# Weird smileys/mini-pics invading the board? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104 "2019-10-01T17:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/1 "2019-10-01T17:46:47Z")
[Example](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21891280&postcount=7788), 3rd different poster I’ve noticed today using these things, whatever the hey they are supposed to be. The thing is, I cannot even tell what they are supposed to be, they’re so tiny… Should such things be moderated or ruled upon? I’d hate to see the board drowning in a ton of these things. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/2 "2019-10-01T18:03:10Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > [Example](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21891280&postcount=7788), 3rd different poster I’ve noticed today using these things, whatever the hey they are supposed to be. > > The thing is, I cannot even tell what they are supposed to be, they’re so tiny… > > Should such things be moderated or ruled upon? I’d hate to see the board drowning in a ton of these things. They look like normal smileys on my device. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/3 "2019-10-01T18:07:49Z")
I see them fine. You should see the ones built into my devices. There are 1000s ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/4 "2019-10-01T18:15:08Z")
Those are bog standard emoji that have been in place here for about as long as the board’s been around–and you’re just now noticing them? Good thing they don’t have fangs, as my mother used to say. If you’re on a computer and you use the advanced view to post a reply they’re RIGHT THERE in the righthand column next to the text box. See? :smack: :)😕 :eek: :mad: :rolleyes: 🆒 😛 😉 😃 :o :dubious: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/5 "2019-10-01T18:40:48Z")
You’ve never heard of emoticons? They help convey meanings and emotions that might get lost in plain text. They’ve been standard issue on most message boards for years. They’re even more varied and complex in things like text messaging. By the way, happy 🎃. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/6 "2019-10-01T18:52:19Z")
Unusual smileys?😱😬🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/7 "2019-10-01T20:37:17Z")
The next that you see one, just shoot it down. ค้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้ŭ ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/8 "2019-10-01T21:17:31Z")
🤷󠀠󠀠󠀠󠀠 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/9 "2019-10-01T21:38:05Z")
Your mileage may vary on how well whatever you’re using to read the board will translate Unicode characters. It’s safest to use the board’s inbuilt smiley menu (which should display on any browser that works with html), or the most common of upper ASCII symbols. [In this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758938) I asked people to report what works and what doesn’t, and enough people had problems with emoticons that I don’t try to use them. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/10 "2019-10-01T21:41:21Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Your mileage may vary on how well whatever you’re using to read the board will translate Unicode characters. It’s safest to use the board’s inbuilt smiley menu (which should display on any browser that works with html), or the most common of upper ASCII symbols. [In this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=758938) I asked people to report what works and what doesn’t, and enough people had problems with emoticons that I don’t try to use them. Did you check the OP’s link? It’s to a post with the inbuilt smilies in it, nothing odd or different at all. One wonders where exactly he’s been all this time that he doesn’t recognize them. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/11 "2019-10-01T22:03:18Z")
:eek: That shoot down thing is cool! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/12 "2019-10-01T23:06:04Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Did you check the OP’s link? It’s to a post with the inbuilt smilies in it, nothing odd or different at all. One wonders where exactly he’s been all this time that he doesn’t recognize them. Okay so I shouldn’t feel bad for being confused when I see regular smilies that have been on this board forever. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/13 "2019-10-01T23:41:17Z")
The ones in post #4 look perfectly normal. [Of course _I know_ what a smiley is, jeez…] The ones in my link look like tiny panorama’s or pics: 1st one looks like a crow, 2nd one a bunny, 3rd Yoda. But it is likely a symptom of my rapidly deteriorating Vista-based system-yes I know I should upgrade, but that won’t happen until the holidays (depending on whether Santa has a new PC in store for me). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/14 "2019-10-02T00:19:18Z")
All I can think of is to try reloading that page with Ctrl-F5, which will reset the image cache. See if that gets the images to change back to the normal smileys. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/15 "2019-10-02T02:21:36Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > The ones in post #4 look perfectly normal. [Of course _I know_ what a smiley is, jeez…] > > The ones in my link look like tiny panorama’s or pics: 1st one looks like a crow, 2nd one a bunny, 3rd Yoda. I see… Grin, frown, and “eek”. ---
**Author:** ![tricoteuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tricoteuse/32/4334_2.png) [@tricoteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tricoteuse)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/16 "2019-10-02T03:01:27Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > [Example](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21891280&postcount=7788), 3rd different poster I’ve noticed today using these things, whatever the hey they are supposed to be. > > The thing is, I cannot even tell what they are supposed to be, they’re so tiny… > > Should such things be moderated or ruled upon? I’d hate to see the board drowning in a ton of these things. Hey that’s me! I promise when I wrote that post I just used the plain old smilies right off the menu in the reply screen. ---
**Author:** ![tricoteuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tricoteuse/32/4334_2.png) [@tricoteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tricoteuse)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/17 "2019-10-02T03:03:24Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > The next that you see one, just shoot it down. ค้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้ŭ What the heck is that?? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/18 "2019-10-02T13:30:00Z")
Unicode lets you stack diacritic marks on top of each other basically endlessly. If you can figure out the decimal numeric character reference for a symbol\*, you can repeat it any number of times and the board places all the marks in the same space. the combining Tilde four times: ̃̃̃̃ \*NCRs start with an ampersand, then a hash mark, a series of numbers and then a semicolon. So for the tilde, I had &# then 771 and ended with a ;. I can’t put it together or, you know, it will make a tilde. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/19 "2019-10-02T16:32:37Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Those are bog standard emoji that have been in place here for about as long as the board’s been around–and you’re just now noticing them? Good thing they don’t have fangs, as my mother used to say. If you’re on a computer and you use the advanced view to post a reply they’re RIGHT THERE in the righthand column next to the text box. See? :smack: :)😕 :eek: :mad: :rolleyes: 🆒 😛 😉 😃 :o :dubious: ☹ Not only have those been available as long as I can recall, but this Board actually had a couple more I remember. Two of them were were an Hasidic Jew and a “Putz.” There may have been others. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104/20 "2019-10-02T16:34:55Z")
Using Thai vowels to attack the preceding post was discussed in a 6-years ago thread: > [@strange characters \[edited title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-characters-edited-title/682377/1): > > any dopers can share what characters are these? > > how come they corrupt the screen when displayed? > > ค้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้้ ฏ๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎๎ํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํํ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-smileys-mini-pics-invading-the-board/841104.md?page=2)