* Communication Breaktrough * Bulletin-ID: 26300ADB0GV *
de DK9OM @ DB0GV

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Note 37.2s DEC Schmunzeleckeu 2 of 2
DECUS::HEINZE "Robert,iccA/FH-Kiel, 0431-2000-10"  87 lines   8-DEC-1989 09:07
 r -< Communication Breakthrough >-
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From: Steven Carpenterz o 8-JAN-88
Comp: Modern Engineering Servicesz d 15:26:12
Subj: FYI a.z w Mess#  1

 q Communications Breakthrough
bx-

Because you can't see the person who is sending you electronic mail you
are sometimes uncertain whether they are serious or joking.  Recently,
Scott Fahlman at CMU devised a scheme for annotating one's messages to
overcome this problem.  If you turn your h the
three characters :-) they look sort of like a smiling face.  Thus, if
someone sends you a message that says "Have you stopped beating your
wife? :-) " you know they are joking.  If they say "I need to talk to
you :-( ", be prepared for trouble.

Since Scott's original proposal, many further symbols have been proposed:

 :-)b humor.
 :->b humor variation.
 %-}q
 :-(b sad.
 :-<b sad variation.
 %-{o
 :_)b tongue in cheek
 :-!b foot in mouth
 <:-)a for dumb questions.
 (:-)a for messages dealing with bicycle helmets.
 (8-)a for messages dealing with owls.
 d:-)a for messages dealing with baseball.
 d :-o   hats off to your great idea
 q:-)a for those who wear their caps backwards.
 @=c for messages dealing with nuclear war.
 ooc for somebody's head-lights are on messages.
 ;-)b say no more, nudge nudge.
 :-$b put your money where your mouth is
 >:->a leer
 ;-}b leer? (terminal dependent)
 |-<>a kissy face
 :-|b man playing an harmonica
 O:-)a for those innocent souls
 [:|]a from a robot (or other appropriate AI project)
 :>)b from someone with a big nose
 :<|b from someone who attends an Ivy League school
 :%)%a from someone with acne
 =:-)a from a hosehead
 :-(*)   from someone who is about to vomit
 :-)8a from someone who is well dressed
 8:-)a from a little girl
 :-)-{8  from a bigc
 #-)b from someone who partied all night
 %-\b from someone hungover
 :-*b from someone who just ate a sour pickle
 -:-)a from someone who sports a mohawk and admires Mr. T
 :-'|a from someone who has a cold
 |-)b from someone who is falling asleep
 .-)b from someone with one eye
 :-Db from someone who talks too much


So you see, bit-mapped displays are really quite unnecessary :->