They're new. I noticed that there's an option in the settings to collapse page numbers, and enabling this also added brackets for some reason.
Ah, I thought I was going nuts. lol. I opened show unread posts since last visit. link. With 20 new pages, which is average for me a day, I don't see them collapsed, which collapsed I would think would be a pain, when opening 20 pages from page one without collapsing is great. But with collapsing [which https://forum.litecoin.net/ uses, example: https://forum.litecoin.net/index.php?action=recent] is a pain, cuz, after 2-3 pages they're collapsed, each individual page after the first one needs to be opened so on so forth. Hope you don't go this route. collapsing with >> arrows or whatever sucks.
They actually really irritate me because I've gotten so used to the old way, but I guess I'll get used to this eventually. It's a good addition, especially on PM pages.
Well, is there a way to disable the brackets on new pages for posts and have it enabled on pages for pm's? I worked with it a little, and I do too now find it kind of irritating, it's like to much moving? "i'm weird i guess" either way is cool. Like you said, have to get use to them. It's weird, I'm leaning both ways with it, I like it but don't, like, I like how it displays what page your on but then it's weird. :s
old school like you said. 
