# Clarification request, re: Rules about changing text within quote tags **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 28, 2014, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746 "2014-03-28T08:51:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/1 "2014-03-28T08:51:24Z")
Someone else mentioned wanting to make this inquiry, but he must have gotten distracted, so I’ll do it. I’m posting from my phone and links are not really an option. I thank everyone in advance for your understanding and indulgence. In the Pit, there is a thread, begun by **Charlie Wayne** ; the thread title has Donald Rumsfeld comparing President Obama’s performance unfavorably to that of a putative trained ape. In this thread, **magellan01** received a warning for “changing the text within a quote box.” However, in the offending post, **magellan01** was scrupulous about removing the name of the poster with whose words he had tampered; in addition, there was no link back to the actual post he was “fixing.” It has always been my observation and understanding that “Fixed That For You” posts were only violations if they included the “Originally posted by” verbiage. If I am correct in this understanding, the warning should be rescinded. Now, it’s possible that my understanding is faulty, and the reason I’ve never seen it invoked om a post like **magellan01** ’s before is because no one has ever reported one as a violation before (in a thread I’ve been following, anyway). This suggests that, even if my belief about the interpretation of the rule is wrong, at least it is widespread. Hence my request for clarification. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/2 "2014-03-28T10:13:38Z")
[Link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=17230262&postcount=82) My recollection of the discussion (and it was some years ago) is that you cannot change a poster’s words in the quote box, period. If I recall correctly, something like this would have been OK: \*I fixed your comment: “If you pit someone or comment on something on this board criticizing something on the left, you had best have your shit together.”\* ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/3 "2014-03-28T10:28:28Z")
My recollection is that “fixed that for you” or any alterations of text in quote boxes is prohibited and the rule has been place along time. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/4 "2014-03-28T13:10:58Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My recollection is that “fixed that for you” or any alterations of text in quote boxes is prohibited and the rule has been place along time. That’s what I thought too - under what circumstances would it be honest to try to pretend or imply someone said something they clearly didn’t? I guess there are cases where you need to say “you stated X, but that surely also means/implies Y” - but in those cases, there’s an explanation or a chain of logic, not just “Here’s what _you_ said”. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/5 "2014-03-28T13:49:57Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My recollection is that “fixed that for you” or any alterations of text in quote boxes is prohibited and the rule has been place along time. It’s not(or shouldn’t be) about quote boxes though. The rule is in place so as to not make it seem as though someone is saying something they didn’t. In this case, the quote box was > [@](#): > > Something something without any reference to who had originally made the statement, or the post in which it was made. As such, I think the warning is incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![bldysabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/6 "2014-03-28T13:55:26Z")
In fact, Bryan Ekers has dug up the rule about altering quotes, and it specifically says "This does not apply to parodies to which no name is attached. " I’d say Magellan made it pretty obvious that the text inside the quote box was a parody, and he removed the poster’s name from it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/7 "2014-03-28T14:07:31Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > In fact, Bryan Ekers has dug up the rule about altering quotes, and it specifically says "This does not apply to parodies to which no name is attached. " > I’d say Magellan made it pretty obvious that the text inside the quote box was a parody, and he removed the poster’s name from it. There is a difference between saying something in quotation marks (“something”), and saying something in a quotation _box_ > [@](#): > > something . You don’t get to change the meaning of the original quote when using the quotation box. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/8 "2014-03-28T14:15:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > There is a difference between saying something in quotation marks (“something”), and saying something in a quotation _box_. A pointless distinction. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/9 "2014-03-28T14:19:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > There is a difference between saying something in quotation marks (“something”), and saying something in a quotation _box_. Yeah, the former’s in quote marks while the latter’s in a box. I’m not sure why this board thinks there’s something magical about the quote boxes. Misattribution is misattribution regardless of how you’re setting off the quotes. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/10 "2014-03-28T14:21:20Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > In fact, Bryan Ekers has dug up the rule about altering quotes, and it specifically says "This does not apply to parodies to which no name is attached. " > I’d say Magellan made it pretty obvious that the text inside the quote box was a parody, and he removed the poster’s name from it. I was surprised to see the warning, and think it ought to be rescinded in this case because of the ambiguity in the rule— which hopefully will no longer be ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/11 "2014-03-28T14:21:46Z")
> [@bup](#): > > A pointless distinction. Only to those who don’t think there should be one. I would like to think that there is a way to keep at least one avenue of quotation free from fudgery. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/12 "2014-03-28T14:23:43Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I was surprised to see the warning, and think it ought to be rescinded in this case because of the ambiguity in the rule— which hopefully will no longer be ambiguous. What ambiguity? Don’t change the meaning of things within a quote box-it seems pretty simple to me. You are still free to play word games with stuff in quotation marks. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/13 "2014-03-28T14:27:54Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I was surprised to see the warning, and think it ought to be rescinded in this case because of the ambiguity in the rule— which hopefully will no longer be ambiguous. Are you pushing for a rule that says that all quotations, no matter how they are done, must be unchanged from the original? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/14 "2014-03-28T14:29:07Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What ambiguity? Don’t change the meaning of things within a quote box-it seems pretty simple to me. You are still free to play word games with stuff in quotation marks. Right. Agree or disagree with the rule, but it’s not ambiguous. Personally, I like the rule. There are other ways to make your point by playing with quotes. But adding situations where messing with quote box quotes is ok, you’re now making the rule ambiguous. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/15 "2014-03-28T14:32:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What ambiguity? Don’t change the meaning of things within a quote box-it seems pretty simple to me. You are still free to play word games with stuff in quotation marks. I have frequently posted with two quote boxes, where the first includes the original, unedited and attributed language, and the “I fixed that” one appears below. Like this: [QUOTE=Me] [QUOTE=Fictional Poster] I am especially proud. [/QUOTE] Fixed that for you: [QUOTE=Fictional Poster] I am special. [/QUOTE] [/QUOTE] I have also seen dozens of other posters do it that way, with nary a warning. The rule itself may not be ambiguous, but the enforcement of it has created lots. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/16 "2014-03-28T14:32:26Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Are you pushing for a rule that says that all quotations, no matter how they are done, must be unchanged from the original? Isn’t not changing quotes the standard? Pretty sure it’s what I was taught to do in school. When you see FTFY stuff on other websites, it’s because that community has figured out the difference between a joke and a quote. I still hold out hope that someday the SDMB will get there too. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/17 "2014-03-28T14:35:05Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Isn’t not changing quotes the standard? Pretty sure it’s what I was taught to do in school. > > When you see FTFY stuff on other websites, it’s because that community has figured out the difference between a joke and a quote. I still hold out hope that someday the SDMB will get there too. Easy enough to figure out-Jokes don’t go in quote boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/18 "2014-03-28T14:36:05Z")
> [@bldysabba](#): > > In this case, the quote box was > > without any reference to who had originally made the statement, or the post in which it was made. Not quite. By referring to it as “your comment” he _was_ linking the boxed quote to the original poster, even if not by name. He was kind of dancing around the rules. And for no real reason, since he could have made the same point without breaking a rule if he’d used quote marks instead of a box. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/19 "2014-03-28T14:38:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Curiosity killed the cat but for a while, I was a suspect. Clearly, they do. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2014, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746/20 "2014-03-28T14:49:17Z")
As a current moderator, I consider anything treated as a quote to be a quote – I make no distinction between quotation mark and a quote box. Quotes is quotes. And yes, it is my understanding that parody “quotes” clearly treated as parodies are not considered to be subject to our no-changes rule. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarification-request-re-rules-about-changing-text-within-quote-tags/684746.md?page=2)