The ordinal number '8' is often used in place of the phonemes that would make the sound 'ate' in written English.
I say 'often', I actually mean 'often (by bumpers)'
The habit could have
originally developed among linux {fucktards in chatrooms, or 14 year old scrubbers
text messaging on
mobile phones. Either that or from 'old-school' rave act Altern8 (still DJ-ing in and around Stoke-on-Trent, kids!)
Whichever way you look at it, it looks shit and dosn't make you look cool.