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Ivan's picture

Emoticons in GMail? Oh, please no!

I don't hate emoticons in chat, it helps express emotions. Allows for sarcasm and fine tuning of your words. I don't like emoticons in forum topics. I do tend to hate them in email. And they certainly have no place in serious printed documents.

These creepy little icons are like viruses, they infect everything and killing off elaborate written communication. Today even GMail introduced them in their email interface. GMail was the last stronghold against these little parasites of intricate sentences. You don't need to explain yourself in words anymore, just send a series of emoticons and be done.

I can't wait for the day when emoticons will be accepted in contracts and legal documents. One day they will be part of the international alphabet of broken English. One day nothing else will be left, but :)

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whywaitwebs's picture
104 pencils

I don't really like them either, but I don't mind the option for them. Like you said, they help express emotions. Sometimes, frequently actually, email is used for the same purpose as chat so why do you oppose them in email?

JimD's picture
2617 pencils

I can mostly ignore those obnoxious emoticons, but the day Gmail allows you to use background images easily is the day I delete my Gmail account.

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Visit The Graphic Mac for graphics and Mac OS tips, reviews, tutorials and discussion.

Ivan's picture

I agree. That would be over the top. :)

jasongraphix's picture
26 pencils

I understand being upset about background images, but emoticons? You can't tell me you've never wanted to insert a graphic smiley into a personal email, or a pile of poo with animated flies for that matter.

Ivan's picture

Yes, of course my post is half joking. :)

Leaky Penny's picture
2592 pencils

Tough crowd!

Leaky Penny
www.leakypenny.com

“If you do what you love to do, then you won’t do it in an average way.”
~ Angela Bassett

Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com

I'm going to print it out and eat it.

-Unknown Artist

Craig Michael Patrick's picture
64 pencils

Emoticons haven't been introduced into the business accounts...yet.

Regardless, they're mostly harmless in my opinion; and frankly it can be difficult to determine the tone of an e-mail without knowing the inflection of a person's voice (or their writing voice, anyway).

Then, one should consider the economy of the communication. Which is a more efficient way of communicating: typing the word "H-O-U-S-E" or creating an icon of a house? This isn't to say it's better (or even that you could communicate a more sophisticated concept easily), just a bit more economical.

Craig Michael Patrick
http://cmpatrick.com

Ivan's picture

Haha, yes. Emoticons the modern age hieroglyphics. It's just like Egyptian or Chinese hieroglyphs in their infancy. ;)

Leaky Penny's picture
2592 pencils

I should be grateful there is a "turd" emoticon to be used when describing some of my clients!

Leaky Penny
www.leakypenny.com

“If you do what you love to do, then you won’t do it in an average way.”
~ Angela Bassett

Leaky Penny
Check out what I've been up to lately!
http://petersonjoseph.com

I'm going to print it out and eat it.

-Unknown Artist

phoenixeuhouai's picture
9 pencils

feels like lam subject :p we don't really care about it ! if you're professionnal you wont use it, then if your not you will, it can help to know who you are talking to, isnt it ? d:-)

onegirlcreative's picture
1092 pencils

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"I am not sick. I am broken. But I am happy as long as I can paint." ~ Frida Kahlo

www.onegirlcreative.com

pokie's picture
1198 pencils

A few years ago, we were going through papers. Probably when we were moving or something. I came across one of my husband's old Art History research papers. Now, if your guys Art professors were anything like ours, you know they are pretty hard core and will not allow any shenanigans. So, I'm reading his paper that is written very well and is super interesting. Then I get to the conclusion. Yeah, he makes some remark and adds a WINKY. ";)" I about fell on the floor laughing. Ahhhh....

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