Against massive quotes

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Radix
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Against massive quotes

Post by Radix »

There is a trend toward quoting the entire post a poster is replying to, even if it's very long, and that can include the posts quoted in that post. This is done even if the reply is very short. So there's a long post being quoted, over 300 words, and one line in reply. And several people in the thread do the same thing.

In the old days of internet forums, this was considered bad manners. It unnecessarily takes up bandwidth and makes the thread harder to navigate.

I advocate that it again becomes considered bad manners.


Suggested formulation of addition to the TOS:

Be mindful of quoting etiquette. If you reply to a post, trim it and quote only the portion you're actually replying to. Avoid quoting long posts in their entirety. If you're making a general comment to a long post, then use /.../ or [...] instead of the text (this way, the quoted person will get the notification of reply).
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Mahabrahma
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Mahabrahma »

Or perhaps you could say something along the lines of "could you publish your book elsewhere?"

:jumping:
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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DNS
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by DNS »

Radix wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:56 pm There is a trend toward quoting the entire post a poster is replying to, even if it's very long, and that can include the posts quoted in that post. This is done even if the reply is very short. So there's a long post being quoted, over 300 words, and one line in reply. And several people in the thread do the same thing.
I agree and have noticed this too. I edited one guy's posts to shorten the quotes as he had a particularly bad habit of doing that and he complained that "I'm censoring his posts" when in fact I didn't remove a single letter from his writings.
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Radix
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Radix »

It seems that using touch screen devices is contributing to this trend. On such a device, it's harder to cut out text than with a mouse.
Still, this should be no reason to abandon good manners.
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by SarathW »

I tend to agree with this.
It is important to provide the reference but only the relevant portion of the question or reply.
If it is not possible provide only the link.
Even if I post a video link from Youtube I try to bookmark from the counter at the relevant point.
Generally, I read only the short questions and short answers.
“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” This is a quote attributed to Albert Einstein
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Radix wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 7:25 pm It seems that using touch screen devices is contributing to this trend. On such a device, it's harder to cut out text than with a mouse.
Still, this should be no reason to abandon good manners.
Agreed on both counts (and quoted in full as I specifically wanted to agree with both points :D

Like DNS, I'll occasionally hack out verbatim quoting of large tracts of superfluously quote text.

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Radix
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Radix »

But can this be added to the ToS?
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,
Radix wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:47 pm But can this be added to the ToS?
Possibly as a point of recommended etiquette, but not as something that could attract formal warnings, suspensions etc.

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Sam Vara »

retrofuturist wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:49 pm ...
Agreed. A sentence could be added to the bit on relating to people with respect - a gentle reminder.

(See what I did there? 8-) )
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by SarathW »

retrofuturist wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:49 pm Greetings,
Radix wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:47 pm But can this be added to the ToS?
Possibly as a point of recommended etiquette, but not as something that could attract formal warnings, suspensions etc.

Metta,
Paul. :)
I think TOS should be very concise too. Adding minute things could clutter important issues.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Mahabrahma »

They already have a rule for at least part of DharmaWheel that if your own text isn't as large as a quoted text (not quoted post, but say quoted Sutra), your post will be deleted. It's something like that, I forget, I haven't been on there for over a year. :namaste:

I'm pretty sure they had this, I think especially or on the Nichiren forum.
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by Mahabrahma »

It wouldn't be a good rule here for quoting Suttas, because Suttas are the most important and need to be read!
That sage who has perfect insight,
at the summit of spiritual perfection:
that’s who I call a brahmin.

-Dhammapada.
BKh
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by BKh »

There is actually a plugin for phpBB that helps to regulate this. Just look in their plugin section.

There is zero reason for quoting a whole post. And I don't see why the mods couldn't issue warning for this behaviour. If it ends up being too much work for the mods, then just ban the people who do it. Problem solved.
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings bhante,
BKh wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 9:34 am There is actually a plugin for phpBB that helps to regulate this. Just look in their plugin section.
Are you able to share a link to what you have seen so we understand precisely what you're referring to?
BKh wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 9:34 amThere is zero reason for quoting a whole post.
Radix shared one reason and I can think of others. Even if someone wanted to trim the quoted posts, not everyone has the right combination of eyesight, computer literacy, available technology, English language skills, and fine motor skills for the task.

:anjali:

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Re: Against massive quotes

Post by BKh »

retrofuturist wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 10:01 am Are you able to share a link to what you have seen so we understand precisely what you're referring to?
A google search for phpBB plugins will take you to the right place.

This plugin disables the quote button on the last post. It's a drastic step, but really, if you are replying to the last post, there is no need to quote it.
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... ast_post_2

Especially if you pair it with this plugin that allows you to highlight the text you want to quote and then just quote that text:
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... dern_quote

This is how quoting in the Discourse software works and it's brilliant.

And this plugin turns long quotes into fixed height boxes so even if someone quotes the whole bible, it only takes up a small amount of space:
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... uoted_text

Just because someone is on a touch screen doesn't mean they need to quote the whole post. They can simply reply without quoting anything at all.
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