JCC OMGWTF! Txt Msgs Turn 20!

The first text message was sent twenty years ago today, on December 3rd, 1992. Yes, believe it or not, the world actually did used to get along without them:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/3/3721266/text-message-20-year-anniversary-neil-papworth

Maybe it's silly to bring up this anniversary, but it's amazing how much this has become a part of our lives. Even now, I don't think I ever actually talk on the phone with anyone under 60. It's all texts, IMs, iMessages, and the like. Which is great, actually, because I never liked talking on the phone anyway, even when it was basically the only form of instant communication available. So here's to the text message, which made talking to people, especially people I don't like, that much more bearable.

kthxbye

 

Where r u?

 

I didn't use text messaging until 2006. I sucked at trying to do it on the number pad and it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. But when I got my Samsung Alias flip phone with its tiny little full qwerty keyboard... that was all she wrote. Texting is such a blessing for people like me who hate talking on the phone about inane things that could more easily be conveyed in a few words. No, I don't want to talk pleasantries and the weather. I just want to tell you to meet me at 5.

Bless you, texting.

 

At 5? Where?

 

Texting has it's place. But most of the time I'd rather have a 1 minute phone conversation than a 20 minute text conversation.

 

I really like that aspect of it, but on the flip side, you get the annoying tendency of people to just text by default, until you're trying to have these long back-and-forths that would be so much easier just to say than to tap out on a tiny screen, and you're screaming, "OH FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST USE THE PHONE PART OF THE PHONE IT'S STILL THERE."

 

I think people have forgotten what "lol" means. They must think it means a punctuation mark or something. Unless there is actual psychotic laughter when they're posting while using that acronym.

 

I think this holiday season we should focus on the real meaning of lol.

 

I had to update my text limit from 200 to unlimited because I had gone over 140 texts over the limit during my last billing period... damn it.

 

my 13 year old sends 10,000 texts a month. not exaggerating at all.

 

It's not about the giving or the receiving. It's about the WOOT111LOL!!!11111OMGROFLCOPTER!11

 

NO! Foiled again!

 

NEWS ON THE MARCH​

 

I thought "lol" is the equivalent of "huh okay", whereas "LOL" actually denotes laughter.

 

What was the first actual text message anyway?

 

An ASCII penis.

 

Yeah, I think that's a pretty accurate distinction. Since I almost never actually laugh out loud at something I read, I never use the latter though. You people just aren't funny enough.

 

I usually say "lol" if something at least makes me smile (yes, JoinTheSchwarz, I do that) or chuckle. Or if I'm being sarcastic.

EDIT: Also, I didn't text regularly until 2008 for the same I-didn't-have-a-QWERTY-keypad-and-I-hate-using-the-normal-alphanumeric-telephone-one reason.

 

I text while driving. lol

 

"Merry Christmas".

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/ha...now-past-prime/story?id=17864096#.UL2p9mfaGSo

 

I totally would have texted:

"Watson, come here, I need you. -SH"