Posts with quotes

[Guest Bruce Lages]

Is there a procedure for including a quote from a previous post in one's reply that guests are not seeing clearly? There seem to be many posts, primarily from guests, that just contain a quote from a previous post with no new information added, and then the new information shows up in an immediately following separate post. Is a clarification of how to include a quote in your post needed?

[hmtcastle]

Is there a procedure for including a quote from a previous post in one's reply that guests are not seeing clearly?

Apparently.

Perhaps they click on "Reply", see that there's already text in the box, and so click on "Add Reply" (so they can add their reply). At that point, of course, they're posting their reply, not adding it.

It does take a little getting used to, as does the "MultiQuote" feature.

[David A Foulkes]

Here is a link to the help files which describes (in a bit of detail) how to post replies, quote previous posts, and even use the multi-quote functionality.

Look about halfway down, under Viewing Posts, and then Replying.

And for quick and dirty, just type into the Fast Reply box and click POST.

[Trina]

Is there a procedure for including a quote from a previous post in one's reply that guests are not seeing clearly? There seem to be many posts, primarily from guests, that just contain a quote from a previous post with no new information added, and then the new information shows up in an immediately following separate post. Is a clarification of how to include a quote in your post needed?

Here is a link to the help files which describes (in a bit of detail) how to post replies, quote previous posts, and even use the multi-quote functionality.

....

I think Mr. Lages is pointing out a problem, rather than asking for help himself.

I've wondered about this phenomenon also, especially in those cases where the guest ONLY quotes a previous post, and no additional post with new information ever appears -- did that person just give up and go away? I suppose Mr. Mountcastle's theory (that the 'Add Reply' button is confusing people) makes sense. I don't know how a clarification would be made visible to those posters who aren't finding the information now... maybe a pinned thread at the top of the forum? But lots of people don't look at those either

[hmtcastle]

I don't know how a clarification would be made visible to those posters who aren't finding the information now

The only thing I came up with was changing "Add Reply" to "Post Your Reply" but that would involve tweaking the software and that's unlikely.

Or you could require that users click on "Preview Post" before they could post their reply. (I do that already but I suspect some would see it as an inconvenience.)

Just out of curiosity, I searched the IP forums for "Add Reply" and found that this issue has come up there. You might find this thread of interest.

As one IP poster concludes, "it's a user education issue".

[Gary c Tesser]

So it's not gonna get fixed that way.

[David A Foulkes]

So it's not gonna get fixed that way.

A post with a few small screen shots and brief instructions would be easy, and helpful, but getting posters to read it is another issue. You can lead a student to class, but you can't make him think.