# Dumb question about posting etiquette (I am not an English major). . .
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [November 27, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894 "2004-11-27T16:54:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/1 "2004-11-27T16:54:01Z")
Well, here goes:
I’m sitting here after a shower in my knickers, sipping my hot cup of coffe, and I was just about to quote someone when it hit me. If I’m posting a Doper’s name in the possessive, do I bold the " 's " too? For example:
**Tripler’s** thread is _really_ mundane.
or
**Tripler** ’s thread is _really_ mundane.
Which one is “more correct”? Not that I’m trying to be all nitpicky and stuff, but I like to be somewhat legible and intelligent when I bang on a keyboard [sub]even after a night ‘o’ drinkin’[/sub].
So, what’s the skinny? I also open this thread up to other questions of the sort.
Tripler
. . . or even the morning after a night ‘o’ hard drinkin’ [sub]my folks are here from New Jersey! Woo![/sub]
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/2 "2004-11-27T16:58:37Z")
I have another dumb question.
Suppose a user name does not begin with a capitol letter and that you want to begin a sentence with that poster’s name?
Do you capitolize it? Do you, like me, recompose the sentence to avoid the problem?
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/3 "2004-11-27T17:34:14Z")
I don’t bold the ‘s’, and I write usernames the exact same way the owner does.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/4 "2004-11-27T17:57:55Z")
I don’t bold the 's, nor do I uppercase a user’s name at the start of a sentence.
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### Author:  [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/5 "2004-11-27T18:01:58Z")
**ultrafilter** ’s method is the same as mine.
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### Author:  [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/6 "2004-11-27T19:32:04Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#):
>
> I don’t bold the ‘s’, and I write usernames the exact same way the owner does.
Same here.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/7 "2004-11-27T19:45:42Z")
Since our names are now hyperlinks instead of **bold characters** , I generally do not bold other poster’s names anymore. I mean, we weren’t just bolding them to make vanity drive-bys easier, were we?
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/8 "2004-11-27T19:49:45Z")
> [@Cisco](#):
>
> Since our names are now hyperlinks instead of **bold characters**
Of course I meant to say ". . . our names are now hyperlinks instead of **bold characters**. . .
And
> [@](#):
>
> other poster’s
“other posters’”
(I am an English major :))
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### Author:  [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/9 "2004-11-27T19:53:10Z")
We could make make other usernames hyperlinks, like so.
[Folly](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=folly)
…or not.
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### Author:  [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/10 "2004-11-27T19:57:24Z")
> [@Folly](#):
>
> We could make make other usernames hyperlinks, like so.
> [Folly](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=folly)
>
> …or not.
Right…😉
I should’ve just left off the fluff and said “hyperlinks instead of bold characters” because I knew someone would inevitably say “well we can’t very well hyperlink everyone!” I just type them normal. A lot of times it’s almost distracting to me to see a username in bold because I try in my head to add some emphasis that just isn’t there.
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### Author:  [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/11 "2004-11-27T21:45:47Z")
I bold names too, and I don’t shower in my knickers.
( **rjk** eats, shoots and leaves. 😛 )
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### Author:  [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/12 "2004-11-27T21:51:10Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#):
>
> I don’t bold the ‘s’, and I write usernames the exact same way the owner does.
Same. Unfortunately, there seems to be a “capital by default” crowd around here and it isn’t unusual for me to catch my name somehow inheriting an I where the i should be:)
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/13 "2004-11-27T21:53:38Z")
> [@iampunha](#):
>
> Same. Unfortunately, there seems to be a “capital by default” crowd around here and it isn’t unusual for me to catch my name somehow inheriting an I where the i should be:)
Yeah, I know what you mean. It’s not worth saying anything, but my name is _not_ Ultrafilter, dammit!
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### Author:  [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/14 "2004-11-27T22:25:41Z")
> [@Zebra](#):
>
> Suppose a user name does not begin with a capitol letter
Or a [capital](http://www.bartleby.com/64/C003/056.html) letter, even… ;j
> [@](#):
>
> and that you want to begin a sentence with that poster’s name?
>
> Do you capit[a]lize it? Do you, like me, recompose the sentence to avoid the problem?
Well, the word “well” isn’t normally capitalized, but it is when it begins a sentence. Thus, I don’t think it’s incorrect to type “ **Ultrafilter** disagrees”, but I also believe in calling a person what he/she wishes to be called. So I generally take the approach you do and find a way to begin the sentence with a more “neutral” word.
As you may have noticed, I not only made direct reference to your confusion of _capital_ and _capitol_, but subsequently corrected the spelling of “capitalize” in quoting your post. Since fighting ignorance\* is one of the aims of this board, I’ve made similar “edits” in quoting other messages. Do any other Dopers (or should that be **Dopers**?) have opinions, pro or con, on this practice?
- Yes, I realize that the poster’s error may have been a mere typo, but other readers can still benefit from seeing the correct spelling.
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### Author:  [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/15 "2004-11-27T22:56:21Z")
I use the same method as most in this thread do although now I’m curious about something: for those that don’t like their names capitalized or otherwise changed, how do you feel about shortenings? If **Ultrafilter** and **Iampunha** bothers you so much, what about \*\*ultra \*\*and **punha**?
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### Author:  [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/16 "2004-11-27T23:01:26Z")
> [@Sternvogel](#):
>
> As you may have noticed, I not only made direct reference to your confusion of _capital_ and _capitol_, but subsequently corrected the spelling of “capitalize” in quoting your post. Since fighting ignorance\* is one of the aims of this board, I’ve made similar “edits” in quoting other messages. Do any other Dopers (or should that be **Dopers**?) have opinions, pro or con, on this practice?
I used to do this all the bleepin’ time. Then it occurred to me that I didn’t have to prove my worth by correcting everyone else - and even more, that I didn’t endear myself to much of anyone by being resident MPSIMS Spellchecker.
I still do it (subtly, I think) on occasion, but when I do I try to have something else to say just so I’m not posting for the sake of playing spelling teacher:) If it’s someone I know well enough, I’ll rib that person a little. If it’s someone new but it’s a distinction I think is important (or just really fucking grates on me) I’ll at least try to be polite about it.
Re: name shortenings, I sure as hell don’t mind that. I’d rather **punha** than **'punha** or **'pun** because A) I think it’s a bit nitpicky and B) nobody ever types, for example, **Lib’** or **R.N.AT.B.**.
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### Author:  [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/17 "2004-11-27T23:51:54Z")
I don’t care if people capitalize my name or not. I wrote lower case because I think it looks purdier that way.
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### Author:  [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/18 "2004-11-28T02:31:08Z")
Bold just the username, as is, even if it’s at the beginning of a sentence.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/19 "2004-11-28T02:46:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **rjk** eats, shoots and leaves.
Next time, try waiting until you’re done shooting before you eat, you may score and not have to leave.
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### Author:  [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)
#### Post date: [November 28, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumb-question-about-posting-etiquette-i-am-not-an-english-major/276894/20 "2004-11-28T03:08:03Z")
**!010011010** has got it right.
SEE what could happen?!
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