# Request for using "Quote"



## dragnlaw (Mar 15, 2014)

I belonged to another forum that uses the exact same format as DC.

I would like to make a suggestion and am hoping that no one takes umbrage.  Being a newbie I'm browsing around reading a lot of the posts.  

But then I lose interest in the thread,  reason being is everyone is "quoting" the post that they are commenting on.  There is certainly no harm in that but some of the posts are quite long and if three people "quote" the same long post - it gets a bit tedious to scroll thru and read.

When you quote it is simple to delete the parts that are not really integral to your reply.  Or to put it another way, you only leave in what you are actually refering to in your reply.  If you feel the whole thing is what you are replying on - there must be a key note that made you sit up and want to reply that you could choose.

You simply must be careful not to delete the 'square quotation marks' at the beginning and at the end. You can always 'Preview Post' to make sure it is what you want.

It really is so much tidier and nothing is lost in the translation. And newbies like me can read past threads without getting bogged down.

Thanks for listening.


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 15, 2014)

*example*



dragnlaw said:


> I would like to make a suggestion
> You simply must be careful not to delete the 'square quotation marks' at the beginning and at the end. You can always 'Preview Post' to make sure it is what you want.



The square bracket at the top of the quote " ] "  and the one at the bottom " [ "


----------



## Dawgluver (Mar 15, 2014)

I have to agree....


----------



## pacanis (Mar 15, 2014)

dragnlaw said:


> I belonged to another forum that uses the exact same format as DC.
> 
> I would like to make a suggestion and am hoping that no one takes umbrage. Being a newbie I'm browsing around reading a lot of the posts.
> 
> ...


 


dragnlaw said:


> The square bracket at the top of the quote " ] " and the one at the bottom " [ "


 
I'm not sure I follow you.


----------



## pacanis (Mar 15, 2014)

Seriously, the only one that bugs me is pics being quoted.
I usually snip the pic out, we already saw it once after all.


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 15, 2014)

Yeah, that too.

But to be fair, I know a lot want to post a reply and do it as quickly as they can.  Ergo the long quotes and pics.

Sometimes when I reply to a post by the time I actually get around to posting it there are 2 or 3 other posts already done...


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 15, 2014)

One of my biggest faults I can never correct is 'highjacking' the thread, slowly changing the subject by "oh that reminds me of...." and it will slowly become a completely different subject.


----------



## Andy M. (Mar 15, 2014)

I usually edit out irrelevant portions of post I quote, using and elipsis at each end of the deletion to acknowledge the quote has been edited.


----------



## taxlady (Mar 15, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> I usually edit out irrelevant portions of post I quote, using and elipsis at each end of the deletion to acknowledge the quote has been edited.


And I appreciate the ellipsis. I may be nitpicky and pedantic, but I consider it very rude to quote only a portion without the ellipsis. It's far too easy to change the meaning of a quote. At least let people know that part of the quote is missing, using the above quote as an example:


Andy M. said:


> ... elipsis at each end of the deletion to acknowledge the  quote has been edited.


----------



## LPBeier (Mar 15, 2014)

We've actually had this discussion a couple of times over the years.  I try to limit my quotes and condense when I can, but I have been around computers for more years than I care to remember.

Many of our members are not so savvy and may be intimidated at the thought of editing text.  I am just making an assumption of course, and hope I am not offending anyone.

I agree that when it can be done it does keep things tidy, but remember, what is agreed to now becomes moot in about 2 weeks when 50 people leave and another 50 arrive who haven't seen this (hypothetically speaking with tongue firmly embedded in cheek!) 

After all that, dragnlaw, I do agree, but don't see much hope in it sticking.


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 15, 2014)

It actually worked on the other forum.  What didn't work was the changing of subject...     Just can't help myself 

and you're correct Andy M & taxlady - I used to ...... before and ..... after. Forgot about that!


----------



## Cooking Goddess (Mar 16, 2014)

dragnlaw said:


> ...When you quote it is simple to delete the parts that are not really integral to your reply.  Or to put it another way, you only leave in what you are actually refering to in your reply.....


I remember reading this my first go-round (I took a 3-year sabbatical to "do things" that never got done) with Andy being the one to suggest it, if I recall correctly.



Andy M. said:


> I usually edit out irrelevant portions of post I quote, using and elipsis at each end of the deletion to acknowledge the quote has been edited.


And this is what I remember you saying Andy, if it was you. Whoever it was, I thought it was a great suggestion. Besides, if someone wants to read the entire quote the ellipsis let them know to look up^ for something that was edited out.

Although I must admit I'm guilty of reposting the photos...sorry pac.


----------



## pacanis (Mar 16, 2014)

Cooking Goddess said:


> ...Although I must admit I'm guilty of reposting the photos...sorry pac.


 
I'll live


----------



## Andy M. (Mar 16, 2014)

While we're on the subject of ellipsis, please keep in mind and ellipsis is THREE DOTS.  More dots don't make it better.


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 16, 2014)

awww  com'on.....   the more the merrier


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Mar 16, 2014)

!!!!


----------



## cave76 (Mar 16, 2014)

I think the OP made a very good point, and one I try to follow but obviously don't all the time. When I do quote the entire message I often highlight with Bold or another color to make what I'm responding to clearer.

A tangential remark, but along the same lines as making the posts more understandable, is a suggestion that if someone replies *"I had the same experience and it made me SO unhappy!"* but DOESN'T quote the post s/he is replying to! Sometimes that post is a page or two after the OP due to heavy traffic on the thread or because the person just got around to reading the thread. But it leaves the reader clueless as to what made her/him so unhappy.

Some ways to mitigate that:

1. Tootsie, I'm sorry your goldfish died. I had the same experience and it made me SO unhappy!

2. Refer to post # 14. I had the same experience and it made me SO unhappy!

Otherwise the reply "I had the same experience and it made me SO unhappy!" might follow a post where someone said they'd just gotten married!


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 16, 2014)

cave76 said:


> Otherwise the reply "I had the same experience and it made me SO unhappy!" might follow a post where someone said they'd just gotten married!



    maybe that's what was meant!


----------



## GotGarlic (Mar 16, 2014)

dragnlaw said:


> awww  com'on.....   the more the merrier



No - the more, the more incorrect <said the intrepid editor>


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Mar 16, 2014)

But...but...dots are fun!!!!

Gosh, one more exclamation point and I'd be a psychopath...


----------



## Cooking Goddess (Mar 16, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> While we're on the subject of ellipsis, please keep in mind and ellipsis is THREE DOTS.  More dots don't make it better.



Hey, sometimes fingers stutter and the eyes don't catch it!  ;-)


----------



## dragnlaw (Mar 16, 2014)

When my fingers "stutter" while I'm playing a game...  (1.2.3.)  ARGHHH - usually causes me to lose.


----------



## Sprout (Mar 16, 2014)

I agree; it helps. I also like when people highlight a paticular part in another color. However, for what it's worth, it does become easier to scan through and not get so bogged down in time. 
Thank you for the post and I really hope no one chooses to take offense!


----------



## Roll_Bones (Mar 16, 2014)

dragnlaw said:


> When you quote it is simple to delete the parts that are not really integral to your reply.  Or to put it another way, you only leave in what you are actually refering to in your reply.  If you feel the whole thing is what you are replying on - there must be a key note that made you sit up and want to reply that you could choose.



I do this regularly to keep my long winded, "know it all" posts as small as possible.
My posts are still to long and sometimes rub people the wrong way.
I was concerned especially on this forum that editing ones post would be frowned upon. Like I did above.

I can hear the whiner saying that i misquoted them by not using all of it.


----------



## cave76 (Mar 16, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> I can hear the whiner saying that i misquoted them by not using all of it.



Or sue you for copyright!  

Here's a quote that comes in handy a lot of times but guaranteed to make enemies! 

"There are more horses asses than asses in this world."


----------



## taxlady (Mar 16, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> ...
> I can hear the whiner saying that i misquoted them by not using all of it.


But it can be misleading, hence, the ellipsis.


----------



## Roll_Bones (Mar 16, 2014)

taxlady said:


> But it can be misleading, hence, the ellipsis.



I had to look up that word today.


----------



## Andy M. (Mar 16, 2014)

Roll_Bones said:


> I had to look up that word today.




What?  Hence?


----------



## Andy M. (Mar 16, 2014)

cave76 said:


> ..."There are more horses asses than asses in this world."



I think this quote makes more sense if you say,  "There are more horses asses than horses in this world."


----------



## cave76 (Mar 16, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> I think this quote makes more sense if you say,  "There are more horses asses than horses in this world."



Either way is good.


----------



## cave76 (Mar 16, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> What?  Hence?





A very good example of why to use quotes or other identifiers in a reply! Good one Andy, M


----------



## Roll_Bones (Mar 16, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> What?  Hence?


----------

