Reminder on Good Quoting Etiquette

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Recently the staff have noticed an upturn in the number of posts quoting large walls of text and other issues such as errors in the use of quote tags. We want to ensure that the forum and it's constituent threads are as easy to follow as possible, and as such we have decided to re-issue a reminder on quoting etiquette.

1. First off the bat; please ensure that your use of the standard quote tags are correct:

Code:

[quote][/quote]

If they go wrong in one post and then other members quote it (as has happened a few times recently) it means that that error is multiplied several times over. Double check your posts, especially if you're quoting large amounts of text.

2. If you are quoting another member, please ensure that you quote only the text you want to respond to. This will decrease the likelihood of errors in quoting, which makes everyone's lives easier. However, please note that it is against the rules to edit/amend the text of another member (Rule 14:"Quoting others accurately"). This includes leaving out content that subsequently alters the meaning/context of the quoted post (quote mining).

3. If you're quoting large walls of text, or are uncomfortable editing another member's post as per point 2, then the staff request that you utilize the hide tags. Doing this will ensure that the large walls of text are not repeatedly pasted over the same page/thread by condensing it down. It also makes threads much easier to read through, which means discussion can can be much more productive. An example is as follows:

Code:

[hide][quote='member1']  this is a block wall of text [/quote][/hide]

Will look like this:

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this is a block wall of text

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If you have any queries regarding this please feel free to post them on this thread or PM the staff.

Many thanks.

AF.org staff.

[Rampant.A.I.]

Thanks for the heads up. It's often difficult to deal with multi quotes on mobile. Tapatalk has a feature for multi quotes, I wonder if there's a way to turn that on, or auto-hide posts over a certain character count.

[Nine]

I sometimes do it like this:

Code:

[quote=member][hide]all the words[/hide][/quote]

That way whoever I'm responding to knows I have quoted them. Its only a slight difference but it I think its handy in some of the more chaotic threads. I don't think it causes a problem with rule 14 seems I'm essentially quoting nothing if the hide tags aren't opened.

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all the words

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[Fidel_Castronaut]

That's absolutely fine, Insanity. My example was just for parsimony but I, too, generally quote/hide like you do.

[LostLocke]

2. ... However, please note that it is against the rules to edit/amend the text of another member (Rule 14:"Quoting others accurately"). This includes leaving out content that subsequently alters the meaning/context of the quoted post (quote mining).

OK, question....

What about those times where a poster says something like "Apples are proof of God."
And we quote that, edit it to say "Apples are proof of Odin." with the 'fixed for ya' statement?

[Violet]

But... the only way to lose in Tag is to be It... and It can't catch you if you break away from It!

[Angrboda]

2. ... However, please note that it is against the rules to edit/amend the text of another member (Rule 14:"Quoting others accurately"). This includes leaving out content that subsequently alters the meaning/context of the quoted post (quote mining).

OK, question....

What about those times where a poster says something like "Apples are proof of God."
And we quote that, edit it to say "Apples are proof of Odin." with the 'fixed for ya' statement?

14. Quoting Others Accurately
When using the quote function to quote other members, you may quote in whole or in part, but may not change the quoted text in any way. Breaking this rule may result in staff intervention. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the misquote(s), you may be warned, banned, or have your post edited to indicate the violation and / or amend the misquote. Adding to the quoted text for clarification (i.e. bolding, numbering, italics, etc.) is okay provided you indicate that the additions are yours and not the quoted member's, and provided it doesn't change the meaning of the quoted text. Use of textual alteration for the purpose of parody may be allowed, provided it is clear that the changes have been made to the original quote. In the case of ambiguity, staff will err on the side of preserving the author's original words rather than preserving your artistic license. If in doubt, include the phrase "Changes made to original quotation." at the top of your post. Staff reserve the right to consider misquotations on a case-by-case basis, weighing context and additional factors.

[LostLocke]

OK, good to know.

[Creed of Heresy]

Especially useful to remember all this when quoting me, considering I like to slam giant walls of my ramblings down into threads right out of nowhere...

[Cyberman]

I'd just like to add: if your post follows directly on from one to which you're responding and your intention is to continue the flow of conversation, there may not be any need to reply with quote at all. Think of it as a real-life conversation - you don't always need to repeat everything the last person said in order to add your points.

Also, in the case of posted videos and/or images, please consider whether you need to include them in your quote, especially if you're not addressing them in your reply. Some of us who rely on the mobile version of the site can find that everything slows right down or even crashes out if there's one video posted several times across multiple pages.