Yes, I generally try to use correct spelling and grammar on webforms and other things like that. My spelling sucks, so that's not always the case. If I'm playing a game like America's Army and need to issue orders or something, then I'll not worry about capitalization and I'll use the jargon. However, the second you see me using l337 is the day you have my full permission to hang me by the neck with a Jinx shirt.

My friend who will remain nameless (Chris) uses the word "pwned" like it's nothing. But the problem is, he says it in real life, and with the people I'm forced to live around it embarasses us. Me and my other friend Shane are constantly like "Chris, shut the hell up" when he starts talking like that. (Of course, Shane says "ownded" IRL too, and it's scary.)

We must stop the l337ers before it's too late. Can someone say Neuclear Holocaust? Wait, that'll kill us too. I've got it! We must destroy the Jinx factory and destroy Jagex! (No reason for destroying Jagex except that they've turned Runescape into Ruinedscape and they must die.)



w00t! All your oil are belong to U.S.

I dunno, how about some kind of reverse-curfew? So instead of everyone leaving the streets for a certain time, people are forced to go outside for at least three hours a day and enter the real world. Either that or make speaking in l337 a capital offense...

there are people i know who usei t and they don't know what it means

I like the reverse curfew idea. In reality what's called for is a logic brain implant that prevents people from even trying to be 1337 or saying foolish things, etc etc. Of course then we'd have no one to mock. But really, how can one get around the internet bragging about who can misspell things 'better'?

I shall be honest; I have used "pwnd" on a few occasions in RL. Its mostly during the volleyball games and tourneys of different sorts, and a few times just for hell of it.

Though pwned has evolved in my town:

The easy points in the volleyball games became followed by a phrase "SPOON FED", therefore "pwned" involved into "porridged" as in " porridge " as in "You have been spoon fed porridge".

gah, I guess we have been infected by l337 virus?!?!?

I am waiting for the day when they have certified 1337 translators to deal with these idiots. to my eternal shame, my friend at school has taken to using internet slang in real life (Ohh-emm-gee, and the like, rahter than saying oh my god), and i have to constantly correct him out of frustration.

I'm not sure if there is anything we can do about it now, there are too many that have simply abandoned english in favour of this 'digital language'. Maybe just relay upon the people that can understand both english and 1337 and use them as diplomats and translators.

Don't see why we should bother. Just outcast these l337 users from society and the problem goes away overnight...

Urgh, I heard someone say "lol" today, twice.

I found the first 6 episodes of pure-pwnage funny, but that is where the type of talk should stay

I enjoy using it satirically. Quite often I will write "oh-em-eff-gee" etc. or my personal favorite, OMGWTFBBQ I don't think it's anything to get embarrassed over. After all, it's not YOU speaking, is it? Just smile and feel/look superior.

What does get me is "lol". Not when it's used in Real Life(tm), because technically, the use is more or less correct. It's when it's used in IM/email as a throwaway substitute for recognising someone is being funny. It's such an automatic response I really struggle to gauge people's reactions to what I say. Don't know if any of you have noticed that.

I have heard people say lol or oh em gee

It was going to happen eventually.