This page is an edited copy of the original, located at:
http://wwws.enterprise.net/fortknox/emoticon/smiley.html
Jean-Marc

Introduction

The very nature of communicating on the Internet allows people to express thoughts and feelings with an openess and frankness unusual in face to face or phone conversations. The trouble is that on-line conversations are really a cross between a letter and a phone call. The potential for misunderstandings, without the tone and expression of a voice, or signals given out by body language, are considerable. Email, newsgroups, the 'Net' - all rely on the written word - and the written word is so easy to misinterpret (ask lawyer$!).

As a result of this, a shorthand version of expressing moods has emerged on the Net and together with certain behavioral rules form nettiquette. The shorthand for moods uses standard (QWERTY) keyboard symbols and they are known as EMOTICONS aka 'smileys'.

There seems to be a never ending supply of these, and they can get rather irritating at times. Applied properly, however, they serve a useful purpose.

This page is a 'dictionary' of emoticons. It is a view of what's seems to be acceptable and what's not.

We've also added a section on TLA's - three letter acronyms (yes so, they're not all three letters). These are very useful, and we've included the most common ones. 

Full                             Abbreviated
Version                          Version
:-)     Happy                    :)
(-:     Left Handed/Australian   (:
:-(     Sad                      :(
;-)     Winky                    ;)
#-)     Oh, what a night!        #)
:-O     Yelling/Shocked          :O
:-|     Frowning                 :|
For those wanting a more 'aesthetically pleasing' emoticon you can use the profile version... some examples are below:
 
  
:^)  :^]  ;^)

Perhaps, a semi-colon too far

So, when words absolutely fail you... 
~~:-[   Net Flame
:-$     Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is
:-P     Sticking Out Tongue
:-@     Screaming/Swearing/Very Angry/About To Be Sick
:*)     Drunk/Clown
>;->    Wicked Grin
:-#     Been Smacked In The Mouth/Wears A Brace/Kiss
R-)     Broken Glasses
(:-)    Bald
:-)))   Is Very Fat
:-{}    Wears Lipstick
=:-)    A Dickhead
@:-)    Wears A Turban
>:->    Leering
$-)     Yuppie/Just Won A Large Sum Of Money
:,(     Crying
:=)     Two Noses
8:]     Gorilla
8-)     Wears Glasses
B:-)    Wears Sun Glasses On Head
:-T     Keeping A Straight Face/Tight Lipped
:-y     Said With A Smile
:-|     Disgusted/Grim/No Expression
:~-(    Crying/Shed A Tear
:'-(    Crying
:~(~~   Crying
:-Q     A Smoker
:-!     A Smoker
%-\     Has A Hangover
|-o     Bored
:-X     A Kiss/Lips Are Sealed
(:-D    Has A Big Mouth
(:+)    Has A Big Nose
:-{)    Has A Moustache
:-*     Just Ate Something Sour/Bitter Taste/Kiss
[:-)    Is Wearing A Walkman

Definitely, off the wall!

Some people can't have anything else to do! ...those which are, frankly, taking the p***! 
(:-)     Bicycle Helmets
:-)'     Tends To Drool
=:-)     Punk
+-:-)    The Pope
O:-)     An Angel
*<:-)>   Santa
o-<:-{{{ Santa
*<|:-)   Santa/A Clown
5:-)     Elvis Presley
:-%      Banker
:-:      Mutant Smiley
(-:|:-)  Siamese Twins
7:-)     Fred Flinstone
:/7)     Cyrano de Bergerac
C):-O
C):-O
C):-O
C):-O    A Barbershop Quartet
3:-o     A Cow
8:-)     A Pig/A Little Girl
:\/      A Woodpecker
]:->     The Devil
,-)      A One Eyed Winky
|-(      Lost Contact Lenses
#:-)     Matted Hair/Fur Hat/Crewcut/Messy Hair
&:-)     Curly Hair
C=:-)    A Chef
><:>==   A Turkey
@}->--   A Rose
=|:-)=   Uncle Sam/Abe Loncoln
7:)      Ronald Reagan
+<:-|    Monk/Nun
:_)      A Boxer/Had a Fight/Nose Is Sliding Of Face
>>:-)    Devil/Horrible User
>>>>(:-) A Hat Salesman
{        A Psycho
(:I      An Egghead
b:-)     A Baseball Fan/Has A Cap On
(-)      Needs A Haircut
;-(*)    Feels Sick
*****:-) Marge Simpson
[:]      A Robot
:-[      A Vampire/Count Dracula/Pouting/Sarcastic
:-F      A Bucktoothed Vampire/Has Major Dental Problems
:=)      Orangutan/Has Two Noses
:-?      Smokes A Pipe
:-8(     Condescending
8-#      Death/Dead
>>:-<<   Mad
;^)      Smirking
>>:-1    Klingon
:-----}  Liar/Pinnochio
!-(       Black Eye
)        Cheshire Cat
(:-D     Blabber Mouth
A Schizo *#*!^*&:-) phrenic
:-'|     Has A Cold/Flu
:$)      Donald Trump
:-.)     Marilyn Monroe/Madonna
:-)  8   Dolly Parton
:-|:-|   Deja'vu
><*:oDX  A Clown
C|:-=    Charlie Chaplin
: .)     Cindy Crawford
 =)      Adolf Hitler
~:o      A Baby
===:-D   Don King
8(:-)    Mickey Mouse/Walt Disney
(|-|  F  Robocop
3:*>     Rudolph the Reindeer
P-)      A Pirate
%-~      Picasso
':-)     Has One Eyebrow

TLA's

Anything to avoid RSI (repetitive strain injury) 
<g>     Grin
ROFL    Rolling on the floor, laughing
LOL     Laughing out loud
IMHO    In my humble opinion
IOHO    In our humble opinion
IMO     In my opinion
BTW     By the way
RTFM    Read the f****** manual