Absolutely. I have no shame in saying that I do judge people based on how they choose to communicate online. It's probably unfair. In fact, I know it's unfair because I know some "real life" friends and acquaintances who give the impression of semi-to-total illiteracy when online, yet are perfectly articulate in reality.

But yes; when you're meeting someone online for the first time, all you have to go on is their words, and possibly a profile picture. I always like to set a good first impression wherever possible, whatever the context. I spell and punctuate correctly in IM messages and online games, most of the time anyway. It costs nothing. Not even time; in fact I actually type slower if I'm doing it wrong. I have to make a specific effort to typ lyk dis.

And don't even get me started on cuntish teenagers wHo TyP lYk DiS. Pffffft.

I am an unabashed snob. And I don't care! 🙂

Language changes over time; I don't dispute that. But that doesn't mean accepting things that are just plain wrong! Grammatical flexibility is all well and good too—we all do it, after all. It's why we have our own personalities and voices in both speech and writing. But within that flexibility are some core rules that shouldn't be broken. Spelling and using the correct homophones should be one of them!

I don't believe the shirt is being facetious, either. I don't know what it's doing. But it's not right! 🙂

Sorry where was I?

I'm dyslexic and that has nothing to do with being able to use an apostrophe.

Being able to use grammar is about remembering, taking time out to review what you write and actually caring. I never understand why people don't care; after all, you're right, the internet is all about first written impressions and projecting oneself as too lazy to check your own work isnt the greatest of starts.