Ask HN: Are there any legal issues with using Twitter style at/hash Tags?

Posted by drew_kutchar on Sunday February 06, 2011 @11:29PM
from the ask-hn dept.

I'm working on a project and I wanted to use Twitter style inline @ and # tags and I was wondering is there any legal implications to that. As in has Twitter patented that? Is it even patentable?

As a side question, what do you guys think about inline tagging/referring. Is that good UX?

Thanks,

Drew

( 3 comments | 2 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Are there any legal issues with using Twitter sty... by Skywing on Sunday February 06, 2011 @11:33PM (#2187608)

Twitter didn't even really invent them. The # tag drew inspiration from IRC and the @ tag is pretty self explanatory.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Are there any legal issues with using Twitter sty... by Jsarokin on Sunday February 06, 2011 @11:56PM (#2187686)

I think that hash tags are a great way to sort through information on a website (Especially if you can do some dual hashtag where you could have #Topic1 #Topic2, and it will return queries that only have both).

Not patented, they started in IRC channels.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Are there any legal issues with using Twitter sty... by mihn on Monday February 07, 2011 @02:51AM (#2188123)

Polish Twitter clone called Blip uses them. ;)

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