How Should I Make Point By Point Replies?

[Richard W]

How should one make point by point replies to a post?

One technique I've seen is to quote the significant points of the previous post in a single quote block and insert ones replies in a different colour (typically red). People seem to be unhappy with that, not least because it can quickly become unclear who said what when the repsonses are responded to.

I thought the answer was to put each point being replied to in a single quote block and then put one's response below the corresponding quote block. However, the forum limits us to four quote blocks (I'm not sure how nested blocks are counted), rejecting posts with five or more. I have hit this limit at least twice in the past month.

[Chang_paarp]

(1)How should one make point by point replies to a post?

(2)One technique I've seen is to quote the significant points of the previous post in a single quote block and insert ones replies in a different colour (typically red). People seem to be unhappy with that, not least because it can quickly become unclear who said what when the repsonses are responded to.

(3)I thought the answer was to put each point being replied to in a single quote block and then put one's response below the corresponding quote block. However, the forum limits us to four quote blocks (I'm not sure how nested blocks are counted), rejecting posts with five or more. I have hit this limit at least twice in the past month.

(1) This method has raised the ire of the mods, as I was accused of modifying the original post, which was not my intention.

(2) I have had this problem in the past.

(3) I have tried this as an alternative, so far without reprimand. Would be interested to get a ruling.

[Maestro]

How should one make point by point replies to a post?

Point by point, like I am doing here?

One technique I've seen is to quote the significant points of the previous post in a single quote block and insert ones replies in a different colour (typically red).

An absolut no-no onThaiVisa.

People seem to be unhappy with that, not least because it can quickly become unclear who said what when the repsonses are responded to.

You see this correctly. The principal point, though, is that if I change anything in the quoted text – change font format of part of the text, add my reply, etc – I create the impression that the member who made that post wrote it that way. The only permitted modification of a quoted post is the snipping away of text that is not necessary for my reply.

I thought the answer was to put each point being replied to in a single quote block and then put one's response below the corresponding quote block.

Yes, that’s the ideal way to do it.

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Maestro

P.S. Splitting my reply into two posts because of the limit of permitted quotes.

[Maestro]

However, the forum limits us to four quote blocks (I'm not sure how nested blocks are counted), rejecting posts with five or more…

It happened to me, too, the other day. I saw one member circumvent this limit by splitting his reply into two separate posts.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

What Chang_paarp did with the numbering of the individual points in red in the quoted text is clever. While strictly speaking this would also be in violation of the new forum rule No. 29 I must confess that I did the same once, starting my reply with something like "The red numbering of individual points in the quote below was done by me, to facilitate my reply". Then the quote, followed by my reply with numbered paragraphs corresponding to the numbers in the quote. Done this way, I am sure no mod or admin would sanction you for it, but quoting each point separately followed immediately by your reply makes it easier to read, particularly if it is a very long quote that would need scrolling up and down all the time (which was not the case with your post here)

An alternative to splitting your reply into two posts when more than four points need to be addressed would be to include two points in some quotes, followed by the answers to both points.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

In an ideal world, the member who makes a long post with many questions would himself number the individual points, and I have seen many members do that. This way, you do not have to quote each of his points separately.

If it is a long, rambling post without numbering of the many questions or points, members can be forgiven for thinking that the poster does not really expect a reply to his post or to each point he raised.

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Maestro

[Maestro]

...the forum limits us to four quote blocks (I'm not sure how nested blocks are counted)...

Nested blocks are something else and a particularly ugly example is here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Sunday-Redsh...65#entry2978165

Each such block would count as one quote, I believe. Just imagine what a reply would look like with four quotes like that. Ugh!

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Maestro

[mca]

The principal point, though, is that if I change anything in the quoted text – change font format of part of the text, add my reply, etc – I create the impression that the member who made that post wrote it that way. By the way my name is Maestro and I wear ladies underwear when out and about. I love the feel of smooth silk against my skin. It's so......liberating.

I agree Maestro. Editing posts can lead to wrong conclusions being drawn

[Harcourt]

What about cutting then pasting into "......quotation marks...." (with credit to the author in brackets) to get around the quote block limit? If done this way, with a change in colour to distinguish original text and bold for any particular words, otherwise nothing inserted?

I've seen this done and it seems to be comprehensible. (Mind you, I did use the quotation mark method recently and because the original text had a word in bold, I inserted in brackets that the emphasis was not mine, just to clarify...this got the forum nettiquette quoted to me!)

Is there anything wrong with this method?

"........The principal point, (emphasis mine) though, is that if I change anything in the quoted text – change font format of part of the text, add my reply, etc – I create the impression that the member who made that post wrote it that way...."(Maestro)

And thus I can respond....Alternatively (perhaps preferably), make MY text the different colour.

It IS very helpful to make bold certain words or sentences when one requires the entire quote but has a particular need to highlight a word or phrase within that quote.

Is there anything wrong with this method?

[PeaceBlondie]

Modern readers have short attention spans. Best to limit one post to 2 or 3 points, then go back and comment on other points.

[TAWP]

However, the forum limits us to four quote blocks (I'm not sure how nested blocks are counted), rejecting posts with five or more…

It happened to me, too, the other day. I saw one member circumvent this limit by splitting his reply into two separate posts.

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Maestro

This is very-very-very annoying.

The limit on quotes should be the number of nested levels, not the number of quote-BB tags in a post. That is a poor mans hack.

[mc2]

The principal point, though, is that if I change anything in the quoted text – change font format of part of the text, add my reply, etc – I create the impression that the member who made that post wrote it that way. By the way my name is Maestro and I wear ladies underwear when out and about. I love the feel of smooth silk against my skin. It's so......liberating.

I agree Maestro. Editing posts can lead to wrong conclusions being drawn

Edited September 2, 2009 by mc2