[Grut]

All useful responses, but it needs to be said that many sites now have 'comments' posting sections that do many or all of these things without resorting to HTML - and allow for edits of posted comments. FR is pretty badly behind the times, here.

[avg_freeper]

The simple html code is easier to understand, remember, and implement than any of the various methods those other forms use.

[Tax-chick]

and allow for edits of posted comments. FR is pretty badly behind the times, here.

Iirc, the Powers believe that allowing editing of comments after posting would reduce the dialogue to gibberish, as people went back to their posts and changed what they'd originally said, after others had responded.

I agree. If we all took the "Preview" function more seriously, we'd avoid saying many dumb things.

[Fundamentally Fair]

...allow for edits of posted comments. FR is pretty badly behind the times, here.

This is one of the best parts of FR. Once you write it, you have to defend it.