# Should have a "Quote to PM" Button



## nycphotography

Next to (and in in addition) to the <Quote> button, each message should have a <Quote to PM> button.

The advantage of such a thing should be immediately obvious to all


----------



## Whodunit

You're just five mouseclicks away:

Mark the text to quote
Right click on the marked text
Choose copy
Click on the user name
Choose "Send a private message to ..."
I don't think five mouseclicks is too much.


----------



## nycphotography

Whodunit said:
			
		

> You're just five mouseclicks away:
> 
> Mark the text to quote
> Right click on the marked text
> Choose copy
> Click on the user name
> Choose "Send a private message to ..."
> I don't think five mouseclicks is too much.


 
So, then... why bother with the <Quote> button in the first place?


----------



## panjandrum

Hmmm.
A good point NYCP.
I wonder, often, why people use the quote button.
If I am posting in this thread, surely it is not necessary for me to quote the last post?
There are many threads where the bulk of the content is superfluous repeats of what was said before.


----------



## timpeac

panjandrum said:
			
		

> Hmmm.
> A good point NYCP.
> I wonder, often, why people use the quote button.
> If I am posting in this thread, surely it is not necessary for me to quote the last post?
> There are many threads where the bulk of the content is superfluous repeats of what was said before.


I use it to make it clear what I am replying to. In a written conversation, such as we have in a forum, misunderstandings are rife. If you post an answer in a thread people are going to think you are replying to the very last message. Sometimes, even when you are replying to the last thread, someone will pick up on an earlier message and think you are replying to that. In a "hot" thread people may well post before you submit yours, even when you thought you were replying to the last thread.

When the quote is long, personally I try to cut it down to the bit I am referring to. But a whole thread - particularly a complicated one - without quotes would be almost unintelligable I think.


----------



## panjandrum

timpeac said:
			
		

> [...] When the quote is long, personally I try to cut it down to the bit I am referring to. But a whole thread - particularly a complicated one - without quotes would be almost unintelligable I think.


The discipline to cut the quote to the bit that is relevant would be _really_ useful. I've been confused by several threads where all of a 20-line post has been quoted to make a point about word 7 on line 15.

But then I am easily confused


----------



## timpeac

panjandrum said:
			
		

> The discipline to cut the quote to the bit that is relevant would be _really_ useful. I've been confused by several threads where all of a 20-line post has been quoted to make a point about word 7 on line 15.
> 
> But then I am easily confused


 
I do understand what you mean. When someone quotes someone else with a huge quote, but not referring to any particular part of it you do think - why?

It is a good thing that when you quote a post that contains a quote (if you're still with me!!) then that embedded quote is erased.

However, for all the annoyance the unabridged quote causes I think a quoteless thread would be almost impossible to understand. It would be fun to take an old thread, delete the quotes, and see if it was remotely understandable. If I'm feeling bored later I might give it a go.


----------



## panjandrum

HERE is a random thread with judicious use of quotes.


----------



## timpeac

panjandrum said:
			
		

> HERE is a random thread with judicious use of quotes.


 
Haha, that illustrates it perfectly!  I had no idea you were all such a judicious lot!


----------



## GenJen54

> Originally posted by *Panjandrum* I wonder, often, why people use the quote button.



I have never used the "quote" button on the bottom right of the post, next to the "Edit" button.  Rather, I select the text I wish to quote, then use the quote function inside the reply/edit window/box.  Most likely, because as Panj reasoned, it allows the user ("me") to quote judiciously. 

Some people, however, will quote an entire post, especially if it is a lengthy one, and respond to each individual comment using a different font color.  In such a case the actual "quote" button may be more convenient.


----------



## lsp

timpeac said:
			
		

> I use it to make it clear what I am replying to...
> 
> When the quote is long, personally I try to cut it down to the bit I am referring to.


I agree enthusiastically. I edit and try to show my snips with dots (...). Recklessly unedited quotes remind me of that old "forum pet peeves" thread from once upon a time. And it was a real burden when we used to have images in all the forums.

Who, 5 clicks aren't so bad, but 1 is better (that's how all progress gets its start). If there were a Quote to PM button, I'd have already been a frequent user!

It's not that hard to type the simple tags we use in the forums either (* is 3 keystrokes), but we still have an icon. No one's saying that today we can't quote in PMs. We're just saying a button - if at all possible - is simpler.*


----------



## panjandrum

GenJen54 said:
			
		

> [...] Some people, however, will quote an entire post, especially if it is a lengthy one, and respond to each individual comment using a different font color. [...]


That can be really clear if well done.  Sometimes there is a comment on only one of 15 questions in the copied post.  Of course, there shouldn't be 15 questions in one post - but that's a different grumble


----------



## Elisa68

lsp said:
			
		

> If there were a Quote to PM button, I'd have already been a frequent user!


Same here!!!!!


----------



## nycphotography

OH YEAH!  The Quote button should ALSO use the current selection window in the browser.  IE, I highlight the sentence I intend to quote to, then I hit quote, (or Quote PM) and it picks up the sentence and uses it.

ALSO, it should load the ENTIRE thread on the page above (or below I really dont care) the editor, so I can scroll back up and remind myself if I need to.


----------



## Outsider

GenJen54 said:
			
		

> I have never used the "quote" button on the bottom right of the post, next to the "Edit" button.  Rather, I select the text I wish to quote, then use the quote function inside the reply/edit window/box.  Most likely, because as Panj reasoned, it allows the user ("me") to quote judiciously.


Even if you use the "quote" button you can delete superfluous text. Without it, you have to copy the text you want to quote and the username, then click "post reply", paste, and add the quoting code. The "quote" button automatically creates a quote, and includes the username of the poster whom you're quoting. I think it's very useful, even though this forum has another useful feature, which is to show the latest posts in the thread at the bottom of the page, after we click on "post reply".



			
				nycphotography said:
			
		

> ALSO, it should load the ENTIRE thread on the page above (or below I really dont care) the editor, so I can scroll back up and remind myself if I need to.


Some threads are enormous. I'm not sure that would be possible. It's not that hard to open a second window in your browser and use it to read the original thread while you're composing a reply, after all...


----------



## timpeac

Outsider said:
			
		

> It's not that hard to open a second window in your browser and use it to read the original thread while you're composing a reply, after all...


 
To that end, here's a little tip I got from Mike, and I use it all the time now - ctrl N opens a new window identical to what you currently have open.


----------



## GenJen54

> Originally posted by *Outsider*
> Even if you use the "quote" button you can delete superfluous text. Without it, you have to copy the text you want to quote and the username, then click "post reply", paste, and add the quoting code. The "quote" button automatically creates a quote, and includes the username of the poster whom you're quoting.



Thanks for that tip!  Very good to know.  I usually go with the "cut and paste" method.  This should save lots of time.


----------



## Yang

timpeac said:
			
		

> ctrl N opens a new window identical to what you currently have open.


Wow! Good to learn this.


----------

