# Odd link colors **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 29, 2000, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196 "2000-11-29T15:27:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/1 "2000-11-29T15:27:01Z")
So far I have only noticed this in MPSIMs. Normally, the links to various threads are blue. However, once in a while, one of the links shows up as a different color (basically a different shade of blue, but easily noticeable.) These aren’t threads I have clicked on at any point. Just kind of odd which made me kind of curious. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/2 "2000-11-29T16:00:52Z")
Happens to me too, but only at work, for some reason. Which prompts me to say that it has something to do with browser memory and/or network settings. But honestly, I don’t have a clue, as usual when it comes to techy issues. Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/3 "2000-11-29T16:07:32Z")
Is it browser specific? The superfluous [/[sup][/sup]quote] tag that changes the font of subsequent text appears only in Netscape. ---
**Author:** ![Wanderlust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@Wanderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wanderlust)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/4 "2000-11-29T18:08:07Z")
Quoting from one of my favorite “finds” **[Don’t forget the link. Here’s how to post one, Part Next](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)** > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Show\_Biz \* > • The small print people start answers with was entered in the “Post subject:” slot > • to get a blue line (light, bold, or italic) make it look like a link (click Quote below to see how it’s done) > **This is not a real link.** > I just like blue. > • Replace the {'s with ['s for small letters raised or lowered. > \*\* [sub]{sub}[/sub]_\* and **[sup]{sup}[/sup]** > • To find smilies 🙂 😛 start to reply, and on the top of that page are tiny blue links named “Smilies” and “vB code” > • To use **bold** , _italic_ or underscore, \*\*\*see “vB code” \*\*\* > > [sub]**BE SURE TO PREVIEW BEFORE YOU POST. THESE THINGS GET EASILY CONFUSED BY TYPOS.[/SUB]** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lumpy Pants \* > \*\*It seems to change color, blue to red to purple, when you touch it. \*\* These are your browser’s “hover” color and “referenced link” colors. Any text can be made blue with a null link **Any text can be made bold blue** [sub]Any text can be made small blue[/sub] **[sub]Any text can be made small blue[/sub]** _Any text can be made blue with a null link **Any text can be made bold blue** [sub]Any text can be made small blue[/sub] **[sub]Any text can be made small blue[/sub]**_ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/5 "2000-11-29T18:36:54Z")
Wanderlust, your post, however informative, does not provide an answer to the question posted in the OP. Mullinator, I have also noticed that occasionally a non-visited link on a forum page will show up in a different shade of blue than other non-visited links. I have never attempted to determine the reason behind this; however, since the pages are not static, but generated by the vBulletin sofware, I am guessing that the reason is that some special condition will cause the software to label a link differently (special condition = “bug” or “feature” in computer lingo). Next time I notice that I’ll peak at the HTML source and see if I can figure out anything, but most probably, after viewing the source I will just scratch my head and eat another peanut whilst mumbling “Huh?” without any further intellectual flash of genius to explain this mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Wanderlust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@Wanderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wanderlust)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/6 "2000-11-29T18:52:49Z")
And if it’s anytime soon, post a link here so we can all try to see it. I have several browsers (Opera, Tyron, etc) I could try it on. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/7 "2000-11-29T19:10:54Z")
OK then, well right now when I go to [General Questions](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=3) I see this unvisited link showing up in a different shade of blue: «When will Timothy McVeigh be executed?» As predicted, I read the source code and said “Huh?” I don’t see anything in there to explain that behaviour. My set-up: MacOS 9.0.4, Netscape 4.7 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/8 "2000-11-29T19:16:32Z")
Of course, when I now click on the “General Questions” link in my previous post, I no longer see that thread in a different shade of blue. Since I wanted to read those posts, I’m going to go click on the link now, which will prevent any further experiments (at least with that thread), so you’re on your own Wanderlust. ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/9 "2000-11-29T19:28:24Z")
I’ve seen the same thing; in fact, **Achernar** commented about it in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32706) a few months ago. Don’t think there was ever a definative answer, other than remarking that it looked like a Netscape problem. ---
**Author:** ![tshirts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@tshirts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tshirts)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/odd-link-colors/43196/10 "2000-11-29T20:28:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nessy \* > \*\*Your degausser is misfractaled. Just select “hover without prjudice” and it will clear up right away. \*\* Anyway, I can’t get it to appear with the latest versions of IE, Netscape, or Opera, so it must come and go.