• Boxscape@lemmy.sdf.org
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    2 days ago

    if so then name your thing

    Sort of I guess: em dashes.

    Not to talk about, but to use when writing.
    Now they are apparently the hallmark of AI-generated crap.

    • mad_lentil@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      I just got into them and I’ll be damned if I’ll let some toaster ruin a perfectly beautiful bit of punctuation

    • vithigar@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      Same. I learned this was a thing just the other day.

      I don’t use them often but do find them nicer for parenthetical remarks sometimes.

    • Daedskin@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      I’ve never been called out as AI for using them; but if I ever am, I have the strategy of knowing the alt code for them (0151). I even know the shortcut in word to insert one — pressing alt-X with your cursor at the end of “2014”. I also have a vscode macro set up that is just an emdash, just in case I’m in a situation where there’s not a way I know to insert one.

      • Mac@mander.xyz
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        2 days ago

        Alt-codes are for nerds

        - 60% gang

        I really think more text formatting should do as mobile devices do and just auto convert two hyphens into an em dash. Make it simple, i beg.