# Change in thread title placement, or type style? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 25, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209 "2019-02-25T22:33:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/1 "2019-02-25T22:33:14Z")
Okay, I don’t remember whether there’s always been a duplicate thread title between the OP’s name and their first post, or whether the type style has changed. Which is it? And since it differs (size? font? kerning?) from the thread title above the blue line with User CP etc. in it, it looks weird to me. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/2 "2019-02-25T22:46:58Z")
Something is up. I’m not sure what exactly at this point, but someone is changing something. None of us moderators have been informed of changes, yet. We’ll let you know when we hear something. I just want to let you know that it’s not an issue on your side. It’s definitely coming from us. So far the only thing I am noticing is a change in the thread title font and size, and so far it’s only on the classic theme. It affects both Firefox and Chrome, though it did not appear on my Firefox initially. I don’t use Sultanstheme. The thread title isn’t as large there, but I couldn’t tell you if it changed in any more subtle ways. ETA: Doesn’t seem to be affecting all forums yet. That might change. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/3 "2019-02-25T23:10:23Z")
Yeah, I was just in Elections, and it’s not there, yet. (I do see it here, using Chrome and classic theme.) There _has_ been a smaller version of the thread title within the OP itself (in classic theme, anyway), by the way. eta: I spoke too soon. I just looked back and Elections and the new dealy is there, too. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/4 "2019-02-25T23:29:12Z")
Just testing. EDIT: Man, that could get annoying in a thread where a lot of people use the “reply to post” button. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/5 "2019-02-26T00:08:44Z")
I’m likewise seeing it. Not aware of any changes … not intended ones, anyway. I’ll ask upstairs. Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/6 "2019-02-26T00:27:03Z")
There’s now a floating menu bar at the bottom of the screen, at least on my phone (in web view, it doesn’t happen in Tapatalk). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/7 "2019-02-26T01:02:58Z")
Even though it’s weird, it’s not a bad idea. The style of this site is extremely dated and needs a spruce up, but then I also like its simplicity and comforting steady familiarity. If it was me I would adjust a few superficial things; white space, borders, a splash of colour, a different typeface, without changing any of the fundamentals that work for everyone. And a more prominent thread title might be one of the things I’d change. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/8 "2019-02-26T01:27:36Z")
To me it looks like the text is smaller, as well as the post title being bigger and fatter. > [@](#): > > The style of this site is extremely dated and needs a spruce up As am I, so it could just be me.😉 ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/9 "2019-02-26T03:44:26Z")
Weird. And thanks. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/10 "2019-02-26T03:48:46Z")
Text is the same size … just the heds are bigger. Management is tinkering with some things, this was not their intention, though. It may or may not go away. Is it making your experience better or worse or not affecting? Please let me know and I’ll report upstairs again. Jenny your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/11 "2019-02-26T04:15:03Z")
It’s easier to see and does look “fresher,” though it’s redundant and the kerning seems off, though maybe only in relation to the old header above. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/12 "2019-02-26T12:10:43Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Text is the same size … just the heds are bigger. > > Management is tinkering with some things, this was not their intention, though. > > It may or may not go away. Is it making your experience better or worse or not affecting? > > Please let me know and I’ll report upstairs again. > > Jenny > your humble TubaDiva > Administrator If I can make a suggestion? Tell the folks upstairs to leave the damn default theme alone and practice on a duplicate of it: this is computing 101. I’m about 98% sure that VB allows private themes, so they can even test their changes to their hearts content before rolling it out ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/13 "2019-02-26T15:23:07Z")
Checking for all-caps mitigation. Edit: thank goodness for small mercies. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/14 "2019-02-26T15:28:53Z")
Unicode abuse. I’ll stop now, but it should be clear that large text in the middle of the thread is not conducive to a pleasant experience. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/15 "2019-02-26T16:10:46Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Unicode abuse. I’ll stop now, but it should be clear that large text in the middle of the thread is not conducive to a pleasant experience. Agree. And I don’t need to see the thread title again in giant letters. I clicked on it already, I know what it says. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/16 "2019-02-26T17:08:15Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > It may or may not go away. Is it making your experience better or worse or not affecting? > > Please let me know and I’ll report upstairs again. Don’t like it. The old/smaller headers were almost like regular text. Could have it up at work as long as you slid a page down below the banner, it was pretty much all text & nobody would notice. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/17 "2019-02-26T17:09:45Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Don’t like it. The old/smaller headers were almost like regular text. Could have it up at work as long as you slid a page down below the banner, it was pretty much all text & nobody would notice. Well, aside from all of the QSFW (Questionably SFW) ads on this site 😛 ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/18 "2019-02-26T17:14:23Z")
I’m not much worried about deliberate abuse: Users are already able to create large-font text if they choose, and it’s not abused much, and when it is, we moderators can step in to clean up the mess. I was more worried about users inadvertently creating big text in the middle of a thread, by using the “reply to post” button, which automatically inherits the parent post’s title. Or at least, it used to. It looks like that is also now changed. So this might be an issue in old threads being viewed now, but it probably won’t be going forward. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/19 "2019-02-26T18:29:47Z")
It kinda worries me that nobody knows what’s happenin’. Seems a little nefarious. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209/20 "2019-02-26T18:56:55Z")
Word from our admin is that this is related to some SEO (search engine optimization) stuff that they are doing. It will hopefully raise us a bit in the page results for google searches and the like, so that’s a good thing. I think it’s also a good sign that they are taking the time to put some effort into our site. Personally I don’t care for the change, but if it helps bring new folks here, I’m not going to complain. I will say though that it would be nice if they warned us about stuff like this first. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-thread-title-placement-or-type-style/830209.md?page=2)