h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

l337 w1n$, h4nd$ d0wn.

Neither. They're both irritating corruptions of language used by sections of the population trying to look clever, but in fact just showing their ignorance.

That's extremely rude and intolerant.

Which is better at what?

Looking cool? no idea.

Ease of use? I can "do" Nokian spk , especially when I'm txting my kids, but I've never tried that other one.

Communicating clearly? Neither. Straightforward(ish) English if you want the majority to understand what you're trying to say. On this site that's recommended.

Guilty as charged. I *am* very intolerant of poor use of language. The propagation of nonsense like 'text speak' and 'elite speak' are at least partly responsible for the fact that an alarming percentage of our kids leave school unable to read or write properly.

But fair enough - it was a little rudely put, for which I apologise.

OK just to be clear, nobody who uses l33t is trying to look smart. It is used purely to disguise messages.

What is 5p34k l337? And Nokian? And elite speak?

*feeling ignorant*

Ben

Then it's not much use. It takes anyone with any nouse about 5 minutes to work it out.

What's not much use?

Jeeze I feel like a high court judge!

I know about txt spk, not 2 keen, but will read it from u or my m8s. Nokian is presumably slang for txt spk, which is fairy nuff.

But '5p34k l337' just looks like a crap car number plate to me. Or is that the point?

83N

'Elite Speak' isn't much use as a method for disguising text. Basically I think it is just crap number plate language. It's substitution of numbers and characters to make words, either based on the fact that they look a bit like the letter they're replacing, or they sound a little like the syllable they're replacing.

For example - the '5p34k' is 'speak' becuase 5,3 and 4 look a little like S, E and A; and l337 is 'elite' becuase the first sound is 'el', followed by two 3's (ee) and a 7 instead of a 't'.

There's nothing 'elite' about it. It just displays a lack of respect for the written language that I find mind boggling.

As far as text speak goes, I can at least see its relevance and roots as a shorthand form for mobile text messages, but outwith that system it's just sloppy and lazy.

In that case I've been using l337 to create secure passwords since the early 1990s, though I tend to mix it in with $ymbo£s and other ch@r@cters.

83n

That's generally good practice with passwords (although I admit it's not a good practice I have adopted, such is my intolerance of mangling language) and in fact many systems insist that a password contains letters, numbers and other characters.

You should adopt it you know. It is significantly more secure.

Mind you, I was using a UK keyboard with a US mapping the other day, and had *major* problems with passwords!

B

Tell me about it. Try using a French 'AZERTY' keyboard - they don't even put the letters in the same place as we do!

Yeah, I know I should make my passwords more secure, but I use obscure references and proper names rather than actually disguising the words and I do put numbers on the end where forced to. To be honest, if a hacker wants in they're unlikely to do it by guessing your password.

There was a term in the IT security industry called 'shoulder sniffing' when someone watches you type your passwords. For ages I had passwords I could type with one hand.

I had a lover who used my first name and bra-size once! Bästård!

I wonder how many Whovians are currently using BadW0lf right now.

Ben

Oh, I don't know. He's obviously formulated a password that's dear to his heart

I used to work next to someone who had a budgie mirror stuck to her monitor, which she claimed was there to prevent such intrusions. My suggestions that it was there so that she could see the boss coming when surfing the 'net didn't go down so well

Closer to Ben's heart, I should say.

I fail to see how anyone can describe the use of l337, or whatever it's called, as 'not showing off', when it's very name is 'elite'. Pretentious or what?

Although I accept that 'leet does have a valid use in password security, for everday communication they are both despicable. Spanners in the mangle of natural language evolution.

B

i do tend to use alot of text speak in text messages and on msn messenger but other than that it annoys me.

you see adverts now in text speak aimed and my age group and below. it really annoys me.

i have never see the "elite" before.

post 14

"if a hacker wants in they're unlikely to do it by guessing your password."


Actully they are most likely to do it by guessing your password, Thats if you pick something simple. If you pick something that can't be worked out other methods will be used.

My Computing teacher last year told us about a book, think its called "The Art of Intrusion" or something like that. He said the jist of it is knowing how to find out about somone in whatever company and either work out there password, or phone up someone in the company say you need something or other and convince them to give you their password, or someone elses password.



I occasionaly use 1337, it makes it obvious when you are taking the p!ss. Never used for anything serious and only when its related to gaming. Though I am worried about people who use "owned/pwned" in any context other than when they are playing a game.



Which is better, 1337 is far easier to understand without any extra knowledge than txt is. With txt spk with alot of the abbriveations you need to know what they mean.

l337, because it has better smacktalk Until later...
BCNU - Crescent