# "Complete sentence" rule **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [August 25, 2020, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990 "2020-08-25T15:46:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/21 "2020-08-28T19:11:15Z")
Y  ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/22 "2020-08-28T19:11:21Z")
`Y ` ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/23 "2020-08-28T21:17:41Z")
Wait, didn’t you write this forum? How do **you** make a formatting error like that? It’s like Einstein getting his checking account balancing wrong. 🤭 ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/24 "2020-08-28T21:40:21Z")
It’s not a formatting error! I was demonstrating how you can achieve the desired effect (a single letter post) 😏 I hope that helps. Been a big fan of Straight Dope message boards for a very very long time, and I hope everyone is reasonably happy with the changeover. I know change brings its own challenges. But in this case you have the ear of someone who can actually _change the product to make it better for everyone_. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/25 "2020-08-28T21:45:02Z")
Ah, the second post was “how-to”. I withdraw my teasing. 😝 Yeah, I am aware of and generally appreciate your presence. I’m just a random freeloading fool here, so don’t expect any earthshaking insights from me. As you’ve probably already detected, there are a lot of long-standing preferences and practices this little community that we’re having to adapt to the capabilities of the platform. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/26 "2020-08-29T00:00:18Z")
(Accidentally posted early. Will try again.) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/27 "2020-08-29T00:13:02Z")
A  ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/28 "2020-08-29T00:18:17Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > It wasn’t until the post after yours that someone mentioned a minimum character requirement that I wasn’t familiar with, that you didn’t mention in the OP. And, as someone that’s never used a discourse board before this, it wasn’t obvious to me that you were talking about Discourse. And the quote, lacking context, didn’t mean anything to me, especially since it’s not a link to another thread where I might have figured out what you were talking about. Ok, granted he posted words in an unattributed quote box, and didn’t start with “This stupid board is giving me this error message when I try to post short replies.” However, the thread is in the forum “Site Feedback”, not the Gameroom or Great Debates or MPSIMS, so it is sensible to assume he’s talking about the board software. Especially when he then mentions > [@SCAdian](#): > > . There’ve been many other cases where I’ve received this message. and goes on to say > [@SCAdian](#): > > And the infuriating thing about it is that posting anyway is not an option – the only thing one can do is click on “OK” and then add pointless rubbish to the post. That is clearly about being able to post, so must be about the software. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > However, upon mentioning that I was confused, I got: > > > [@SCAdian](#): > > > > That also counts as pointless rubbish. No, that was a response to someone else. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Maybe I missed something in the OP, maybe I didn’t and other people are confused as well. I don’t understand the push back. You posted a snarky comment instead of a request for clarification. The tone of the responses was set by you. > [@codinghorror](#): > > It’s not a formatting error! I was demonstrating how you can achieve the desired effect (a single letter post) Except it is not a single letter post, it requires typing other stuff. And not all of us have tusks things memorized, so that’s even more effort to look it up. When the effect could much more simply be achieved by just typing one letter. > [@codinghorror](#): > > But in this case you have the ear of someone who can actually _change the product to make it better for everyone_ . OK, but we’ve posted several complaints about the software on the board, some citing your name. Many having to do with the nanny messages like this one. Have you listened to any of those complaints, and more importantly, have you changed _anything_ in response to comments here? ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/29 "2020-08-29T00:50:58Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > have you changed _anything_ in response to comments here? Feel free to view my post history; I’ve listed many relevant existing site settings that could be changed, _including minimum characters allowed per post_, but as **I am not the site owner** it is not remotely in my wheelhouse to make those decisions or changes. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/30 "2020-08-29T01:26:16Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > But in this case you have the ear of someone who can actually _change the product to make it better for everyone_ Something I have not been able to find yet: a way to list _only_ watched threads with unread posts. “Unread” includes watched and tracked threads. I don’t mind the fact that there are two levels of thread importance here (in fact it’s nice in some ways), but I use watched as an equivalent to the old subscribed, and I’d like a view for _only_ watched threads, not tracked. Sometimes I don’t have time do catch up on all threads I’ve ever had a passing interest in and just want to look at the ones I’ve posted in. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/31 "2020-08-29T01:49:23Z")
Advanced search options will get you to a list of all watched topics, at least: `https://boards.straightdope.com/search?q=in%3Awatching` I can’t include a screenshot, but - bring up search - click “options” - on the right hand side, select “I’m watching” under the “Only return topics/posts” section Note that “I posted in” is also an option in that same drop-down. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/32 "2020-08-29T03:16:20Z")
Nice  ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/33 "2020-08-29T03:23:21Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > > [@Irishman](#): > > > > have you changed _anything_ in response to comments here? > > Feel free to view my post history; I’ve listed many relevant existing site settings that could be changed, _including minimum characters allowed per post_, but as **I am not the site owner** it is not remotely in my wheelhouse to make those decisions or changes. Hey, since you are reading this thread… Any chance y’all can fix the “can’t see preview if you have a touchscreen” bug? I mean, when “touchscreen” meant “no other pointing device” it was probably a good feature, but at this point it seems to be a bug, since most new laptops come with touchscreens. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/34 "2020-08-29T03:45:02Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > Advanced search options will get you to a list of all watched topics, at least: Thanks; I think I did run across that earlier, but I couldn’t figure out then how to get multiple conditions. This mostly does what I want: [https://boards.straightdope.com/search?q=in%3Awatching%20in%3Aunseen](https://boards.straightdope.com/search?q=in%3Awatching%20in%3Aunseen) A few issues: - No grey/blue bugs indicating the number of unread messages - This is a more general problem, but posts by ignored posters count as unread for these purposes. - Would be nice to save advanced searches to the hamburger menu for quick access. Sure, I can make a browser bookmark, but it’s nice when everything goes through the same UI. Plus it would be handier on mobile. - Any way to hide the advanced search settings? I don’t really want to see them once I’ve set up the search. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/35 "2020-08-29T03:59:45Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Any chance y’all can fix the “can’t see preview if you have a touchscreen” bug? Hmm, my Surface 7 is a touchscreen and I have no trouble seeing the preview. It sounds like you might be in mobile UI mode. Can you check the hamburger dropdown at upper right and see if it has a “desktop view” mode listed there? That would indicate you are in mobile UI mode. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/36 "2020-08-30T13:28:43Z")
I actually switched that computer to mobile UI mode recently, so I’ll have to switch it back and re-check. But I had the same problem before I put it in mobile mode, and I _thought_ that was the explanation. It’s an HP EliteBook running Win10. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/37 "2020-08-30T19:05:01Z")
There is also a > « hide preview link at bottom right of the editor. Once pressed it hides the post preview, and changes to > show preview » Has that been pressed? When this type of thing has come up in the past, it’s usually because they are accidentally in mobile mode but I thought I would mention hide and show preview just in case. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/38 "2020-08-30T21:23:50Z")
Oh – I didn’t mean the preview of the post I an writing. Yeah, that’s a mobile thing and works fine both ways. I meant the hover-over-topic-heading and getting a pop-up preview of the beginning of the post. I love that feature, but it doesn’t work on my Win10 box, any my understanding was that that’s a touchscreen-based option. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/39 "2020-08-30T21:29:27Z")
For example, if I go to the “site Feedback” category, there is a list of topics (threads). And right now the first one is this thread. And if I hover over the words “complete sentence rule” on this computer (a mac, with no touchscreen" I see “this BS has to go. When playing hangman…” Which is helpful, because I didn’t really know what the thread might be about just from the title. And it’s fun to browse down the list and see what threads are out there. But I can’t do that on the PC. And I thought that was because it has a touchscreen, so the system thinks it doesn’t have a mouse, or something like that. It drove me nuts that it sometimes worked and sometimes didn’t until someone pointed out the relationship to the touch screen, because I thought I wa going nuts, or doing something wrong. I wasted a lot of time poking around with options, too. If that’s been fixed (if I take the PC out of mobile mode) I will be delighted. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990/40 "2020-08-30T21:35:46Z")
Oh right. Unfortunately at the moment there is no browser-based way to tell the browser code “this is _both_ a touch _and_ a mouse device” ☹ Hover pop-up states are only for mouse-based devices. That’s why they have fallen so out of favor on the web, as everything is so mobile centric these days. Sorry, I wish I had better news! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/complete-sentence-rule/918990.md?page=3)