# So how are you guys doing this anyway? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 11, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006 "2001-02-11T06:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/1 "2001-02-11T06:20:18Z")
For a guy who is as educated as myself, and on a computer at least 4 hours a day, I know surprisingly little about them. But hey, in 1980 computer courses were not mandatory for a college degree, and I’ve received very little formal training in them since college. I know enough to use the one I have at work well enough to convince my boss I’m worth my pay. Have mercy on me, folks. My question is, how are some of you changing the size of the type you’re putting on some of these posts? I’ve seen some where it’s in BOLD type, and others where the letters are real small, and/or in italics. How is this done? ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Crunch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Chief\_Crunch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Crunch)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/2 "2001-02-11T06:22:21Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php?action=bbcode](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/index.php?action=bbcode) ---
**Author:** ![DVous\_Means](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@DVous\_Means](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DVous_Means)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/3 "2001-02-11T14:29:16Z")
I followed the link, and read the whole page, but I couldn’t see any instructions on how to change text sizes. I am also wondering how some of the posts have tiny lettering for one or two lines. ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/4 "2001-02-11T14:47:48Z")
You can make [sup]superscripts[/sup] and [sub]subscripts[/sub] with {sup}xxxx{/sup} and {sub}xxx{/sub} (replacing the braces with brackets, of course). This is handy for math equations such as x[sup]2[/sup]+x+a[sub]0[/sub]=10, but you can also write entire lines of text in superscript or subscript mode, to get a small font. [sup]For example, this whole line is in superscript mode.[/sup] [sup]If[/sup][sub]you’ve[/sub][sup]got[/sup][sub]a[/sub][sup]lot[/sup][sub]of[/sub][sup]free[/sup] [sub]time on[/sub][sup]you can[/sup][sub]even make[/sub][sup]wavy text[/sup]. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/5 "2001-02-11T14:50:32Z")
You used to be able to do a lot of neat stuff in your post with HTML. But it got abused, so the administrators enabled only UBB codes. [sub]Here’s some small text[/sub] **here’s bold** _here’s italic_ ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/6 "2001-02-11T15:16:29Z")
There’s also a bug in the software that changes the font to Times New Roman, I think, if you turn off certain text formatting codes in the wrong order, \*like this ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/7 "2001-02-11T15:52:01Z")
**PKbites** The way to find out how something was done is to click on the “quote” icon at the bottom of each post. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/8 "2001-02-11T21:02:02Z")
Since this question is asking about this message board, I’m moving it to the forum entitled, oddly enough, About This Message Board. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/9 "2001-02-12T00:43:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > \*\*You used to be able to do a lot of neat stuff in your post with HTML. But it got abused, so the administrators enabled only UBB codes. > > [sub]Here’s some small text[/sub] > **here’s bold** > _here’s italic_ > \*\* Well, now we’ve only enabled vBulletin codes. Same difference, though. We do not allow HTML to be used on the message board, as some people REALLY abused it. ---
**Author:** ![callie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@callie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/callie)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/10 "2001-02-12T01:37:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\*For a guy who is as educated as myself, and on a computer at least 4 hours a day, I know surprisingly little about them. But hey, in 1980 computer courses were not mandatory for a college degree, and I’ve received very little formal training in them since college. I know enough to use the one I have at work well enough to convince my boss I’m worth my pay. > > Have mercy on me, folks. > > My question is, how are some of you changing the size of the type you’re putting on some of these posts? I’ve seen some where it’s in BOLD type, and others where the letters are real small, and/or in italics. How is this done? \*\* ok – i’m just trying to figure some stuff out and thought i would practice here. how can i quote just a portion of someones post? now i’m practicing my **bold** technique i think… ---
**Author:** ![callie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2acd7d/32.png) [@callie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/callie)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/11 "2001-02-12T01:38:46Z")
thanks **chief crunch** for the link – it is very handy. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/12 "2001-02-12T02:34:03Z")
> [@](#): > > So how are you guys doing this anyway? I don’t know about everyone else, but I use the Force. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2001, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/13 "2001-02-12T13:01:25Z")
Something **Arjuna34** and **AWB** forgot to mention is that you can make “true” small font by nesting the {sub} and {sup} tags. For example, [sub][sup]this text is aligned[/sup][/sub] with the larger text, as is [sup][sub]this text[/sub][/sup]. For comparison, here’s [sup]some superscripted text[/sup] and [sub]some subscripted text[/sub] that is, by definition, unaligned. Click quote to see how I did it. ---
**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:** [February 12, 2001, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/14 "2001-02-12T14:10:55Z")
**Callie,** if you’re still wondering how to quote only a portion of someone’s post, you go ahead and click on Reply with Quote and then just delete the parts you don’t want, paying careful attention to the codes for italics, bolding, and of course the quotes themselves. Then you Preview like mad, until you’ve got it right. 🙂 Eh, **Zut,** is your “aligned” text not aligned, or is the Force just not with me yet this morning? I’ve had my coffee and everything… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/15 "2001-02-12T16:19:39Z")
**DDG** , **zut** ’s text looks aligned to me (at least in the sentence that says it’s aligned). ---
**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:** [February 12, 2001, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/16 "2001-02-12T18:11:28Z")
**DDG** : Huh. Looks aligned to me, too. I’ve seen this trick before in earlier ATMB threads; I forget who discovered it ( **UncleBeer** , maybe?). I thought the vertical alignment worked for everyone, but evidently there’s a browser difference. All right; time for some 'sperimentation. Gather 'round, folks. 1. Is [sub][sup]this text[/sup][/sub] vertically aligned? Does it look [sub]subscripted[/sub] or [sup]superscripted[/sup]? 2. How about [sup][sub]this text[/sub][/sup]? Is it vertically aligned or does it look [sub]subscripted[/sub] or [sup]superscripted[/sup]? 3. Just for fun, if we mix tags like in [sup][sub]this text[/sup][/sub] or [sub][sup]this text[/sub][/sup], are they vertically aligned? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2001, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/17 "2001-02-12T22:07:03Z")
The aligned text trick only works in Netscape, not MSIE. At least, that’s what I’ve heard, and I know that it works in the versions of Netscape I regularly use. Is this consistent, everyone? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/18 "2001-02-13T01:13:01Z")
IE 5 user here: I see the allignment differences just fine. So yes, the sup/sub trick works in IE as well. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2001, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/19 "2001-02-13T01:58:47Z")
Coldfire, I don’t think you and Chronos are saying the same thing. Here’s how I understand the posts above: zut says > [@](#): > > Something Arjuna34 and AWB forgot to mention is that you can make “true” small font by nesting the {sub} and {sup} tags. For example, this text “is aligned” with the larger text, as is “this text”. In zut’s post, zut sees the word “is aligned” and “this text” on the same line as the rest of the text, NOT subscripted. Duck Duck Goose says “the text doesn’t look aligned to me.” JeffB says it looks aligned to him. Chronos says it will look aligned if you use Netscape, but not if you use Internet Explorer. I’m using Internet Explorer 5.0 (Windows 2000) and see in zut’s post mentioned above that the words appear “subscripted”, they’re not on the same line as the rest of the text. I’ll try it later with Netscape Navigator 4.7x (MacOS 9) and see if it looks different. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2001, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006/20 "2001-02-13T02:13:33Z")
That’s precisely what I meant. I see zut’s words vertically aligned. Except where he aims not to. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-are-you-guys-doing-this-anyway/54006.md?page=2)