I'm sorry, but I have seen this "LOL" thing used in a lot of posts, and I have absolutely no idea what it means. Before posting what is probably a totally stupid question I asked my husband if he knows what it means. He does not. I get really, really (I'll use a nice word) annoyed when people use initials and acronyms and do not say what they mean. It's like classified ads that use initials for things to save space. But you don't have to save space here, you're not paying by the letter, and it doesn't take that much more time to just type out the whole thing -- whatever it is!!??
I am waiting in suspense for an answer. And when I get it, I will have to go back through all the posts that contain that "LOL" thing, so perhaps I can understand them better.

I understand LOL to be computer lingo for Laughing Out Loud. You've got to admit, it's alot easier then trying to type the whole thing while you're cracking up.

Cheers, Teri

ROFLMAO

I'm sure there's an internet etiquette guide (did I spell that right?) out there somewhere....there's a TON more...

LOL - Laughing out loud
IMHO - In my honest opinion
LOLAROTF - laughing out loud and rolling on the floor

These were invariably invented by a bunch of folks who had nothing better to do than sit in a chat room and make up this stuff....pretty funny and convenient though!

Hi Mary, Here are two website addresses that will help you with e-mail etiquette, abbreviations, and emoticons. I found them simply by putting "e-mail abbreviations" in the MSN home page search box and taking the first two that the search listed. (any good search engine will do) They are: http://www.iwillfollow.com/email.htm and
http://www.learnthenet.com/english/html/25smile.htm

You can find almost anything quickly and easily on the internet, especially computer related!

Mike

I'm pretty sure Dave is saying Laughing Out Loud.

Mike

The first one is "rolling on floor, laughing my A$$ off" The second is quite similar. You do the math.

Hi Mary,

I would like to offer my sincere apologies for any confusion that I may have been guilty of causing by posting Laughing Out Loud. It certainly was not intended.

My personal explanation as to WHY phrases, limited key strokes and emotions (icons if you will) are sometimes used over the computer........
In normal "face to face" conversations, we have the luxury of being able to physically accentuate what we are saying. I suppose "body language" could be a description. Over the computer (unless you have a net cam) this is not possible. Sometimes it can be benefit NOT being able to express how you really feel.

So, IF you are comfortable with the person (or persons, as is the case on the forum) the interjection of an emotion, short cut.....or what have you adds a bit of color (not everyone sees it that way) to your keyboard. LOL (laughing out loud) just means that whatever you are expressing, is a little stronger than a grin or smile.

You have made an excellent point by bringing up your confusion (thus my apology) in that I am guilty in assuming that everyone is aware of the "lingo". I will try to keep that in mind.

Thank you,
Dave Peters

Hi Mary

There have been some good sci fi --{science fiction } --- "---"stories written on time travel where people in the future speaking the same language can not be understood because they speak at a highly accelerated and abbrieviated rate ,yet in a very direct simpliefied way.--
Seems like we are definately headed in that direction ,-numerous new examples in everyday life we all continuously accept as common language .

off subject rant follows here --sorry ->
-We would as a nation and a global community be wise to first as Shakespear suggested a few centuries ago --kill the lawyers ,-then all sleazy polititians with their false political ads and constant misdirected lies . -dictators that assume power by the same means in a larger sence,manipulating media , and powerfull media themselves that become so politically bias or controlled by factions that they no longer present truth or fact ,-just yellow journalism and editorial bias slant ,--presenting that as factual reporting .
We understand the danger of it when reading exerps from Al Jazera with Osama,s statement and views presented only , Or conversely our media reporting what seems to be a systematic extermination of native people in Israel to aquire land now presented by media here and reported and labeled with the lattest catchwords-{ potential terrorists } as an excuse to use U S supplied F-15 fighterjets -and tanks to do so ,-then bulldoze their homes .
A spoiled Saudi multimillionare brat playing international terrorist manipulating religious zealots , or U S media presenting 95 % OF ONE SIDE of the issue .
The dangers are now clear ,-terrorist attack to provoke and escalate responce , further insighting the other side to respond , Sadam's game plan now becomes to further insight neighboring countries with media , or direct missle or bio attack or invasion as shown previously ,--potential nuclear or bio attack can potentially result from this ---the hipocracy of both sides ,UNLESS -more inteligent people see through it ,-seek truth ,-fact ,-and take action to avoid the potential loss of many more millions in the next world war .
Once one side or the other can successfully label the other as hated enemy in so many catch phrases and words and sell that in so many misdirected misrepresented means that language presently helps allow we are doomed to repeat world history , just different players in different roles ,again as Shakespear noted centuries earlier .
end rant ,-

Moreso as we see in everyday life our use of new abbrev .terms and in the future people taking a subject that may take several paragraphs and sentences and conveying the context meaning and concept in half the time using abbrev. and direct simplified meaning .
-Though potentially very confusing if your crossing subject ,-cultures ,-vocational language ,--or street talk -slang ,--for instance -
IMHO could easily be misconstrued on the street to -IMaHO --- joking again ,--
-Place me in a medical or hospital situation and I,ve no idea of what is being said ,--having never been a patient or direct contact with medical training beyond CPR --there's another one ! -
The construction industry has its own language and abbrev . terms to go with it , design occupation ,--as does naval architecture ,-a hobby ,-
We see used often on catsailor abbrev. like C E -meaning Center of Effort of the sailplan ,--CLR center of lateral resistence ,-meaning center of underwater side area profile including rudders and boards .
L-is length --LOA -is length over all ,-LWL is length water line ,--B -beam -and through the list -
a good reference source is the ISAF rating diagram for small cats --
-http://www.schrs.com/cgi-bin/doc/schrscalculation.xls

Seems the global economy ,-move towards commonly shared language , readily available world travel --age of internet ,-and instant communication ,-space exploration and potential discovery of new worlds ,-all these aspects bring hope for a better future .
Maybe someday we can evan agree on a commonly shared international rating system for catamarans
-Sailing on the worlds oceans ,being a commonly shared international sport , viewed and practised in that context does help make the world a little better place .

Sail safe
have fun
Carl

Sorry for posting off topic, but I think Carl's casual observation about "potential terrorists" deserves a reply.

I guess his assesment of what a "potential terrorist" is would change if, for example, native americans started bombing school buses, hospitals, etc.

Actually, the situation in Israel is even more unfair then that:
Imagine that you are a native american, your land is taken by newcomers, you manage to rebuild your country from scratch after thousands of years of suffering and then the former newcomers start bombing civilians, training children to kill people and so on, while they still use all the public services YOUR people built and claim they have the divine right to kill YOU ALL.

Does not sound very good, but is exactly what is going on.
Take care,
Luiz Schechter

Dear Carl,
Your reply has me COL. See, I'm a fast learner.

Hi Luiz

your right ,-my appologies ,-presented one side without the other you provided ,which are understood perfectly and supported to an extent.
post was a quick commentary on abbreviation and communication in general .
There is so much in the news, think like so many people I,m reacting to it ,-just read Iraq's letter to the U N , --http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,70253,00.html



Not for Sadam ,-but for the sake of many neighboring countries and the world how does the U N AND U S address these issues .

-

COL???? "Cutting Off Leg"? What is that one?

With regard to the situation in the middle east, Luiz says,
[color:"red"] "Actually, the situation in Israel is even more unfair then that:
Imagine that you are a native american, your land is taken by newcomers, you manage to rebuild your country from scratch after thousands of years of suffering and then the former newcomers start bombing civilians, training children to kill people and so on, while they still use all the public services YOUR people built and claim they have the divine right to kill YOU ALL.

Does not sound very good, but is exactly what is going on."[/color]

Luiz,

Following the September, 1993 signing of the Oslo I peace accord, I spent time working in the Gaza Strip and other West Bank communities as a member of a team of consultants performing a USAID sponsored Municipal Management Assessment for the Palestinian autonomous area. While doing the work, I lived in Gaza, but also spent a fair amount of time in Jerusalem.

I can assure you that what you stated in your response to Carl is NOT "exactly what is going on". It may, in fact, be your OPINION about what is going on, but, like the media's portrayal of events, it is merely an opinion.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled program . . .

After thousands of years of killing each other the reasons don't matter. Each side can make a case. So I'll use this, LOL.......LOTS OF LUCK

Mike

Lots of luck...

Jake,
Thank you for making my point. I just figured if laughing out loud is LOL, then crying out loud would be COL.

Mary,

In case you were serious, LOL means length on load line.
It is typically used in shipping and work type power boats.

Matt

Matt,
Thank you, also, for helping to make my point. And ironically, when I was trying to figure out what it meant, I was thinking length on something, but I didn't know what. Thank you for adding the load line.