Iron my smile to your face...

I think I may have two solutions to the blind sarcasm problem.

Either assume that those of us that tend to use sardonic wit, sarcasm and such, will do (and the corollary that when we don't you're meant to read that as well).

Or,

We'll prefix  each comment intended to be taken the other way with something like :-} (those that don't like noses in emoticons may leave them out).  Alternatives such as :-/ or :-\ are not to be preferred because of slash-centred operating systems and the confusion of mirror symbols.

Eventually it is hoped that such signifiers could be abstracted from the text as the audience begins to understand the context within which the textual comments are composed.

Simon Lucy
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

I think this is an excellent idea :-}

Is it permitted for left handed people to use {-: ?

Sarcastic? Moi?
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

I think the {-: variant should likely be reserved for right to left writers such as arabic.  As a partial left hander myself I have confusions enough without typing backwards.

Simon Lucy
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Maybe special permission for those who post using reverse-polish notation calculators?

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

"Maybe special permission for those who post using reverse-polish notation calculators?"

were you being sarcastic/.

FullNameRequired
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

Yes. I used the first solution that SL outlined.

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

People who use sarcasm (intentional inflicting of pain by deriding, taunting, or ridiculing) are a nuisance.

Sardonic wit (scorn, mockery, or derision that is manifested by either verbal or facial expression) may require an emoticon by definition.

Ironic wit (an attempt to be amusing or provocative by saying usually the opposite of what is meant), on the other hand, is very effective.

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=sarcastic

Christopher Wells
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

This stuff is contextual.

The only real solution is to read every single post on JOS and remember the attributes of every singler poster. In that way you can understand each person's viewpoint and you can therefore learn how to interpret their postings.

There is no other way.  Anyone who wants to communicate here has just bought themselves another career...

Now, am I supposed to say ":-}"?

Bored Bystander
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

  The fun part of the sarcastic/ironic comments, are the replies from people that didn't get the sarcasm/irony. :-}

Ricardo Antunes da Costa
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

:-}

That looks rather obscene.

sex crazed deviant
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

You people spend too much time with your computers.

Full name:
Wednesday, January 14, 2004

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