New to Twitter, help?

[Thomas H]

So I just joined twitter and want to know what the deal is with the minus numbers when you are writing a comment or direct message?? Like when you start writing the number is like 50 or something and as you type it drops to 0 and the goes to -50 etc. etc.
Are you only able to send a message of a certain length??
Thanks!

[hermanbwells]

Yeah, its hw many characters you have left, or by how many you have exceeded the 140 character limit.

[Meh]

it goes into negative when you pass the 140 character limit.
(wrong category)