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

2 points by drew_kutchar 15 years ago | 3 comments

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

Skywing 15 years ago |

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

Jsarokin 15 years ago |

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.

mihn 15 years ago |

Polish Twitter clone called Blip uses them. ;)