Part of the DaveNet Mail website. San Francisco CA USA. 11/14/96.

Let's Have Fun -- Now! RE: WHAT IS POWER?

Sent:11/14/96; 7:23:07 AM
From: spencer@emily.cgrg.ohio-state.edu (Stephen N. Spencer)

Dave, I use the "smiley" emoticon (I'll bet that "emoticon" isn't in the dictionary, either!) because:

Communication is *hard*. Holding an effective conversation takes much more than just words. The tone of one's voice, the expression on one's face, how we hold our bodies -- ever catch yourself waving your arms or gesturing with your hands when you're talking with someone on the telephone -- is all part of the communications "stew."

Electronic mail strips away everything but the words. The naked words. They're left sitting there, shivering, hoping they can do the job. Emoticons help add non-textual clues to these naked words... dress them up a little bit. They help to better communicate whatever we're trying to communicate by including a little facial expression, a little emotion, be it happy, light-hearted, or jovial (-: (-: (-: or sad or disappointed )-:.

Stephen N. Spencer 614.292.3416 (v) Graphics Research Specialist spencer@siggraph.org 614.292.7776 (f) ACCAD - The Ohio State University spencer@cgrg.ohio-state.edu SIGGRAPH Director for Publications spencer@acm.org "After ecstasy, laundry." - Zen writing

Let's Have Fun -- Now!

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