Petition for the owners to ban leet speak

Asmodean · October 5, 2003, 07:40

So, at the risk at making myself stand out as an old geezer, I really think it is time that this issue came up.

More and more posters are using leet in more and more posts. I (obviously) don't like this, and I'll give you a couple of reasons why:

1) It kills English. The language is getting raped by youngsters who have absolutely no idea what they are doing. They may think it is cool and funny, but really all they are doing is kill the language. Some may argue that the language is evolving. I say no. It is getting stomped by barbarians.

2) It is plain ugly. There is no way around it. Leet looks hideous. It is revolting.

So I would really like to see Apolyton take a stance on this issue, and say NO to leet. Other forums have done this. Let Apolyton be the next.

Asmodean

FrustratedPoet · October 5, 2003, 08:06

STFU n00b!!!1

FrustratedPoet · October 5, 2003, 08:08

Seriously, this is one of the most stupid threads I've ever read, and that's really saying something.

If somebody repeatedly uses leet-speak and it annoys you then PUT THEM ON IGNORE! That's what it is there for, for christ's sake.

Asmodean · October 5, 2003, 08:35

Thanks for the kind words, FP.

I knew I was sticking my neck out with this. And I only did it because this is something that I care about.

BUT THERE WAS NO NEED TO GET PERSONAL, OKAY FP!!!!!!!

Asmodean

General Ludd · October 5, 2003, 09:29

I'd rather see soem filters that replace common 'leet speak' phrases with more interesting things.

Jamski · October 5, 2003, 09:59

Nah, don't ban it, but make it ok to personally abuse anyone that uses it in the most strong terms without restraint, pouring scorn on thier family, venom on thier personal hygiene habits and generally boiling thier head in acid.

I imagine that would have the desired effect, apart from a few leet-using masoschists.

-Jam

Asmodean · October 5, 2003, 10:21

So, my temper has calmed a bit after that load of crap from FP.

Calmed enough for me to adress his second point: Using ignore.

Just because a poster has a tendancy to use leet, doesn't mean that he/she cannot have valid points. I am not about to cut myself off from a large part of the posts here, only because of leet.

And yeah...I can live with leet. It wont kill me. But it makes sad that language is being raped by people who only want to show off. Which is also why I raised this issue. I know that the chances of a leet ban here on 'poly is nought. But the debate would perhaps do us good.

Asmodean

Ming · October 5, 2003, 10:24

This is an English Language site. If somebody abuses the use of leet, they will be treated as anybody else that does the same with any other non English language.

Verto · October 5, 2003, 10:36

Leet is abominable. Burn the heretics that use it.

PLATO · October 5, 2003, 11:02

Leet cannot be used to communicate the same depth of ideas that real English can. If one is puposefully trying to communicate in a language that is defined by its spam potential and not by its ability to clearly transfer ideas then it becomes nothing but spam. Leet should not be used on 'poly, but since it is a type of freedom of expression it is good to see that it is not banned. It is equally good that it will be well moderated.

Asmodean · October 5, 2003, 11:09

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
This is an English Language site. If somebody abuses the use of leet, they will be treated as anybody else that does the same with any other non English language.

That is good enough for me

Glad to know that the owners/mods do not consider leet to be English

Asmodean

GhengisFarb™ · October 5, 2003, 11:19

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
This is an English Language site. If somebody abuses the use of leet, they will be treated as anybody else that does the same with any other non English language.

Good point, the Spanish got a Spanish forum and the Finnish got a place to type Finnish posts.

Any chance of the Leetiots getting a Leet Forum so they don't annoy the rest of us?

MattH · October 5, 2003, 11:22

Why on earth would you wan to ban leet speek? There isn't anything offensive about it. Maybe there is- and maybe I should also get mad a the Spanish/Swedish/whatever other language threads, cause I don't understand them either...

Leet is English, just using oddly shaped characters to form words. People here don't talk in l337 all the time, I've only seen it used to make a point or for humor.

Ming · October 5, 2003, 11:26

Many of the times leet is used... it's soley for spam purposes... so it's treated like normal spam. If it's used occasionally to make a point of humor... or not as spam... and not overused by a poster, I've not had a problem with it.

And I really don't think we will be seing a leet forum

alva · October 5, 2003, 11:39

Quote:

And I really don't think we will be seing a leet forum

As long as leet is used for comical purposes I don't really have a problem with it, I can remember a couple of posts in the civ3 strat forum that were bloody annoying though.

Asmodean · October 5, 2003, 11:50

Quote:

Originally posted by MattH
Why on earth would you wan to ban leet speek?

See my first post. I think I gave reasons. Preservation of language being the most important

Quote:

Leet is English

That is at best highly debatable. On second thought, is not at all debatable. Leet is rubbish, nothing else.

Asmodean

FrustratedPoet · October 5, 2003, 12:45

Quote:

Originally posted by Asmodean
BUT THERE WAS NO NEED TO GET PERSONAL, OKAY FP!!!!!!!

Where did I get personal?

FrustratedPoet · October 5, 2003, 12:47

Quote:

Originally posted by Asmodean
Preservation of language being the most important

What makes you think the English language is some sacred entity that needs protecting from change? We're not the French, you know ....

mrmitchell · October 5, 2003, 12:54

Anyone who uses 1337 5Þ33|( is probably going to be ignored within 5 minutes anyways. A ban is unnecessary as they will eventually get the message and leave or quit.

H Tower · October 5, 2003, 12:56

and in the mean time we get to ridicule them

Datajack Franit · October 5, 2003, 13:17

Ya gawd me wanna talke Englisch da damn way me wanna, 'cuz dat's kewl so dun't stress, capice?

St Leo · October 5, 2003, 13:27

agree(me, , with(Asmodean));
should|ban(we, leet, );
be(it, disgrace|to(language(English)), );
think(me, that(should|ban(we, AYB, )), also);
be(*, , with(me))?

Gatekeeper · October 5, 2003, 14:26

OK, so I'm behind the times. What is "leet" speak?

GhengisFarb™ · October 5, 2003, 15:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Ming
And I really don't think we will be seing a leet forum

Nooooooo.........

My grand scheme to herd all the Leetiots into one forum then nuke them out of existence has been foiled by Ming again...........

This is an important issue, I think we should petition Congress to make leet use punishible by death in the US.

Quote:

Originally posted by St Leo
agree(me, , with(Asmodean));
should|ban(we, leet, );
be(it, disgrace|to(language(English)), );
think(me, that(should|ban(we, AYB, )), also);
be(*, , with(me))?

What the heck is this? Leet speak by Yoda?

Annoyed we will be.

geeslaka · October 5, 2003, 15:18

Quote:

Originally posted by St Leo
agree(me, , with(Asmodean));
should|ban(we, leet, );
be(it, disgrace|to(language(English)), );
think(me, that(should|ban(we, AYB, )), also);
be(*, , with(me))?

[translation]
I agree with Asmodean.
We should ban leet.
It be disgrace to English.
Me think that we should ban AYB also.
Who's with me?
[/translation]

I'm with Jamski.

Kuciwalker · October 5, 2003, 15:26

The only times I've seen leet used on these forums is either a) when it comes up in the conversation and people start joking about it or b) Comrade Tassadar starts using as a joke and everyone starts joking about it. It isn't really a problem.