We've basically had the same smilies since we opened Big Blue. Some are used often, others aren't. Some people use them, others don't. Now is you chance to voice your opinion on our smilies. Feel free to list any smiley that we have in our list that you don't particularly think we need, and on the other hand, if you would like to see us add one, please list them here as well. Just for starters, we've added the following:
crazy
applause
:wait: and so
We also deleted the, "this thread is worthless without pics" smiley, since it it way too large and has probably only been used once or twice, if that.
You can see all the smilies we have
here, just be sure to see both pages. I forget that there are so many that there is a second page. :oops:
Just list the smilies in this thread that you would like to see removed or added. We will consider all comments before we revise the list. Remember, you suggestions should be appropriate for a "G rated" model railroad forum like ours. There is no timeline for this, we can make changes at anytime, but we'd like to do this around the time we do the next software update in the next few weeks.
ezdays Wrote:Feel free to list any smiley that we have in our list that you don't particularly think we need
All of them. The Internet is Serious Business.
railohio Wrote:ezdays Wrote:Feel free to list any smiley that we have in our list that you don't particularly think we need
All of them. The Internet is Serious Business.
Now if you said "Model Railroading is serious business" I May have believed you
To reference the cover of a popular magazine: "Model railroading is fun, dammit"
One of the problems with the internet is that there is no "eye contact", there's no "sound of the voice", there's no "body language"......... only the written word. ( unless the post is a video )
Smilies help to "replace" these things, and, in many ways, can make a comment "friendlier" . They give a comment the physical attributes that are always there in normal human communication, but missing in the written word alone.
With the right smilie,a comment can be received as a "friendly ribbing", as it was meant to be, and not as a serious put-down, as it could easily be interpreted as .
to better communication
Charlie B Wrote:..... if it costs nothing what are they hurting? .....
Charlie hit the nail on the head
Well, even if the Internet is serious business, like Pete says, the thing that is missing is eye contact and body language. Smilies are suppose to take their place and define what you mean if what you say can be taken more than one way. An insulting remark can become a friendly jab when followed by
You can express your amazement an appreciation by writing a paragraph or two, or just add a
,
or
to a short sentence. You can say something really dumb and let everyone know that you know it is by adding
These shortcuts give you more time to be serious, but then, where's the fun in doing that? :?:
faraway Wrote:Charlie B Wrote:..... if it costs nothing what are they hurting? .....
Charlie hit the nail on the head
Nope, it doesn't cost anything and we will never get rid of smilies even if it did
. I probably use them as much or more than most folks.
They're fun and define what you say and who you are better than a phone call. 8-) There are a number of sites that have a few tons of different (and the same) smilies that can be used, and they don't cost anything as well.
I just thought there were a few here that we don't use and maybe some that we could add.
I have used the "Worthless withut pics" one a few times, but not very often.
While we're on the subject; Jon Monon & I designed these 2:
and I named this one in honor of the "Wreck of the 'ol 97":
We uploaded this one especially for Chief Eagle who eats popcorn:
and this one for anyone who fishes:
The ones I don't see used anymore are:
:jawdrop:
tooges: :race:
:angel:
The first few (Jawdrop and Stooges) were used a lot at the old site, but seem to be outdated here
I didn't know ( or possibly forgot
) there was a page 2 of smilies ,......if keeping them all or condensing them to one page makes no difference at all , then keep them all . I completely agree that , on occasion , some type of body language is necessary in a reply .
T
I think you need to put the "this thread is useless without pictures" smiley back in, true it may not be used often but when it fits there is nothing else that can be used in it's place. We also need a thumbs down smiley as well.
I agree with railohio. Get ride of them all. They make it hard for some people to read the posts when they are jumping around. If you make a dumb or negative comment these things do not make a negative into a positive. I have no idea what most of these useless things are supposed to mean and do not have the time to try and find out what they mean each time. It takes a lot of time to keep up with all the posts on here. If you do not have anything helpful or constructive to say don't say anything at all. Sarcasm and joking around are neither of these and are a waist of time in my opinion.
Prairie Trains Wrote:I agree with railohio. Get ride of them all. They make it hard for some people to read the posts when they are jumping around. If you make a dumb or negative comment these things do not make a negative into a positive. I have no idea what most of these useless things are supposed to mean and do not have the time to try and find out what they mean each time. It takes a lot of time to keep up with all the posts on here. If you do not have anything helpful or constructive to say don't say anything at all. Sarcasm and joking around are neither of these and are a waist of time in my opinion.
I disagree: smilies can ameliorate what might otherwise be interpreted as mean-spirited, and add nuances to the written words. We don't, for the most part, speak in monotones or without facial expressions and even body movements. Those things express our attitudes towards both the subject matter and those being addressed, but are otherwise missing from words written here.
In this day and age, when many cannot communicate in fully-spelled out words or express their thoughts coherently, it's easy to mistake their true intentions. While the Members here are among the most cordial I've seen on-line, there are occasions where someone
appears to overstep the bounds of propriety when the judicious use of a smilie could have changed the tone of the remark completely, better reflecting what the poster had
intended to say.
There's a time for joking around, and I can't see that humour should out of place here: I take the hobby as seriously as anyone here, but even that is funny in itself...grown men (and women) playing with trains.
We should always be capable of laughing
at ourselves, and of laughing
with our friends.
As for sarcasm, I find it to be one of the most effective ways to communicate verbally without being overtly offensive, yet it's often lost in on-line exchanges without a smilie to qualify it....mind you, there are those on whom both would be wasted.
Wayne
Another smillie that I would like to see is “Sigh” for all those times my clever ideas actually aren’t; and cunning plans either fail to come to fruition, or are underwhelming in effect.
In this form of communication I’m a fan of smillies, even though my first, (and only) language is English, it is New Zealand English which has differences , some subtle, in nuances, idiom, and meaning. So I do try to take care in my replies not only to
not offend, but to make my meaning clear.
Prairie Trains Wrote:If you do not have anything helpful or constructive to say don't say anything at all. Sarcasm and joking around are neither of these and are a waist of time in my opinion.
I’m sorry Sir, but I can’t agree. Having a warped sense of humour may not help my cause, but with sarcasm being the lowest form of wit, I pretty good at it, and if I found that I was in a hobby/forum where a bit of joking around was not welcome, I’d find other way to spend my relaxation time.
Just my 2 bobs worth,
Cheers, the Bear.