David Meadows
Grand Master
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Registered: 09-2003
Posts: 240
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Smileys
The 'smiley' phenomenon is interesting but, in my view, totally unnecessary. Yes, I am guilty of [over-]using them myself, but why?
Conventional Internet wisdom tells us that we need smileys because we cannot adequately express tone of voice and/or body language in a text medium.
Oh yes? Tell that to the generations of great English letter writers, whose communications we now reverently collect and, often, hold up as of paragons of the written art.
The fact is, if you can't adequately express your thoughts in words without using pictures as a crutch, then you need to try harder.
I challenge all on 3 to go a complete week without using a smiley. Yes, it means you will have to choose your words with more care to make your humour/sarcasm/joy apparent to the reader. Yes, it means *thinking* about your prose. But surely that's a good thing?
I will commit here and now to not using a smiley in any on-line communication for the next seven days. Right after this one: 
Who will join me?
---
"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
G.K.Chesterton
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5/14/2008, 8:24 am
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dragonlady
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Registered: 04-2003
Location: England
Posts: 111
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Re: Smileys
Well I'll certainly give it a go.
I tend not to use them too much anyway. Although I will admit that i'm fairly likely to forget that I'm supposed to be doing this and just use one without thinking.
But as long as I don't do that on this board I guess you won't find out. Hee.
---
"Why sometimes I've believed as many as 6 impossible things before breakfast" -- Red Queen, Lewis Carrol
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5/14/2008, 3:52 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
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Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 1973
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Re: Smileys
I have to admit that I enjoy smilies, precisely because they help to express a mood so easily. Somehow, a post seems incomplete for me without a little smilie forming a bit of a sign off.
I don't think I can promise to go without any smilies for a week. What I can promise is this: I'll do what I can to go without them.
As a writer, I now wave a fond greeting to you, David, and everyone else who thinks this might be a fun idea.
--- - Firlefanz
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5/14/2008, 4:13 pm
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QS2
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Registered: 03-2006
Posts: 650
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Re: Smileys
Smilies aren't really new, lots of common people have used them in letters over the ages, usually not quite so blatant as the current ones of course, but that I think is because it was thought undignified. However, you just need to think of hearts for instance being used in love letters to know that humans have done this naturally for ages already. I don't really find it surprising that their use would increase without a social stigma and the very interface making their use easier. 
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5/14/2008, 7:13 pm
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Reythia
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Registered: 11-2005
Posts: 546
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Re: Smileys
Sure, Meadows. I can manage that.
To be honest, I like smilies a lot better when they're not all flashy, colored, and animated anyhow. I'd take a good old : ) instead of  any day!
And that was my last smiley for a week!
---  -- YAR! |
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5/14/2008, 10:57 pm
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tryingtowrite
Mini-NaNo Winner
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Registered: 03-2007
Posts: 513
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Re: Smileys
That's funny, Reythia, because : ) makes my eyes go all weird.
I'll try it David, but it'll be hard. Bye smilies.
---
I'm not just staring out the window...I'm working!
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5/14/2008, 11:16 pm
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David Meadows
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Registered: 09-2003
Posts: 240
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Re: Smileys
quote:
Corvus wrote:
I do have a question, though: "all on 3"?
Whoops. That's a result of me cross-posting from another forum. (I had to announce it on several forums, as I'm going to apply this to ALL of my on-line communication!)
---
"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
G.K.Chesterton
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5/15/2008, 7:48 am
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hadaad
NaNo Winner
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Registered: 08-2005
Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 320
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Re: Smileys
I'm in.
And I'm VERRRY excited about it.
My wife says I have no knack for sarcasm when I talk. She always thinks I'm being serious. So it should be interesting to see if I can pull it off with the written word.
---
Reading: Don Quixote - Miguel de Cervantes
Writing: Resurrection edits
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5/23/2008, 3:49 pm
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