Typical comment, forgetting this is an international board with many non English speakers. Smileys are a good way to replace facial expressions, jic

before the advent of the first BBS and Usenet in the '80s nobody ever felt the need for smilies.

it's just a matter of writing in proper english, no more no less, and no, i don't think it's limited to english, i'm seeing the same even in asian forums, actually asians are abusing this a lot more, they're more "visual".

do you see any photo captioned with smilies ? no because you don't need smilies, neither i see any software using smilies, and same for books and newspapers.

how come in blogs and forums we are flooded by smilies and in blogs they put links every couple lines ?

i've the feeling people is just losing the ability to write, maybe the future is about using pictograms on touch screen smartphones ?

actually i really hate links in articles, what's the problem writing a citation at the end of the article ? that's been the norm since forever and still the norm in academia and all, but no, bloggers think they're a special breed and they need to link and link and link, they think it will keep the reader engaged.

and what about people answering me with a video or a photo ?
really, what the F !

I like to begin my sentences with capital letters and end them with emoticons. 

Quote from: Ron on November 14, 2013, 12:03

Typical comment, forgetting this is an international board with many non English speakers. Smileys are a good way to replace facial expressions, jic

Emoticons might sometimes help to clarify meaning. Just like a single exclamation. Over-used they take away meaning. Just like multiple exclamations. Tickstock's comic sans analogy was a good one.

Imagine if someone giggled at the end of every sentence.

Did I say something else then? You agree with me.

-9 guys, come on, one more!!! lets bury this topic

i'm in favor of a total internet-wide ban on smilies.

unfortunately i must admit often it's easy to misunderstand what someone is writing, is he angry ? is he ironic ? is it a joke ?

so they use smilies, just in case, but some people is really abusing this thing, and what about the invasion of the SMS slang ?

it's a tragedy and yes, not professional at all, if you can't write without smilies it means you can't write properly at all ! fact.

Almost as annoying as people who don't bother to capitalize anything.  (I would wink here, to let you know I am teasing, but apparently that would offend some people)

Quote from: Ron on November 14, 2013, 12:03

Typical comment, forgetting this is an international board with many non English speakers. Smileys are a good way to replace facial expressions, jic

before the advent of the first BBS and Usenet in the '80s nobody ever felt the need for smilies.

it's just a matter of writing in proper english, no more no less, and no, i don't think it's limited to english, i'm seeing the same even in asian forums, actually asians are abusing this a lot more, they're more "visual".

do you see any photo captioned with smilies ? no because you don't need smilies, neither i see any software using smilies, and same for books and newspapers.

how come in blogs and forums we are flooded by smilies and in blogs they put links every couple lines ?

i've the feeling people is just losing the ability to write, maybe the future is about using pictograms on touch screen smartphones ?

actually i really hate links in articles, what's the problem writing a citation at the end of the article ? that's been the norm since forever and still the norm in academia and all, but no, bloggers think they're a special breed and they need to link and link and link, they think it will keep the reader engaged.

and what about people answering me with a video or a photo ?
really, what the F !

As a writer, it irritates me when people don't capitalize letters that begin a new sentence, or put a space before punctuation. Unless you're being facetious? Hard to tell without a proper emoticon. 

Quote from: Ron on November 14, 2013, 12:03

Typical comment, forgetting this is an international board with many non English speakers. Smileys are a good way to replace facial expressions, jic

before the advent of the first BBS and Usenet in the '80s nobody ever felt the need for smilies.

When were you born? The 80s? Only grumpy people have no use for smilies.

Invention of Smiley Face by Harvey Ball in 1964 I'll let you look for yourself, no citation or link, because that might offend someone.  50 years ago! I remember in school people would sign notes with a little smiley face. No need before the 80s?

And just for no need. Ever see what happens when you hold the ALT key and type the number one on the keypad?  ☺ Odd that IBM should include that, in the computer instruction codes, with "No Need before the 1980s"


No smiles is like a day without Sunshine...  Why would someone even start this thread? 

Now giant purple letters in some comic font. That's childish and stupid.