Those are vBulletin tags. Learn how to use some basic HTML, it isn’t that hard. vBulletin stinks as a forum format, as you can’t reply to a reply effectively. And making routine use of bouncing smileys easy should be a capital offense.
Oh, I know HTML. It’s just a PITA to have to do it on ONE forum when the other 50 forums I’m on all have vB tags, whether they’re vB or not!
Even phpBB supports that now.
As for reply to a reply - that sort of threading has been fixed - and it can be configured by the admin anyway.