The problem is that often there just isn't enough context to realize that the person is trying to be humorous/ironic/sarcastic. In traditional print, you'd have lots and lots of written words to realize this. In realspace, you can judge the body language of the person making the statement. In brief email exchanges, sometimes you need substitutes for those cues - and thats the purpose of the smiley.
I don't think the assumption is that the person won't "get" the joke... its to make sure that people realize it _is_ a joke. On Tue, Jul 29, 2008 at 11:23:38AM -0400, Michel Lowe wrote: > Does anyone else find Smileys to be insulting? > I mean, a little :-) at the end of a comment to explain that you meant it > humorously/ironically/sarcastically implies the recipient isn't capable of > getting the joke in the first place. > Or maybe I should just switch to decaf today... ;-) > > __________________ > Michel David Lowe > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Computer Guys Discussion List [mailto:COMPUTERGUYS- > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Piwowar > > Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:49 AM > > To: COMPUTERGUYS-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM > > Subject: Re: [CGUYS] Will iPhone Kill Radio? > > > > >But there's a difference between mentioning problems and taking random, > > >gratuitous potshots. > > > > Should it be my problem that some folks have no sense of humor? Should we > > all be required to dial down to low level gloom to accomodate the most > > morose among us? Should we be denied a good laugh at the folly of the > > ultra rich? I think not! > > > > P.S. I don't do smileys. Smileys are depressing. > > > ************************************************************************* > ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** > ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** > ************************************************************************* > ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
