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Why can't we quote a first post?

quote function

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#1 PWAIN

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 03:16 AM


Why are we not able to select quote for a first post? Sometimes I just want to answer a part of the post and can't do it. Seems silly to me.

#2 YOLF

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 05:00 AM

This forum's design assumes that all posts are in reference to the first post. You can always copy and paste the text into your reply, highlight it and use the quote button to make it show up as a quote if you are worried that the thread has grown too long and gotten too off topic for people to remember it.
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#3 nowayout

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 01:30 PM

This forum's design assumes that all posts are in reference to the first post.

With due respect, that makes no sense as an answer to the question.
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#4 niner

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 02:30 PM

For years we were able to quote the first post, then one day recently it changed without warning or discussion. Either this was a hardwired change made by IPB, the provider of the forum software, or it was a configuration change that someone made. If it was the latter, could we please change it back to the way it was, as it is clearly a bother to users and doesn't serve much if any practical purpose.

#5 Mind

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:28 PM

We will have the engineers look into it.
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#6 YOLF

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Posted 05 March 2014 - 09:41 PM

Sorry, reading the response, I realize that I did see this one before. I should have kept searching for it as a reference to this post.

#7 PWAIN

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 02:20 AM

We will have the engineers look into it.


Thank You.

Interesting point - I found I can quote the first post when using my phone (but that is not much use as I find it much harder to put a reply together on my phone). Must be some setting.

#8 caliban

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 01:01 PM

This forum's design assumes that all posts are in reference to the first post.

With due respect, that makes no sense as an answer to the question.


On the contrary, it is the right answer to the question.

'Quoting' should only ever be done if you need to be clear that you are referring to a specific 'bit' of a message. Quoting whole posts is rarely appropriate, but there is a limited place for it 'downstream' in a thread. Disabling quoting whole posts is a very viable option under consideration, but the 'compromise' solution is disabling it for the first post where it could never be appropriate:

Every post in a thread should have relevance to the first post, or it is off-topic, in violation of our posting guidelines and hence the user agreement. Use of the 'quote' button indiscriminately results in re-posting redundant text making the forums harder to navigate, less informative and enjoyable. It is also a violation of the posting guidelines and the user agreement. Repeat offenders should be braced for a suspension.
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#9 PWAIN

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 05:43 AM

So Caliban, if it is by design, how come I can quote my first post from my phone?

Why are we not able to select quote for a first post? Sometimes I just want to answer a part of the post and can't do it. Seems silly to me.



#10 Turnbuckle

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 12:33 PM

Why are we not able to select quote for a first post? Sometimes I just want to answer a part of the post and can't do it. Seems silly to me.



Every post in a thread should have relevance to the first post, or it is off-topic, in violation of our posting guidelines and hence the user agreement.


That means more than half of all posts are in violation of the user agreement. So perhaps it would be better for every post to incorporate the first post by default (like I've done above), thereby reminding the poster of what he's supposed to be talking about. Because if it is truly "critical that you try to keep follow-up posts on topic," as the user agreement says, then the last thing you want to do is to prevent people from quoting the first post.

Edited by Turnbuckle, 07 March 2014 - 12:41 PM.


#11 nowayout

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 06:27 PM

So it is inappropriate to quote just thr bit of yhe first post you are referring to? Every post refers to the entire first post? People aee supposed to remember tge entire first pist even if it us on a separate page?

Sorry for errors, the android editor doesn't wprk right for this site.
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#12 Jeoshua

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 06:58 PM

Why are we not able to select quote for a first post? Sometimes I just want to answer a part of the post and can't do it. Seems silly to me.



Every post in a thread should have relevance to the first post, or it is off-topic, in violation of our posting guidelines and hence the user agreement.


That means more than half of all posts are in violation of the user agreement. So perhaps it would be better for every post to incorporate the first post by default (like I've done above), thereby reminding the poster of what he's supposed to be talking about. Because if it is truly "critical that you try to keep follow-up posts on topic," as the user agreement says, then the last thing you want to do is to prevent people from quoting the first post.


I think this argument elegantly points out the absurdity that every single post in every single thread must be totally in reference to the first post.

#13 niner

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 10:28 PM

Perhaps we should put it to a vote, and let the community decide how they would like it to work.

#14 YOLF

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 10:34 PM

Sounds like a good idea.
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#15 Mind

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Posted 08 March 2014 - 03:49 PM

Members should vote on this, and have a say on that aspect of the user agreement. It should explicitly allow for more casual conversation in some instances. For specific threads where the thread-starter would like the discussion to remain focused, they can state that in the first post and it can be moderated that way. There are many conversations in forums that are more like brainstorming and bouncing ideas off one another. Sometimes the best ideas come after digressions.

Edited by Mind, 08 March 2014 - 03:51 PM.


#16 caliban

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Posted 09 March 2014 - 09:00 PM

So Caliban, if it is by design, how come I can quote my first post from my phone?

Thanks for pointing out that bug, we may get around to fixing it eventually. :happy:

So perhaps it would be better for every post to incorporate the first post by default

In the non- mobile version every post in a thread has has a title which is the title of the first post.

It would be ironic if I would let myself be dragged into a discussion on the merits or otherwise of staying on-topic... because that is a different discussion triggered by, but not relevant to the the question in the first post. Start a new topic for that discussion or a referendum.
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#17 YOLF

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Posted 28 March 2014 - 04:12 AM

Shall I go ahead and post a poll in the townhall forum or another forum?

#18 PWAIN

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Posted 28 March 2014 - 04:19 AM

I was going to create one but I am not a member so cryonicsculture I would appreciate if you could do it.

#19 APBT

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 06:35 PM

I too find the inability to quote the original (first post) annoying; I'd vote to have this fixed. 



#20 niner

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 07:09 PM

Did a poll ever get created for this issue?



#21 PWAIN

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Posted 21 August 2014 - 09:00 PM

I don't think so. I certainly haven't seen one. Niner, would you be kind enough to create one please?




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