To Smiley or Not to Smiley...

**mike** · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 06:35 PM

The smiley:

Love it? Hate it? Don't really care?

Let me know.

As you may or may not be aware, I recently enabled smilies. I immediately received some negative feedback about the smiley, so I disabled them again. Of course that resulted in another round of folks calling for my head due to the fact that the smiley does indeed have it's proponents.

As such, I present the 'Smiley Poll 2006'.

Rock the vote and let me know. Do I save the smiley or does he return to the limbo from whence he came?

**dharrison** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:05 PM

No its Ok Mike you can keep your head. I would definitely get some odd looks if I walked around wearing your head. (*grin).

As I said before, at least with smileys there is no trying to interpret other peoples emoticons, which can be downright bizarre on this forum.

Also with forums in general being the most emotionless places on earth where a perfectly harmless comment can be misinterpreted and could cause offence, there definitely needs to be some kind of system that can be used to indicate how a comment should be interpreted.

Smileys were quoted on the other thread as being immature. I say better to be immature than emotionless.

And anyway, if you don't like them - don't use them. ;)

I say keep them.

**crankydave** · #3 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:08 PM

Is this history in the making?

Is the the first "official" use of the new board announcements function?

I'll bet Smiley would be honored and humbled to preside over this historic WPW occasion in person. :)

Dave

JKomp · #4 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:11 PM

I don't care much either way. I use the naked smilies anyway, maybe dressing them up a bit isn't a bad idea. However, my only complaint is that the actual smilies you had enabled were a little low quality imo, I was :( and almost :'( to find the :o looked a lot like i was :D and that certainly was not the case ;)

mikesmith76 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:18 PM

as already stated by previous posters don't think it's anything to get annoyed over. although dharrison used some cool smilies on a happy birthday thread, guy falling off a bar stool.....

cyanide · #6 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:32 PM

I think of it this way, atleast the smilies aren't the crazy star wars or head banging, jumping up and down ones that you see on other boards.

urbanroots · #7 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:55 PM

I could care either way, however when people do over use them it does get annoying.

**mike** · #8 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crankydave

Is this history in the making?

Is the the first "official" use of the new board announcements function?

Why, yes it is. I've been looking for an excuse for several days now actually.

p.s.
Just for cyanide...

LinkMaster · #9 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 08:55 PM

Keep them!

cyanide · #10 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike

p.s.
Just for cyanide...

LOL - I think Angelfire blocked ya

You hotlinker you

**brian.mark** · #11 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 12:21 AM

Nice sig, cyanide. I haven't seen that since I started this job. It was in the restroom at the time, but a bit wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Our restroom

We aim to please. You aim too please, to.

Orion · #12 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 12:32 AM

too bad you couldn't just put in an option:
HTML is OFF
BBCode is ON
Smilies are OFF (let us turn them on or off on our posts (default on)!

The basic ones are cool I like having to use codes for them cause sometimes I just want to use =o) and not a standard smilie.

In the top echaelones (sp?) of corporate America they all go for it. Somewhere in middle management a sense of humour and enjoying your work got lost I think???

**mike** · #13 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 02:11 AM

I de-hotlinkified it.

flood6 · #14 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 02:43 AM

I don't have much of an opinion, but I kind of come down on "not having them". They're unprofessional, and I think for the most part, this board strives for professionalism. Again, not a strong opinion, just throwing that out there.

I'm the guy who posted without having anything witty to say.

mikesmith76 · #15 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 04:09 AM

mike those Star Wars smilies are great! you gotta keep smilies enabled just for them!!

cspelts · #16 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 04:25 AM

I really don't like them. I've never seen a board that had both intelligent conversation and smilies - it's usually one or the other - and I vote for intelligent conversation!

It gives me a headache just to see a few of them in this thread...

Please people, vote no!

Tubby · #17 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 05:51 AM

Phew! - This is going to be one of those tough executive decisions you just have to make. If you hurt someone that is just the way it will have to be. Be brave Mike and put your foot down with a firm hand.

I never use Smileys, If I insult anyone it is always with good intent and I expect readers to understand this. . A few smileys are hardly going to upset me.

I saw some 'new generation' smileys somewhere recently, big and bold with real ooomph. not all of us are 'grown ups' in here, we have plenty of childish bickering, this is a mixed community that is what makes it interesting - A few years ago I was invited to attend a Board meeting to do a presentation (Very professional large intentional company) and there was a 'farting' contest going on when I entered the room. Lets not go overboard with professionalism, there is still a little child in every one of us...

**dharrison** · #18 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 05:59 AM

Well how about a compromise:

Why not allow smilies, but in your forum rules, guidelines etc. include a line that indicates that overuse will be adjusted, deleted or something.

I mean you have such a rule for large text for the reason its unprofessional.

Just a thought.

**ctabuk** · #19 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 06:22 AM

Firstly let me say that I agree with the use of smilies, but in moderation. I think to allow other would be totally childish.

<MIKE NOTE>
Had to edit the image size down a little David. It was blowing up the page.

**dharrison** · #20 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 06:30 AM

Eugh thats horrid! Even by my standards.

Just my point tho. Smilies are OK but only when used in moderation.

MuNKyonline · #21 (**permalink**) 02-09-2006, 07:06 AM

I can see where everyone is coming from with the smilies and them not being a problem but I also agree with flood6 & cspelts on how they could make the forums look unprofessional. I would say that the decision is dependant on how you would like people to see WPW. Having said that I voted to keep them =)