# 3500-character post limit? That's a deal-breaker **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [June 24, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739 "2020-06-24T14:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/1 "2020-06-24T14:34:00Z")
I just typed out a reply to a few posts in the [thread about removing statues](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-statues-of-washington-jefferson-and-grant-be-removed/912321). It wasn’t a short reply, but by the standards of this message board, it wasn’t an especially long one either. I went to post, and got the message that my post was too long, and that there is a 3,500-character limit on posts. 3,500 characters is about 700 words, and if you’re including spaces between words in the character count (as this seems to do), then it’s even less than that. This is, quite frankly, nowhere near enough for a message board like this where we have extended debates using analysis and evidence, and often bringing in outside quotations to make our points. I hate the infinite scrolling, I’m not a fan of having my browser keyboard shortcuts hijacked, and I don’t like the look of the new board that much, but none of them are a deal-breaker for me. This would be a deal-breaker for me. As far as I can tell from looking back over some long posts from the SDMB, the limit on our VBulletin site was somewhere closer to 20,000 characters. That’s much more reasonable for a site like this. Please fix this, because 3,500 just isn’t going to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/2 "2020-06-24T16:19:45Z")
I just pasted the Nate the Snake story in Word and it said it was 56,451 characters. That is undoubtedly the longest message board post I ever read. Assuming some pre- and post-story commentary, we should go with a limit of 60,000. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/3 "2020-06-24T16:48:52Z")
100,000 is my recommendation. If not unlimited. We’re not like most boards. We do go on. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/4 "2020-06-25T00:24:56Z")
Yes, I wholeheartedly agree! I, too, just tried to post a reply in the thread about removing confederate statues and got that 3500 character limit. What are we, Twitter? Come on! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/5 "2020-06-25T00:43:39Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I just typed out a reply to a few posts in the [thread about removing statues](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-statues-of-washington-jefferson-and-grant-be-removed/912321). It wasn’t a short reply, but by the standards of this message board, it wasn’t an especially long one either. > > I went to post, and got the message that my post was too long, and that there is a 3,500-character limit on posts. 3,500 characters is about 700 words, and if you’re including spaces between words in the character count (as this seems to do), then it’s even less than that. > > This is, quite frankly, nowhere near enough for a message board like this where we have extended debates using analysis and evidence, and often bringing in outside quotations to make our points. > > I hate the infinite scrolling, I’m not a fan of having my browser keyboard shortcuts hijacked, and I don’t like the look of the new board that much, but none of them are a deal-breaker for me. > > This would be a deal-breaker for me. As far as I can tell from looking back over some long posts from the SDMB, the limit on our VBulletin site was somewhere closer to 20,000 characters. That’s much more reasonable for a site like this. > > Please fix this, because 3,500 just isn’t going to do it. TL;DR 😉 ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/6 "2020-06-25T00:54:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I hate the infinite scrolling … It is not “infinite scrolling” because you eventually get to the end of the thread (after, perhaps, the 9999th reply). It is simply unpaged threads, and if you leave a thread, you usually come back into it where you were and scroll on, without having to look at the top of the page. Actual infinite scrolling is designed to make the site you are on endless – threads themselves are not literally endless. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/7 "2020-06-25T02:36:01Z")
I actually came to the feedback area to post huzzahs, as I thought everything looked pretty good so far. But this does sound like a problem. I have quite often posted comments much longer than 700 words. I guess we’ll just have to continue in multiple posts as is done in Twitter threads? ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/8 "2020-06-25T03:13:35Z")
If you need that many words in a single post get a blog, you’re clearly not looking for a conversation. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/9 "2020-06-25T03:17:13Z")
Deal breaker for me, too. If I’m limited or edited by nannyware, I won’t be here much. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/10 "2020-06-25T03:28:55Z")
The funny thing is, I know for a fact that it was 2500 for me sometime yesterday – definitely not 3500. This sounds to me like the work of the infamous Nannybot based on something in your user status. The admins would not likely have increased it such a modest amount. Hopefully there’s an admin setting for it to either set it to a reasonable level or eliminate the limit entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/11 "2020-06-25T03:31:59Z")
According to Word, the OP’s post is 1138 characters. Just for reference. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/12 "2020-06-25T03:38:44Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > If you need that many words in a single post get a blog, you’re clearly not looking for a conversation I knew some genius would drop in with a comment like this. All I can say is that I’ve had plenty of excellent conversations on this board that involve long posts. If you don’t have the attention span for that sort of discussion, you’re welcome to stick to the Thread Games forum. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/13 "2020-06-25T03:43:01Z")
Just had a thought. Does the character limit apply to quotes as well? Quoting a long post would squash any reply into meaninglessness. And what about long statements inside of spoiler tags? ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/14 "2020-06-25T04:00:12Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Just had a thought. Does the character limit apply to quotes as well? Quoting a long post would squash any reply into meaninglessness. > > And what about long statements inside of spoiler tags?  Yes. When it accidentally got set to 50, just the quotes made the posts too long. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/15 "2020-06-25T04:56:47Z")
OK, the 3500 character post limit needs to die in a fire, right now! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/16 "2020-06-25T05:12:14Z")
Lengthy discourses (get it?) are particularly common in Great Debates, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/17 "2020-06-25T06:01:07Z")
Jaysus! You can’t make your point in 700 words? If you need more than that, you aren’t discussing; you’re filibustering. When I see a post that long, I skip to the next one. Learn to be pithy already! ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/18 "2020-06-25T06:35:22Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > Jaysus! You can’t make your point in 700 words? If you need more than that, you aren’t discussing; you’re filibustering. When I see a post that long, I skip to the next one. Learn to be pithy already!  You enjoy what you enjoy, and we’ll enjoy what we enjoy. But hey, thanks for playing! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/19 "2020-06-25T07:22:20Z")
Well of course; that goes without saying. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739/20 "2020-06-25T14:14:35Z")
I think the limit should be… \ _ONE MILLION CHARACTERS!_ \ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/3500-character-post-limit-thats-a-deal-breaker/912739.md?page=2)