# Why can't I use all caps for 'USMC' in a post? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 31, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920 "2013-01-31T15:05:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/21 "2013-02-02T15:08:46Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > u.s.m.c. > > Eta:periods are not symbols. > [@treacherouscretin](#): > > testing a hunch. Bear with me. > > Ianal > > edit: Hm. Worked again without any editing or tricks. Just plain typed it out, one time. i.anal i.anal! I.anal. I.a.n.a.l. I.a.n.a.l? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/22 "2013-02-03T00:02:42Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I can see it without Reply. You have infrared vision? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/23 "2013-02-03T00:50:42Z")
on my browser, there is a slight difference between the normal background colour of the thread, and the “white” shade - the message box is a trifle more grey in it, so I can see things in white. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/24 "2013-02-03T00:52:56Z")
You see dead people! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/25 "2013-02-03T03:45:01Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > … normal background colour of the thread … IT’S f8f8f8! CMC ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/26 "2013-02-03T03:53:50Z")
So can you type in all caps without it getting automatically corrected if you simply add punctuation?. EDIT, NOPE ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/27 "2013-02-04T13:54:30Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > i.anal > i.anal! > I.anal. > I.a.n.a.l. > I.a.n.a.l? iAnal (from Apple) ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/28 "2013-02-04T17:28:05Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > IT’S f8f8f8! > > CMC Fate! Fate! FATE!!!.. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/29 "2013-02-06T05:00:38Z")
How did [**FORMERAGENT**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=400125&postcount=1) manage it, I wonder? Was the feature activated after his departure? Or was it his SOOPER SEEKRIT SPY toys? ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/30 "2013-02-06T15:45:41Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > How did [**FORMERAGENT**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=400125&postcount=1) manage it, I wonder? I want to know how he has a post count of 3, but if you search all posts by him, you get 65 results. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/31 "2013-02-06T16:29:15Z")
I HAVE CONTACTED THE AUTHORITIES AND THEY HAVE AGREED THAT THE SDMB MUST FORWARD ALl OF KAYLASDAD99’S POSTS.oHE IS A SECURITY RISK AND I KNOW BECAUSE I WORKED WITH HIM AND YOU MUST REPORT ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION AND CONTACT. YOU MUST NOT TALK WITH HIM OR ENGAGE HIM OR I WILL HAVE TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE FILE AND THE SDMB MODEDRATORS WILL BE PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE TO TURN OVER YOUR INFORMATION AS WELL. I HAVE SECRETS. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/32 "2013-02-06T16:41:17Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > You make the assumption that the “powers that be” have nefarious motives behind all problems that occur in posting on the board. > > … What about the guys in the black suits driving those black SUVs? You’re saying they aren’t staff? ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/33 "2013-02-06T19:20:07Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > In [this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15956631&postcount=55), every time I typed USMC and submitted the post, it automatically changed it to appear as ‘Usmc’. What gives? In British English, if an acronym can be pronounced, it’s presented as a proper noun; Nasa, Nato, Aids, and so on. Maybe Brits pronounce the acronym for the United Satates Marine Corps as “us-mick”, so they spell it as “Usmc”. vB3 was coded by Brits. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/34 "2013-02-08T17:55:08Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Slight nitpick: the board software is \*configured \*to not allow all-caps posts. Something I wish they would disable so we don’t have to resort to “invisible letter” hackery. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, PERSON WHO OBVIOUSLY DOESN’T GO ON FACEBOOK MUCH. \ ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920/35 "2013-02-10T01:10:51Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > How did [**FORMERAGENT**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=400125&postcount=1) manage it, I wonder? Was the feature activated after his departure? > > Or was it his SOOPER SEEKRIT SPY toys? The Board switched from UBB to vBulletin in May of 2001. Posts from before then were made with completely different software. And anything you dig up from that era is likely to have all sorts of inconsistencies. Also, I’m not sure that the all-caps thing was around before relatively recently. I think that came with a later vBulletin update. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-use-all-caps-for-usmc-in-a-post/648920.md?page=1)