# 2 questions about posting....from a frustrated newbie. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 26, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935 "2000-07-26T17:18:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e95f7d/32.png) [@Zinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zinger)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/1 "2000-07-26T17:18:32Z")
How does one go about making bold text?? How does one go about making similies??? (like the smiley faces and such…) I feel dumb asking these questions, but dumb seems to be a prevalent feeling for me… ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/2 "2000-07-26T17:26:52Z")
Hey, Zinger. When you hit the “Reply” button, you’ll see a bunch of text at the top of the window: > [@](#): > > Forum Rules: > Who Can Read The Forum? Any registered user or guest. > Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered user. > Who Can Post Replies? Any registered user. > Changes: Messages can be edited by their author. Messages can be deleted by their author. > Posts: HTML code is Off. Smilies are On. vB code is On. [IMG] code is Off. Smilies and vB code are underlined, indicating that they are hyperlinks. Click on the links, and they will take you to pages which will show you just how to use these codes. Most smilies are very simple and easy to remember. Typing a : and a ) together, for instance, yields :). And for a winking smilie, type ; and ). Just make sure to use the preview button to make sure that everything looks the way you want it to before you submit it. Lynn Queen of the Pit ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/3 "2000-07-26T17:27:54Z")
Smilies - Go to the bottom of this page. You will see (in small print) a link that mentions smilies. Click on it. It will tell you all you need to know. Bolding - There is also a link down there that mentions VB code. Check it out. You can do some pretty helpful things with various aspects of it. Example: To bold, surround the stuff you want bolded as such. [b]Bold this[/ b] I added spaces so you could see it. By getting rid of the spaces, you get the following: **Bold this** ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/4 "2000-07-26T17:30:06Z")
Well, if I am going to be beaten in a simulpost, it might as well be by the lovely Lynn. ---
**Author:** ![Zinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e95f7d/32.png) [@Zinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zinger)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/5 "2000-07-26T17:39:56Z")
Thanks guys!!! I am suprised at how nice everyone is here compared to other forums. I mean, you’re not angels, but you’re kind and courteous when it’s called for. Thanks. 🙂 😉 😃 :wally ;j 😛 :rolleyes: 😕 🆒 :eek: ☹ :o **Here goes nothin…** ---
**Author:** ![Zinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e95f7d/32.png) [@Zinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zinger)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/6 "2000-07-26T17:41:51Z")
😛 ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/7 "2000-07-26T17:56:20Z")
> [@](#): > > …but you’re kind and courteous when it’s called for. and brave, clean, friendly, thrifty and all that other Boy Scout jazz. You have no idea how hard it is for us to act like this tough. I mean, I have merit badges in spite and misanthropy. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/8 "2000-07-26T18:20:53Z")
> [@](#): > > I am suprised at how nice everyone is here compared to other forums Just wait until you get me started on the classic italicize vs. underlining battle. If I have to hear those no good, namby pamby, underlining advocates crop up again with their claims of improved style. Ugh. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/9 "2000-07-26T18:32:41Z")
You’re _supposed_ to use italics for emphasis. Underlining for emphasis is okay only if you’re writing _freehand_, not typing, and certainly not if the program you’re using _has_ an italics function. Underlining is used primarily for titles, say, DOS For Dummies, and of course for webpage links. Boldface is primarily for headers, titles, etc. I suppose you could use it for emphasis, but only if it’s **really strong** emphasis, like what you’d PUT IN ALL CAPS. All clear? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/10 "2000-07-26T18:52:54Z")
we;;, sorry to pick nits, **DKW** , but bolding is generally much more appreciated online than CAPS. IN THE CYBER WORLD, POSTING IN CAPS IS SEEN AS SHOUTING. And it can be very irritating. Bolding is very useful in many cases (I bold other users’ names, for example, so everyone know to and about whom I’m speaking). Also, according to the lovely and talented Kate Turabian (as well as MLA and ALA), book titles should be italicized. Underlining is shorthand for italics, say before typesetting, but traditionally should not be used in real life. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2000, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/11 "2000-07-26T18:54:34Z")
sheesh. And proofreading is a good thing as well. WTH does “we;;” mean?? Sorry 'bout that. ---
**Author:** ![Mojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Mojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mojo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/12 "2000-07-27T00:30:46Z")
†Ë§†² –———– ---
**Author:** ![tiggeril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggeril/32/7234_2.png) [@tiggeril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiggeril)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/13 "2000-07-27T02:53:31Z")
Is there anyway to add superscript? (It’s kinda late in the game for me to be asking, but…) ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/14 "2000-07-27T04:54:15Z")
Yep, [sup] [/ sup] (or sub) will do the trick. Note my sig. picmr ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2-questions-about-posting-from-a-frustrated-newbie/26935/15 "2000-07-28T14:04:11Z")
**[Don’t forget the link. Here’s how to post one, Part Next](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)**