Smileys- Use them.!!

[The Poor Relations]

so what JimJam said it what I said but a lot longer

 

[hilldweller]

So please bloody well use them:Angry::Angry::Angry:

I'd add "use them like you have some idea what they mean". Many people throw in so many it's rather like my young grandchildren's first attempts at writing, a few words and loads of pretty stars pulled off a Tesco's sheet. I'd hate to talk to anyone for real who says a few trivial words and *really* Rolls On The Floor Laughing.

Some people do indeed talk like that in real life, they punctuate every sentence with a hideous laugh because they have no confidence in what they are saying and the giggle says "well I'm may be talking rubbish but it's just to be sociable".

You may note that Shakespeare managed to convey his message with very few smilies.

But then I'm Grumpy Old Man from the Old School where and :-( and ROFL was all that was available on text only display and they were used only when essential.

I hold similar grumpy views on Avatars that are just a pretty picture pulled off a Tesco's sheet.

Brian - Head of Committee for Proper Emoticon Usage.

 

[hy7711]

Smilies

I hadn't read this thread till today and fully agree with what Jim posted. :thumb:

I frequent a forum where regularly posters take offence and exchange verbal insults frequently. The forum does not have smilies and I often read the posts confused why the other person or persons are being abusive to each other. Having been accused of an insult, it has got to the point I don't post on there any more and just read the posts of interest. :Confused:

As for Avatars well that's fine, I just like to use one, it personifies me in many ways ..... only to those that know me of course. :Blush:

J

 

[moandick]

One simple statement can validate the use of emoticons in forums - just remember the first time you ever walked into the reception of a Caravan Club Site - to be faced with Mrs Warden saying:

"Can I help you?" :thumb:

or

"Can I help you?" :Angry:



That is why they teach proper telephone operators to say:

"How may I help you?"

 

[Road Runner]

That is why they teach proper telephone operators to say:

"How may I help you?"

With an Indian accent of course

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[hilldweller]

The forum does not have smilies

As for Avatars well that's fine, I just like to use one, it personifies me in many ways ..... only to those that know me of course. :Blush:

J

All together now, "Oh yes it does" It's not the forum to blame but the participants.

Now your avatar, no Brit could fail to smile at that. But some of them, I just wonder who or what is behind them. Somewhere is an avatar of a man gurning, what the hell is that supposed to mean ? Is he saying he's the ugliest git on the forum ? Is he saying he takes part in gurning competitions ? What can it mean ? Yet another, shows a man with a machine gun blasting away. I dread to think what is behind that one.

But on here, there is an simple owl, it immediately conveys peace to me and I form the impression that this is a very nice person.

I love the fly avatar, first time I saw it I really did reach out to swat it.

 

[hy7711]

All together now, "Oh yes it does" It's not the forum to blame but the participants.

Now your avatar, no Brit could fail to smile at that. But some of them, I just wonder who or what is behind them. Somewhere is an avatar of a man gurning, what the hell is that supposed to mean ? Is he saying he's the ugliest git on the forum ? Is he saying he takes part in gurning competitions ? What can it mean ? Yet another, shows a man with a machine gun blasting away. I dread to think what is behind that one.

But on here, there is an simple owl, it immediately conveys peace to me and I form the impression that this is a very nice person.

I love the fly avatar, first time I saw it I really did reach out to swat it.

Yes I quite agree, it is the participants :thumb: but that particular forum is the worse for not using smilies in my humble opinion and of course you're correct there is nothing to stop people making them up appropriately.

Yes on other forums I have seen some very disturbing avatars and it really does make you wonder what is behind them the elephant jumping up and down on the trampolene made me laugh though.

J

 

[hy7711]

With an Indian accent of course

Please don't start me off on offshore call centres ........:Angry:

I'm calm now :Blush:

J

 

[hilldweller]

Please don't start me off on offshore call centres ........:Angry:

I'm calm now :Blush:

J

Just been through this with Tiscali. Bad or non existent connection speed always after 16:00. Obvious isn't it, kids have come home. So I complained.

An Indian ( probably ) woman phoned and asked all the usual questions. Being grumpy old man I stuck to the overloaded exchange. But she was so polite I did what she requested and finally after I moved the router from an extension to the incoming master socket we got a dramatic improvement. I was wrong !

But the final call was not from her but another Indian woman, sharp, sharper than a sharp thing. "Is it working ? I can see some errors, I'll back you down to 5M, case closed". CLICK, gone, finished.

What a difference. I soon changed my attitude to the first woman, to "Ah it's my favourite woman, my wife is starting to get worried". She laughed, I think that was the best reward I could offer for her excellent service. She phoned back 4 times, always at the agreed time. I was impressed.

 

[hilldweller]

"Can I help you?" :thumb:
or
"Can I help you?" :Angry:

A bit out of context in here, don't you think ?

Now, is my statement aggressive or just throw a away remark. I am inclined to assume that by now folk would know me not to take it as aggressive. The old hands probably would but I have to agree that the APPROPRIATE smiley would help newcomers.

Now we hit the BIG problem in here - just which smiley indicates "casual", "non aggressive" ?

I don't know, smilies are just as open to misunderstanding as text.

For sure is much overused. Do folk really roll on the floor laughing at their own comments ?

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[hy7711]

A bit out of context in here, don't you think ?

Now, is my statement aggressive or just throw a away remark. I am inclined to assume that by now folk would know me not to take it as aggressive. The old hands probably would but I have to agree that the APPROPRIATE smiley would help newcomers.

Now we hit the BIG problem in here - just which smiley indicates "casual", "non aggressive" ?

I don't know, smilies are just as open to misunderstanding as text.

For sure is much overused. Do folk really roll on the floor laughing at their own comments ?

I have spent a lot of time rolling on the floor with my bad back so really helps

 

[sedge]

The things that always give em away are

1. Their accent in the first place obviously; in India they do really speak English in a 'sing-song' way whereas those living in UK have an accent like we do, matching the part of the country where we were broght up/live

2. Their names, here people give their real given names - John, Julie, Sean, Jaswinder, Mohammed or whatever; call centre employees always have names like Albert or Victoria, William or Mary, never Tasmin, Lucinda or Wayne.

3. They always call me Ma'am but actually pronounce it "mem" and yes - I'm afraid I do add the rest of it inside my head and giggle .......

and anyway, I'm always very sympathetic with em for a wasted phonecall

a) we don't need a Credit Card because we don't need Credit
b) we have no Mortgage
c) what we won on the Lottery is invested offshore, thanks for asking
d) Damn!! - we had that done only last week!

- can i stop, now?

 

[hilldweller]

I'm always very sympathetic with em for a wasted phonecall

Needless to say, I'm not.

It might not be so bad if they could speak and understand English. This is not racist, I can't understand some of them, nor can they understand me.

More disturbing is always British jobs. We NEED jobs. Two problems, we value ourselves so highly we price ourselves out of the job or we are so idle we prefer cheap foreign labour to do it for us. When will this country waken up to reality ?

 

[hy7711]

Needless to say, I'm not.

It might not be so bad if they could speak and understand English. This is not racist, I can't understand some of them, nor can they understand me.

More disturbing is always British jobs. We NEED jobs. Two problems, we value ourselves so highly we price ourselves out of the job or we are so idle we prefer cheap foreign labour to do it for us. When will this country waken up to reality ?

For a start they never pronounce my surname correctly, it isn't a difficult name to pronounce which I find slightly insulting. I have never had any problem sorted to my satisfaction. They seem to read off crib notes and don't really seem to understand. I'm not racist either being a radio amateur where diversity of culture and language is part of the fun of the hobby.

If I call a help centre and it sounds like it is abroad I ask. If the answer is affirmative I politely say good bye and hang up. This is why I no longer use the BT router which kept giving me grief and use a Netgear instead that just works.

More to the point I object to my personal information being transfered to a country where the safety of that information could be in question.



J

Sorry I do think I may be going way off topic so I think I will shut up now.

 

[slickmouse]

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT ?????

Conflict management, NVC????? EH Whit ?

Bunch of bloody cry babies the lot of you, smilies or emoticons, I never use them myself :moon:

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[hy7711]

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT ?????

Conflict management, NVC????? EH Whit ?

Bunch of bloody cry babies the lot of you, smilies or emoticons, I never use them myself :moon:

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

To all the funsters


:thumb: :thumb:



Love you all lotssssssssssssssssssss

 

[hy7711]

To all the funsters


:thumb: :thumb:



Love you all lotssssssssssssssssssss

Damn I'm seeing double now :helpsos::helpsos:

 

[bobandjanie]

:Blush: Hi, lets all kiss and make up. We dont want any more :tears:we want to be better than other forums.

 

[hy7711]

:secret::yeah:

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[hy7711]

:secret::yeah:

Who needs words

 

[moandick]

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I'm not racist either but why are you advertising "gay" emoticons? Is that allowed on a family forum?

 

[hy7711]

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I'm not racist either but why are you advertising "gay" emoticons? Is that allowed on a family forum?

How do you sex an emoticon? oh:

 

[bobandjanie]

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I'm not racist either but why are you advertising "gay" emoticons? Is that allowed on a family forum?

Gay

 

[tofo]

:Cool::Blush::Angry::thumb::Tongue::Wacko::Tongue1::helptitanic::coolthumb::Confused::smalllove::rain::moon::thanks::welcome::man_in_love::thumbdown::yeah::rollonfloor::Sad:oh::shout::helpsos::Nowink::Mellow::Mad::cry-smile::loveyou::sin::tears::lovewait::beer::help::hug::secret:hardhat: your welcome::thumb:

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[hy7711]

Blimey

what a party, wish I'd been there.

 

[scotjimland]

:Cool::Blush::Angry::thumb::Tongue::Wacko::Tongue1::helptitanic::coolthumb::Confused::smalllove::rain::moon::thanks::welcome::man_in_love::thumbdown::yeah::rollonfloor::Sad:oh::shout::helpsos::Nowink::Mellow::Mad::cry-smile::loveyou::sin::tears::lovewait::beer::help::hug::secret:hardhat: your welcome::thumb:

I'm getting mixed messages here ... :Sad: oh: :Blush:

 

[hilldweller]

I'm getting mixed messages here ... :Sad: oh: :Blush:

Poor Jim, that would be Big Jim our leader, he tried to spread the message but his flock is sadly lacking.

Pearls before swine comes to mind.

 

[moandick]

Sorry Brian - you appear to be as mixed up as the smileys.

ScotJim and our Leader Jim are two totally separate people! oh:

 

[tofo]

I'm getting mixed messages here ... :Sad: oh: :Blush:

well i pressed all the right buttons but some wouldnt join in
mind it might not have been in the right order granted

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