# Descriptive Titles - Training Wheels **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 1, 2001, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815 "2001-07-01T06:06:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jally)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2001, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/1 "2001-07-01T06:06:12Z")
Addressing minty green’s comment in TubaDiva’s “SEARCH ALL” post: He mentioned that the elimination of “Search All” might help encourage the posting of more descriptive titles. He might be interested in **FEATURE FOUR** of the following site: [http://forumfeatures.homestead.com/files/index.html](http://forumfeatures.homestead.com/files/index.html) If anyone else has a better “training wheel” proposal toward more descriptive headers, the floor is yours. (Playing my own Devils Advocate, I realize all too well that many people who aren’t descriptive might click anyway, and many who are descriptive might not bother to click.) ---
**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:** [July 1, 2001, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/2 "2001-07-01T14:24:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jally \* > \*\* > If anyone else has a better “training wheel” proposal toward more descriptive headers, the floor is yours. (Playing my own Devils Advocate, I realize all too well that many people who aren’t descriptive might click anyway, and many who are descriptive might not bother to click.) > > \*\* Keen. I have a better suggestion. Rather than have annoying check-boxes, why not have posters actually _talk_ to one another? For example: As long as we’re discussing non-descriptive thread titles, might I suggest that someone who thinks [“Flustrations”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=75836) is a descriptive thread title, when the contents include both “Jeepers, the board is really slow.”, “My profile didn’t get updated.” and “Gawrsh, logic makes muh haid hurt.” has no room to be talking about what constitutes a descriptive thread title? By the way…do you have some sort of financial interest in the Message Board Crapware you keep hawking? (Is it actually a message board system or is it just some net-kook’s idea of a wish list) I’m just wondering because I can’t see any other reason you’d keep trying to convince a board that has clean design, easy-to-read messages and user friendly features to switch to a cluttered, garish, ugly, hard-to-read piece of crapware. Fenris PS: To whoever designed that site: #1) Multiple color 30 point text is annoying. #2) “Off-color” means “naughty language or content”. “Off-Topic” on the other hand means “Doesn’t apply to the conversation”. ---
**Author:** ![jally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jally)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/3 "2001-07-01T21:28:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fenris \* > **(Is it actually a message board system or is it just some net-kook’s idea of a wish list** I wish the SDMB would implement this feature: [http://features.homestead.com/files/index.htm.html](http://features.homestead.com/files/index.htm.html) Then there would only be 1 extra post cluttering this thread (instead of the 2 extraneous posts there will be as soon as I click “Submit” ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/4 "2001-07-02T01:49:23Z")
Fenris: LOL, dude! Really. [sub]muh haid hurts, too[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2001, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/5 "2001-07-02T02:10:41Z")
Okay, now I’m curious, gonna go look at the durn thing. There is nothing there that says who the website belongs to, no Webmaster e-mail address, nothing. Homestead is evidently like Geocities, in that they host webpages? And they also will help you design them? I’m assuming this is for a fee? [http://www.homestead.com/](http://www.homestead.com/) [http://www.homestead.com/~site/CompanyInfo/companyinfo.ffhtml](http://www.homestead.com/~site/CompanyInfo/companyinfo.ffhtml) [http://www.homestead.com/~site/productinfo/rules.ffhtml#TOS](http://www.homestead.com/~site/productinfo/rules.ffhtml#TOS) Backing up one on Jally’s URL, to [http://forumfeatures.homestead.com/files/](http://forumfeatures.homestead.com/files/) just brings up the same “Message Board Features Proposal” page. From the website: > [@](#): > > Feature One: > This Feature Is Available On Very Few Forums: > For the benefit of people with slow-loading systems: > Option on Main Topics-Index Page to open every topic-link either as a new page or else as a window. For samples of this feature in operation see these boards: These are two demos posted of (I presume) actual message boards so you can see how well this “Open Links as Windows” idea works, whatever it is. The StarForum demo, I didn’t want to wait until the next glacial epoch for it to finish loading–this is supposed to be some kind of idea to _speed up_ a message board? Sure didn’t work for StarForum, whoever they are. The Afterburner demo is all in German, and since I don’t read German, I have no clue as to what exactly I’m supposed to be deducing from the demo. Feature Two amounts to having exactly _twice_ as many posts per thread–the posts themselves, and the editorial comment from the Original Poster as to whether each response to his thread is helpful, off-topic, etc. Feature Four, the suggestions for icons to go in the thread titles, I’ve seen on lots of other boards, and you’re right, they are kewl. However, as has been discussed here in ATMB many times, (1) graphics eat up a lot of bandwidth, and (2) there are frequently problems with graphics copyright violations which the Chicago _Reader_ doesn’t want to get into. At all. As the Administration has made clear, on many occasions. And there’s more stuff, which are actually not “bad” suggestions, but it’s just that it all seems to be nothing less than a total revamp of the SDMB’s format. Is that what you want, Jally? All I can say is, if you don’t like it the way it is, whyncha go start your own message board? Other people do. ---
**Author:** ![jally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jally)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/6 "2001-07-03T01:36:33Z")
I will clarify my OP this **ONE** time only **HOPEFULLY, PUTTING THIS THREAD BACK ON-TOPIC** POINT ONE (ONCE AGAIN): The OP was addressing minty green’s comment (on TubaDiva’s SEARCH ALL post) regarding the encouragement of more descriptive titles on SDMB. POINT TWO The issue at hand is not about the professionalism of said _DEMO_ site POINT THREE (ONCE AGAIN): The OP referred to **FEATURE FOUR** of said site, so the discussion at hand is **NOT ABOUT FEATURES ONE, TWO, OR THREE** of said site POINT FOUR The feature I was referring to was having the font appear in verdana typeface (if a descriptive header is posted). **NOT** the part about the icons. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/7 "2001-07-03T02:38:43Z")
Simple answer, the administration here is not going to do _any_ hacks to the system. Even if you gave them the code to do this, they wouldn’t install the feature. Period. The fact that un-descriptive thread titles are not that big of a problem, and that having the thread listings display in multiple typefaces would make things dificult to read is not going to help either. No hacks. No special features. Not going to happen. End of story. As for the idea of putting older posts on a different server, that’s not possible with the current software. Yes, I realize this last point was off-topic, but as this isn’t your message board, I don’t really care. Oh, and if you don’t think this response justifies getting an e-notification, don’t use that feature. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/8 "2001-07-03T12:40:46Z")
Jally, you have such a–_gift_–for staying focussed, it’s amazing. We can only discuss “Feature Four” in this particular thread right here, and not “Features One, Two, or Three”? Are you going to start new threads for us to use to discuss Features One, Two, and Three? Won’t that slow down the server even more? I thought the idea was supposed to be to speed up this message board. Some of us are genuinely curious as to what you’re trying to accomplish. I think that the “professionalism” of the linked websites IS relevant, because they’re held up proudly as demos of this bold new MB innovation, whatever it is, and when you dismiss them as “unprofessional”, it sounds like you’re saying, “Well, they’re not doing it right, if they were using my technique as it’s meant to be used, why, then you’d really see something…” Because it is your technique, isn’t it? I don’t see where you answered Fenris’ question about whether this is your web page, but I’m assuming that it is. Are you selling these “improvements”, attempting to license them like vB or UBB? Or just making suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![jally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/90ced4/32.png) [@jally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jally)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2001, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/9 "2001-07-03T22:54:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by waterj2 \* > **The fact that un-descriptive thread titles are not that big of a problem…** That’s a matter of opinion. Not everyone would agree. [/QUOTE] \*\*and that having the thread listings display in multiple typefaces \*\* [/QUOTE] More accurate: 2 typefaces. [/QUOTE] \*\*would make things more difficult to read \*\* [/QUOTE] That’s a matter of opinion. Now to state my opinion: I think the marketers of neon hi-liter pens might disagree. Finally, I’m aware that the administration won’t do hacks to the system. I’d been merely demonstrating a potential solution toward a peeve mentioned by another member on this board. BTW (& I know this is also off-topic) it is my opinion that even if there are some members of these boards who actually do see eye-to-eye with some of my statements, they would never come forth and admit it, for fear of being targeted for ceaseless tar 'n feathering by the bloodhounds that are ubiquitous around here. With that said, I wash my hands of this unwarrantedly-mud-slung thread. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2001, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/10 "2001-07-04T00:20:49Z")
:: Gets tar and feathers…waits for her inevitable return :: ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/11 "2001-07-04T00:31:26Z")
Hah! Boldly I step forth, unafraid of the merciless bloodhounds waiting to tar and feather me. \< ahem \> _ **My opinion is, I think the marketers of neon hi-liter pens might disagree, too! So there!! Hah!!** _ [sub]Fenris? Psst, Fenris? C’mere… . . . . . . . . . . Um, is it just me, or is this thread getting, like, a little–surreal? Or something? I just can’t tell anymore, ever since the Gray Men sneaked into my house and left their neon hi-liter pen transmitters in place of my real hi-liters. All that microwave broadcasting, and the tinfoil hat is no use whatsoever… [/sub] ---
**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:** [July 4, 2001, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/12 "2001-07-04T00:51:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\* > Um, is it just me, or is this thread getting, like, a little–surreal? Or something? > \*\* **DDG** , I believe we’ve gone past surreal and out the other side! ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/13 "2001-07-04T10:10:11Z")
What in the hell happened to the perfectly good word “highlighter”? pan ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/14 "2001-07-04T14:12:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jally \* > **BTW (& I know this is also off-topic) it is my opinion that even if there are some members of these boards who actually do see eye-to-eye with some of my statements, they would never come forth and admit it, for fear of being targeted for ceaseless tar 'n feathering by the bloodhounds that are ubiquitous around here.** Bzzzzzt… wrong. We’ve gone through this before. Bitching and wild unfounded accusations go in the BBQ Pit. This forum is for questions about this message board. The title sort of suggests so. Leave your wild theories about board demographics to the Pit. Remember: it’s a lot easier for me to delete a post than for you to type one. The Official Administrations ViewPoint[sup]TM[/sup]? Your feature is of no interest to us at this stage. With the server being as it is, we’re stripping the boards of “needless” features as it is. Now, I think you can tell from the reaction of the posters here that they don’t entirely see the point in your proposal either. The chances of a poster who WILL use the option (how large this group is going to be is anyones guess) actually admitting that his thread title isn’t very descriptive are, IMHO, slim. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for descriptive thread titles. I hate GQ threads titled “A QUESTION:”. Then again, people tend to learn quickly. A badly phrased thread title means little hits, and less answers. Most people tend to pick up on that logic fairly quickly. ---
**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:** [July 4, 2001, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/15 "2001-07-04T14:48:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*I hate GQ threads titled “A QUESTION:”. Then again, people tend to learn quickly. A badly phrased thread title means little hits, and less answers. Most people tend to pick up on that logic fairly quickly. \*\* I found this response Useful Not Useful See how wonderful this feature is? We should switch to Jallyboard Crapware[sup]tm[/sup] RIGHT AWAY!? Perhaps she can design cabinets where the old software could be stored too!! Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/16 "2001-07-04T15:35:01Z")
I think Fenris is being: [_] Sarcastic [_] Ironic A pain in the friggin’ rear 😉 ---
**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:** [July 4, 2001, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/17 "2001-07-04T16:32:59Z")
I am [_]Upset [_]Shocked. SHOCKED! [_]All torn up inside, crying. Tears are pouring down my face! [_]Considering starting an anti-Coldie pit-rant. [\_]writing Coldie’s name in my Book of ENEMIES! All of the above …at Coldie’s last comment to me. 😃 Fenris ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/18 "2001-07-04T16:43:48Z")
I would spank you both but: You’d probably like it. I don’t have a switch large enough you’re both too far away I’d probably enjoy it too much too. All of the above. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/19 "2001-07-05T10:16:22Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **Coldfire** _ > We’ve gone through this before. Bitching and wild unfounded accusations go in the BBQ Pit. This forum is for questions about this message board. The title sort of suggests so. > Leave your wild theories about board demographics to the Pit. Remember: it’s a lot easier for me to delete a post than for you to type one. I’ve never heard of **jally** before, that I know of. Maybe this poster has a history of this behavior, I don’t know. I do, however know one thing: the OP seemed to be a legitimate question, proposal, suggestion, invitation of discussion, or one of the above. **Fenris** dragged in baggage from not one, but two other threads and challenged jally. The mod subsequently took Fenris’ side when jally took the bait. Cut him a little slack, eh? ---
**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:** [July 5, 2001, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815/20 "2001-07-05T11:55:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\ ***Fenris** dragged in baggage from not one, but two other threads and challenged jally. The mod subsequently took Fenris’ side when jally took the bait. > > Cut him a little slack, eh? \*\* Oh c’mon. Commercial spam isn’t allowed. Jally is apparently trying to sell her own crapware package. She does this by bitching about this board’s software and saying “Mine would be better”. Once would possibly be OK, but she’s posted that link at least three times (not including one double post) that I know of. Frankly, I’m surprised she’s lasted this long. Um…and “took the bait”? Her only response to me was **yet another** commercial for her software. She’s not quite Al_x Ch_u, but she’s in the same catagory. Fenris [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/descriptive-titles-training-wheels/70815.md?page=2)