Boards getting harder to read - too much unnecessary 'quoting'?

[BobGe]

Now I'm sure this will be controversial but I find that these boards getting harder and harder to read over time because of what appears to be a propensity amongst members to allow themselves too much freedom in the unnecessary use of the quoting function without what appears to be much thought or consideration.

People will:
1. Quote a whole previous post unedited when posting an immediate follow-on response when really no quote is needed because the subject just follows on and it is obvious to a reader to what it refers;
2. Not bother to edit quotes to remove spurious 'space';
3. Quote everything rather than limit it to the text to which their response relates;
4. Re-quote stuff that has been previously quoted such that there are several unnecessary nested quotes, without considering editing;
5. Quote in whole massive posts which include pictures, charts and alike which themselves may take up the complete screen or more in a subsequent reply, which may often be a simple one or two line response;
6. I could go on....

The result is too much dross and the expense of useful content. It discourages reading.

Now, fair enough, I'm just me (although surely this phenomenon can't have gone unnoticed by others) and if that's the way the rest like it I'll happily yield to the majority view. But I am caused to wonder if it would not be generally beneficial and considerate if board members could see their way to improving their technique?

I hope this comment does not cause offence, it is not directed at anyone in particular and, as they say, any resemblances are entirely coincidental! (But please don't quote me...)

[swill453]

A while back the level of nested quotes was increased, I think from 3 to 4. I said at the time I thought this was a bad idea, and I still do.

Scott.

[pje16]

Oh, so it not just me who hates the over quoting
It's quite easy really
Here I am replying to @BobGe's post, that is quite obvious, so there is absolutely no need to quote him

[Dod101]

I agree with all of that and apart from anything else these nested quotes take up a huge amount of space. I think it must just be laziness because although it sometimes needs a little care, it is not difficult to isolate the point to which you are responding if, indeed, as pje says, any quote is necessary.

Dod

[TUK020]

1. Quote a whole previous post unedited when posting an immediate follow-on response when really no quote is needed because the subject just follows on and it is obvious to a reader to what it refers;

Quoting a previous post in part, alerts the previous poster that there is a response to look at.

[seagles]

Oh, so it not just me who hates the over quoting
It's quite easy really
Here I am replying to @BobGe's post, that is quite obvious, so there is absolutely no need to quote him

However, this way BobGe will not be notified that you have replied to him, whereas if you quoted him it would. However, I agree that excessive quotas do make it a bit harder to work out what the reply is about, but I have got used to it now.

[Dod101]

1. Quote a whole previous post unedited when posting an immediate follow-on response when really no quote is needed because the subject just follows on and it is obvious to a reader to what it refers;

Quoting a previous post in part, alerts the previous poster that there is a response to look at.

Yes but this sort of quote alerts every poster within it whilst the new poster's comments probably have little relevance for the earlier posters, so care ought to be taken to quote simply the bit they are responding to, or not to bother to quote at all. The original poster can look at via Quick Links to find new posts if he is interested.

Dod

[DrFfybes]

I agree entirely.

Although I won't clarify who I agree with.

[Gerry557]

Guilty! my lord.

Depending on what device you use editing quotes is quite difficult on a small screen so clicking one button just "works"

Well for posting and informing the originator. I agree about the space issues but you can scroll past to the new bit.

Not ideal I grant.

Not quoted to not upset the originator.

[AsleepInYorkshire]

Oh, so it not just me who hates the over quoting
It's quite easy really
Here I am replying to @BobGe's post, that is quite obvious, so there is absolutely no need to quote him

However, this way BobGe will not be notified that you have replied to him, whereas if you quoted him it would. However, I agree that excessive quotas do make it a bit harder to work out what the reply is about, but I have got used to it now.

I've been dealing with this issue in a slightly different way. I remove the nesting, and sometimes remove some of the quoted posts. Please see above. It takes up more time but I'd like to think it may have been helping others who are reading afterwards.

Just my thoughts. I'm in no doubt someone will come along to let me know my positive thoughts and actions are pointless. Pervasive negativity or constructive negativity criticism?

AiY(D)

[pje16]

However, this way BobGe will not be notified that you have replied to him, whereas if you quoted him it would. However, I agree that excessive quotas do make it a bit harder to work out what the reply is about, but I have got used to it now.

Yes you can, as you can be automatically subscribed to anything you post to
ucp.php?i=ucp_prefs&mode=post

[Lanark]

However, this way BobGe will not be notified that you have replied to him, whereas if you quoted him it would.

Perhaps the solution then is to turn that functionality off, and force people to subscribe to topics or manually check them for replies.

[seagles]

Being contrary. I dislike those that reply to a post up the thread but do not "quote" and you are left wondering what it is they are replying to without scrolling up until you can spot it. I'll get my coat.

[tjh290633]

Being contrary. I dislike those that reply to a post up the thread but do not "quote" and you are left wondering what it is they are replying to without scrolling up until you can spot it. I'll get my coat.

I quite agree. Removing unwanted quotes on a mobile phone is tedious but possible. Sometimes the quote of interest is several pages back. Without context replies often do not make sense.

TJH

[88V8]

..the unnecessary use of the quoting function ...4. Re-quote stuff that has been previously quoted such that there are several unnecessary nested quotes...

In general I try to fillet previous posts, but it can become quite twangling to remove the appropriate Quote marks defining who said what and sometimes I give up.

I imagine on a silly little screen it's even worse, and with no mouse to scroll past stuff worse still.

But I do agree with you.

Mind you, what's even more annoying is forums with footers where one has perpetually to scroll past a selection of vaguely funny bon mots and photographs, for the umpteenth time, to read one line of script.

V8

[Mike4]

I agree with the OP. On any other forum I ever visit one can quote a post but nested quotes are simply 'not a thing', and I've no idea why we have to have them here. Other forums have a 'multi-quote' facility if one feels the need to quote stacks of posts to show how a point developed (unnecessary 99.9% of the time IMO).

Also, on other forums I use, if one highlights a small passage in a post i.e. the specific part one is responding to, a small pop-up box appears for one to click and quote just the highlighted bit. This is VERY useful and I use it constantly but sadly it is turned off here. I've no idea why as both the other forums are based on the same BB software as here, so I know it's available and makes quoting much more focussed and concise.

[kempiejon]

If one presses the Post Reply button a blank box appears in which to type. Below that box are previous posts. You can scroll within that previous posts section, highlight a section and click the quotes button and that highlighted text will be added to the reply box. Like this

i.e. the specific part one is responding to, a

Did I explain that correctly

[tjh290633]

If one presses the Post Reply button a blank box appears in which to type. Below that box are previous posts. You can scroll within that previous posts section, highlight a section and click the quotes button and that highlighted text will be added to the reply box. Like this

i.e. the specific part one is responding to, a

Did I explain that correctly

Almost. It is the Quote ("") button on the post with the quote which you have to press. Not the one above the box in which you are composing your message. It is not easy on a mobile phone, if even possible.

TJH

[Itsallaguess]

If one presses the Post Reply button a blank box appears in which to type. Below that box are previous posts. You can scroll within that previous posts section, highlight a section and click the quotes button and that highlighted text will be added to the reply box.

Like this

i.e. the specific part one is responding to, a

Did I explain that correctly

I created an on-line video some time ago, clearly showing how simple this multi-reply process is, where smaller snippets of multiple posts on a particular thread can easily be captured using this facility -

Lemon Fool - multiple thread quotes example -

https://player.vimeo.com/video/396253148

The above video should open in full-screen mode, with a PLAY button towards the bottom left of the screen.

I think many of the issues previously mentioned on this thread could be reduced if more people were aware of, and utilised, the above process where they find the need to reply to more that one quoted section of previous posts, although it is worth recognising that many of these useful but quite granular processes become much more difficult to work with on portable devices...

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[Mike4]

Excellent, thanks for the explanation. I didn't know that.

Still seems unnecessarily clumsy having to go into the "thread review" section and find the bit you want to quote, when one just does it directly in the run of the thread as one reads it on most forums. But a good step forward!