# Problem with incorrect quoting **URL:** \ **Category:** Site Feedback\ **Created:** [March 28, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905 "2021-03-28T14:37:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/1 "2021-03-28T14:37:00Z")
Lately, I’ve noticed many people complaining that they were quoted incorrectly, i.e. that a quote of theirs appeared when the poster was clearly intending to quote someone else. It just happened to me. In the [Grammar - ‘may’ or ‘might’](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-may-or-might/938875) thread, I tried to respond to an older post from DPRK. I hit Reply and did not try to quote any of the post. The reply box somehow contained a quote from Thudlow\_Boink, who was the last poster at the time. I decided not to post but start this thread. (Just as weird, DPRK’s post quoted my post, even though theirs shows as post #6 and mine as post #7.) I don’t remember this happening earlier so it seems to be a new bug. Can it be fixed? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/2 "2021-03-31T03:45:43Z")
To confirm, you hadn’t highlighted any of the post that actually got quoted, right? ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/3 "2021-03-31T06:39:29Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > It just happened to me. In the [Grammar - ‘may’ or ‘might’](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-may-or-might/938875) thread, I tried to respond to an older post from DPRK. I hit Reply and did not try to quote any of the post. The reply box somehow contained a quote from Thudlow\_Boink, who was the last poster at the time. I decided not to post but start this thread. Which reply did you hit? Was it the one at the bottom right corner of the last post? That’s a reply to that post. If you somehow also hit the quote bubble at the top left of the editor, that would contain the last poster’s quote which would explain why **Thudlow\_Boink** ’s quote would be in the post. If you hit the reply at the bottom of the thread next to the flag button, that might be more puzzling. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > (Just as weird, DPRK’s post quoted my post, even though theirs shows as post #6 and mine as post #7.) That’s easily explained, I think. You and **DPRK** posted at the exact same minute based on the time stamps. **DPRK** saw your post within the 5 minute edit window and added your quote to their post and added an ETA to show that it was edited. > [@Grammar - 'may' or 'might'](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-may-or-might/938875/6): > > I do not believe that are always precisely interchangeable. (Also considering ‘might’ as the past, possibly subjunctive, tense of ‘may’.) It also depends on precisely what is meant: it is possible that they be giants? It is possible that they are giants? They would be giants, if not for…? ETA it is a complete sentence, but what can it mean? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2021, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/4 "2021-03-31T18:44:14Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > To confirm, you hadn’t highlighted any of the post that actually got quoted, right? > [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > Which reply did you hit? Was it the one at the bottom right corner of the last post? I didn’t touch anything from the Thudlow\_Boink point. The only click was on the Reply under DPRK’s post. I search on “wrong poster” and found some examples that could be the same effect. I’m sure I’ve seen others, toos. > [@Moses Farrow defends Woody Allen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moses-farrow-defends-woody-allen/927877/71): > > I think you replied to the wrong poster. Again, rather than just throwing out all these statements, can you provide any reputable cites for what you are claiming? > [@Electoral College v. Popular Vote - How Big Is Too Big?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electoral-college-v-popular-vote-how-big-is-too-big/920262/251): > > I was just matching this post’s language Somehow I linked to the wrong post. > [@Your favorite 80's movie trope?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-80s-movie-trope/921521/13): > > Oops, I replied to the wrong post in my last post. I meant this one, of course: This is the trope you’re looking for: [The Quincy Punk - TV Tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheQuincyPunk) > [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > That’s easily explained, I think. Of course I considered an edit. But I thought that edited posts show a pencil afterward. What causes a post to show a pencil if an edit doesn’t do so? ---
**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:** [March 31, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/5 "2021-03-31T18:53:13Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > What causes a post to show a pencil if an edit doesn’t do so? An edit within 5 min doesn’t show a pencil. But it seems that you can now edit up to 15 min after posting – perhaps this only works if there haven’t been any other posts, I haven’t tested it. ETA: test 1 min - no pencil ETA: test 6 min - pencil ETA: test 13 min - pencil ---
**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:** [March 31, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-incorrect-quoting/938905/6 "2021-03-31T19:10:41Z")
After 15 min, you can no longer edit.