Zaja's recent activity

  1. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    I think that for people who aren't as comfortable with bodily fluids and taboo body topics, emojis like this could be very helpful. Since it's easier to say and sounds more innocent.

    There was a story in my paper today about the new "period" emoji - which seems like a strange thing to have an emoji for.

    I think that for people who aren't as comfortable with bodily fluids and taboo body topics, emojis like this could be very helpful. Since it's easier to say and sounds more innocent.

  2. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    In my personal experience, more often than not it's older people that end up abusing it instead of the younger crowd. The latter, I'd accuse of abusing voice messages instead.

    emoji overuse is certainly a thing, especially amongst younger people

    In my personal experience, more often than not it's older people that end up abusing it instead of the younger crowd. The latter, I'd accuse of abusing voice messages instead.

    4 votes

  3. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    They all look like square boxes to me.

    They all look like square boxes to me.

    1 vote

  4. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    I have been accused of being mad or rude for not using emojis in my sentences. Not for using capital letters, or insults, or curse words, or exclamation marks, or bad spelling... But for just not...

    It's not about efficiency, it's about having fun.

    I have been accused of being mad or rude for not using emojis in my sentences.

    Not for using capital letters, or insults, or curse words, or exclamation marks, or bad spelling... But for just not using emojis.

    I also took offense when someone (that knew me for a year and a half) implied I was an “emoji expert” just for being young.

    TLDR: It's not fun when it's expected.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    You can get way closer with unicode and have been able to do so for many years. Before emojis were a thing. The eggplant is just used for comedic effect.

    a freaking eggplant as the closest penis-like symbol.

    You can get way closer with unicode and have been able to do so for many years. Before emojis were a thing. The eggplant is just used for comedic effect.

  6. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link Parent
    My understanding is that their look depends on platform (WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, LG, Samsung, Apple, Microsoft...) rather than font.

    (which I interpret it as depends on what font is used)?

    My understanding is that their look depends on platform (WhatsApp, Facebook, Google, LG, Samsung, Apple, Microsoft...) rather than font.

  7. Comment on All 230 new emojis coming in 2019 in ~tech

    Zaja
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    I never understood what was wrong with yellow people emoji. Sometimes when I'm trying to use an emoji that has a skin color modifier I have to waste time choosing what color I want it and whether...

    I never understood what was wrong with yellow people emoji. Sometimes when I'm trying to use an emoji that has a skin color modifier I have to waste time choosing what color I want it and whether it's supposed to be my color, the color of the person I'm talking to, whether my choice could be misinterpreted as racist... I never cared about skin color in emojis in the first place. A simple yellow was ok. If people thought it was racist because yellow could represent only white people, then they should have made it blue or a similar color that can't be linked to a skin color.

    Also, the flag emojis are also confusing. There are several countries that have their flag more than once (like Norway, Spain or the US) because a territory of them for some reason has the same exact flag of the country. Which makes its inclusion pointless, and furthers confusion.

    On top of that, many emojis don't have clear meaning. It varies depending on whom you ask and on what platform you're seeing it (Samsung is likely the worst offender). And not just the meaning of the emoji per se, but also the presence or lack of it: what some consider to be polite, others consider rude.

    It all adds up. So I generally avoid using them.

    7 votes

  8. Comment on Millions are on the move in China, and Big Data is watching in ~tech

    Zaja
    Link
    I must say, as much as I hate the dystopia of it all; this is really tempting. I also don't think we'll be able to avoid it for long in the west. It will come eventually. Hopefully, not as bad as...

    Smoking in a no-smoking zone, disturbing public order or fare evasion could result in offenders being barred from future train travel, the announcement says.

    I must say, as much as I hate the dystopia of it all; this is really tempting.

    I also don't think we'll be able to avoid it for long in the west. It will come eventually. Hopefully, not as bad as it is in China, but it will.

    I wonder if a few decades ago when we started putting up surveillance and traffic cameras there were people protesting it. I bet there were. Yet here we are.

    Every generation becomes more and more accustomed to constantly being watched one way or another. So when we transition slowly to even more surveillance, it's just a small step in a long progression.

    7 votes