I have been obstinately refusing to call Twitter by its new name, X, but I know that can't go on forever. The question is, How long can it go on?
My problem isn't that I hate X, it's that I'm not sure most people know what X is yet. So far, mainstream outlets are still largely using the formulation "X, formerly known as Twitter," which suggests they agree with me that the public at large isn't yet familiar with just a freestanding X.
Of course, you are not the public at large. So what say you? Is it time to start referring to the Musk abyss as X, full stop, or should I stick with Twitter for a while longer?
I wish there was a TwiX option.
"X", unless somehow emphasized, is not a distinct word. So our brains have to work harder to categorize, and recognize it, especially when spoken.
Of those choices available, I'd pick, with little enthusiasm, "X formerly known as Twitter".
I agree, I'm still looking for a good alternative.
There used to be a TWX, actually, a message service that worked sort of like texting but via printed messages between freestanding terminals (supposedly from teletypewriter exchange service).
My vote is for Twitter. The language community decides what something is called-- just ask saran wrap and kleenex. Twitter is the right name for what it was, whatever that juvenile jerk says, and for what we can all hope it might return to under sane ownership.
X is supposed to be a particular fascination for him, one can only assume as a token of his admiration for the Xhosa people and language and of his gratitude for the part they played during his youth.
"Xitter", pronounced "Shitter."
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Yep.
Aaaaaalll the upvotes.
Or shorten in to Xit pronounce zit.
👍👍👍👍😄😄😄
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I have heard it called Xcretion although I prefer another one, Xcrement because Elon has turned it to Xit.
I call it TwiX. And $8 for a TwiX is highway robbery.
Twix is an odd home movie made by Coppola that tries to recreate a dream he had, which I actually liked, apparently unlike anyone else who's seen it.
None of the above. eXTwitter. Because that's exactly what it is. Feel free to choose your own capitalizations.
Birdsite.
Alternately, called Turdsite.
I deactivated my account. Might reactivate every month for a second, just to keep it out of the hands of others.
How about "Ex", as in creating ex-users at a record pace?
I like it, as in 'formerly anything', --the ex-It-thing.
Trying to re-brand Twitter is like Kleenex re-branding itself DJ Snot Mop to appeal to the younger, hipper demo.
Pretty much. But also changing the tissue to a toxic goop-covered sandpaper.
1+
Xitter my preferred term. Btw, I just noticed he still uses Twitter.com as the Twits website so Twits might still be ok.
Call it … Instagram.
Elon Musk talks Tesla,
https://i.redd.it/geqbqs3m6jvb1.png
Generally I wish writers would just say “social media” and link as appropriate. You do not need to specify or advertise the precise app they used.
I think it should be "X, formerly known as Twitter," forever, no matter if/when people get used to the new name, just to let Musk know just how stupid it was to change the name. If he decides to change it to something else, then it should be forever referred to as "[whatever], formerly known as X, formerly known as Twitter," and so on, adding on a new clause each time he decides to change the name. That applies even if the name is changed back to Twitter: "Twitter, formerly known as [whatever], formerly known as X, formerly known as Twitter."
Call it whatever you like. My guess is that the platform won't be relevant in any significant way by this time next year. I see that a lot of people have moved to Mastodon or Blue Sky, and I believe that this trend will accelerate.
Musk is basically an asocial nerdish twelve-year old who got very lucky in associating with the right people. When the adults aren't guiding the ship, his tendency is to do things which turn Twitter into X.
I'll go out on a limb and guess that his fascination with the letter X originates from the comic book, "X-men." I mean, it fits into his philosophy of being a social outcast, but unique and very special.
Almost certainly you're right, except in the X-Men world he'd have been at the Massachusetts Academy, where he wouldn't quite qualify to be in the Hellions, but wealthy enough to pay twice the tuition anyone else is paying, without realizing it, and spending all his time trying to scheme his way into the Hellfire Club.
Yeah, why bother trying to figure out the new name. Won’t last.
OTOH, I still call Sixth Avenue in Manhattan “Sixth Avenue,” even though it was renamed “Avenue of the Americas” in 1945.
I don't know if this was intentional, but the survey allows one to vote multiple times.
There’s a number of profane options I would’ve liked included. Who still wastes time there anymore?
"Who still wastes time there anymore?"
I confess that I use Twitter every day. I don't have an account, and because of that, I have to read my favorite writer's posts through Nitter, but I still can see the latest news and can't see the hate speech, unless one of the people whose tweets I read specifically reposts a hate tweet.
I also have an ad-blocker, so I don't see any ads, and of course, I can't post anything myself, but really, my opinions are not so special that they need to be seen by millions.
Twitter is an excellent source of breaking news, and facts-on-the-ground, and I'll miss that part of the platform when it's gone.
You can have that today on threads w/o all the BS. I switched early, and almost everyone I followed before is there. I see some of them post identical content between there and Post. I refuse to patronize a Musk company.
I chose X. People and companies get to use whatever name they want and my opinion is irrelevant. Similarly, I don’t refer to John Wayne as Marion Morrison.
Just call it X. If that confuses people and they don't think of Elon Musk's website, well whose fault is that?
As for "X, formerly known as Twitter," why should you give Musk all that journalistic shelf space? If he wants one letter, and it causes confusion, I say give it to him.
+1
I agree. Part of me has wanted to call it "Twitter" out of obstinance, because X is a dumb name, and to annoy Musk.
But you're right, Musk should face all the branding consequences of his dumb name change, and if the platform tanks, it should go down with his idiotic monicker attached.
Also, do we really need to continue talking about that platform at all?
Ditto.
His choice, his consequences. Twitter is gone, X will soon be irrelevant. Continually linking them with "X formerly Twitter" is an unearned favour to Musk.
Xitter. Think of the pronunciation…
I am holding on to the twitter name as long as I can.
"The artist formerly known as Prince" worked great for a long time. I see no reason why "the website formerly known as Twitter" wouldn't work just as well. Although I do like _The Musk Abyss_.
Maybe Twitter(X).
I guess people can go back to the last time the news was preoccupied with a change in one’s name, and reflect on that reaction. Most of us, Right or Left, will likely find that our so-called principles count for little and that the gut decides and the head gets busy with justifications.
Even "Twitter" is a stupid name. "X" is just stupider.
Don't cal it anything at all. Don't refer to it.
I refer to it as 'the smoking wasteland formerly known as Twitter'. Its decline annoys me -- it was a great way to keep up with latest genetics papers and gossip.
Don't do X's rebranding work for them by mentioning Twitter.
None of the above. How many favor "Xitter"?
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Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. Don't use it, won't use it, and Musk is insane.
I have yet to hear a single publication/writer/podcast call it anything other than “X, or whatever we’re calling twitter these days, ha ha ha”
So, I will continue calling it Twitter.
So stupid.
I'd bet Elmo secretly loves Xitter, pronounced the way you think. This is after all the guy who just offered Wikipedia a billion dollars to change its name to Dickipedia.
Owner or not, he doesn't get to decide what the rest of us call what used to be a whole lot better space before it fell under his dominion.
I don't care what anyone calls it. I am only on it, grudgingly, to publicly call out my insurrectionist congressman.
And if Twitter is no longer the name, then what should tweets be called. I suggest that they be renamed X-cretions.