WTF?

There is an article on the main MSN page about "leetspeek" that I read out of curiosity, and now I'm just annoyed.

OK, I get that I'm not a kid anymore, and I get that things change, but this makes no sense to me at all. It's not in the same way that I might not "get" kids' music... hell, my parents didn't get my music, and that was sort of the appeal, wasn't it? Same goes for clothes, and even language... I've caught myself using current slang, and I still dress the same way I did in High School... what's old is new again, blah blah blah. But seriously, what's the point of typing with numbers replacing letters (73453 = TEASE), or using slashes to make letters (/\/\ = M), or purposely spelling words wrong... with numbers, no less (pr0n = PORN)?

Here's a particularly perplexing tidbit:
• "roxx0rs" Used in place of "rocks," typically to describe something impressive.

It started with the Instant Messenger slang, like LOL (for "laughing out loud") which evolved into LMAO (laughing my ass off) and even worse, ROFLMFAO (rolling on floor laughing my fucking ass off). That stuff I get... I don't use it, but I respect it's right to exist. At least that made sense... it's an abbreviation... it makes typing simpler. This new shit complicates everything. I kinda understand that kids look at it as code, and if only kids were using it, it probably wouldn't bother me as much. It's when adults, who should know better, start incorporating it into their IMs, or emails, or messageboard posts. I seriously doubt that the kids using it now will be using it once they enter the business world, and if they do, then I'll give up. I'll admit I'm old, I'll pull my pants up to my chest and I'll chase the hoodlums off my lawn. Until then, I'll be pissed that people don't think before they follow. My only hope is that they come to their senses and take a good look at this shit. Christ, look at the fashions from the 80s. We were all into it, but at least we know better now... we can laugh at ourselves.

I'm not laughing. Maybe, someday, I will.

Sure, there are a lot of things I could be bothered by, but the article inspired me so I went with it. Perhaps I'll make up for it later with something worthwhile. Until then, 347 /\/\3.