The Great Debate : Texting

[Mark Wilson]

Alright guys. Because of the "teen girl falls into open manhole" thread, i decided to start this.

So...texting. Yes, or no? Useless, or helpful?

GO!

[southernrocker]

Useless

1 Makes you drive bad.
2 Makes you look like an idiot.
3 Makes people have bad grammar.
4 Wastes time.

Why type it when you could just say it?
Texting is a friggin gimmick that lets phone companies rake in the cash.

[Sartori]

It's a huge scam. They charge you for a service that on a computer is free.

And they're impossible to read a lot of the time. People try to text me sometimes, but I don't read texts, nor do I have the money for it. I can't even read them anymore, as apparently I'd need to put more money my account to do so. So every time someone texts me I just get a thingy that says I don't have enough money to read it.

[allexcosta]

Helps me A LOT...

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by southernrocker

Useless

1 Makes you drive bad.
2 Makes you look like an idiot.
3 Makes people have bad grammar.
4 Wastes time.

Why type it when you could just say it?
Texting is a friggin gimmick that lets phone companies rake in the cash.

1. I don't drive and text. And i'm a pretty good driver.
2. How?
3. My grammar is fine. Just because people CHOOSE to shorten things, doesn't mean everyone has bad grammar immedietly.
4. Texting has saved my ass in situations where i CAN'T call.

Originally Posted by Sartori

It's a huge scam. They charge you for a service that on a computer is free.
.

Last time I checked, not many people carry a computer with them every where they go. Texting is about convenience IMO.

[Valerus]

i do it more than calling. it's convenient and easy.

[Darkstrike]

I live in the countryside, with bad covrage for calls, texts help me contact people a lot, but if possible, I prefer to call.

[KeithBMI]

Yes.

School would be very boring without it.

[Jared Lash]

It's like any tool - it's useful if used correctly.

I text a couple times a day. Usually to coordinate things (band practice, somebody picking me up from the airport, dinner with the woman currently tolerating me etc) or just a quick note to friends. One of my guitar players and I often trade info about the Giants since we're both baseball fans.

When traveling for work (something happening more and more regularly) I also type a number of emails on my Blackberry.

But here's my own rules for both:

I still type in proper English as best I can.
I only text or email when I'm not walking or driving
I don't ignore people around me so I can do text. I've seen people in restaurants not even look up while giving a waitress their order. I find that extremely disrespectful.

If I ever got to the point where I was walking around in a bubble with iPod earbuds in and my face glued to a little screen I'd throw both devices away.

Pretty simple really.

[rustynuts]

At first I wasn't too keen on texting but now I use the heck out of it. I might get 100 texts per night at work from fifteen or twenty different people, along with all the phone calls and radio communications. If not for texting I would never have time to get any actual work done.

I also prefer receiving texts from employees rather than voice mails. Voice mails tend to get "rambly" while text messages are usually direct and to the point.

And in personal use, I like that my son can be in constant contact if he needs to be.

I don't use any shorthand when I type a message and everyone who messages me knows not to use it either because I simply won't respond.

Oh, and I never read or type message when driving or waking. That's just asking for trouble.

[Unrepresented]

It's more conventient than calling someone when neither of you has time to have a conversation.

For me it's equivalent to a higher priority email with a faster response time. I do it. I prefer to talk, but realize that schedules are not always compatible with vocal communication.

[iamlowsound]

I don't drive and text. I don't do it in social situations, such as: out for dinner, in movies, when I am talking to someone face to face ect. That is just rude and it shows a lack of manners. I also fully spell out words and use proper grammar and punctuation. I might be an exception to the rule, but I am in most things.

lowsound

[flea claypool]

Originally Posted by southernrocker

Useless

1 Makes you drive bad.
2 Makes you look like an idiot.
3 Makes people have bad grammar.
4 Wastes time.

Why type it when you could just say it?
Texting is a friggin gimmick that lets phone companies rake in the cash.

1. Its illegal here.. if you drive bad from it dont do it
2. how +1
3. makes people have bad grammar?? lol i hope you did this on purpose??
4.?? theres a time for calling and txting!!

charge?? is it exp in the US?? its free in ireland.. but we send more texts then anyone in the European union.. i prob send about 80 a day tbh.. i do alot at work (noisy enviroment)

[Jared Lash]

[quote=Mark Wilson;7663354]1. I don't drive and text. And i'm a pretty good driver.
2. How?
3. My grammar is fine. Just because people CHOOSE to shorten things, doesn't mean everyone has bad grammar immedietly.
4. Texting has saved my ass in situations where i CAN'T call./QUOTE]

My grammar is fine.

Really?

The problem is that people don't even realize their communication skills are deteriorating. But when shorthand, bad grammar and lack of punctuation are how people do the majority of their writing, it's no wonder that those skills suffer.

[DigMe]

Originally Posted by southernrocker

Useless

1 Makes you drive bad.
2 Makes you look like an idiot.
3 Makes people have bad grammar.
4 Wastes time.

Fail.

bc

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

It's like any tool - it's useful if used correctly.

I text a couple times a day. Usually to coordinate things (band practice, somebody picking me up from the airport, dinner with the woman currently tolerating me etc) or just a quick note to friends. One of my guitar players and I often trade info about the Giants since we're both baseball fans.

When traveling for work (something happening more and more regularly) I also type a number of emails on my Blackberry.

But here's my own rules for both:

I still type in proper English as best I can.
I only text or email when I'm not walking or driving
I don't ignore people around me so I can do text. I've seen people in restaurants not even look up while giving a waitress their order. I find that extremely disrespectful.

If I ever got to the point where I was walking around in a bubble with iPod earbuds in and my face glued to a little screen I'd throw both devices away.

Pretty simple really.

+1 to this.

Mike

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by Sartori

It's a huge scam. They charge you for a service that on a computer is free.

+1

====================

Like Twitter, texting can be useful, but it is mostly not.

[fdeck]

Texting is great. But anything used in excess becomes an annoyance.

People can get in touch with me, and I can quickly respond, while I am in the middle of other things. I have to multi-task in order to get through the day. As for the cost, whatever. My cell phone has a minimum charge of $15/mo, which I never exceed, so there is no marginal cost for a few text messages.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

Alright guys. Because of the "teen girl falls into open manhole" thread, i decided to start this.

So...texting. Yes, or no? Useless, or helpful?

GO!

Again, I hope you enjoy the hole you're probably going to walk into.

Mike

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

My grammar is fine.

Really?

The problem is that people don't even realize their communication skills are deteriorating. But when shorthand, bad grammar and lack of punctuation are how people do the majority of their writing, it's no wonder that those skills suffer.

Hey, my grammar is fine! I didn't mention my spelling