Tuesday 17 July 2007
Calm down, take a deep breath and count to 10.
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AAAAAARRRGH! It makes me want to break something.
I don't know why but I expect more from Facebook users than say, MySpace or Bebo users. Maybe it's because Facebook started as an academic network site; or maybe it's because of articles such as this from the BBC or blog posts making statements such as Facebookers are voters, MySpacers are not. Maybe it's because I'm hopelessly addicted to Facebook and don't want it to become representative of that which I loath - like Pete Doherty telling people that crack isn't that bad, it's just the press blowing things out of proportion.
You may have noticed that the name and picture in the screengrab above have been scrambled to protect the not-so-innocent. However if you recognise this from your wall, you should have a word with your friend and point out the error of his ways. As Dan alluded to, I guess most of us have friends who use "txt spk" or its more hardcore cousin, "L33t speak" when texting, emailing and social-network-site-ing (someone really needs to come up with a snappy, generic verb for that).
When one has a friend who is a persistent offender, it can be tempting to ignore the infractions. For much the same reasons I try my best to ignore the massive mole on the side of a particular mate's face. The difference being, short of surgery, my mate with the mole can't do much about his affliction, whereas people who write, "gud 1 m8!!!" can and should be reformed.
I urge you all to attempt the same. Be persistent - no-one likes constantly being corrected, so either the friend will see the light or he/she will stop texting you. Either way, job done!
L8rz!!
Recently seen on a friend's Facebook wall:
AAAAAARRRGH! It makes me want to break something.I don't know why but I expect more from Facebook users than say, MySpace or Bebo users. Maybe it's because Facebook started as an academic network site; or maybe it's because of articles such as this from the BBC or blog posts making statements such as Facebookers are voters, MySpacers are not. Maybe it's because I'm hopelessly addicted to Facebook and don't want it to become representative of that which I loath - like Pete Doherty telling people that crack isn't that bad, it's just the press blowing things out of proportion.
You may have noticed that the name and picture in the screengrab above have been scrambled to protect the not-so-innocent. However if you recognise this from your wall, you should have a word with your friend and point out the error of his ways. As Dan alluded to, I guess most of us have friends who use "txt spk" or its more hardcore cousin, "L33t speak" when texting, emailing and social-network-site-ing (someone really needs to come up with a snappy, generic verb for that).
When one has a friend who is a persistent offender, it can be tempting to ignore the infractions. For much the same reasons I try my best to ignore the massive mole on the side of a particular mate's face. The difference being, short of surgery, my mate with the mole can't do much about his affliction, whereas people who write, "gud 1 m8!!!" can and should be reformed.
I urge you all to attempt the same. Be persistent - no-one likes constantly being corrected, so either the friend will see the light or he/she will stop texting you. Either way, job done!
L8rz!!
posted by Gez at 10:37 pm
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4 Comments:
The whole thing is tiresome. Even my father texts me with phrases such as "how r u?"
I have asked him to stop doing so several times.
Apparently, it's "easier". Let's examine that claim a moment, shall we? First of all, easy doesn't always equate to good. Second, it's not; with predictive text switched on, it's the same number of key presses to get 'you' (3) and 'u' (s,t,u = 3).
Gez's encouragement, coupled with Tom's example, show a steely determination we should all follow.
Ah yes. Txt lingo. Anything that is more annoying than the Brummie accent gets all that it deserves.
I truly do hate this phenomenon. Thankfully I am fortunate enough that none of my friends pollute my mobile/inbox with this idiotic tripe.
Can you imagine receiving something as facile as the following example from one of your (male) friends, a passage of lingo I imagine 'graces' the inboxes of hundreds of thousands of people the country over week after week after week?
'Hi m8 howz trix?! U gud? Off 2 town 2nite if u fancy it. Evry 1s cmin. Txt bk x'
1) I'm not your 'm8'. If I was you sure as hell wouldn't be texting me like that.
2) How's 'trix'? How do you think you prat. You destroy my faith in fellow man with your crap message and expect me to be ok?
3) 'U gud'? No I'm not. As above.
4) Ha ha. HA HA HA. And I'd want to hang out with you because...?
5) Same goes for your mates. Or, as is more likely, maaaaates.
6) Oh. My. Goodness. Please don't put a kiss at the end of your message. If I didn't want to stab you in the eye before I certainly do now.
Just makes you want to self-harm doesn't it?
Oh, and here's a question. Is it more acceptable for a woman to use this abhorrent form of communication than a bloke? Is it 'cute'? Be honest; if some bird you wanted to get into texted you like that would you forgive and forget? Would you embrace it even?
Well I'll tell you what.
I'd crack her in the mouth and that would be that.
I hope you can say the same.
You should change the
"who use "txt spk" or it's more hardcore cousin..."
(it's/its)
before someone notices!
You've imagined it, anonymous. I don't make mistakes. Its all in you're mind.
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