# Are we not allowed to use different fonts anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 29, 2015, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776 "2015-04-29T04:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/81 "2015-04-30T00:05:10Z")
> [@Miss\_Spaulding](#): > > But no. You all decided to be d-bags about it. Calling other posters insulting names is also against the rules here, so don’t do it again (outside of The BBQ Pit; it’s okay doing it in that forum). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/82 "2015-04-30T00:57:57Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Complaining about the colors had nothing to do with forcing conformity. Wait what? Her posts not conforming was literally exactly what the problem was…or at least that’s how it was explained to me. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/83 "2015-04-30T01:13:33Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Wait what? Her posts not conforming was literally exactly what the problem was…or at least that’s how it was explained to me. It had nothing to do with conformity for the sake of conformity. If she wants to stand out, great. Just find a way to do it that doesn’t make threads more difficult to read. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/84 "2015-04-30T01:17:53Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > (bolding mine) > > I have to assume from this post that you’re not interested in any sincere discussion. You’ve been told over and over again that a particular pattern of behavior was moderated in the form of telling a poster not to engage in that behavior going forward. There is absolutely nothing new about that. But you are apparently determined to turn that into a new and universal ban on posts with color, and nothing anyone says to you about it is going to change your mind. _I’m_ trying to turn this into a universal ban on posts with color\*? Could you point me to the post where I asked for that. I’m pretty sure I can point to a post that suggest that you might want that. Let’s go back to the original question, maybe it wasn’t clear. You asked a poster to stop writing in green. Why? If the best you can come up with is “um, well Colibri did it before”, then maybe then maybe it’s time to revisit the (unwritten) rule. \*I simply said that if you don’t like posts that aren’t black print on white background than make a rule about it. Otherwise let it go. But, then, I’ve always said that. I hate inconsistencies. This ‘we don’t lock zombies (except that we actually do, all the time)’ BS drives me up the wall. Either make a rule that you can’t bump them and lock them when it happens, or have no rule and stop locking them. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/85 "2015-04-30T01:29:41Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > It had nothing to do with conformity for the sake of conformity. If she wants to stand out, great. Just find a way to do it that doesn’t make threads more difficult to read. \*\*So if she had posted in a different color, that was easy to read, say all blue/bold, nothing would have happened? Because a few people are complaining that it was hard to read on their monitors, but a lot of people are saying things like “16 years” and “community standards”. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/86 "2015-04-30T01:30:54Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > I’m seriously having a hard time understanding why so many people, mods included, even care what color or font someone else chooses to use. And I’m having a hard time understanding why it’s Miss S’s duty to keep those others font-happy and color-happy. Look, I can hear all the music my next door neighbor plays. _Maybe_ I could ask the manager to ask her to turn it down. But if I don’t like listening to her preferred genre, does anyone think I would have any recourse other than to quietly fume about it? > > Okay, I get **Broomstick** ’s complaint that some people really have a hard time reading it. But even Miss S herself says she never thought of that, and would have been happy to switch to regular black text if someone had politely asked her. That isn’t what’s happened here. > > I think we’ve got a case of mis-placed annoyance here. Her posts have mostly come across as confrontational and combative, yet the Good People of this board are ragging her less for that and more just for her choice of color and font. > > I don’t like the tone of Miss S’s posts much either, mostly. But I also don’t like the uber-conformist streak on the board over such petty stuff as font or color choice. Do the people of this board also fuss IRL about the clothing choices that your classmates or workmates wear (HR toadies excepted of course)? I thought this board had a more enlightened membership than this. > > Sorry, everybody. I’m sympathetic to Miss S on this. I agree with what she wrote in her lengthy riposte above, and I think she’s right to have the pissed-off attitude she displays over her warm reception here. > > And the same goes for everyone who has nothing better to do than fuss over **Shodan** ’s sign-offs. Do you guys nit-pick like that IRL too? Every community in existence has unwritten rules of etiquette that you are expected to follow. Do you normally just barge into social situations and then just do whatever you want? A certain level of conformity is necessary to join a new community. None of the ire is misplaced. She made it very clear that [she didn’t care that it bothered anyone](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18324897#post18324897) and that people would just have to put up with it. That’s why a mod had to get involved, and that’s why this thread was started. The green text is part of the pattern your describe. (And, yes, this means the thread has become about you **Miss Spaulding**. I’m sorry.) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/87 "2015-04-30T02:07:53Z")
Nm ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/88 "2015-04-30T02:19:39Z")
> [@Miss\_Spaulding](#): > > No. _ **Obviously** _ I wouldn’t have continued to use it if I knew it was so difficult to read for everyone else. It doesn’t show up like that on my own computer screen, so I had no idea. You misunderstand. I am colorblind. I don’t see green very well. That’s what I meant by 10% of the population has trouble reading your posts. That wasn’t how it appeared to me exactly, it’s a simulation of the sort of the low contrast problem you generated for my vision. [This site](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb263953%28v=vs.85%29.aspx) is intended for web designer but it discusses color selection and text with several illustrations as to why that can be a problem for those of us whose color vision isn’t normal. While I wasn’t as bothered by your color selection as many others here, it’s largely because I couldn’t see your posts very well. In many ways, it’s as if you were on “ignore” from my viewpoint. Unfortunate, if you were saying something I was interested in reading. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/89 "2015-04-30T02:29:33Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > _I’m_ trying to turn this into a universal ban on posts with color\*? Could you point me to the post where I asked for that. I’m pretty sure I can point to a post that suggest that you might want that. My statement was that you are trying to turn _my_ explanation to you about a ruling on a poster’s behavior into meaning that I want to ban all use of color in posts, which is why I felt you were being disingenuous. An assertion that you’re alluding to yet again in the quoted section above. I don’t believe you can point to anything I’ve said in this thread or elsewhere that suggests I am interested in universally banning the use of color in posts on this board. So far, it doesn’t seem like there are a lot of people having difficulty understanding that. > [@](#): > > Let’s go back to the original question, maybe it wasn’t clear. You asked a poster to stop writing in green. Why? If the best you can come up with is “um, well Colibri did it before”, then maybe then maybe it’s time to revisit the (unwritten) rule. The written rule is don’t be a jerk. We review and determine whether we believe someone’s behavior or pattern of behavior falls into that category. In this case, we felt that it did, and thus, I told her to stop. It does not mean (and again, there aren’t many people that seem to be interpreting it to mean) that every instance of any individual using a different color or font is a violation. I don’t believe anyone in this thread has stated that the _reason_ a note was issued in this instance is because **Colibri** did so before. What other posters and moderators have tried to explain to you is that this isn’t the first time “in 16 years” and after “millions of posts” that someone’s use of color in posts has been determined to fall under the umbrella of jerkish behavior. > [@](#): > > \*I simply said that if you don’t like posts that aren’t black print on white background than make a rule about it. Otherwise let it go. But, then, I’ve always said that. I hate inconsistencies. This ‘we don’t lock zombies (except that we actually do, all the time)’ BS drives me up the wall. Either make a rule that you can’t bump them and lock them when it happens, or have no rule and stop locking them. It appears you would like a hard-and-fast bright line rule for everything, but that’s just not the way it works around here. Some situations warrant looking at circumstances and context and then making a judgment call. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/90 "2015-04-30T02:37:27Z")
> [@Miss\_Spaulding](#): > > Like I’ve said, it would have been nice if Broomstick or someone else with a legit eye problem could have PMd me and said 'Yo, I have eye problems, could you refrain from the green font?" …I would have happily obliged. Communication, folks. You got to communicate… I actually replied to one of your posts and stated that 10% of potential readers would have a problem with your color selection. In fact, I started that post with the statement I removed the green coloring in my reply [because I had trouble seeing it,](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18317688&postcount=43) in no small part because editing other peoples’ quotes is generally frowned upon and I wanted to make my reason for doing so explicit. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/91 "2015-04-30T02:39:41Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > \*\*So if she had posted in a different color, that was easy to read, say all blue/bold, nothing would have happened? Because a few people are complaining that it was hard to read on their monitors, but a lot of people are saying things like “16 years” and “community standards”. \*\* From MY viewpoint blue/bold is just fine and I wouldn’t have cared at all. Because I can see it and read it. Other opinions might vary, and almost certainly do. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/92 "2015-04-30T02:44:28Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > _I’m_ trying to turn this into a universal ban on posts with color\*? Could you point me to the post where I asked for that. Sure: > [@](#): > > \*I simply said that if you don’t like posts that aren’t black print on white background than make a rule about it. Right there is you advocating making a rule to universally ban posts of color. It’s been stated multiple times in this thread that the unwritten rule is against **excessive** use of color. You also previously posted that you see no distinction between a mod note and a Warning, which indicates you are not trying to understand how moderation works here. And, despite your cry for consistency, it is consistent. It’s just not consistent in the form of having a spelled out rule. This is because most people don’t need a rule to understand it. Having the mods just give you a note if you don’t get it has been always been sufficient. (And zombies aren’t closed because we want newbies to respond to zombies–if they have relevant information. Previously, when we did not want this, the reason we didn’t close them is because it’s just a lot of work. And during both those times, we’ve had rules about zombies.) ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/93 "2015-04-30T02:47:21Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > \*\*So if she had posted in a different color, that was easy to read, say all blue/bold, nothing would have happened? Because a few people are complaining that it was hard to read on their monitors, but a lot of people are saying things like “16 years” and “community standards”. \*\* Despite the evidence thus far, I’m going to pretend you’re interested in a good-faith discussion. No, the same thing probably would have happened. Bold blue text eliminates the problem for people like Broomstick with color blindness. It still makes the text difficult to read because of the sudden shift. People simply don’t read text as easily if there are multiple fonts and colors mixed up. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Spaulding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Miss\_Spaulding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Spaulding)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/94 "2015-04-30T02:55:35Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > Reading a lot of text where the color and/or the font changes randomly is difficult. Your eyes have to adjust each time it changes. Maybe it doesn’t happen to you, but it does to most people. It’s a very standard rule in publishing that you should use uniform colors and fonts, and that rule exists for a reason. > > If **Miss S** wants to stand out from the crowd with her “controversial posts,” more power to her. Complaining about the colors had nothing to do with forcing conformity. It had to do with her posts being more difficult to read. Her “deal with it lol” responses when people asked her to stop are what ramped up the vitriol more than her original color choice. My controversial posts should have nothing to do with this thread. This entire forum is reeking of controversial posts. So let’s not go there. And my one time ‘deal with it’ response was made partially in jest because I never dreamed for one moment that writing in green font would cause such an uproar as this since I’ve been using it for years without an issue. I thought the complaint was trollish and didn’t think anything of it. A simple mistake that anybody could make. …So crucify me. But be assured, I’ll take such comments seriously from now on since one must walk on eggshells around here apparently. > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > Calling other posters insulting names is also against the rules here, so don’t do it again (outside of The BBQ Pit; it’s okay doing it in that forum). You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again. > [@BigT](#): > > Every community in existence has unwritten rules of etiquette that you are expected to follow. Do you normally just barge into social situations and then just do whatever you want? A certain level of conformity is necessary to join a new community. > > None of the ire is misplaced. She made it very clear that [she didn’t care that it bothered anyone](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=18324897#post18324897) and that people would just have to put up with it. That’s why a mod had to get involved, and that’s why this thread was started. > > The green text is part of the pattern your describe. > > (And, yes, this means the thread has become about you **Miss Spaulding**.) Again with the ‘deal with it’ comment. I already answered that one above. …And you couldn’t be more wrong, because I do care what ‘truly’ bothers people. That’s why I’m okay with refraining to use green font (even though it’s not against the rules, or is it? I never really got clear answer on that one). I thought the guy was being a jerk and thus I laughed and brushed it off with a ‘deal with it.’ It never crossed my mind that he or anyone would actually have an issue with green font, which is why I didn’t take it seriously. Y’all people need to learn to communicate properly around here. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Spaulding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Miss\_Spaulding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Spaulding)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/95 "2015-04-30T03:04:06Z")
Y’all are welcome to continue this discussion, but I’m going to bow out now. I really have nothing more to add to this ‘trial’ I was thrust into. For those with legitimate eye issues that were bothered by my green font, I am definitely sorry for that. I had no idea that it was cause such a problem, and as I said earlier, I won’t be using green font anymore. Strictly black from now on. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/96 "2015-04-30T03:13:57Z")
> [@Miss\_Spaulding](#): > > Strictly black from now on. I highly recommend it. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Spaulding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Miss\_Spaulding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Spaulding)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/97 "2015-04-30T03:16:26Z")
Also… For those who think I’m argumentative and combative - You obviously haven’t read through all of the posts I’ve contributed to this forum so far…if you had you wouldn’t have said that. I’m not here to argue or be combative, but I _will_ fight back if I’m thrust into the limelight over a petty issue as this, which could have been resolved within…gosh…minutes. I speak frankly and can be blunt with my responses (online and offline), so yes, sometimes that comes off in a negative way to posters who don’t know me well enough. It makes me appear confrontational at times, but I’m not. Heck, if I loved being argumentative and confrontational, I would have had a heyday with getting into it with another poster on vaccines, but I didn’t. I kindly stepped away. We can rehash this and rehash this over and over again…but it’s not going to solve anything. The problem is already solved anyway. I’m not using the evil green font anymore and I’ve made my apology, so cased closed as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/98 "2015-04-30T04:05:19Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > \*\*So if she had posted in a different color, that was easy to read, say all blue/bold, nothing would have happened? Because a few people are complaining that it was hard to read on their monitors, but a lot of people are saying things like “16 years” and “community standards”. \*\* There’s no prohibition against posting in different colors, or different fonts. However, if you do it all the time, many people here will find it annoying, and intentionally annoying people falls under the “don’t be a jerk” rule. So in that respect it doesn’t matter what color you choose. If you consistently post in an abnormal font or color, one of the mods is going to have to step in and tell you to stop it. If it’s just a one time thing, though, especially if it is to make a point or emphasize something, then it’s no biggie. Hence, there’s no need for any bright line rule prohibiting alternate fonts or colors. The basic guideline is just don’t be a jerk about it. With that in mind, if she had posted in blue instead of green, but had made every post in that color, as she did with the green, then the result would have been the same. She would have been told that we don’t do that sort of thing here. If you do see a new user posting in an alternate font or color, please **politely** point out that this sort of thing goes against the culture of this board and will be considered annoying by many people here. We don’t want to punish new users just for being unfamiliar with the established culture of a board that goes back for more than a decade and a half. There are all kinds of things in the culture of this board that a newbie won’t be aware of. If they persist in their use of an annoying font or color, then please report their posts so that a moderator can step in and handle it. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/99 "2015-04-30T10:50:27Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I highly recommend it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776/100 "2015-04-30T12:28:55Z")
I take my fonts the way I take my men. Mostly minuscule. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-not-allowed-to-use-different-fonts-anymore/718776.md?page=6)