# Suggestion for Cafe Society **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252 "2009-02-03T14:46:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/1 "2009-02-03T14:46:06Z")
I guess this goes here and not there since it’s about logistics. A lot of times, people start threads with abbreviations in the thread titles. At this point, I’ve pretty well figured out what LOTR and BtVS are, but what the hell is [OOTS](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=504715)? Yeah, obviously, “if you have to ask, you’re not interested in the thread,” but sometimes I’m curious about what “it” is and why people are talking about “it.” Might it be a good idea to have a sticky for the forum that serves as a glossary for abbreviations that pop up there? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/2 "2009-02-03T14:53:35Z")
I would prefer it if people would simply clarify what they’re talking about in the OP. There are too many TV shows, books, movies, etc. for a glossary to work well. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/3 "2009-02-03T14:54:04Z")
First thing on Google was “Order of the Stick”. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/4 "2009-02-03T14:57:51Z")
Maybe just a general guideline: “If you shorten the title of your topic in your thread subject, please spell it out in the first couple of lines of your post, so it shows up in the popup preview.” So: **OOTS #628: Vaarsuvius gets a blast from the past** “AKA Order of the Stick.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/5 "2009-02-03T15:19:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I would prefer it if people would simply clarify what they’re talking about in the OP. There are too many TV shows, books, movies, etc. for a glossary to work well. Too easy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/6 "2009-02-03T15:24:05Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I would prefer it if people would simply clarify what they’re talking about in the OP. There are too many TV shows, books, movies, etc. for a glossary to work well. I agree; too many shows are watched and commented on–in the U.S. and abroad–to keep an effective and updated list. In my opinion it’s better to encourage the OPs of the thread to spell out the name of the show in the first post. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/7 "2009-02-11T17:55:16Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > . . . it’s better to encourage the OPs of the thread to spell out the name of the show in the first post. Plus it makes searches easier/possible. Non-fans are more likely to search for “buffy” than “BTVS” ---
**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:** [February 13, 2009, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/8 "2009-02-13T15:06:24Z")
Point well taken. I have modified the [Forum Rules](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=343601) accordingly. Thanks for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-for-cafe-society/484252/9 "2009-02-13T15:45:16Z")
Thanks for modifying the guidelines!