I don't want to be a pill, but I'd like to remind everyone or inform new members who may not know yet: PLEASE write your posts carefully! USE punctuation and capital letters and do not abbreviate words like "you" to "u".

(Expressions like "lol" are OK.)

A LOT of the members here are not from the USA or another English speaking country and it's difficult enough to understand correctly spelled, punctuated and formulated English but some of the posts lately have been totally unintelligible!! I can't reply because I can't understand what is being asked!!

There's a spell checker in the top right corner, too.

Thanks, folks!

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Andrea

To go along with Andrea's post...here is another post.

Posting Language

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Not to mention its easier on us english speakers who don't use "text talk" to read what is trying to be said.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

i agree Liz, lol, I have had to have my oldest son decipher what was being asked sometimes, Man I am old,

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I have sucker tattood on my forehead

honestly, if I see something typed up with text talk or terrible grammar, I don't bother reading it.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I agree, the text thing is hard to figure out. Even my kids don't get all of it, as for me I don't understand it. I try to form decent sentences, but sometimes run on....old habits die hard.

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Kat

And to put it quite bluntly we have had people in the past who just insisted on continuing to use the text message/im abbreviations even after being asked not to.
We deleted their posts. This forum is for ALL members!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I appreciate this as well. I've never liked "text speak." The only time it should be used is in a place, like a game, where you have only a few seconds to get the words down and out. On a forum, there is plenty of time to think about what you want to say, and to write it out. There's even a handy little "edit" button in case you've made a mistake.

Besides that, text speak makes you sound like a little kid - no matter how old you are. You could be fifty years old, but when you write something like, "do u no y my lizrd isnt eatin?????!!!" it makes you sound like a hysterical ten-year-old. It's very difficult for me, personally, to take someone who writes like that seriously. My gut reaction is to think that you just don't know how to take care of it - and you may have had years more experience with herps than I have!

If someone wants to be taken seriously, they need to write in a way that's clear and makes it sound as if they know what they are doing.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.

OK, I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who finds text messages difficult to read or irritating (or both.)
To the members who have been writing like that: it's nothing against you personally. However, it is a problem (especially for non-English speakers), so we would be so grateful if you'd try to write your posts clearly.

Typhanie, I LOVE your signature message!!!

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Andrea

Thanks, Andrea. It's a rather effective way of encouraging proper punctuation, I think.

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"Let's eat, Grandpa!"
"Let's eat Grandpa!"

Punctuation. It saves lives.