Posting replies to existing topics and the 'quote' button

[Alan]

Here is an explanation of the three main ways you can post in these forums.

When you are in one of the forums, e.g. Chicago Playboy Club; clicking this button will start a brand new topic (message) in this forum. You have to specify a Subject (name) for the topic as well as enter the message itself.

When you are viewing a topic, this button will enable you to post a reply within the topic. You can, if you want, also specify a Subject, but it isn't necessary for replies to existing topics.

This button can be seen on the top right of every message posted. It allows you to quote the text of that post (if you want to).

Why would you want to quote another person's message?

Well, when a topic has lots of replies, it often helps to clarify who you are responding to if you actually directly quote the person.

On very busy forum sites, say those discussing a TV program, if one topic has lots and lots of replies in it, and one of those replies you disagree with and you reply to that post without quoting it (or referring to the poster's name) then someone who posted another reply make think you are disagreeing with them.

Quoting avoids confusion. Say you replied with "You're wrong!" Someone might reply:

"Who, me?"
And then you reply:

"No sorry, I meant the person who replied two posts before you."

Quoting the post you are replying to helps eliminate this ambiguity.

But quoting can also be useful if you want to answer a specific point in another post.

When you quote another post, note that the entire original post is enclosed in the BB code quote tags. The original post, enclosed in these tags appears in the message text box. You can then add your reply underneath the closing quote tag. You can also delete all but the exact point you are referring to, so long as you don't delete the opening and closing quote tags around the the message you are replying to. Very useful.

You can of course, once you are comfortable with how the quote tags work, reply to more than one point in another post by adding opening and closing quote tags around the pertinent words and deleting any of the original poster's text that you don't want to reply to.

You need to make sure the words of the person you are replying to are enclosed within the quote tag and make sure your own reply is outwith those quotes.

I know this all sounds like gibberish, but if you experiment with the quote tags it will begin to make sense. Seeing is believing.
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Alan, Webmaster
Ex Playboy Bunnies

[Alan]

[Alan]