# Help The Newbie! **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 18, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443 "2000-10-18T19:14:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![el\_mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@el\_mono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/el_mono)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/1 "2000-10-18T19:14:49Z")
Okay, I admit that all this techno-stuff still tends to confound the hell out of me. I am new not only to the SDMB (also glad to be here and having a great time!), but to computing in general (it’s a long, boring story, so don’t ask; just shake your heads in disbelief and pity). That being said, I have tried unsuccesfully to figure out how to a) reply with a quote. and b) set up a signature line. I’m smart enough to know when to ask for help, so… HELP!? And thank you, in advance! Think good thoughts… ---
**Author:** ![Uart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e480ec/32.png) [@Uart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uart)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/2 "2000-10-18T19:35:27Z")
To reply with a quote, click on the “Quote” button below the post you want to copy. (If it’s in another thread, you’ll then have to cut and paste to get it to the right answer post window.) To update your signature, click the “Profile” icon at the top of the page. Then put stuff into the signature slot. You can use \*\* [b \*\*\*\*] to bold \*\*and [sub][sub[/sub][sub]][/sub] to shrink, and : ) for :), etc. Most of these are listed at the little blue links on the top of the posting page. For “sub”, search this forum. If your sig doesn’t appear, you probably forgot to click the “show signature” box under the posting window. \*\*It must be re-clicked after a preview. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/3 "2000-10-18T19:41:41Z")
For more information, also click on “FAQ” at the top of every SDMB page. It’s not perfect (we’re gonna update it one of these days, I swear), but it will give you more information as to how to navigate around here. And ask up, we’re happy to help you. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![Suo\_Na](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@Suo\_Na](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suo_Na)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/4 "2000-10-18T20:40:09Z")
There are a few threads in IMHO and MPSIMS that deal with tips newbies should know, and posting habits that Dopers hate, etc. A search of the term newbie turns up far too many. Try “habits” or “rules” or “tips”, in the subject line. ---
**Author:** ![el\_mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@el\_mono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/el_mono)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/5 "2000-10-18T21:26:02Z")
Thanks so much for the helpful advice. I will check out the FAQ’s and try searching using the terms suggested. Now let’s see if the sig-thing worked. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![el\_mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@el\_mono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/el_mono)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/6 "2000-10-18T21:27:04Z")
Let’s try that once more. ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/7 "2000-10-18T21:33:25Z")
Personally, I never mess with the quote button. I go about it this way- {B}Cnote{/b} wrote: {QUOTE}blah -cut and paste here- blah{/QUOTE}. replace the { } with . Works well and you can control what part of the quote to keep. Quoting the whole damn post with only a tiny reply has always irritated me. ---
**Author:** ![User\_10K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@User\_10K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/User_10K)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2000, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/8 "2000-10-18T23:16:01Z")
It’s a lot easier to hit the quote button and then edit out the part you don’t want to quote. That way, you keep the original poster’s name in italics, and won’t forget part of the coding. Like I can start doing italics with [i] but then forget myself and close it off with [/b], making a mess. Fortunately, I always preview. BTW, you don’t have to use curley brackets to show the coding. Just put a space inside the and it won’t be recognized as a code. The space nearly disappears when it’s displayed ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/9 "2000-10-19T06:24:46Z")
The codes around here are just a crippled and somewhat simplified version of HTML. If you understand markup languages (which is what HTML is, as opposed to a programming language) you should do fine here. If you don’t, learning the codes here is easy. Just remember to always follow a function with a negation. For example, [i] needs a [/i] to work correctly. When in doubt, preview. You can catch spelling errors that way, too. The Preview feature is helpful because you can’t edit your posts around here. ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2000, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/10 "2000-10-19T13:46:25Z")
Don’t forget that if you click the link at the bottom of the page that says “vB Code is On” you will be taken to the vB Code page listing all the codes & syntax. ---
**Author:** ![el\_mono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@el\_mono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/el_mono)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/11 "2000-10-20T00:59:12Z")
Again, my thanks to all of you! I’m having a great time around here and will soon learn the ropes. ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/12 "2000-10-21T01:29:57Z")
Here is a link to a thread with abbreviations and some other new stuff that newbies might want to know: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32636](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=32636) I hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Soupy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Soupy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soupy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-newbie/37443/13 "2000-10-21T01:45:19Z")
\*\* Here’s the link for [sub] and lots of other neat stuff [Don’t forget the link. Here’s how to post one, Part Next](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=25307)\*\*