The Mysteries of History (July 15 Edition)
Twitter's First Tweet
2006 — Twttr (Later Twitter, Then X) Takes Shape
public domain image from wikimedia commons
On this date in 2016, Twitter hit the scene. It was then named Twttr (no vowels allowed, apparently), and was owned by a company named Oreo Odeo (a rather odiferous name).
Twttr eventually became Twitter, which was eventually run by a former Odeo engineer, Jack Dorsey.
If you find Twttr or Twitter to be an odd name, it sure beats the heck out of one of the potential names that was suggested: FriendStalker. Creepy!
Twitter messages, which at first could be a maximum of 140 characters, are called Tweets.
Here are some examples of what you could say in less than 140 characters:
Writing is rewriting. Embrace the process of revision; it makes your work stronger. #WritingTips
Growth happens outside your comfort zone. Embrace challenges and learn from them. #GrowthMindset
The best things in life are often simple. Find beauty in the everyday. #SimplePleasures
Life is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride, even when it gets bumpy. #LifeLessons
The maximum message length was doubled in 2017 from 140 to 280 characters. Today, though, you can post up to 25,000 characters if you pay for a premium subscription with X (the new new name for Twitter), which is now owned by an obscure South African dude named Eglon Muskrat, or something like that.
Questions: Have you ever tweeted? Is Jack Dorsey related to Tommy Dorsey? Does musk come from muskrats?