Ok I have mentioned only few people who uses smilies ( ).. My question is why you use smilies and why you use/don't use them?

I never use them really. dont know why i just dont. dont see the need for them. I think you can just get a point across with text. Not that i have anything against them or anything or people using them.

I do on occasions, but I certainly dont use them on everything I type. Some people really can go overboard with them. For instance on msn, when someone just posts or something I immediately shut the window - how are you supposed to reply to that?

Txt speak is a big pet hate of mine. It was 'invented' to make text messages on phones easier to write, & save character space. There is no reason why someone with a full qwerty keyboard has to use it. One of the Cambridge unis did a study on it a couple of years ago, & found using txt speak on proper keyboards not only takes longer to type, but on average 3 times longer to read. I've even encountered people that actually say 'lol', I mean in conversations in real life. Thats just plain idiotic.

Thats true and a studty ahs shown that youths that text in slang english actually spell things wrong because they get used to putting things like luv and tomoz aint it. I really dont like it at all. I for one always text the correct word unless i actually spell it wrong.lol

In my language there are very big such things like "vmr - vienmēr (always)" "tgd - tagad (now)" and then sometimes other people dont understand anything because each second word is like thous lol ..

I don't use loads of smilies, unlike my sister, who has downloaded thousands for IM programs and uses them at every available opportunity. In a serious conversation I don't really see why you need them, but sometimes when what I'm saying is a joke or a bit weird then I might use one smilie: Other than that I don't really use them. I have nothing against them unless they are used excessively, or (as my sister has in MSN) are set to automatically replace characters, turning messages into those jumbled letters required for forum registrations!

I use them occasionally when i want to. Like when i want to show emotion, i'll just put one in my post. But other than that, i don't like them.

I have to use them once in a while ever since a member told me my words (either over the Pm or post) seemed tough and stiff. Although I do not mean this to happen or appear that way, I guess the way I write my sentence looks "strict."

He and I argued over my syntax. The words are only meaningful if you put your emotion into it, I said. But if the other person is not in a good mood any words given to that person may translate into "angry words/meanings."

So once in a while I throw in smilies and winks not just for me, but to convey my true intension of my words--which is to guide and help; not to rule over.

i can kind of see the logic in that. And i can also see what you mean about if sombody is in a bad mood they could take your words out of context. Not a bad idea using smilies for that. Here was me before saying i dont see the need for them too. Oh well i guess i have had my eyes opened.lol