# The new \[del\] function - WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 29, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355 "2005-06-29T13:36:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/81 "2005-06-30T16:39:38Z")
> [@Pythian Habenero](#): > > Ga-buh? No, that was Microsoft Paint, silly. To be specific, the “Print Screen” button. But really Blue, make life a tree and leaf, please. Some people are having fun. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/82 "2005-06-30T16:40:28Z")
> [@Pythian Habenero](#): > > The what? The huh? Oh lordy lord, you decided to use the word ‘twee’ on your own? We don’t need another thread of bird noises. Flee! Flee!!! ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/83 "2005-06-30T16:43:44Z")
> [@BayleDomon](#): > > Either took a pic of the preview screen or set up the URL with the intention to put the picture there immediately after the post went through. > > Looking at this post in the preview screen, my guess is the former. Congratulations. You win [the prize](http://images.google.ca/images?q=%22the+prize%22). Note I have no idea what that search actually turns up. > [@Scott Plaid](#): > > To be specific, the “Print Screen” button. Yepper. [The prize](http://images.google.ca/images?q=%22the+prize%22) for you too. Above disclaimer applies. ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/84 "2005-06-30T16:45:39Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Oh lordy lord, you decided to use the word ‘twee’ on your own? We don’t need another thread of bird noises. Flee! Flee!!! I defend my right to quote Terry Pratchett at any time, under any circumstances, with any provocation. But I’m not gonna quote him here. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/85 "2005-06-30T16:48:32Z")
> [@Pythian Habenero](#): > > Yes, it was highly amusing. > > Just you wait until invisitext becomes a widespread trend, though. After awhile you’ll be compulsively highlighting every post you read, just so sneaky posters can’t trick you and say stuff behind your back. Er. Ahem. AHA! So if I type [color=#f8f8f8] and my text, then [/color] I too can do this invisible thingie? ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/86 "2005-06-30T16:51:27Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > AHA! So if I type [color=#f8f8f8] and my text, then [/color] I too can do this invisible thingie? Yes. You’ve got the secret. Now it will spread to everyone! EVERYONE! **MWAHAHAHAHA!** ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/87 "2005-06-30T16:54:49Z")
> [@Pythian Habenero](#): > > Yes. You’ve got the secret. Now it will spread to everyone! EVERYONE! **MWAHAHAHAHA!** Until The Powers That Be decide to ban it, anyway. 😉 Hmmm… How abut an invisible smilie – will that work? Testing: :wally Nope, while text will disappear, the smilies still show through. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/88 "2005-06-30T17:01:06Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > Agh! I just ran into one of the very few situations where I want to use this yesterday, when talking about Canadian politics and the [del]Monster Raving Loony[/del] Conservative party. I’m usually not big on strikeouts, so I probably won’t want to use it again for months. Hmpfh. Please, dont confuse these two parties. The real [Monster Raving Loony Party](http://www.omrlp.com/) would be a major improvement to Canadian politics, replacing the late-lamented [Rhino Party](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Party_of_Canada) as a forum for protest voting and adding in some real issues. The [del]Regressive[/del] Conservative Party is a threat to [del]my[/del] Canadian social freedom. ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/89 "2005-06-30T17:10:28Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Until The Powers That Be decide to ban it, anyway. 😉 > > Hmmm… How abut an invisible smilie – will that work? Testing: > > :wally Nope, while text will disappear, the smilies still show through. 😃 Nay! The PTBs can’t ban invisitext. I mean, already there’s no post-editing - where will I go if I can’t make [del]snide comments[/del] pithy remarks in invisible ink? And smilies don’t turn invisible because they aren’t affected by text colour. [:teach:](http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8241/teach3yv.png) ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/90 "2005-06-30T17:12:42Z")
> [@Pythian Habenero](#): > > where will I go if I can’t make [del]snide comments[/del] pithy remarks in invisible ink? The zork hint book, that’s where. ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/91 "2005-06-30T17:17:43Z")
> [@Scott Plaid](#): > > The zork hint book, that’s where. …The wha? The huh? The who? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/92 "2005-06-30T17:22:57Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > Until The Powers That Be decide to ban it, anyway. 😉 Christ, you silly wannabe hepcats are straight from squaresville. **UncleBeer** (a [del]moderator[/del]) addressed invisible posts when it got to be an annoying fad, back in January 200 **4**. > [@](#): > > We ask that you don’t use this method - ever. If you feel a compelling need to post hidden text, use the spoiler box. That is the only approved method for hiding text. There’s enough to keep up with around here even when it is posted in plain sight, or where we can easily find it. If we gotta also seek out a bunch of hidden little nuggets of text, we’re gonna be very unhappy with anyone doing that. [Post # 22](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=234427) ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/93 "2005-06-30T17:24:11Z")
I was thinking that the old hints books for that [old series of games](http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hitchhikers/game.shtml) used the same term. However, it turns out they were called [InvisiClues](http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Invisiclues/). You had a booklet, filled with question. If you got stuck at a point, you passed the pen over an invisble clue, and the answer appear. Simular books are still avalibe at highway gass stations. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/94 "2005-06-30T17:24:38Z")
\> Go forward You see flood control dam #3 \> Eat dam You cannot do that \> Put out torch You sense a sinister presence in darkness \>Look around It’s too dark to see anything \>Light Light what? \>Light torch Too late. You have been eaten by a Grue. ---
**Author:** ![Pythian\_Habenero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Pythian\_Habenero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pythian_Habenero)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/95 "2005-06-30T17:30:49Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Christ, you silly wannabe hepcats are straight from squaresville. **UncleBeer** (a [del]moderator[/del]) addressed invisible posts when it got to be an annoying fad, back in January 200 **4**.[Post # 22](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=234427) Foolishness. Pure unadulterated foolishness. You can’t ban invisitext, it’s against the laws of nature! Grr. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/96 "2005-06-30T17:34:36Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Too late. You have been eaten by a Grue. The grue lopes off towards [the mountains.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=321543) ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/97 "2005-06-30T18:31:30Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Well, you’ve [del]wasted your time[/del] certainly given me reason to think. > > :rolleyes: Thanks, man! ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/98 "2005-06-30T20:24:49Z")
> [@andros](#): > > It was sorta kinda cute the first time I saw it, a little. After that, it’s just silly. It was uproariously funny the first time I did it. Then I saw somebody else do it and it wasn’t nearly so funny because they lack my panache and wit. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/99 "2005-06-30T20:29:00Z")
Shut up, **Dropzone**! (Smiley) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355/100 "2005-07-01T13:57:02Z")
Dude, that is SO last week. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-del-function-wtf/310355.md?page=4)