# I would be a crap newspaper headline writer. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 8, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624 "2008-03-08T20:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/1 "2008-03-08T20:03:53Z")
Or… Who has control (if anyone) over the maximum length of a thread title? In writing thread titles I endeavour to make them as informative about the content/_in_tent of the thread within. A good headline writer can do that with a small number of words, but I can’t. Invariably run out of space. So do any mods or admins have control over the length of thread titles? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/2 "2008-03-08T21:32:20Z")
This thread had a reply. Now it’s gone… Can people _delete_ their own posts now??? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/3 "2008-03-08T21:58:44Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] This thread had a reply. Now it’s gone… Can people _delete_ their own posts now??? [/QUOTE] **Lobsang** , how long have you been around? It was a sock; it’s gone; management prefers that these questions be asked via email or PM; yadda yadda yadda. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/4 "2008-03-08T21:59:44Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] So do any mods or admins have control over the length of thread titles? [/QUOTE] If I did, I’d shorten it, so that the entire title would show on the “Last Post” column of the front page. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/5 "2008-03-08T22:06:36Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] **Lobsang** , how long have you been around? It was a sock; it’s gone; management prefers that these questions be asked via email or PM; yadda yadda yadda. [/QUOTE] I didn’t ask “Where did X go” which is what I understand to be the type of question that should be asked directly to a mod. I asked “Where did that post go” which in hindsight I regret doing, because I don’t like the tone of your reply. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/6 "2008-03-08T22:18:37Z")
[QUOTE=Lobsang] I didn’t ask “Where did X go” which is what I understand to be the type of question that should be asked directly to a mod. [/QUOTE] Where did X go? Where did X’s post go? Where did X’s thread go? ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2008, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/7 "2008-03-08T22:22:38Z")
None of the above. “Where did that post go” Edit: I posted in surprise that a post was there, and now it’s gone. That it could have been a sock didn’t occur to me until after I’d pressed submit. But I guess that’s my fault so I’ll know better for next time. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/8 "2008-03-09T00:05:53Z")
Calm down, no harm, no foul. However, better to email when there’s something that’s vanished. I’m not sure whether we can expand the maximum title length, but I’m disinclined to do so even if we have the power. It’s usually possible to describe what a thread is about (write a headline) that’s close enough for practical purposes… and, if you later get an inspiration and better title, ask a Mod to edit your original title. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-would-be-a-crap-newspaper-headline-writer/440624/9 "2008-03-09T18:40:17Z")
No problem. It’ll encourage me to get better at writing thread titles.