# Check show signature by default? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 20, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703 "2008-10-20T04:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/1 "2008-10-20T04:10:47Z")
Is it possible to have the “Show your signature” button checked by default? I often forget about it, and it’s annoying to have to go back and edit it in. There doesn’t seem to be any downside to doing it, either. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/2 "2008-10-20T07:42:01Z")
_The following post does not contain any SDMB official policy and in no way is to be construed as a Moderator making policy._ I understand that it has been a custom at the SDMB that if one uses sigs, they are to be used on your first post in a particular thread, and then not again in that thread. At the upgrade before this last one, that was turned on for the first few days. We were asked to turn it off because people were inserting their signatures in every post they made. Easier to edit it in the first time than to have to edit it out in each subsequent post in that thread, I guess. _The preceding post does not contain any SDMB official policy and in no way is to be construed as a Moderator making policy._ ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/3 "2008-10-20T13:06:33Z")
**Rico** ’s correct. Signatures should be used once per thread and that’s it–although, it doesn’t matter in which post you use it. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/4 "2008-10-20T20:33:38Z")
That’s good to know; I’ve lurked here for years and never realized that. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/5 "2008-10-27T18:58:56Z")
Does sig length matter, or is the just the overhead of the DB access? ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/6 "2008-10-27T22:23:32Z")
As for the reason why we limit signatures to once per thread? Neither of those, actually; it’s because repeated signatures can be–and almost always are–very annoying. Seeing the same text over and over again doesn’t communicate anything new; in fact, we prefer that people be known by their posts and not what’s basically a repeated gimmick. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/7 "2008-10-28T00:31:03Z")
Okay, thanks for the explanation. I recently changed from typing my sign off to using a signature. But I did it to keep from annoying, so I will assume that I can continue to sign off as I normally do - ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/check-show-signature-by-default/468703/8 "2008-10-28T01:28:35Z")
You can use your signature once per thread, if that’s what you’re talking about.