(:"

(:", (-:", ":), and ":-) are all examples of the text representation for the Rebel Squadrons salute, sometimes referred to as the smilie salute. This is a casual, yet respectful manner to address fellow and superior officers within the club, for use in chat sessions, forum threads, emails, etc.

Purpose

The smilie salute serves as a way to show respect to fellow members of the Rebel Squadrons without being overly formal. One advantage for its use is that it is easier and quicker to type than other methods, such as <salute>.

It was created as part of an over all effort to establish a fun atmosphere for the Rebel Squadrons. It provides a stark contrast to some other on-line game based clubs or clans, which may require more formality.

History

The symbol was created by FC Super in early to mid-1996. It was originally ":). However, due to the fact that instant messaging programs now convert the :) portion into a standard smilie face, thus ruining the smilie salute effect, the reversed (:" has become more common.

(:" was included to Urbandictionary.com on January 16, 2009, followed by ":) later in 2009.