@ syntax as a synonym for user name=

[deborah]

Title:
@ syntax as a synonym for user name=

Area:
Entries

Summary:
In an entry, if someone types "@[string]" (more specifically, something like "(^|\s)@[legal characters in usernames]*\b), check to see if that's a username at posting time. If so, translate it internally to <user name="> syntax.

Description:
This would allow users to choose the now-common shorthand of '@username' to indicate users on the local system. This would be taking a design pattern that has become mainstream over the last several years, which users are used due from Tumblr, Slack, Twitter, etc. I'm not suggesting auto complete; there are too many more important pending changes to the post system. I'm also not suggesting a variant for the other-sites functionality of the user element; no @username@twitter, or something. Just a very straightforward replacement. But this would be a nice shorthand that users have become accustomed to.

Poll #20845 @ syntax as a synonym for user name=

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 120

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
56 (46.7%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
39 (32.5%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
14 (11.7%)

(I have no opinion)
10 (8.3%)

(Other: please comment)
1 (0.8%)

Comments

[mark]

We already do this in the Markdown format but there has historically been pushback against doing it everywhere else. I'm all for it though and think we should do it.

We even had a shorthand for doing other site stuff, like linking to a Twitter account by doing: @foo.twitter -- since a period isn't a valid username character here.

[matgb]

@foo.twitter

Oh, I LIKE that a lot. In the past I was vaguely opposed because I didn't see the point, but I spend so much time on other sites that do it I try to do it here now

On Mastodon it's @user@instance.tld which I still find clunky but it does at least work

[deborah]

I voted "with changes" on my own suggestion because I like the other-site syntax you suggest here.

[delight]

This is also my with changes!

[jenett]

I also like this alternative.

[watersword]

Nth-ing the syntax suggestion as a "with changes".

[jjhunter]

...I was just about to comment to suggest also shorthand for usernames at other sites - yes please to implementing that! (Though now I’m curious if that are any DW usernames with ‘.’ in the middle...)

I assume using the html syntax would still remain an option?

[deborah]

'.' isn't illegal username character here, no. And yes, I don't think we should (or would) ever take away the HTML syntax.

[musyc]

+1 to your shorthand, my with changes vote. I prefer the user=foo site=ticky method, but I think the @foo should be available for people to use.

[deborah]

it's worth mentioning that, once the functionality exists, people will start asking for autocomplete. (Although I guess they haven't asked for it in the markdown? So possibly I am borrowing trouble.) As long as you restrict autocomplete to people in their circles, and do the messy stuff to make autocomplete accessible, shouldn't be too load heavy, if that comes up.

...I actually have no idea how sites with a userbase like Twitter scale the autocomplete of usernames function. It's not particularly slow and is pretty accurate even if you are not logged in and it doesn't have a FOAF circle to go from, so I have no clue.

[mark]

The data structure typically used to do autocomplete (a trie) is very space and time efficient! We could autocomplete all usernames on Dreamwidth pretty easily...well, fairly easily anyway. I think the load would be reasonable.

[pauamma]

Currently, it's (I think) hard to impossible to enumerate DW usernames. I'm not sure offhand whether, how, and to what extent autocomplete would make it easier, but some thought should be given to privacy matters, if only so we don't see a flood of attempts to email dreamwidth.org addresses.

[the_shoshanna]

This is my "with changes" vote, with a note that I don't actually care all that much what specific syntax is used, so long as it's straightforward and reasonably easy to type.

[syderia]

This is my "with changes"

[lassarina]

This is my with-changes.

[illariy]

I voted "with changes" and this is the exact change I mean. Excellent solution.