20 November 2005

To smiley or not to smiley?

I realized as I postes my last message that I used a smiley. I'm curious how you will all answer this question: To smiley or not to smiley?

If yes, when is it appropriate and when is it inappropriate? I'd very much appreciate your thoughts.

:?

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3 comments:

thambi said...

To smiley or not to smiley?
appropriate when:
- you have established a rapport with the person on the other end.
- you think he/she is internet savvy (atleast has the ability to tilt his/her head and find out what it is)
- when you have cracked a joke, to reitirate that it was a joke (more like you cracked a joke and dont want the other person to get offended, put a smiley)

not appropriate:
- if the recipient cannot find out what it means, its better not to use it
- its a formal/business email you are writing

Anonymous said...

When your heart feels like smiling. But doesn't Bill Gates own the copywrite? Of all the things a person shouldn't be able to buy...

For some reason my smiley's always seem to end up upside down, but I'm not dyslexic. (-:

It's too bad so many people have to be hung up on being taken seriously and not use it more often. (The feeling that it's safer to feign apathy.)

But then again too often lacks sincerity.

I don't tend to think of myself as business person so what do I know? (I believe they are calling me a cultural worker these days.) And there are those who believe that "serious" artist and their models shouldn't smile.

which makes it kind of revolutionary. (-:

I still love Harvey Ball's original design.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Ball

Anonymous said...

Dave

thanks for your blog - I enjoy it! For me smileys are a way to establish tone in a relatively sterile environment. So I use them a lot as that is how I am when I am face to face - chirpy :-)

I agree not in formal emails however!

keith