# When did dopers start replacing curse words with \*\*\* and when did name bolding start? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 21, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890 "2001-03-21T17:11:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/1 "2001-03-21T17:11:24Z")
…it annoys me. That is all. **-Wh** mo\*\* ---
**Author:** ![ultress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/7c8e57/32.png) [@ultress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultress)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/2 "2001-03-21T17:15:57Z")
The name bolding has been going on at least since I joined the board and I believe even before then. The \*\*\* for curse words is usually done just as a courtesy to dopers who don’t appreciate the use of foul language or in forums other than The Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/3 "2001-03-21T17:16:06Z")
I am SO f\*\*\*ing with you on that one, **Whammo**. Seriously, if you’re going to swear just do it. The bolding thing I kind of understand, when the username is in the middle of a long post. Some people do just scan posts for their name to see if they’re mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/4 "2001-03-21T17:19:59Z")
What would be more annoying to you, \*\*\*\*\*\*, bolding names and starring out words like **fuck** and **ass-licker** , or the exact opposite? ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/5 "2001-03-21T22:45:05Z")
I use \*\*\* when I’m not in the Pit. Actual swearing doesn’t seem appropriate in the other forums, except maybe the milder stuff, like “hell” or “damn.” As for the name bolding, I’ve recently started doing that because, well, I’m a lemming and everyone else was doing it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/6 "2001-03-21T23:06:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultress \* > \*\*The name bolding has been going on at least since I joined the board and I believe even before then. \*\* Are you sure? I’ve been around as long as you and I’ve just recently started noticing it all over the place. Maybe its just getting more common or maybe I finally opened my eyes. I don’t know why it should bother me but everytime i read a bolded name it gets emphasised in my head like caps do. But then again i’m mental so… ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/7 "2001-03-21T23:11:35Z")
I started name bolding when **ChiefScott** said to. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/8 "2001-03-21T23:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*I started name bolding when **ChiefScott** said to. 🙂 \*\* ahhh… figures he’d be behind this… Chief once tried to tell me when and how to use ME sig line. Bastard. 😃 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Whammo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Whammo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whammo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/9 "2001-03-21T23:19:16Z")
um… make that MY sig line… grammer lessons anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2001, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/10 "2001-03-21T23:34:44Z")
**Chieffy** also told us not to use smilies. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Totoro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Totoro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totoro)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/11 "2001-03-22T00:00:05Z")
I’m supposed to use \*\*\*? Why the fuck didn’t anyone tell me? ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/12 "2001-03-22T00:09:40Z")
AH, always been here,people use them cause they don’t know what words that they can use here safely, like, say ‘bleep’ ‘bleep’ ‘beep’ ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/13 "2001-03-22T02:24:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Whammo \* > \*\*um… make that MY sig line… grammer lessons anyone? \*\* Ummm… spellling lessons anyone? 😛 [sub]Yes, I meant to include the extra “l.”[/sub] As far as name-bolding goes, I may be wrong, but I think it stems from the fact that UBB did it automatically when you quoted someone. Am I making that up, or can someone corroborate? ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/14 "2001-03-22T02:26:08Z")
**Aaaaargh!** Smilie lessons, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/15 "2001-03-22T02:54:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sdimbert \* > \*\* > As far as name-bolding goes, I may be wrong, but I think it stems from the fact that UBB did it automatically when you quoted someone. > > Am I making that up, or can someone corroborate? \*\* You’re making it up. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2001, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-dopers-start-replacing-curse-words-with-and-when-did-name-bolding-start/58890/16 "2001-03-23T09:52:19Z")
1. Well, I’m new as you can see and I thought the bolding thing was done as a mark of respect. You know, it takes a little longer, and you have a little more time to think and maybe you don’t dismiss people quite so rudely if you’ve hunted round getting the [ bracket instead of the { bracket around their name. 1. HATE the f\*\*k, LOVE the fuck. God we’ve worked so hard for all this openness - why throw it away? 2. To sum up: **Whammo** , let’s fuck! [sub]hehehe[/sub] Redboss