# Problem children / punch list for fixes / TIPS AND TRICKS **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 22, 2020, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044 "2020-06-22T01:21:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 22
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/427 "2020-09-26T16:08:02Z")
I don’t bother with the reply button anymore. Why put people through the inconvenience of having to scroll back up-thread to find the post being responded to, when one can simply cut and paste the relevant info into a quote box that can be immediately read along with the post being responded to. (Unless, of course, the repsonse comes _immediately_ after the post being reponded to.) (and, even then, I’ll sometimes just put a little “^” in front of my response for that purpose) Strongly doubting there’s folks here with a memory that’s good enough to remember a post that’s ten or fifteen posts back. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/428 "2020-09-26T16:32:43Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Why put people through the inconvenience of having to scroll back up-thread to find the post being responded to, I’m not sure what you mean. You can always see if a post is responding to another post, whether that post is quoted or not (unless it’s the post directly above). And you can click to see the full post immediately, wherever it is, without scrolling. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/429 "2020-09-26T16:34:37Z")
e.g. Here’s another response to your post. On the right immediately above this post (at least in the SD theme) you’ll see that I’m replying to you, and if you click that, you’ll see your whole post. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/430 "2020-09-26T16:36:58Z")
Ah yes, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/431 "2020-09-26T16:37:07Z")
^^Not on my cell phone. It makes following threads challenging. It only shows the arrow link. Clicking on it takes you back to that post, and it doesn’t usually even put a “back” button to get you back to where you were. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/432 "2020-09-26T16:54:21Z")
Yes, I see that on mobile view. You can jump to the post, but not back again. I’m not sure how big your phone screen is, but you could try the desktop view on your phone and see if it works. The option to switch to desktop view should be at the bottom of the hamburger menu. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/433 "2020-09-26T16:57:14Z")
I like how the post number is revealed when you click on the date (or min/hour) in the upper rh corner. It shows the post # and time stamp and options to email it as a link or link to social media. And start a new topic that links to this post ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/434 "2020-10-07T00:32:26Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > when one can simply cut and paste the relevant info into a quote box You don’t have to do that. Just _select_ the text you want to quote before hitting the reply button. The ‘reply’ automatically cuts and pastes the selected text into your new reply. Also, you can make multiple selections, and reply to multiple posts: each time you hit the reply button, it adds the new selected text as an additional quote in your reply – until you hit your ‘post’ button, which, confusingly, is also labeled ‘Reply’. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2020, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/437 "2020-12-13T23:56:56Z")
Two questions: 1. How can you scroll normally to read the thread, IOW moving down the thread as you read from one post to the next, to the one after that, and so forth? The ‘fast scrollbar’ as some call it, is too blunt an instrument for that. It’s good for moving long distances within a thread, including to one end or the other. But even in a 100-post thread, moving that scrollbar isn’t going to bring the next post in view; it’ll jump you several posts down. Meanwhile, the right-hand scrollbar on your browser’s web page itself does well for scrolling down for a dozen or so posts, then all of a sudden you find yourself 20 posts further down than the last post you were reading. It’s all very awkward. 1. How does one flag a post for moderation? The board software says the ‘flag’ button is to flag a post so you can keep track of it, or to send a PM to the poster. I don’t see anything else. Oh, and (3) how does one turn off this absurd-looking formatting? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/438 "2020-12-14T00:01:34Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > How does one flag a post for moderation? The board software says the ‘flag’ button is to flag a post so you can keep track of it, or to send a PM to the poster. I don’t see anything else. - The flag button is to flag the topic. To flag a post, click the three seashells dots. The “flag this post” button is there. If it’s not spam, use “Something else” and describe the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/439 "2020-12-14T00:04:24Z")
Pressing the “j” key scrolls to the next post. There are more convenient shortcuts like that — press “?” To see the list. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/440 "2020-12-14T02:05:45Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The flag button is to flag the topic. To flag a post, click the three seashells dots. The “flag this post” button is there. If it’s not spam, use “Something else” and describe the problem. OK, I got as far as clicking the dots and reading the mouse-over text over the flag, which made it sound like nothing having to do with moderation. Thanks for clueing me in! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/441 "2020-12-14T02:08:35Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > OK, I got as far as clicking the dots and reading the mouse-over text over the flag, which made it sound like nothing having to do with moderation. Thanks for clueing me in! - Click the flag to get the moderation options. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/442 "2020-12-14T02:17:55Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > Pressing the “j” key scrolls to the next post. There’s gotta be a better way than that, right? You have to reach three rows into the keyboard and hit the J key every time you want to scroll down? (And for me, my right hand is my mouse hand, which is what my right hand is when I’m not actually typing. And the J key is a right-hand key.) Hell, I don’t even have a place to rest my hand where it can just sit there and hit the J key. This doesn’t work for me in a plethora of ways; I could go on. > [@Manduck](#): > > There are more convenient shortcuts like that — press “?” To see the list. One of the great things about moving from MS-DOS to Windows back in the early 1990s was never having to remember those damned keyboard shortcuts anymore. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/443 "2020-12-14T02:19:57Z")
Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I was describing where I’d got to before posting initially, and why I hadn’t clicked on the flag to begin with. But once you replied, it made sense and I clicked through and saw the options. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/444 "2020-12-14T02:21:11Z")
👍 … ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/445 "2020-12-14T04:10:09Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > You have to reach three rows into the keyboard and hit the J key every time you want to scroll down? (And for me, my right hand is my mouse hand If your right hand’s on a mouse, doesn’t the mouse’s scroll work? It certainly does for me; as does page-down on the keyboard. But I’m on a desktop. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/446 "2020-12-14T12:30:45Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > If your right hand’s on a mouse, doesn’t the mouse’s scroll work? The scroll wheel on my mouse works, but the tip of my index finger quickly becomes oversensitized when I use it, so I can only use it for brief periods of time. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/447 "2020-12-14T12:53:01Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > the tip of my index finger quickly becomes oversensitized when I use it Sounds like you have a problem with your mouse wheel. Try a smooth mouse wheel, rather than one with an uneven texture. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044/448 "2020-12-14T16:18:11Z")
If you don’t want to use either your mouse or your keyboard to scroll, I’m running out of ideas. ETA: one idea: most mouse scoll wheels have a “push” action. Press the wheel down, then moving the mouse (not the wheel) up or down will scroll the screen. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-children-punch-list-for-fixes-tips-and-tricks/911044.md?page=23)