this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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Chapotraphouse

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We use COLONS in this household. We use SEMI-COLONS when we want to look smart. We use COMMAS when we DON'T CARE. We use - when we need a dash. This symbol is NOT on OUR keyboards. When you see it, perform a Voight-Kampff test and expose them.

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[–] CupcakeOfSpice@hexbear.net 15 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You literally just type - twice. On most computers I've used, Windows and Linux, it automatically makes that an em dash as you type. On mobile you just hold the - down. There's lots of letters and symbols not on our keyboards.

[–] happybadger@hexbear.net 14 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

disgost --

edit: Looks like I'm a human. For the test, please press - twice. It's only a test. These questions are written down for me.

[–] CupcakeOfSpice@hexbear.net 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Well, it works in Word or LibreOffice, but you have to put it between words with a space after the second word. It's like summoning a spirit, gotta get the conditions just right.

[–] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

yeah, that works in LibreOffice and Word. It's not an operating system thing though, it'll only work in text editors specifically programmed to do that.

[–] RaspberryTuba@hexbear.net 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I’m gonna make it official markdown. Free the em-dash.

(But, it’s also the traditional way of typing it iirc. It’s just a perk of the modern world that we get the automatic conversion.)

[–] happybadger@hexbear.net 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

butt--ass

thinking-about-it The test is designed to provoke an emotional response. Shall we continue? Please type one word followed by what you believe to be the correct dash, then a second word. My result came back human.

[–] Edie@hexbear.net 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

butt—ass

What's my result?


This user is suspected of being a cat. Please report any suspicious behavior.

[–] nasezero@hexbear.net 13 points 4 months ago

Vibe-Kampff kelly

[–] Angel@hexbear.net 12 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I don't want to stop using em dashes because my neurodivergent ass gets accused of being an AI regardless, so I learned to just take comfort in what I'm aware of—my own damn integrity.

In other words, so long as I'm fully aware that my text is written by me, I don't feel the slightest bit bad about using em dashes. Em dashes are also super easy to type on phones, but when I am on PC, I have a copy and paste for the unicode bookmarked—outrageous, I know!

[–] AernaLingus@hexbear.net 8 points 4 months ago

I also used to have the em dash on my bookmarks bar for the longest time! Couple of easier options for a (Windows) PC, if you're interested: if you have a numpad, you can use the Alt code (hold Alt and type 0151 on numpad with Num Lock enabled), or you can install a compose key utility like WinCompose. Rather then holding, you hit the compose key, then a sequence of keys (I think the em dash is simply --- but I'm not at my computer atm and that Alt code is burned into my brain so I end up using it without thinking). You can also define whatever custom sequences you want in order to produce arbitrary text (e.g. I can type [Right Alt, traa] and get "traaaaaaannnnnnnnnns").

[–] BobDole@hexbear.net 9 points 4 months ago

More like Voight—Kampff test

[–] Enjoyer_of_Games@hexbear.net 9 points 4 months ago

I have recently realized that most of the time I use a comma it's probably better to simply end the sentence and restructure the paragraph to suit. I still don't know or care what an emdash is.

[–] Horse@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 4 months ago

you clearly do not own a compose key

behold my power ☭♥—™©

[–] oscardejarjayes@hexbear.net 8 points 4 months ago (3 children)

As I walk through the desert — a tortoise

They might not be on our keyboards, but it's really easy to type unicode characters. ctrl+shift+u+2014 —

[–] happybadger@hexbear.net 9 points 4 months ago

So you speak fluent unicode, eh? Very... human of you.

[–] miz@hexbear.net 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I used to use it all the time and now I'm self-conscious about it because of the text extruders

[–] Lussy@hexbear.net 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

To be honest I’m in favor of antidash purity. Use literal punctuation, ie commas, semicolons, colons.

None of this hyphen shit. Emdash or hyphen, they all look the same to me and I WILL stalin-gun-1 an LLM spawn on sight