# Board Culture: Bolding User Names **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 30, 2012, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531 "2012-05-30T11:01:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/21 "2012-05-30T20:11:32Z")
I used to not bold names as a small subversive act of rebellion. “I can’t call you a moron, but dammit, you’re not worth the work to bold!” Then I decided nobody was worth that, so I stopped bolding usernames in general. If it became mandated, I’d either ignore it, or demand we mandate other things as well, like the serial comma and use of the passive voice. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/22 "2012-05-30T20:16:33Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Note that when one uses the board autoquote function, the username is bolded. That’s not analogous to bolding a username is ordinary text. It’s special formatting. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/23 "2012-05-30T20:16:51Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I think more posters are reading the boards from phones or iPads, and some are using the Tapatalk app, which makes bolding the usernames more difficult. I do it when I can, but sometimes I just can’t depending on the device I’m using. I post from my iPhone a lot. In fact I’m posting from it now. I don’t generally bold usernames when I’m on it. It’s possible to do, but it’s a bit cumbersome. I will bold names when posting from my PC, though. To me, bolding names is optional. I only do it when it’s convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/24 "2012-05-30T20:18:42Z")
Stopped doing it years ago, not going back to doing it and would oppose any rule to that effect. It’s unnecessary and I find it annoying. I would also suggest that posting someone’s name non-bold is not an attack and it takes a really…um…special\* thought process to make that leap. (“attack”?) \*Paranoid? Delusional? Weird? Totally alien? (seriously–“attack”? An attack is when Tonya Harding jumps out at you from behind some bushes and whacks you in the knees with a tire-iron. Not bolding your name is just a way to make the post easier to read and saves some keystrokes. “Attack”???) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/25 "2012-05-30T20:21:05Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > An attack is when Tonya Harding jumps out at you from behind some bushes and whacks you in the knees with a tire-iron. I thought that was a KFC special called the Nancy Kerigan (two small breasts and a battered thigh) ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/26 "2012-05-30T20:30:52Z")
I don’t bold, it is my way of sticking it to the man 😃 Sometimes I bold and sometimes I don’t. If I don’t hold you in high regard I am less likely to bold as it takes more time and if I hold you in such little regard than I am not going to take the time. But in general it just depends. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/27 "2012-05-30T20:51:45Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I thought that was a KFC special called the Nancy Kerigan (two small breasts and a battered thigh) Bwah! 😃 😛 I’d never heard that before. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/28 "2012-05-30T21:06:30Z")
I like the convention, and use it myself, but I agree with many others that it absolutely shouldn’t be a rule. Which is the status quo, so I don’t think much discussion is needed. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/29 "2012-05-30T21:09:42Z")
I don’t do it although I suppose I’d start if everyone else was doing it. I can’t stand up to peer pressure. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/30 "2012-05-30T22:59:09Z")
I have reported this thread and requested it be moved to the “What the fuck?” forum, where I think it would be a better fit. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/31 "2012-05-30T23:01:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t do it although I suppose I’d start if everyone else was doing it. > > I can’t stand up to peer pressure. **FIGHT THE POWER, MAN! DON’T LET YOURSELF BE ATTACKED** Little Nemo! **FIGHT! THE! POWER!** ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/32 "2012-05-30T23:10:19Z")
I really don’t think anyone is suggesting that this be made a “rule.” Just a suggestion on best practices. ---
**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:** [May 30, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/33 "2012-05-30T23:40:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It allows a poster to quickly scroll through a thread rather than use search every single time. Said poster could read the thread instead of only looking for their own name. Control-F works pretty well too. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/34 "2012-05-31T02:10:59Z")
If you feel compelled to do it, do it. If you feel it would be a courtesy, do it. If you feel it would bug you to do it, don’t do it. We have enough rules as it is, we really really do. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/35 "2012-05-31T02:37:56Z")
> [@Sister\_Vigilante](#): > > I think I did it once or twice but gave up. If you want to see if your name is in a thread, search the thread for your name. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > We have enough rules as it is, we really really do. Yes, yes, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/36 "2012-05-31T02:45:02Z")
TubaDiva\*\*, would there be a problem if I’m compelled to do the inverse? I really like the Bolding feature offered here, but I don’t want to give all you creeps a fat head or anything, thinking you’re all special with the big bolded names and whatnot. Plus, I think this is a really neat compromise that I can’t see anyone having a problem with.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/37 "2012-05-31T03:33:36Z")
I bold user names, the same way I capitalize names IRL. I saw it as convention when I was lurking here. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t do it although I suppose I’d start if everyone else was doing it. > > I can’t stand up to peer pressure. EVERYONE is sending me money. You should, too! 🙂 **-D/a** ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/38 "2012-05-31T03:42:50Z")
> [@me](#): > > Could I have the next paragraph added to the **Board Etiquette** sticky, please? > > It has been a longtime element of the board “culture” that members’ names referenced in posts are bolded. **There is no rule mandating this; it is simply a matter of courtesy to other members**. I was not suggesting a rule but a note in the Etiquette FAQ on a longstanding, now going out of style custom. Sorry for ever bringing it up! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/39 "2012-05-31T04:34:44Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > EVERYONE is sending me money. You should, too! Hey, just because I fell for it once when Rich Burlew said this, doesn’t mean I’m falling for it this time. You’re not even offering magnets or stickers. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531/40 "2012-05-31T13:43:10Z")
Your choice of a free magnet, sticker, or rusty bottle cap with every donation! Don’t be left out! Everyone’s doing it, so send money now! We accept PayPal, major credit cards, or green tinted engravings of deceased presidents. I’ll even bold your **username**. Oh, and be sure to ‘Like’ us on Facebook. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/board-culture-bolding-user-names/623531.md?page=3)