ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Text semigraphics

Text semigraphics, also known as ASCII art, is a way of drawing pictures using only letters, numbers, and symbols on a computer keyboard. It's like painting but instead of using paint and brushes, we use letters and characters to create images.

For example, if we want to draw a smiley face, we can use the colon symbol for the eyes and a parenthesis symbol for the mouth. When we put them together, it looks like this: :)

Now, imagine doing this on a larger scale, creating more complex images using various characters and symbols like slashes and asterisks. We can create pictures of animals, faces, landscapes, and even buildings!

Text semigraphics were very popular in the early days of computing, when graphics support was limited. They were used to create simple logos, game characters, and even entire game levels.

Today, text semigraphics are mostly used as a form of art and entertainment. Some people create amazing images that look like photographs using only keyboard characters. It's like a puzzle, where you have to use your imagination and creativity to make sense of the different characters and create an image from them.

In conclusion, text semigraphics is a fun and creative way to make drawings and pictures using only letters, numbers, and symbols on a keyboard.