who a comment is directed at.

To be honest, it is also fairly impersonal, and does not really belong here - proper conversational English is easier to read for those of us that are a bit older!

Cheers
Sean

23rd Nov 2014, 4:58 pm

Quote:

To be honest, it is also fairly impersonal, and does not really belong here

I agree, I would like to think we are quite personable (if that is the right word) here.

Quote:

proper conversational English is easier to read for those of us that are a bit older!

I would say "proper conversational English is easier to read" full stop.

At least I know now, worst luck.

paulsherwin · 23rd Nov 2014, 6:40 pm

It's just a convention which some people choose to use and others don't. There are no specific forum rules about it and we just ask people to use common sense.

Paul Stenning · 23rd Nov 2014, 7:05 pm

On some social networking websites such as Facebook, if you type @ then start typing a friend's name it suggests the names to auto-complete and tags the person (so the text is a link to their profile and they get a notification that they have been tagged).

That could be where the convention comes from, or maybe Facebook got the idea from somewhere else.

It doesn't work in the Facebook way here, so you just get the @ in front of the name. Personally I'm not bothered by it, though I can see that as text some may feel it's rather impersonal. I'm sure nobody doing so here would be intending any offence though.

Refugee · 23rd Nov 2014, 9:55 pm

Do they have any function at all on the forum software?

paulsherwin · 24th Nov 2014, 11:19 am

As Paul Stenning said, they have no technical function here. '@example' is just a shorthand way of writing 'The following is for the attention of example'.

dseymo1 · 24th Nov 2014, 6:23 pm

I usually read it as 'to'.

Tyso_Bl · 26th Nov 2014, 1:25 am

There is at least one other forum I use that if you put @some_user in a post, then some_user will be notified via pm or email that a reply has been made to their posting.

If it doesn't work here I'll not do it again.

AC/HL · 26th Nov 2014, 3:57 am

That functionality is available, under Thread Tools at the top of each thread, but not automatically.

26th Nov 2014, 8:44 am

Don't do it to me though.

23rd Nov 2014, 4:27 pm	#1
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? The title says it all, I keep finding these spurious @ symbols before names, why?

23rd Nov 2014, 4:36 pm	#2
cmjones01 Nonode Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warsaw, Poland and Cambridge, UK Posts: 2,678	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? I think it's adopted from Twitter, in which it indicates that what the writer is writing is addressed to, or replying to, a particular user. The '@' means it's easier for computers to spot that the message, on a 'broadcast' medium like Twitter, is relevant to a particular user and therefore make it more prominent in that user's view of the conversation. I've noticed it adopted as a convention when addressing usernames in other media, too. Chris __________________ What's going on in the workshop? http://martin-jones.com/

23rd Nov 2014, 4:36 pm	#3
Sean Williams Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St.Ippolyts, Hitchin, Hertfordshire QRA IO91UW Posts: 3,518	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? @merlinmaxwell, it is just a way of expressing who a comment is directed at. To be honest, it is also fairly impersonal, and does not really belong here - proper conversational English is easier to read for those of us that are a bit older! Cheers Sean __________________ Engineers make things work and have spare bits when finished

23rd Nov 2014, 6:40 pm	#5
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,957	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? It's just a convention which some people choose to use and others don't. There are no specific forum rules about it and we just ask people to use common sense.

23rd Nov 2014, 7:05 pm	#6
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 9,072	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? On some social networking websites such as Facebook, if you type @ then start typing a friend's name it suggests the names to auto-complete and tags the person (so the text is a link to their profile and they get a notification that they have been tagged). That could be where the convention comes from, or maybe Facebook got the idea from somewhere else. It doesn't work in the Facebook way here, so you just get the @ in front of the name. Personally I'm not bothered by it, though I can see that as text some may feel it's rather impersonal. I'm sure nobody doing so here would be intending any offence though. __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

23rd Nov 2014, 9:55 pm	#7
Refugee Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 5,554	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? Do they have any function at all on the forum software?

24th Nov 2014, 11:19 am	#8
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,957	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? As Paul Stenning said, they have no technical function here. '@example' is just a shorthand way of writing 'The following is for the attention of example'.

24th Nov 2014, 6:23 pm	#9
dseymo1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK. Posts: 3,051	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? I usually read it as 'to'.

26th Nov 2014, 1:25 am	#10
Tyso_Bl Hexode Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Magor, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. Posts: 436	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? There is at least one other forum I use that if you put @some_user in a post, then some_user will be notified via pm or email that a reply has been made to their posting. If it doesn't work here I'll not do it again. __________________ Adapt, Improvise, Oh Bother..... Last edited by Tyso_Bl; 26th Nov 2014 at 1:26 am. Reason: spelling

26th Nov 2014, 3:57 am	#11
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? That functionality is available, under Thread Tools at the top of each thread, but not automatically.

26th Nov 2014, 8:44 am	#12
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Why is the @ used before a username sometimes? Don't do it to me though.