Rainboe, you grumpy old bugger! Don't you know the kids are never wrong?
Seriously though, while I can't bear txt spk, I do think the "smilies" or "emoticons" do have a role in these websites. Not everyone is capable of expressing exactly the message they're trying to convey with words. I know that sounds a bit odd, but it's true that the majority of communication is non verbal; body language, inflection and tone have a huge role in the interpretation of the words we use. So while I partly agree with you, I'd ask you to give these daft wee things a try.
