I don't have any problem with mIRC having 'emoticon' support, but, like others, ONLY if it can easily and permanently be disabled.

Actually, I think that 'icon' support would be more to the point. A simple text to icon replacement in the chosen windows. Anyone familiar with some versions of the Invision forum software would know what I am talking about. There could be a tab in the config window that simply has this:

Code:
TEXT:               ICON:
:)                  c:\icons\happy.gif
:(                  c:\icons\sad.gif
:D                  c:\icons\teeth.gif


Obviously there would be more options for each item (wildcard or plain text, in nicknames and/or text, etc). If the 'text' could be anything that the user wanted, then the icons could have other uses as well, such as a crude censor mechanism. Example:

Code:
bitch               c:\icons\dog.gif
pussy               c:\icons\cat.gif
fag                 c:\icons\cigarette.gif
fuck                c:\icons\censor.gif


Personally, I don't think I would use the feature if it was available, but I can see how it would be handy.

-genius_at_work