Reply With Quote That Shows User?

[huntinaz]

How are you guys doing this on this site? Most sites I've seen have a "reply with quote" button that allows you to select a quote to reply to and shows the user that supplied the original quote. I can't for the life of me find that button on this site, but can see people using the functionality. How's it done? It see it used often enough that I doubt people are manually typing and formatting the post, like I did in my example below.


Example:

Originally Posted by huntinaz

Blah blah, yada yada etc.

[Evan Thomas]

Yes, that's exactly how it's done here. We don't use the "Reply with quote" button because all too often, people use it to quote a long post and then add something on the order of "+1." That's a waste of bandwidth, and it also makes it harder to read threads.

There are various options for quoting: see the sticky in this forum, "How do I quote from a post?"

[huntinaz]

Hmmm I see. Thanks.

[NavyVet1959]

I had been doing it manually by editing the URL. I figured that it was just an old version of the forum software that did not allow the "quote" button instead of the site itself deciding to restrict it by making it more difficult to do. By not having a "reply" for each message, you also don't have the viewing a topic in a threaded format (if that even exists on this version of the forum software).

[Mike1234]

Yeah... it's a PITA. If you NEED to quote someone then you must 1. create the appropriate tags, 2. copy the original poster, 3. post them in the first tag, 4. copy the original text, 5. paste that text between the tags. Whoever thought this is a good idea is... lacking in logic. The function makes it harder to read threads? Pleeeze...

It's a silly and unnecessary stonewall, IMO. Now, I'm expecting a PM telling me I've received a "warning".

[NavyVet1959]

Originally Posted by Mike1234

Yeah... it's a PITA. If you NEED to quote someone then you must 1. create the appropriate tags, 2. copy the original poster, 3. post them in the first tag, 4. copy the original text, 5. paste that text between the tags.

It's a silly and unnecessary stonewall, IMO. Now, I'm expecting a PM telling me I've received a "warning".

I right click on the post number in the original thread and select "Open link in new tab". This gives me just that post so I can easily copy from it.
I then go back to the original tab and click "reply".
From there, I create the basic "quote" block and cut-and-paste the originating author from the other tab along with the thread number from the URL in the other tab and then whatever portion of the text that I want to quote.

It's definitely more of a pain than just being able to press the "reply with quote" button, but I believe that it is necessary to do it so that people will know what you are replying to since often you are not replying to just the post previous to your new one.

[huntinaz]

Yeah... it's a PITA. If you NEED to quote someone then you must 1. create the appropriate tags, 2. copy the original poster, 3. post them in the first tag, 4. copy the original text, 5. paste that text between the tags.

Yeah, it's gonna be more trouble than it's worth. If I NEED to have a "posted by" in my quote, I'll go to the trouble.

I personally think it's nice to see who is being quoted. It makes it more readable, not less so. Also, if I'm not mistaken, there is a functionality to limit the number of quotes on a reply. I readily agree that it gets annoying when there are like 6 quotes nested into one reply. Limiting to say one or two though is a useful function. In my opinion, of course.

Anyway, I'm certainly getting by without it.

[NavyVet1959]

Originally Posted by huntinaz

I personally think it's nice to see who is being quoted. It makes it more readable, not less so. Also, if I'm not mistaken, there is a functionality to limit the number of quotes on a reply. I readily agree that it gets annoying when there are like 6 quotes nested into one reply. Limiting to say one or two though is a useful function. In my opinion, of course.

I've seen sites that allow multiple layers of posts in the replies and they can definitely get excessive since some people will not take the time to edit their replies. On the other hand, one level of quote is sometimes just not enough, but the few times I need more than one level of quote, I'm willing to go to the trouble of manually creating the other levels.

[Evan Thomas]

Sorry, but it's a policy that's not going to change.

On the other hand, no one is forcing you to post here; but if you find that TFL is generally a good forum, consider the possibility that the way it's run might have something to do with that.

[Mike1234]

Originally Posted by Vanya

Sorry, but it's a policy that's not going to change.

On the other hand, no one is forcing you to post here; but if you find that TFL is generally a good forum, consider the possibility that the way it's run might have something to do with that.

No one argues that TFL is a great forum. But if certain factors can't listen to members concerns and needs then maybe those factors should listen to their own advice. Maybe TFL is a great place because of its members too. Why make things difficult for your members? Not everyone knows how to created quote tags... not that moderators want us to. Being completely frank, it's a silly and stubborn policy.

Am I going to receive an infraction now?

[Mike1234]

BTW, thank you for deleting my last post.

I just put an NRA sticker on my old truck. It says "Stand Up And Fight". I guess that expresses my attitude clearly. Please forgive my tendency to stand up and defend what I think is right.

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by Mike1234

Am I going to receive an infraction now?

You haven't done anything to garner an infraction and no one has even mentioned it except you.

Why are you turning a simple question and process into a fight?

It's not hard. You simply copy the post or part of post you wish to quote, paste it into a reply, select it, press the button and add =UserName.

We are well aware of the alternatives and have visited many sites that use them, besides many of us being members of them. The "Reply with Quote" button is a great way to make threads very, very long and unreadable, while providing little to no utility. All you get are huge, repeatative embedded quotes in embedded quotes in embedded quotes in embedded quotes in embedded quotes, simply because the user can't bother to copy the SINGLE SENTENCE to which they are responding and paste it in a reply.

I've been using TFL's method for YEARS and I don't even use the "Reply with Quote" button on other forums, simply because I don't think it's easier or better. Either way, it never occurred to me to start a fight over it.

The issue has been raised, dozens of times and it's not going to change.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=535410
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=500553
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=474846
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=473074
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430304
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417752
and many more.

[pax]

Asked and answered -- closed.

pax