FR Posting Style Book - format for replying (We seem to be slipping)

Me, Myself and BJungNan | April 9, 2005 | BJungNan

[BJungNan]

Lately there seems to be some slippage of what has been for years the common style for replying to posts. In the interest of FR Stylebook maintenance, here is what has been proper style on replying to comments in a thread.

The common form for replies is as follows:

1. Quote the person you are replying to with italics (if you are replying to someone specifically and what they said).
2. Seperate with a paragraph mark.
3. Show your reply in regular text

Example:
Even after five years (or so) of reading FR, I still find myself amazed at the quality of discussion and the wealth of information, especially posts from the many experts that are members of FR. Who would have thought we would have experts in typefonts of all things (to Dan Rather's chagrin).

You sure have that right BJungNan. Jim and FR are the greatest!

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Placing the comments of the person you are replying to in quote marks or in Bold may get the job done, but really it is not common style. At least not to my FR eyes. Those using quotes perhaps don't know html but it is really easy. FR is where many people learned html. Somewhere on here is an html sandbox (perhaps someone can offer up that link).

[CindyDawg]

lol

[Socratic]

Some say Shibboleth, others Sibboleth, but one thing I know for sure is that FR can consider itself a family or an exclusive country club. "Diversity" may become so reprehensible a term that some, formerly on the inside, may soon find themsevles looking over the hedge.

[infocats]

Lately there seems to be some slippage of what has been for years the common style for replying to posts. In the interest of FR Stylebook maintenance, here is what has been proper style on replying to comments in a thread.

I hear and will obey...with pleasure ;-)

[No Blue States]

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[beltfed308]

How to learn HTML in 6 hrs:)

[raybbr]

Join the FR green-bold-blink-reply club - or FRGBBR as we like to call ourselves - you'll love it... it's a way of life!

But what shade of green should we use?

[beltfed308]

Ah, come on I am trying :)

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Then is is about grammar?

Doh! PIMF!!

[thoughtomator]

You can use any color green you like; the favorites are envy, jealousy, jaundice, and dollar.

[John Lenin]

It's an easy one, "hr" in brackets with line breaks.

[beltfed308]

Ah, come on I am trying :)

[beltfed308]

Ah, come on I am trying :)

[supercat]

1. Quote the person you are replying to with italics (if you are replying to someone specifically and what they said).
2. Seperate with a paragraph mark.
3. Show your reply in regular text

A couple of additions I would add:

1. If it is necessary to quote a nested quotation, e.g., if replying to someone who asks "what do you mean?" I place the nested quotation in bold-italic. Note that if the nested quotation begins with [i][b] and ends with [/b], FR will sometimes allow the [i] tag to persist through a paragraph break and sometimes not. Using [br][br] instead of [p] can ease this problem.
2. When writing a private reply to someone, HTML tags won't work. In this case, I use enclose quoted text in // characters //like this//. For nested quotations (most typically when replying to email that contains such quoting) the nested quotes are done ///like this///.

One of my major pet peeves on FR is the apparent inability of some people to quote anything when they write private email replies. Since email replies do not link to the post or email being responded to (unlike thread replies) quotation is even more necessary there than in threads, but for some reason seems to be less common.

[dixiechick2000]

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Ahhhhh.....thanks! ;o)

I learned something new today!

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[beltfed308]

Ah, come on I am trying :)

[processing please hold]

Placing the comments of the person you are replying to in quote marks or in Bold may get the job done, but really it is not common style. At least not to my FR eyes.

Arrrrrgh, I'm blind. You will be hearing from my attorney, Mr. Whatshisname, shortly.

[raybbr]

LOL

[Misty Memory]

Placing the original passage being replied to in italics requires the poster to use HTLM throughout the entire post

All the tags most will probably ever need on FR:

1. <I> </I> Italics
2. <B> </B> Bold
3. <P> Paragraph break.

   One blank line between paragraphs. The corresponding </P> is not necessary.

4. <BR> Line break.
   Text will display one line below.
5. <A HREF="URL">Any text to click on</A> Creates an active link.
   Free Republic

[Professional Engineer]

Already posted here.

[No Blue States]

Ah, come on I am trying :)

I was testing my own ability. Good job on the bold, very useful to place emphasis on one or several words within an article..etc. :)

One of the most useful things I learned in the html sandbox was paragraphs! After posting an article without them. hehe