Can I get an "Amen" on not using all lower case in posts?

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[quote author=denmarc]Although the typos and errors jump off the monitor and slap you in the face, does that effect your reponse to any posted questions? .... you .... ought to chime in and say your piece.
[/quote]

I already commented. Coincidentally, when I posted my other reply earlier today, I was sitting in a coffee shop having breakfast and scrolling back through all my replies to this topic. From an earlier message of mine:

Maybe I have a little more tolerance, or a different filter, but I'm struggling to recall more than a handful of forum messages that I couldn't comprehend. We're approaching 1.5M messages over a period of 20 years.

IOW I don't normally let typos, grammar, sentence structure, etc influence my replies but, as they say, never say never. Occasionally, I'll misread something and reply inappropriately; But that's usually my fault for reading too quickly and not taking the time to put the OP's reply in context.

I grew up in a family where half the members spoke Welsh (some spoke only Welsh), and was educated in the UK (I jokingly refer to UK English as 'Britlish'). My last 10 years there I worked for a CA company, and used to josh daily with my CA-based colleagues about their "incorrect" English and their choice of words. I took my fair share of ribbing, both from a distance and during visits I made to CA, and this was compounded by my heavy Welsh accent. In an attempt to be more clearly understood, I used to 'code switch' between Britlish and Amlish, and I'd consciously pronounce words "incorrectly".

When we moved to CA over 30 years ago, I was astounded to find so many degreed employees who couldn't construct a sentence. This wasn't merely a Britlish vs Amlish issue, and it initially bothered me quite a bit. I soon realized that a high percentage of well-educated employees grew up speaking a different language, and that's when I believe my tolerance level changed significantly. Get the full story around a campfire some time  ;)

Meanwhile, I got past the 'code switching' state, and sometimes (often?) no longer know which version of English I'm speaking/writing  :-[

BTW your question was not taken as being 'confrontational'.
 
?and don?t even get me started on the demise of the Oxford comma!!





 

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I hear the shots being fired across my bow. ;) :D  Rest assured, I have just been having a little fun playing "School Master", and I certainly won't be checking my underwear for binds or bunches. ;D

I hope I haven't severely offended anyone, but if I've encouraged anyone to at least try to improve their writing and spelling skills, I'll not be too concerned about those who insist on being offended.

We are all judged by our actions everyday.  Whether one chooses to deny it, excuse it or deal with it, it is their call and they have no right to expect others to do the same.  Amen...
 
denmarc said:
Tom,
A related, but non-confrontational question...
Although the typos and errors jump off the monitor and slap you in the face, does that effect your reponse to any posted questions?  Does it matter that much as to the spelling or grammar that some get their underware in a bunch reading it?  I don't see it.  Your opinion?

The grammar of a post sometimes influences my response.  If someone posts a question using simple words and non-traditional phrasing I'll try to keep my reply simple.  Sometimes it's hard to tell if the limited grammar comes from a text messaging  mentality or from someone with limited English as a second language.  The last thing I want to do is obfuscate an answer by using words they don't understand.

And please excuse any text or formatting errors in this message.  I'm sending it from my cell phone while I'm at lunch.
 
Tom,
My hat is off to you for your honesty.  I expected nothing less.  You came through like a shining star. 

Lou,
In my opinion, it's not that there are those who insist on being offended.  It's those who don't know they may be offended.  Hence, the way they may post.  Don't look at it as shots across the bow.  Look at it like it takes all kinds of people to make a world.  I try to treat the Harvard educated person the same as a 10th grade drop out.  Keeping this forum in mind, I don't care about grammar or punctuation.  It does sound as if that idea irritates some more than others.  Maybe I am in a group all by myself.  But I give everybody a fair shake from the start.

With "underware" being in jest, I think you all got my drift.  It could of been a perfectly honest typo.  Anyone willing to bet on it?  Again, I am not going to judge.

 
Amen, Lou Schneider.  About an hour ago I composed a rant supporting Just Lou's post. I converged it some Psychology areas, which made sense  to me. I decided to abort my post before I got into dart throwing.

  I think yours and Lou's post are right on the money.  Just a little support.

  Your cell phone is working great and so are your fingers. Love your passion.
 
I am all for proper structure. It does make it easier to read and understand. However I look at every post as someone that needs help or information on something.

Educated or not if your toilet is broke, it is broke. I do my best to help anyone I can regardless of typing skills. That is why this forum is as great as it is.

I know my skills are not the best, but I try very hard to be clear and make my posts easy to read.

Steve
 
captsteve said:
I am all for proper structure. It does make it easier to read and understand. However I look at every post as someone that needs help or information on something.

Educated or not if your toilet is broke, it is broke. I do my best to help anyone I can regardless of typing skills. That is why this forum is as great as it is.

I know my skills are not the best, but I try very hard to be clear and make my posts easy to read.

Steve

Bravo!  That's what I'm talking about.  A forum to go to for answers regardless of the fact you may not spell every word correctly.  Lets keep it fun and exciting!
 
[quote author=Just Lou]I hear the shots being fired across my bow.[/quote]

Not from these quarters.

... I have just been having a little fun playing "School Master" ...

We know  ;D
 
I once had a job in the PD where every document had to be "completed staff work". Sometimes a supervisor would spend DAYS pouring over and rewriting a document. When it was done it would look nothing like the submitted project.

Bottom line is I always attempt to write clear concise sentences, but not at the expense of clouding the idea I am trying to project.
 
Back to the original post, I find posts that use all lower case or lack any punctuation, difficult to read and they are often the result of laziness. JMO

Wendy
Lake Havasu City
 
Wendy said:
Back to the original post, I find posts that use all lower case or lack any punctuation, difficult to read and they are often the result of laziness. JMO
Wendy

I feel like we've come full cycle, but Amen.... Amen..... Amen.

Please don't criticize my use of all the periods in that sentence. You just might destroy my fragile self esteem. ;) :D

 
I wonder if Moses got a "amen" when he told the LORD, "Please, LORD, I'm not eloquent. I never was in the past nor am I now since you spoke to your servant. In fact, I talk too slowly and I have a speech impediment."

Just wondering if Moses was alive today (which I believe he is) would he be bad at typing and punctuations? 
 
As I've often told folks in person, effective communication requires both a transmitter and a receiver, and both need to make an effort to communicate with each other.
 
... both need to make an effort to communicate with each other.

Some years ago I was in the business center at a hotel in Japan. After printing some stuff on one of their computer/printer combinations, I dragged my files to the trash can, and proceeded to drop menus to find the 'empty trash' option. They were are in kanji characters! I tried asking the young lady in charge of the business center, but she couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Japanese.

Hm ... I walked to the corner of the room, picked up the trash can, and emptied it on the floor. "Ah so", and she showed me the menu option to use.
 
Michael Holden said:
?and don?t even get me started on the demise of the Oxford comma!!

LOL! I never knew what that was called. All I know is I use it...despite the fact that every one of my English teachers taught me not to. They also taught me not to end sentences with prepositions.  ::)

On a side note, it was entertaining to watch them argue with my Canadian mother over the spelling of the word "colour".
 
Tom said:
Some years ago I was in the business center at a hotel in Japan. After printing some stuff on one of their computer/printer combinations, I dragged my files to the trash can, and proceeded to drop menus to find the 'empty trash' option. They were are in kanji characters! I tried asking the young lady in charge of the business center, but she couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Japanese.

Hm ... I walked to the corner of the room, picked up the trash can, and emptied it on the floor. "Ah so", and she showed me the menu option to use.
Actually, it's sometimes amazing the communication that can occur when both parties are trying.  When we were living in Taiwan, my DW, being from SW Missouri, used the term "fixin' to rain" while talking with our doorman.  That was a new one for him, so DW had to explain.  After that, "Mr. Chin" would tell her she needed an umbrella if it was "Fixin' to rain".  Communication can be fun.
 
Good one Tom.

Another case I've probably mentioned in an earlier post was the time we got off the ferry from Singapore to the Indonesian island of Batam. We missed our driver, or he missed us, and we opted to take our chances with one of the many "taxi" drivers milling around the ferry terminal. We couldn't communicate verbally, but I had a business card for the folks we were visiting. We then proceeded to "negotiate" a price using a stick to scratch in the dirt.

When we arrived at our destination, our hosts were very concerned; Their driver had called to let them know he missed us. They asked "how many times did the taxi driver stop in the jungle?" When I said he didn't stop, they explained that standard practice was for the driver to go part way, then demand money, and to repeat this several times on the trip. The only way to avoid this was to negotiate a price in advance. I guess we negotiated successfully, phew!
 
I'd never heard the term 'Oxford comma', and had to look it up. We were taught not to use it but I tend to insert it.
 
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