[doc_gunthrop]

From the WaPo article you linked, regarding a period at the end of a sentence:

> that's an indication that the text message period has taken on a life of its own. It is no longer just the correct way to end a sentence. It's an act of psychological warfare against your friends.

It's so bizarre that people perceive some nefarious intent because a sentence ends with a period.

[pochamago]

It's not that it's nefarious, but because human language often relies so much on the tone of voice used, we've begun creating informal norms for how to get that across in text form. A period at the end of a short phrase gives it a flat intonation in many circles. Communication isn't as simple as proscribing by fiat how people ought to use a given medium, and pragmatism requires that we adapt to what the group does for clear communication.

[kps]

Also from the WaPo article, the study surveyed “126 undergraduates”. While it's clear that many Silly Valley startups use undergraduate all-nighters as a model for their culture and code quality, that is by no means universal.