Pittsburgh (PA) - Three simple keystrokes gave a college professor his mark in the history books and gave the world a new wave of digital communication.

Multiple sources credit Carnegie Mellon professor Scott E. Fahlman with being the first to put together the colon-hyphen-parenthesis combination to create a "digital smiley face".

In an online message board at 11:44 AM Eastern Time on September 19, 1982, Fahlman wrote, "I propose the following character sequence for joke markers: :-).  Read it sideways."  In the same post, he also showed what is credited as the first digital frown, :-(

"This convention caught on quickly around Carnegie Mellon, and soon spread to other universities and research labs via the primitive computer networks of the day," said Fahlman.

Since then, digital expressions known as "emoticons" have evolved to the point of almost becoming their own language.  Different grammatical markers are now put together to show everything from laughter to disdain.

Carnegie Mellon's computer science department has created a webpage devoted to the 25-year history of the digital smiley face. The department credits Fahlman with its creation.

"It's always possible that someone else had the same idea — it's a simple and obvious idea, after all," said Fahlman in an Associated Press interview.  However, "I've never seen any hard evidence that the :-) sequence was in use before my original post, and I've never run into anyone who actually claims to have invented it before I did."

:-)

Sep 19, 2007 06:31     

:-}
A report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

all I can say is ...

Sep 19, 2007 06:49     

:-)
Pop Catalin report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

:-)

Sep 19, 2007 07:41     

:-)
accrajoe report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

From simple to complex

Sep 19, 2007 07:43     

From a simple way to save space to what is and continue to 'evolve' emoticans. I have seen really nice ones to really vulgar ones. I am amazed how far it has come and will probably be amazed how far it will go. :)
TomLeeM/BigWarpGuy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

8-)

Sep 19, 2007 09:36     

8-) I have glasses...
Mike report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

It's all stupid

Sep 19, 2007 09:44     

Who cares about this silly thing anyway?
Anon report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

>.>

Sep 19, 2007 09:52     

I always liked the shifty eyes.....
JZ report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Happy Birthday smiley!

Sep 19, 2007 11:42     

.. U
Jaimz report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

My pinky would like to complain

Sep 19, 2007 12:12     

How about including them "shift" keys in the keystroke count?
Pedro report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

ñ_ñ

Sep 19, 2007 12:44     

^_-
Joe report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

o.0

Sep 19, 2007 13:24     

o.0
Mike report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Woot!

Sep 19, 2007 20:48     

so it all started with :-)... its all the way to =(^w^)= (kitty smiley) HAPPY B-DAY!
Rikku report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

=D

Sep 19, 2007 21:08     

wow, thinking back when I first encountered the smiley... took me a few minutes to realize what it was. =P
ack report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

( O ) ( O )

Sep 20, 2007 03:06     

is This a Smile or not?
ImperialDemon report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

:)~

Sep 20, 2007 08:08     

:Þ :}
Shadowmaster625 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

=====(__() =====(__()

Sep 21, 2007 15:42     

t(>.
Bobby report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

(>o,O)> @(o.O@) (@O.o)=@

Oct 14, 2007 08:55     

(>o,O)> @(o.O@) (@O.o)=@
Ross Avery report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0