What does "@[first name]" mean on FB?

SeaSoul · July 2010

I see it when people comment on a status update and are making reference to someone else in the thread, like "@Gary." What's that all about?

LVBlvd · July 2010

Kind of like you are tagging them in the post. Like twitter. I think.

ESTH2000 · July 2010

I do that if lets say I have a status with a bunch of comments and I want to reply to one particular person then I write @ "that particular person"

SeaSoul · July 2010

i still don't get it. i know that if you hit @ and then start typing a name, a list of FB friends will pop up and you can choose one and then their FB username will be highlighted in your post (and your post will also appear on their wall), so people can link to their FB page. but i don't understand what something means that literally reads "@firstname". For example, this was taken from my BIL's FB page - he posted a status, "Geoff" and "Eran" commented on it, then BIL commented below them and wrote this:

@Geoff, not bricked yet thankfully.

@Eran, it's a 3GS.

Why doesn't he either a) just write "Geoff" and "Eran", or b) use the linking option I described above? What significance does "@Geoff" have?

brideinOC · July 2010

It would be like responding to those that have already posted. On this thread, I'd say: @LVBlvd your lo is adorable, @ESTH2000 Hope your lo is feeling better

Enza · July 2010

SeaSoul:

@Geoff, not bricked yet thankfully.

@Eran, it's a 3GS.

The @ works as "to" or something like that. So your BIL is responding to Geoff and separately to Eran.

SeaSoul · July 2010

brideinOC:
It would be like responding to those that have already posted. On this thread, I'd say: @LVBlvd your lo is adorable, @ESTH2000 Hope your lo is feeling better

I'm sorry, I still don't get it. Why the "@"????? Why not just use their name?

brideinOC · July 2010

SeaSoul · July 2010

Enza:

SeaSoul:

@Geoff, not bricked yet thankfully.

@Eran, it's a 3GS.

The @ works as "to" or something like that. So your BIL is responding to Geoff and separately to Eran.

Wouldn't the same be true if he simply typed "Geoff" and "Eran" without the "@"? Sorry, I must be missing something here...!

brideinOC · July 2010

@SeaSoul, yes it would be the same if they just used their name and one less keystroke!!!

SeaSoul · July 2010

brideinOC:

Okay, I get that. But if I were writing the exact same thing my BIL did as a comment to my own post, I'd have just written:

Geoff - not bricked yet thankfully.

Eran - it's a 3GS.

And it would be clear what I mean, without an "@ in front of their name, no? Is it just a thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

SeaSoul · July 2010

brideinOC:
@SeaSoul, yes it would be the same if they just used their name and one less keystroke!!!

THANK YOU! So, it's just a "thing," then? No real function or significance, when it comes down to it? It seems really strange to me. Again, I understand the "@" function that FB has where it provides a list of friends to link in your post. But this just seems odd.

GypsyEsq · July 2010

SeaSoul:

Is it just a "thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

This - it's just what people do. There's no big mystery to it, other than it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense when you think hard about it.

jenber77 · July 2010

SeaSoul:
Is it just a "thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

Yes, it's just a thing. Netspeak, if you will.

SeaSoul · July 2010

jenber77:

SeaSoul:
Is it just a "thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

Yes, it's just a thing. Netspeak, if you will.

I see. So, it started on Twitter? I've only just recently noticed it on FB.

TheSkimmy · July 2010

SeaSoul:
jenber77:

SeaSoul:
Is it just a "thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

Yes, it's just a thing. Netspeak, if you will.

I see. So, it started on Twitter? I've only just recently noticed it on FB.

You're Twitter and your FB status can be linked so you have the same thing on both.

Cajun_gal · July 2010

I've seen that when someone has their twitter account linked to facebook, so the status message is actually a twitter update. Twitter does the @name thing to show up on another user's page.

SeaSoul · July 2010

Cajun_gal:
I've seen that when someone has their twitter account linked to facebook, so the status message is actually a twitter update. Twitter does the @name thing to show up on another user's page.

Ah-ha! Okay that explains it, then.

jenber77 · July 2010

SeaSoul:
jenber77:

SeaSoul:
Is it just a "thing" people do, that doesn't really make sense when you think about it, or am I missing something?

Yes, it's just a thing. Netspeak, if you will.

I see. So, it started on Twitter? I've only just recently noticed it on FB.

Dunno. I'm not on Twitter. But I think I've seen it on other forums.

LucyPevensie · July 2010

@Sea (hahahha) I am so glad you asked this - I didn't understand it either. I thought it had something to do with Twitter but wasn't sure what exactly.

alchris · July 2010

I'm just seeing this, SeaSoul, and I'll say that even though I knew where the @ came from, I still think it looks bizarre and you'll never see it in a post from me. Maybe I'm just not cool enough, but it just distracts me, so I agree with you 100% as far as one might as well leave it off!

InACitySoNice · July 2010

Thank you, Sea, for getting this straight. I had no idea what the heck was going on.

Does the same hold true for the #[first name]?

SeaSoul · July 2010

InACitySoNice:

Thank you, Sea, for getting this straight. I had no idea what the heck was going on.

Does the same hold true for the #[first name]?

Oh man, I've never seen that one!

nancy814 · July 2010

LOL....loved this post!

MewMew · July 2010

This is making me LMAO because you are right, when you actually think about it, the same thing is achieved if you just write their name!

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