What are your views on internet users who type in short hand and "leet" speech? In my opinion I can't stand it, we're taught English all through high school to keep from looking like complete retards and people get online and start typing like they're a bunch of autistic monkeys. I mean what's so hard in typing y-o-u, instead of just "u" or to throw a period in at the end of a sentence? Are human's getting that lazy that they don't want to type out two more letters?

It looks cool to a 12-13 year old gamer. I know out of experience.

Well I think that people more or less use it for shorthand, but there are definetely people who then start using it in their work and that's not good. I don't see anything too wrong with it, other than the fact that it is confusing sometimes.

I use some internet shorthand with instant messaging, and I don't see a problem with that. Its faster communicating, especially for slow typers. It saves a lot of time and still gets the message across. 1337 $P33CH takes longer to type, personally. Although I wouldn't recommend using shorthand in school or on the job! :lol:
For example:
IMO-in my opinion
TTYL-talk to you later
BRB-be right back
GTG-I have to go
LOL-laughing out loud
1337 $P33CH !$ K3WL<--just a joke XD

I don't mind short hand in the right situations but when poeple post using nothing but short hand or talk completely in it, it gets really annoying. But if your playing a game against someone or just chatting over messanger it's fine.

I allways use stuff like GG, lol, imo and all, but that's just cause i'm lazy...

(just like why you write I'm instead of I am)

I can understand using short hand for instant messaging or gaming. I mean, that stuff's real time, so it's important to be able to give a quick response, but on a forum you have as much time as you want to post, so I don't see why people can't type out everything. I agree with Gerjen that some stuff like IMO is kinda useful. You say it all the time, but some times, people give shorthand answers that I've never seens and I get confused. Then I have to post "What?" and wait another 2hours to get a reply all because they didn't just say, Good Job, or whatever.

I, pesonally, try and type the way I talk. Some times I start tyipng things like, y'know, 'cause, ect. to emulate speach, but most people, I think, can understand that, and it adds originallity to my writing. But this isn't the same as short hand. I always have troubles figureing out what people are saying when they type shorthand, maybe I don't use AIM enough or something, but alot of time I' just don't get it, and that's why it bugs me.

I just found this online. It's rather random, but semi-appropriate. I just couldn't resist posting it: Linkage!

I don't mind shorthand like 'u' and whatever, i use that.. But it doesn't mean my English (at college, for eg.) is rubbish.