Imagine the following situation:
You are getting ready to give a presentation to your entire client and potential client-base. You have the new powerpoint that you just put together all ready to go and you are 5 minutes from starting. This is the oppurtunity to really make some large sales and you need to make a good impression - especially to those who have never heard of you before today. Wouldn't you take a another quick look over the Powerpoint to make sure everything looks right and you have no spelling mistake?
Now lets take it to the real world example - spam. I understand why people spam - if you send out 100 million messages and only .00001% respond that is still 1,000 responses at little cost to you. And I am not even talking about the porn - I am talking real world products that I can see your average housewife opening the email and saying "boy - I could really use something like that" just like they do while watching the Home Shopping Network. But this is your big chance - your oppurtunity to make a good first impression. So why do I constantly get messages with the subject "Just check this ounx" (ad for a diploma mill) or "Lnnleumn look at this-removes rinkles and produces youngr, tighter, thickers skin". Maybe I was just looking in the mirror this morning thinking to myself how old, loose and thin my skin was looking and how I would love for it to be younger, tighter, and thicker. But I can tell you I sure as hell wasn't thinking that I want it to be "youngr, tighter, thickers" - so what's the deal? Are they just lazy? Haven't they heard of spell check?
Posted by ravomess at July 21, 2004 06:19 PMI think they do it on purpose to avoid spam-filters.
Posted by: Raffy at July 21, 2004 08:29 PMThat is exactly right; they do that so they avoid the spam filters, which are set to filter on specific phrases or words. it's a never ending battle.
Also: "Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe."
So you sohuld hvae no pbroelm raeindg this, or at lseat gaprsnig its mneinag.
What is czary is that it really is ture.
Posted by: Greg at July 22, 2004 10:03 AMGreg, that is absolutely fascinating!! Really! A real blow to the phonics people too.
Posted by: Raffy at July 22, 2004 10:16 AMTrust me - I understand the whole spam filter thing, but there are plenty of things they can say without being caught by a spam filter and still have correct spelling and grammar. And to Greg's comment on the only needing the first and last letters - that doesn't help for the word "ounx"!
Posted by: ravomess at July 22, 2004 10:22 AMWhat word is that? onux? You have to keep the first and last letter in place.
Posted by: Greg at July 22, 2004 12:14 PMThat's my point - the email I got said "Just check this ounx", so it doesn't fir into your logic.
Posted by: ravomess at July 22, 2004 12:18 PM