I can understand it when you're text messaging on a phone. Unfortunately, internet short forms have become pervasive in society, and has created an entire generation of people who fail to spell properly.

Heck, I just started reading Tom Wishon's 'Common Sense Clubfitting', and he's got a freakin' emoticon in the book! [ :>) ]

Unbelieveable. At first, I thought there was a printing error, until I realised he used a smiley.