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!

---

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).

[scott7278]

I didn't realize there was for format for posting in here. Where is it posted that there is a format??

There is no official "format" -- it's just agreed upon that it's the best way to post. You don't want to have to go through a large thread figuring out what someone said 100 posts ago; when you include it in your reply, you give the reader the proper context.

It's just being polite.

An easy way to do it is through Outlook Express, like you're writing an e-mail. Make sure it's set on Times New Roman 12, and under File-Edit-View check the "Source Edit" entry.

Bold, italicize and underline what you want just like you would in Microsoft Word, and then click on the "Source" tab on the bottom. Copy and paste that into your "Your Reply" box and -- voila!

Now that I know how to do it without Outlook Express, it's much faster to just do everything directly in the "Your Reply" box.

[scott7278]

By the way, the Outlook Express way of doing it helps you learn the HTML code.  Just look at it and you'll notice what needs to be done to make certain things look the way they do.  It helps you to write in color or helps you to post a picture quickly:

 

 

.

[Quix]

WHERE'S

a handy list of FR available special fonts?

And, how do we code them for html?

Thx.

[LisaMalia]

I didn't realize there was for format for posting in here. Where is it posted that there is a format??

Must be a slow news day. I post the way that was instructed above, but didn't know their was a "rule" about it. Geeessshhhh.

[Quix]

Agreed. Good times.

Though I got yelled at a lot for a while.

Shoot. I still get yelled at a lot!

[iowamomforfreedom]

Ahh, but there is a benefit. Those who have been here a while may or may not know the little numbers under each post link back to the post you're commenting on. Someone new to the forum wouldn't necessarily know that and would therefore have no idea what your comment relates to or how to find it.

Learning that little trick was a real time-saver. I've always thought it would be nice to have a link on the FR Home Page to a basic FR Help section. Maybe with screen shots. Basic posting rules, etc.

Maybe a link to Rightly Biased's list of HTML Help Threads?

Just a thought.

[scott7278]

Since failing to close the tags caused the whole page to blink/bold/enlarge, were there any other problems, such as embedded music?

[Misty Memory]

But, can we do colored horizontal lines ?

According to my source, yes you can, but either it doesn't work in Netscape or I'm doing something wrong.

---

[Hot Tabasco]

2. Seperate with a paragraph mark.

Seperate = Separate

Last but not least, when instructing FReepers on the proper way to post, one should always utilize Spell Check. There is nothing worse than posting a vanity on "How To" when the poster is in violation of the crude basics.........

Actually there is and that is reading a title thread that contains all kinds of spelling errors out front for the whole world to read. Fortunately this thread doesn't do that.

[LisaMalia]

whoops...^ their=there

[scott7278]

I was going to say something smart-alecky, but I didn't want to look like the grammar police.

[Common Tator]

RE: The Free Republic Posting Style Book.

It had to be written by some one with a lot of experience and love for the New York Times or at least the Main Stream Media.

Only the Main Stream Media has style books. They are used to control content with out directly doing so.

I spent 35 years in the media. Style books are the media's means of enforcing thought control. i.e. they are not terrorists they are insurgents.

It believe it was the Owner of the New York times who first told his staff "It is for the cause!!!" and of course it is.

[BJungNan]

I spent 35 years in the media. Style books are the media's means of enforcing thought control. i.e. they are not terrorists they are insurgents.

Here they are pretty simple. Mostly to keep posts readable. Been awhile since I dusted off my AP stylebook. Imagine they have changed a bit.

[John Lenin]

Thanks for your source, I will have to play around with some code when I have the time.

[Quix]

Me too, learned something new about DIR /DIR.

But I wonder if I can get it to work. Our Father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth and in my life as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and other tangible and intangible needs that we might use to be at our best for You. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have and do sin against us. I forgive all, Lord. I repent for having anything against anyone. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For yours is the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Welll, we shall see, if it worked!

THANKS ANGEL-GAL!
Blessings,

[Quix]

i thoroughly AGREE ABOUT LEAVING THE ANAL RETENTIVE STUFF WITH THE GOVERNMENT dimrats.

[ozarkgirl]

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."

Just checking this out to see if it works, pay no attention to me.

[scott7278]

Just checking this out to see if it works, pay no attention to me.

Did someone say something? That was weird.

[lafroste]

That was fun when someone would set off the whole rest of a thread in bold until someone switched it off.

Yeah, I remember that. It used to drive my batsh&t. I even had a standard text document of about 20 closing tags that I could use to do an emergency post to

Make it Stop!!! Please Make It Stop!!

[Misty Memory]

...either it doesn't work in Netscape or I'm doing something wrong.

Well, it doesn't work in IE either, but I did find some cool things to do with the <UL> tag...you can change the shape of the bullet point from a disc to a square or a circle.

• Square
• Circle
• Disc