Twitter way back when

I've just discovered this screenshot of what Twitter used to look like (Creative Commons, from prolific flickr screenshot-uploader factoryjoe):

I think it's safe to say the design has improved, at least when it comes to typography. Note also that the service used the be called TWTTR - according to a history of its early days by one of its co-creators, Dom Sagolla, the 5 character limit was a consequence of the 5 digit limit on American SMS shortcodes. As the screenshot makes clear, the ability to tweet-by-text was originally pushed heavily; I'm not sure how many people use it now, but we have it to blame or thank for the 140 character limit.

Here, for the record, is the first ever tweet:

It looks uncannily like the million of so banal tweets from people beginning to try out the service that have followed! My own first tweet simply said 'testig', and sat alone for nine months until I started tweeting slightly more regularly. For that period, it was an 'orphaned tweet' of a sort collected in a Slate article with the same name, which features isolated gems such as 'I'm here!' (from sk8ie) and 'what kind of donuts are you offering?' (from brittanyblevins, who the journalist notes doesn't seem to have understood what Twitter provided). It's an amusing read if you have five minutes to while away...