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Please stop quoting others as it makes threads too long

(75 Posts)
Skydancer Sun 05-May-24 11:48:36

Why do posters keep quoting other posters as it makes such a long read? Purple boxes and paler purple boxes? (I wouldn't even know how to do it.) Why can't someone just say "*ANOther*, I totally agree with you when you said x,y,z" and not keep on pasting the whole of a previous post into yet more boxes. Sorry this isn't the technical way to describe it but, when I see a really long thread, quoting stuff I've already read, I just skip over it.

Doodledog Mon 06-May-24 11:00:58

I think there is a place for nested quotes, a place for cut and paste and a place for simply referencing X'x post of 10:32:24. It's not always easy to judge how quickly a thread is moving, and whilst things like this can be annoying, it's not on a grand scale. Worse things happen at sea, as they say.

I like the way MN lets the reader click to see the quote history if she needs to. That way you can skim read if you've been following the thread and know who said what, but can get the full context if you've missed or forgotten it.

Caleo Mon 06-May-24 11:01:39

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

Theexwife Mon 06-May-24 11:57:48

I find it useful and shall continue to use it.

Glorianny Tue 07-May-24 07:58:18

Caleo

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

But what happens is I reply then someone replies to that. Thus one post becomes two (me) and then three (someone else). As I then need to reply to the third post I don't see any other way than to quote the whole. I can't just quote the answer to my answer and the original post isn't what I'm now answering.

lemsip Tue 07-May-24 08:29:15

google 'how to copy and paste. it will explain better than my effort below..

highlight the sentence then click on copy, go to where you want to place it and right click and click on paste.

NotSpaghetti Tue 07-May-24 08:50:38

All quotes on my mobile are indented.
I don't understand why people can't see where they begin and end.
Please can you explain- or is my phone doing something odd?

Also, what are "purple boxes" please?
I've never seen these.

NotSpaghetti Tue 07-May-24 08:51:40

...but my own contributions are shown in pink on my phone

Maggiemaybe Tue 07-May-24 09:13:19

2020convert

I agree with nanna8, and now you’ll have to scroll to find what I agree with 🤣

grin Yes, annoying.

Nearly as annoying as people starting bossy threads telling other people how to post…..

sodapop Tue 07-May-24 09:18:48

gringrin Maggiemaybe

OldFrill Tue 07-May-24 09:36:16

05/05/2024 11:48Skydancer

^Why do posters keep quoting other posters as it makes such a long read? Purple boxes and paler purple boxes? (I wouldn't even know how to do it.)^

Try learning how to do something before criticising. You may then see the reason for it.

Callistemon21 Tue 07-May-24 09:53:05

Glorianny

Caleo

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

But what happens is I reply then someone replies to that. Thus one post becomes two (me) and then three (someone else). As I then need to reply to the third post I don't see any other way than to quote the whole. I can't just quote the answer to my answer and the original post isn't what I'm now answering.

The problem
is that it
could end
up going
right
down
the page
and the
last person's
post ends
up something
like this!

Joseann Tue 07-May-24 09:56:14

Is there a record for the number of boxed quotes in one post?
When I joined GN (4 or 5 years) I was told that was how to do it to make sense. (Not that I make a lot of sens to everyone at the best of times!)

Glorianny Tue 07-May-24 10:31:39

Callistemon21

Glorianny

Caleo

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

But what happens is I reply then someone replies to that. Thus one post becomes two (me) and then three (someone else). As I then need to reply to the third post I don't see any other way than to quote the whole. I can't just quote the answer to my answer and the original post isn't what I'm now answering.

The problem
is that it
could end
up going
right
down
the page
and the
last person's
post ends
up something
like this!

That's true
But then so could
People who cut and paste

Then answer
Using paragraphs with big spaces in between.

Are we going for the biggest number of quotes used?

Callistemon21 Tue 07-May-24 10:34:32

Glorianny

Callistemon21

Glorianny

Caleo

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

But what happens is I reply then someone replies to that. Thus one post becomes two (me) and then three (someone else). As I then need to reply to the third post I don't see any other way than to quote the whole. I can't just quote the answer to my answer and the original post isn't what I'm now answering.

The problem
is that it
could end
up going
right
down
the page
and the
last person's
post ends
up something
like this!

That's true
But then so could
People who cut and paste

Then answer
Using paragraphs with big spaces in between.

Are we going for the biggest number of quotes used?

Guinness
Book
of Records?

Maggiemaybe Tue 07-May-24 10:43:35

Mumsnet has a better system (don’t they always?).

The first post quoted and its reply show on the thread, as they do here. If anyone adds to that, just the last post shows and there’s a “show history” link you can click on if you want to see what posters are referring to. It makes the site a lot neater.

Glorianny Tue 07-May-24 10:59:50

Callistemon21

Glorianny

Callistemon21

Glorianny

Caleo

Glorianny

As someone who is frequently at odds with other posters I find it necessary to use the quote facility when replying to specific posters. What then sometimes happens is another poster chips in with a comment which needs a response. I don't know how else to continue a conversation which involves 3 or 4 posters.
Just skipping any of it is fine.

What I do in another forum is scroll back to the post that interest me as quoted, and reply that one.

But what happens is I reply then someone replies to that. Thus one post becomes two (me) and then three (someone else). As I then need to reply to the third post I don't see any other way than to quote the whole. I can't just quote the answer to my answer and the original post isn't what I'm now answering.

The problem
is that it
could end
up going
right
down
the page
and the
last person's
post ends
up something
like this!

That's true
But then so could
People who cut and paste

Then answer
Using paragraphs with big spaces in between.

Are we going for the biggest number of quotes used?

Guinness
Book
of Records?

Oh Yeah!!! (Apologies to anyone who this irritates)

Skydancer Tue 07-May-24 11:40:59

Just to reply to whoever asked, the boxes show as purple for me - maybe it's just my laptop.

MissAdventure Tue 07-May-24 11:51:03

Yes, I think these things can show up in a variety of colours, depending on what you're using.

Callistemon21 Tue 07-May-24 18:25:19

Skydancer

Just to reply to whoever asked, the boxes show as purple for me - maybe it's just my laptop.

It's all shades of grey on my device

Calipso Tue 07-May-24 19:05:28

@ Callistemon
It's all shades of grey on my device

...fifty?

MissAdventure Tue 07-May-24 19:34:52

Ooh errr, Mrs!!!

Callistemon21 Tue 07-May-24 19:42:09

Calipso

@ Callistemon
It's all shades of grey on my device

...fifty?

Not yet 😁
49 and holding ....

Oreo Tue 07-May-24 21:27:15

Doodledog nested quotes sounds very cute, I want some, do they need a lot of care?😄
If there are too many quotes together they continue breeding.

Doodledog Wed 08-May-24 08:11:32

grin