Do you prefer the term Autism or Aspergers

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Would people get offended if I referred to them as 'autistics?' I don't want to offend anybody. Plus, 'autistics' like 'Aspies' doesn't really cover the full autism spectrum; like you say, 'Aspies' doesn't include people with HFA or LFA. But lots of people on the spectrum don't want to be called autistic, either, I think.
Maybe 'Spectrumites?'
That would be inclusive. Sounds a bit like an alien race from a distant planet, though.
Would 'Spectromites' bother you? What about 'Speckies?'

Asperger's is technically High Functioning Autism, so I'm not sure how that wouldn't encompass High Functioning Autism

I can't speak for everyone here, but I personally don't like any "cutesy" terminology referring to anything about the Autism Spectrum, the people included. Some examples of what I mean: "Aspie", "Autie"(haven't heard much of that one here, but a little), and/or in this case "speckies".
Using such terminology, to me, makes it seem like those speaking are diminishing the very real problems that go with being on the spectrum by making it seem like a "cute" thing, or something that sounds like it would only effect a child. The terminology almost sounds condescending in that regard as well. Using fun terms to describe our collective issues just sends the wrong message to people who don't know anything about our situation, and it diminishes their outlook on the severity of the spectrum.
Not everyone here agrees with me on this view, a lot of people don't mind the terms, but I think they do more harm than good because they take away the impact of the term and replaces it with something that sounds less severe.

In terms of our collective identity, you will never find something that everyone agrees on, but I personally prefer "Autistic Individual", since Asperger's is on the Autism Spectrum, it doesn't technically misidentify me (though as I said earlier, I identify myself with Asperger's when people ask me).
The term "autistic individual" could be used for the whole spectrum, but people have their own views on this, so like I said, you won't find a term that everyone will agree on.

someone will always not like the term you use/think it doesnt apply to them. that is just the fact of it. but 'aspies' is less inclusive of all the people with ASDs than 'autistics'. i prefer not to use the spectrumites because i have some problems pronouncing it and speckies would definitely bother me.

The only way you could not offend the most people (reasonably) would be by saying something as Jaden has said, like 'individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder'. even then you will get people mad you called it a disorder and would prefer condition. you get people mad that that its person first language and seperating the autism from the person.

i go with autistics because its one word so its easier for me, and because everyone diagnosed with any of the ASDs is autistic technically so it is correct for the most people. some people dont like to be called autistic but then i dont refer to them as an individual as like 'autistic sam' (not that i would but im troubling to think of an example). really we can just refer to people with the words we are comfortable with so long as we have good intentions i think.

but 'aspies' for all asd just irritates me because thats only one of the asds diagnoses that have existed so is really uninclusive. but i get why people say aspie and not aspergers. aspergers is hard for me to say.

All I'm trying to do is get a term down to one word that is easy to type and say. It doesn't have to be cute or whatever, and I really would prefer if it wasn't. It could be 'ASDers' or whatever else would work. I just want to simplify the terminology from 'individual with an autism spectrum disorder' to one word. We have NTs to refer to normals, but not a cohesive term for ourselves. But some people with Asperger's don't like to be called autistic and some people with HFA don't like to be called Aspies because they consider them to be different conditions even though I and the current DSM do not. So then I'm either 'making it sound too dramatic' or 'undermining a very real problem' when I'm not trying to do either. I'm just trying to keep from having to type out six words when I want to say 'us.' I realize it is impossible to make everyone happy, but I would settle for 70%. Jesus effing Christ! I realize 'Aspies' doesn't fit everyone, but what the eff else is there?!?

Calm down, it's not a huge deal. Like I said, when dealing with the whole spectrum, there isn't really a term to use. We all tend to use the terms that are most comfortable for us, I've heard the terms "spectrumers", "spectrumites", "ASD Individuals", as well as singular designation, but nobody really gives it too much thought aside from when addressing individuals directly, at least, as far as I've seen.

Gillberg's criteria is considered closest Hans Asperger's original cases was written in 1989 so it is too exclusive for our current understanding of the spectrum. I like it because he acknowledges motor clumsiness that is common among "Aspies" and unlike the DSM he would diagnose somebody like you who had "delayed development" in speech. At our age what happened before age 5 should not be a decisive diagnostic criteria.

I don't do it much now but in my younger days I would often talk about my special interests without noticing others were bored so I imposed my special interests. "Gillberg-Aspie" more accurately describes me then the DSM IV criteria but I don't use it because even in the Autism community not many people know much about it.