I mentioned this in another Thread some time ago - long before the current upgrade - and it got some favourable responses. I can't find the old thread.
It would be very convenient if, within a Thread, posts by the OP were in a different background colour or had some other means to identify them. When you get to the middle of page 3 it can be very hard to remember who started a Thread and whether you should respond to a post (by the OP) or not if it was argumentative and by someone else.
I suggest that this should only be considered ONLY if it is a standard option within the SMF forum system.
...R