Ira, honey :) I think <b>bold</b> makes it seem as if you are thumping your fist on the table, or at least speaking a tiny bit louder to get that point across.
Italics are nice, they just sort of say it <i>softly &amp; gently </i>
As for etiquette, on these boards, if one manages not to call someone naff, daft, a troll, or a moron, you are being very mannerly.

Scarlett or ira dears :-D

Is underlining possible around here?

Sure. Like this: &lt;u&gt;the text you want underlined&lt;/u&gt;

<u>like this</u>

thanks!

<u> thanks Robespierre</u>

That is <b>SO</b> <u>Cool!!!</u>
<i>Thanks Robespierre!</i>

Anslem, re the above, do you remember:

&quot;I begged him, &quot;Julie, DON'T GO!!&quot;

(You have to be Canadian and middle-aged to &quot;get&quot; this)

I find an all caps post just a little difficult to read because of the way we are used to reading type -- however, I don't go ballistic over it the way some folks do and wouldn't ever tell somebody off about it. For both caps and bold, I think the idea is they are fine if the idea is for emphasis, but not the entire post. I much prefer caps or bold to that internet convention of putting stars around words. I'm not going to post in bold or itelaics because I don't want to spend the time making those extra characters.

&lt;&lt;I much prefer caps or bold to that internet convention of putting stars around words&gt;&gt;

I agree with that. I find that odd practice of using the asterisk before and after a word for emphasis, like this, *so* distracting and artificial.

I have noticed those ** being used a &quot;kisses&quot; in some postings.
I really don't mind any of it. As long as I can read it, and it is cordial, I am content ~ sorry .

Ancient History (circa 1980)

BOYS AND GIRLS, ONCE UPON A TIME COMPUTERS DIDN'T HAVE LOWER CASE. FOR EMPHASIS, WE USED *ASTERISKS* BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ITALICS. WE WOULD UNDERLINE LIKE _THIS_.

I think some people continue the use of these conventions out of habit.

No wonder it looks so alien to me. I took my first few tentative steps on the Internet in 1998 and didn't get a computer until 2000. I don't dislike all caps as much as I dislike the use of *asterisks* and _these things_ for emphasis. They remind me of the cutesie 1970s fad of pantomiming quotation marks in a conversation to mean &quot;quote.&quot;

tedgael: &quot;JULIE don't go&quot;!!!! LOL Well you might be right about the middle aged part but I'm not Canadian. Hadn't thought of that in years!!!! Too funny.

&gt;Ancient History (circa 1980)

&gt;...ONCE UPON A TIME COMPUTERS DIDN'T HAVE LOWER CASE.&lt;

Gee, I was introduced to my first computer (IBM 350) in 1961. It had both upper and lower case and could underline. No bold or Italics, though, on the printer.

tedgale, being Canadian and middle-aged (is that what this is called? I just took down my outdoor Christmas lights this morning and discovered some new aches and pains when I bent over to pick something up), I do remember &quot;Julie, don't go!&quot;

We didn't have a TV in the 50s, so I used to walk a block to the McLennan's, who had dazzled us all by acquiring a television. I seem to recollect Wayne and Shuster being on the Ed Sullivan Show. crefloors, is that perhaps where you might have seen them?

Anselm

You were communicating on line with others in 1961?

<i><u><b>Formidable!</b></u></i>

<i>p.s.</i> The IBM 350 was a RamAc unit, not a computer. It was a component of the 305, which was. I cut my teeth on a 650, its predecessor.

Anselm: You mean your parents didn't by a television &quot;to watch the Coronation&quot;????

(Mine didn't either.)

But when we got one it was in Oakville and our rooftop antenna picked up signals from the US across Lake Ontario. Watched a.m. TV before school -- yippee!!

Then in December 1959, we moved to Ottawa where the TV day didn't start 'til 4 p.m. As soon as we got home from school we'd turn on the TV to warm up -- we watched the test pattern until the show started (repeats of I Love Lucy, I think)

Then Ottawa got a second English station -- no-one thought of watching the French station -- and we could watch Uncle Chichamus, of which I actually attended a taping (??) with my Grade 5 class.