No, you're not the only one who finds messages with no capitals irritating and inconvenient. Missing or inconsistent punctuation (i.e. contractions that "dont" have apostrophes, etc.) impairs the communication process, too. The whole idea behind these conventions is to make communication more clear, accurate, and easy to read.

I'm glad the subject came up, since it opens another line of discussion. Such unconventional writing often comes from people with disabilities who may be typing with a mouthstick, headstick, or even eye-movement sensors. (One keystroke at a time, hence, no way to hold the shift key while striking a cap.) While many companies offer free access software that eliminates these problems, there are still a certain number of disabled users who don't know where or how to obtain it. Even with the software, every additional keystroke adds a couple of seconds to the time it takes to bang out a message. For some folks, a poorly typed message may be their only alternative to not communicating at all.

For others, I assume it's a means of rebellion or personal expression, like a tattoo or a tongue stud. I'm not criticizing, and I'd be interested in hearing the rationale from those who do it as a matter of choice rather than necessity.

Chuck Stout
(former rehabilitation engineer)
Exhibits Design and Development
Denver Museum of Natural History

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