The Lord of the YaYoGakk trilogy: Part 1: The Fellowship of the Internet Appearance

[YaYo]

With all the "explain your nick/title/sig/avatar/etc" at the moment its become appropriate to finally post one of these threads that goes round in my head for weeks.....

Whether we like it or not we all judge people we meet on first appearance, whether it be their clothes, the way they act, their hair style, their friends, their race, what shop they are in or whatever. Does the same apply to people's internet appearance?

Do u find yourself developing mental images and giving people personalities based on their nickname? avatar? signature? title? or how they write the replies (not talking about content), whether it be neatly set out with obvious use of italics/bold/underline.. or one big long paragraph with no spaces.... ? or their use of smilies? etc etc

How much of an effect do u think these things have on how much you like someone? Might it take you longer/shorter to like someone depending on their appearance? Do find yourself concentrating on certain individuals if u like their nick/avatar/etc before you even know what they are like?


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For me personally i think it has a bit of an effect. So many people have similar nicknames (anything about dreams, water, seasons, 'black') that it becomes hard to differentiate sometimes. Such people im less interested in if i dont know them.

I find myself not as interested in people (at first) with names with underscores, uncapatalised letters, numbers tacked on the end, cliche words (includes all obvious opeth titles) and so on. I guess these things are because i value creativity and originallity.

Avatar's are very useful in giving someone an identity, and most people i think of as a mixture of their nickname/avatar... but i dont think i really judge it that much, people without avatars, and people with those huge smiley faces dont get my attention at first, but for the most part an avatar doesnt tell me much about the person. I guess they are one of 3 things.. art, comedy, or a personal pic of some sort, and doesnt really help to identify what a person is like (unless their avatar is badly done, or really well done.. i guess i might notice that in a small way)

Signatures/titles i dont judge at all.

As for the way they write, i tend to notice people who use all the colours and italics/underlines/bolds through their posts because most people dont. And it can get hard reading a huge paragraph so i might think negatively if i see one of those from someone i dont know. But being internet im used to people with not-so-good english so i dont judge based on such things as messy setting out.

Of course all these things are only initial reactions, i know that not everyone fits with their appearance so my initial thoughts don't mean anything once ive read enough posts to start learning what somebody is really like.

anyway, this topic really didnt deserve as much as i wrote and id be suprised if anyone even reads it all or writes more than a paragraph in reply. but oh well, im bored.

 

[MetalManCPA]

You can't browse this forum, read peoples posts, look at avatars, signatures and titles without forming a mental image of someone.

At least the picture thread took a lot of the mystery out of the people who chose to display themselves. I think for this particular board - it was a good idea. Next comes the actual posting. You tend to look at particular peoples posts first becuase they think like you, or just plain spark interest in how they think. But I read everybody's posts - so if what I read is really how that person thinks, then I can draw a better image of that person. [the risk here is that some may have created an internet personality, and could be totally fake].

The avatar, signature and title - those I find as extensions of the person - a characature of sorts.

 

[bleed for me]

Originally posted by YaYoGakk
Do u find yourself developing mental images and giving people personalities based on their nickname? avatar? signature? title? or how they write the replies (not talking about content), whether it be neatly set out with obvious use of italics/bold/underline.. or one big long paragraph with no spaces.... ? or their use of smilies? etc etc

of course i do...and so does everyone else conciously or subconciously they still do

 

[Demonspell]

Yes, that's why I intentionally try to create a mental image completely opposite to my true persona...

 

[RETIREDTrapped]

Demonspell:

What??? You mean that you AREN'T a superkaratemonkeydeathcar??

Damn it.

You've ruined Thanksgiving...!!

 

[Opth_001]

YaYoGakk hey notice me!!!!!! ha ha just kiddin. I seem to be almost the complete person that you don't notice.

Unfortanatly I usually am too lazy to think up a nick name and I figured that there would be a lot of opeth something on this thread… well I was wrong otherwise I might have thought up something else

My avatar I tried putting some picture in there but I didn't have anything small enough so I had to go with one of the smilling faces that where given to me but the avatar almost fits me

But my signature was all me

I usuall don't judge people untill I get to know them a little bit and I think I'm the only person that just pictures people as there avatar untill they have some kinda personality and then I give the person some kinda of physical characteristic.

 

[Lina]

I like this thread -- very interesting.

Yes, everything you said, YaYo, is basically the same for me.

I purposely haven't changed my name, title, avatar or signature the entire time I've been here. They are how I'm known, they represent me, so I picked them with care and I'm happy to say I still like them.

And I can't help but doubt the intelligence of people who don't use any freaking punctuation. How badly do they want to get their point across if they make it so that no one can read their post? Not very, so I just skim it. And what's with the people who create their own punctuation rules?! ",,," does not a "." make.

I've learned from my editing job that small paragraphs are more reader-friendly, so I do that.

I definitely think you can get a sense of someone's personality by the style and appearance of their posts. BUT we're judged much less on appearance here, obviously, than we would be in person. And I have to admit that there are people on here whom I probably would've laughed at on the street but whom I've come to respect very much. It has definitely made me less shallow, I guess you could say.

And I have made some great friends here -- people I actually consider friends off the board -- in a relatively short period of time. Without appearances in the way, it's easier to get to know people very deeply very fast. I've definitely changed my opinion that the internet is a hindrance to getting to know someone.

 

[Ethereal Sage]

We all judge on initial perceptions to begin with, it's unavoidable....some moreso and don't budge from them, some actually think and take it as part of a greater individual than just pictures and words.

Being someone who has done a bit of research into things I am interested in, I give myself more time to appreciate what I find, and I believe I have taught myself to a degree to see past certain barriers most people put up when they meet someone for the first time. This is easier in person than through a computer interface, I feel.

I appreciate originiality and artistic flair, but I also realise that some people can be lazy at times, especially on the Net, where lack of correct grammer and punctuation seems to be almost commonplace, or moreso 'expected', so they can fit in with the Net scene.

I also appreciate people who have problems communicating. As a somewhat lateral thinker myself, I can't always put across what I mean succinctly. I find it a rewarding challenge to try to understand what people are having trouble putting across.

People who use lots of colours and signs etc, I would have to initially wonder whether their excessive visual content is trying to make up for lack of intellectual content??

I don't always get a visual image of the person, I may get an image of what that person likes us to think of them, or what they find beautiful.

Names are hard to judge, as some name themselves with utilitarian motives (such as metalmancpa), some to make them look importand and some name themselves after what they hold important to them.

By and by, these are only tiny bits of bait compared to content.

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

"By and by, these are only tiny bits of bait compared to content."
By and by, that reminds me of Huck Finn.

Yes, I judge people by how they type especially. This is what really pisses me off: "yeah i know wha you mean.... opeth is my favorite band in the world because they can play really good and THERE music makes me happy.... blablabla THERE the best musicians ive ever heard....... and thats all!"

I guess it seems nitpicky, but whenver someone actually uses the correct form of "There, their, and they're", it makes me think more highly of them and take more time to read their post. I also like smilies, someone said they could be compensating for a lack of something to say, but to me, " " says "Woah, I am very surprised that...." Better than typing it out does.

 

[D Mullholand]

Another fabulous thread, YaYoGakk !

I can relate to almost everything you wrote, so I won't repeat your own answers.

Name+avatar forms a strong mental image, and even the picture thread doesn't help IMHO, unless I meet the person in real life someday. I'm always interested in reading posts by people with distinctive nicks, interesting and original avatars; music tastes also matter to me. But some people, while having not the most original name, still display their very clear and original personality in their posts.

These mental images also affect my wishes to read certain threads depending on the originator - because I don't quite read all of them, but the ones I do read, I read thoroughly.

I don't really see any "fake" personalities amongst the more regular posters - some people have pretentious names/avatars and radical mood-swings, but they still leave a sense of cohesiveness.

I'd like to find a "perfect" avatar (like Lina has) someday and settle with it, but for now I think change is too exciting to abandon.

D Mullholand (calculated and designed to conjure a mental image)

 

[YaYo]

I guess it seems nitpicky, but whenver someone actually uses the correct form of "There, their, and they're", it makes me think more highly of them and take more time to read their post.

Interesting, i think i make such mistakes fairly often because im lazy. I also never capatilise my I's (except at the beginning of sentences) and i have this bad habit of writing 'u' instead of 'you'... i hate it.


That brings me to another little point. Does it turn you off when people use words such as 'u', 'r', '2', 'b'. I personally don't like such abbreviations, seems childish. But ive fallen into the trap of using them myself without realising it, so i no longer hold it against anyone.

YaYoGakk hey notice me!!!!!! ha ha just kiddin. I seem to be almost the complete person that you don't notice.

Indeed you are . So much so that as i was writing the paragraph about what i don't notice about names/nicks you came to mind and i thought "wow, hope he's not offended". hehe. But thats a good sign that i have noticed you, you're past that stage of me judging you based on nick/avatar.

",,," does not a "." make.

i went through a period where every sentence i wrote ended with '...' . I still fall into the same problem every now and then but i've worked hard on trying to stop it!

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

"That brings me to another little point. Does it turn you off when people use words such as 'u', 'r', '2', 'b'. I personally don't like such abbreviations, seems childish. But ive fallen into the trap of using them myself without realising it, so i no longer hold it against anyone."

I hate when people do that
It's just that much harder to read for me. I don't think text should be changed into how we talk. When something is well written I can read it fast without having to go back and figure out what they are trying to say. The crazy little abbreviations make me stumble, especially when they are next to each other "u r an idiot!!!11!!!1!!!1" Don't get me wrong, I don't hate people that do it, I just hate "it".

 

[HoserHellspawn]

Poor grammar, spelling, spacing, an overuse of smileys, and overuse of internet shorthand ("ne1" - sigh...) all tend to annoy me, and most people on the forum I DO essentially ignore and not develop any kind of sense of until

A) They say something that really catches my eye for whatever reason
B) They've been around long enough that I notice trends in their posts and begin to distinguish them from the masses.

A distinguishing name, as YaYoGakk pointed out, helps as well, but not entirely, as I can never remember the name "YaYoGakk" - I'm too lazy to actually read the letters and understand a name I don't immediately recognize, and rather identify you by your avatar - Calvin. If you changed it, I'd honestly forget "which one you are".

 

[transfixed]

That brings me to another little point. Does it turn you off when people use words such as 'u', 'r', '2', 'b'. I personally don't like such abbreviations, seems childish. But ive fallen into the trap of using them myself without realising it, so i no longer hold it against anyone.

ugh, I really cannot stand these kind of abbreviations. I don't necessarily think someone is stupid for using them, it just bothers me that people get so lazy that they refuse to type out "you" instead of "u."

The one abbreviation I hate the most is "ur" (you're). It bothers me to no end for some reason. Someone I know outside of the internet uses it all the time. Every time I see it I feel like driving to his house and decking him in the face.

 

[Obyeybyeogone]

"dood get ovur it ur fr33k1n out ovur nuttin man if u cant read this u r just stoopid, your mom." The average sentence, spelling, and grammar of an AOL chatroom. It makes you scared this will affect the actual language. If enough people start talking like this by the time i'm sixty "u'r" might be a contraction

 

[Ethereal Sage]

Originally posted by Oyo
"dood get ovur it ur fr33k1n out ovur nuttin man if u cant read this u r just stoopid, your mom." The average sentence, spelling, and grammar of an AOL chatroom. It makes you scared this will affect the actual language. If enough people start talking like this by the time i'm sixty "u'r" might be a contraction

A scary thought indeed, Oyo

It's bad enough that more and more acronyms are being used.......I wonder if they'll reduce those as well

The world may be reduced to one-liners!!!

 

[E V I L]

wElL aT lEasT nONe oF uS tYpE lIkE dIZ!

Otherwise, I really have no problems. The only thing, as mentioned, that I've really disliked, even despised, are the posts with the asinine use of commas, as in, "today I got new cds,,,,, and they rule!,,, yeah,,,!" How fucking annoying is this ignorance? I'm rather surprised I never criticized the person outright (*cough* warsofwinter *cough*).

My grammar is poor too, I'll admit. My punctuation gets sloppy. I use too many dashes, etc. My sentences get long-winded, and I rather suspect my writing gives the impression of an unkempt mind.

In general, I tend to notice the more articulate members on this board.

 

[YaYo]

Originally posted by E V I L
wElL aT lEasT nONe oF uS tYpE lIkE dIZ

I hadn't even thought of that, its the ultimate. Its not even due to laziness like other 'internet speak' things. But ive never seen someone over 13 use it.

I rather suspect my writing gives the impression of an unkempt mind.

Not that ive noticed, and your content would very quickly kill any such thoughts anyway.

 

[MetalManCPA]

I try to look beyond the typed word now. There are several reasons for that:

1. some people can't type (like myself)
2. not everybody here is well versed in the English language
3. it's difficult to express ones self in this manner (at least for some)

Whether I'm reading perfectly formed thread responses, or those that "look" like they were written by a second grader, I think of the above. I try to look at the thought process of the person who posted - I can't judge them on what I see. A majority of people who have posted here have a lot of good things stored in that thing we call a brain - just dying to find a place to spew it. This is the place.

SOme will treat this place like most of the internet - but in the long run, those people don't stay. I personally enjoy reading everybody's words here - it's all very enlightening.

A final note - personally, I'd like everybody to at least keep their avatar the same. The visual makes it easy to know who is talking - for some reason, even more than the name.

 

[E V I L]

Originally posted by YaYoGakk
Not that ive noticed, and your content would very quickly kill any such thoughts anyway.

aw, thanks Mister YaYoGakk. GoOd LoOkiNg OutZ yO!! Balee dat!