Internet Typing Fashions (Half Rant)
Internet Typing Fashions
it is kool 2 type 1337 5934K lol
In the statement above, i just covered 3 different ways on how a member would type on a forum and one very common mistake, punctuation/grammar. Leet Speak (1337 5934K), Abbreviated Chat-Speak, Poor grammar and the lack of punctuation.
Doesn’t “h1 5u9 m4n” bother you? you’ve spent so much time in creating a forum and hoping your members would appreciate your work and spend their time posting quality content, but they actually come register and destroy your forums reputation by replying to topics in their so called ‘cool language’.
The 1337 5934K
These members type words with numeric digits to replace letters with similar shape. Example: A = 4, T = 7, E = 3. Towards new forum users, it is impossible to understand and the the use of Leet Speak really damages your forum reputation. It may be fun on those boring nights where you sit at home with nothing to do, but on a regular basis, it will annoy forum staff and other users. Just remember to NOT overuse it!
The Chat-Speak; IM-Talk.
every1, h8, lol, rofl, brb, gr8 and 2 all come under the Chat-Speak category. Yes you may use it in your personal chatrooms or IM conversations but i beg you to NOT use it on forums. Do you really want to look like a 7 year old? Maybe the casual/once-in-awhile “lol” but theres so many other ways to express humor. *Through words =)* But just remember, users will give you the weird “how old is he/she” look when they see you type like that. So is that the impression you want to make?
Punctuation and Grammar.
typn like dis is hard 2 understand especially if u dont use punctuation
Please, if you’re going to reply or post around a forum, put a few more seconds to correct your punctuation and grammar. It’s the last thing anyone wants to read, a post with no punctuation or grammar. Most likely, members will skip your post. This is an essential, do not forget. If your extremely poor at spelling, i would even recommend you to take desperate measures and visit the one and only Dictionary.com to reduce spelling mistakes (To be honest, i sometimes do as well).
In the end, your typing reflects on your character and who you are. “Good evening, how is everyone today?” this may sound corny and such but it shows members that you take your time in posting and not a spammer. “Hi, what r u all doin atm” See the difference? If you take a few moments to adjust every post you make, other members and staff will change their thoughts about you. And if you work hard at it, you might even be awarded that Moderation position you always wanted.
So remember, keep your posts tidy and readable. Quit the typing fashions. Be the Shepard, not the sheep.
© MESKOS Forum Development Blog 2008
Reading Your Way to Success.
Building a Successful Forum.
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