In 1982, a physics joke gone wrong sparked the invention of the emoticon - Ars Technica

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/11/in-1982-a-physics-joke-gone-wrong-sparked-the-invention-of-the-emoticon/

172 points · 27 comments · view on lemmy.world

27 Comments

x00z@lemmy.world · 30 pts · 273d (4 replies)

Fahlman entered the discussion with his now-famous post: “I propose that the following character sequence for joke markers: :-) Read it sideways.” He added that serious messages could use :-(, noting, “Maybe we should mark things that are NOT jokes, given current trends.”

From there, the smiley could spread across the emerging global computer network, and no one would ever misunderstand a joke online again. :-)

Is that last post of the article meant as a joke or not? I do not understand.

kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 16 pts · 273d (3 replies)

:-)

Read it sideways.

x00z@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 273d (2 replies)

So the article is a joke and untrue?

Kissaki@feddit.org · 10 pts · 273d (1 reply)

It's for the last sentence, "and no one would ever misunderstand a joke online again". Not the whole article.

x00z@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 273d

Oh I read that completely different. With a "if we would all use it" in there.

MurrayL@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 274d (3 replies)

It’s interesting how quickly they evolved in the last ~20 years.

From :-) to :) to 🙂

dankm@lemmy.ca · 11 pts · 273d (2 replies)

1982 was 43 years ago.....

MurrayL@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 273d

Yes, but I was specifically talking about the way usage has shifted over the last 20 years.

aceshigh@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 273d

Shit. That makes me… too damn old.

Kolanaki@pawb.social · 14 pts · 274d (4 replies)

I get it.

I prefer using emojis that show a range of variations of sarcasm over the very inelegant "/s," myself.

OpenStars@piefed.social · 7 pts · 274d (2 replies)

Not me 😋🙃😜🥴

Kissaki@feddit.org · 3 pts · 273d (1 reply)

Don't be so serious 🤡

123@programming.dev · 1 pts · 271d
[ removed ]
sqgl@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 273d

And isn't the winking smiley the most relevant for sarcasm?

obinice@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 274d (10 replies)

:-)

cannedtuna@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 274d (9 replies)

:-(

elvith@feddit.org · 5 pts · 274d (8 replies)

>:-(

kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 273d (7 replies)

:-O

Saber_is_dead@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 273d (6 replies)

:-|

Sebastrion@leminal.space · 4 pts · 273d (5 replies)

:-/

aceshigh@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 273d (4 replies)

<^> <^>

Kissaki@feddit.org · 1 pts · 273d

o7

hakunawazo@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 273d (2 replies)

8===D (It doesn't even have to be read sideways)

brb@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 273d (1 reply)

Aqp

hakunawazo@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 273d

90 degrees shifted

 q p       n
  u       d b