That was a terrible default setting, but you've always been able to change it, or at least you have been since I started using it in 2003-ish. You're right, tho

That was a terrible default setting, but you've always been able to change it, or at least you have been since I started using it in 2003-ish. You're right, though, it was an extremely poorly-designed bit of forum software with some baffling choices.