Writting in all caps is shouting

Question

I sent this via the feedback link, but I wanted to post here as well. I know that all caps is shouting, but I have had several issues when I purposely try to write certain things in all caps:

Hi,

• I understand why a user receives an error message for writing in all Caps when answering a question, you want to encourage cooperative behavior, but I don't agree with there being a hard coded rule that will not allow someone to post if they do happen to write in all Caps.
• Yes, it's considered shouting, but sometimes you need to shout. I've tried a couple times to post a comment where I am shouting, but it has been a good shout.....like YES!!! that's the answer I was looking for.....or GREAT IDEA!

There's also another reason why I feel this way, please see my comment made at this link

• I couldn't post this unless I removed the caps when trying to list the different time zones (i.e. CST or GMT). Since on this site, we have people correcting grammar and punctuation, I know I am going to dinged for not formatting my answer correctly.

My question is: Is there any way to reconfigure the coding so that instead of a hard error message pops up, a soft error message does. Thus warning the user, but if the user still wants to make the posting, they can continue.

• Besides, as I have said, there's too many teachers, students, and general perfectionists on this site that will let the user know when they've posted something inappropriately.

Great Post! - Rolest, Jan 30, 2010

Answer 1

This is something that I struggled with at first, but I got used to it. It just involves learning a new writing style, using bold for emphasis, or italics instead.

I don't even notice it anymore. And you must admit, we don't have the caps problem on this site.

well, you still can't type words that are supposed to be all caps...besides, I really don't see how writing in caps is a problem. First, it's not like someone is actually shouting, plus something is offensive only if you take offense to it.... - bdclark0423, Jan 30, 2010

All caps would add an element of rudeness to the forum we don't need. We have all experienced how easy it is to mistake the tone of voice being used in a forum like this..last thing we need is all caps! - renaerules, Jan 30, 2010

Answer 2

I agree with you 100 percent. Sometimes you need to write a few letters in caps. The fact that we get snubbed when trying to write IRSE makes me crazy. I mean what looks better... IR vs IRSE: The cold hard facts... or Ir vs Irse: The cold hard facts. I don't see why this rule is in place but I wonder if the good webmaster has a switch in the software that he can turn off to disable this silly thing from stopping us from typing the way we want to.

There's definitely a few rules in the configuration that allows caps. The first one is you can start a word off in lower case letter. The second is that there needs to be a particular ratio of lower case vs. upper....I would say about 4:1. - bdclark0423, Jan 30, 2010

Answer 3

wELL MAYBE I HAVE FIGURED out the code but it doesn't like nice if you are offended by shouting or poor punctuation...

but if you go to this post

You see an answer with lots of caps...so I figured there must be a certain ratio that is acceptable

But as we know, there as differences between LOL and lol (as well as: LMSGAOWRAOTFADW)

So, if I were to type: JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA most likely I would be laughing so much that I

above, who knows what LMSGAOWRAOTFADW really means

(it means: Laughing My Silly Goose A$$ Off While Rolling Around On The Floor And Doing Whatever)

Answer 4

I couldn't post this unless I removed the caps when trying to list the different time zones (i.e. CST or GMT).

I agree here. I tried to post a comment about IOPs and DOPs and it wouldn't let me.