# Quoting Extremely Long Posts... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 26, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017 "2013-03-26T16:36:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/21 "2013-03-27T04:39:02Z")
Damn! Now I gotta go and read the thread! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/22 "2013-03-27T04:44:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > There is currently a Pit thread where one of our newer members is trying out the Moon Hoax theory again. His OP is quite a screed - I can’t bring myself to read the whole thing, but it is many, many paragraphs long with dozens of embedded links. > > Some of the replies to this re-quote the whole OP and then add a single line (TL;DR or “Cite?” or the like). > > Is it any extra burden on the server or the hamsters to quote such a long post? I know there is, or used to be, a size limit on posts, and I am sure our latest Moon hoaxer is pushing it, but does it mess anything up to quote the thing? > > Regards, > Shodan We should test the servers by quoting something really long over and over in the same thread and see if we can start the server building on fire (again). Does anyone have anything really long to quote? BTW, if it annoys you just start a thread that says “It annoys me and I’d like to see if it annoys others enough to talk about implementing a rule against it”. ---
**Author:** ![JBDivmstr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JBDivmstr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBDivmstr)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/23 "2013-03-27T04:50:50Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I blame my new meds(Zoloft)…unless it really _was_ funny, then I give full credit to my new meds(Zoloft). > [@kayaker](#): > > 'Twas funny. Gimme a few of them zoloft. _ **+1!** _ Absolutely hilarious! 😃 With or without meds! ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/24 "2013-03-27T05:20:34Z")
Great question. Conversely, I wonder how much extra server load is caused by posting the same two extraneous lines of text nearly 22,000 times? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/25 "2013-03-27T06:22:52Z")
Perhaps the OP’s question could be directed at vBulletin: > **[vBulletin 3.8 Support & Troubleshooting - vBulletin Community Forum](https://forum.vbulletin.com/forum/vbulletin-3-8/vbulletin-3-8-questions-problems-and-troubleshooting)** > > Use this forum to ask questions about how to do things or how to fix problems in vBulletin 3.8. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/26 "2013-03-27T07:07:19Z")
I agree with **Shodan** that we shouldn’t include unnecessary text in our posts. Regards, Tangent ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/27 "2013-03-27T08:27:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > +1 Most of the poster in the aforementioned thread are deranged…go ahead try to nick pick them them! This amuses me. humbly, daniel ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/28 "2013-03-27T12:16:58Z")
Well, if nobody knows, never mind. Regards, Shodan ---
**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:** [March 27, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/29 "2013-03-27T12:37:36Z")
It’s not about the servers. It’s about not making people wade through a ton of stuff already there just to read something that isn’t there. You should use the quote function judiciously. That means quoting what you need to and pruning what you don’t … but not in such a way that you change the quote while doing so. Common sense and being polite, that’s the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/30 "2013-03-27T12:38:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Well, if nobody knows, never mind. > > Regards, > Shodan No, no! I’m sure someone will be along to answer. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/31 "2013-03-27T12:46:48Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > I agree with **Shodan** that we shouldn’t include unnecessary text in our posts. > > Regards, > Tangent u r rite less r better. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/32 "2013-03-27T12:51:40Z")
Clearly the definition of ‘funny’, is not what it once was. I don’t see funny, I don’t even see mildly amusing, even to a third grader, but everybody is different when it comes to humour, I admit. I found it terribly meh, as jokes go and don’t really see the need to quote the whole post to make one lame comment, which would be just as lame with or without the entire OP. Funny? Really? You’re welcome to it, cause I don’t see it. Repetition of lame board meme for the gazillionth time seems other than funny to me. But it’s probably just me, so carry on regardless! ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/33 "2013-03-27T13:32:55Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > I found it hilarious, FTR. But I have a working scroll wheel. Those who don’t might not find it as amusing. > > That said, c’mon: the thread was preposterous to begin with. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > You should use the quote function judiciously. That means quoting what you need to and pruning what you don’t … but not in such a way that you change the quote while doing so. > > Common sense and being polite, that’s the way to go. Yes, that thread was preposterously stupid to begin with and was also in the Pit. Had it not been either of those two things, I don’t think any long standing posters that know what’s going on around here would have done that (posting that wall of text). It was purely for comedic value as the screed was so over the top in length, so some thought it was funny, some didn’t…but within the context of that utterly ridiculous thread, I personally thought it was. ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/34 "2013-03-27T14:04:19Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] It’s not about the servers. [/QUOTE] But the OP had two questions _about_ the servers, neither which apparently (almost) no one can see. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/35 "2013-03-27T14:29:03Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > It’s not about the servers. > > It’s about not making people wade through a ton of stuff already there just to read something that isn’t there. > > You should use the quote function judiciously. That means quoting what you need to and pruning what you don’t … but not in such a way that you change the quote while doing so. > > Common sense and being polite, that’s the way to go. Thanks for the response. FTR, **I am not asking if re-quoting long posts is against the rules, or against board etiquette.** I am asking if it has any bad effect on the servers, or the software. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/36 "2013-03-27T14:33:23Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Thanks for the response. > > FTR, **I am not asking if re-quoting long posts is against the rules, or against board etiquette.** I am asking if it has any bad effect on the servers, or the software. > > Regards, > Shodan It does seem to get repeated often enough around here (“the hamsters”, etc) that it was worth asking FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/37 "2013-03-27T14:52:29Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I think people who quote several pages or paragraphs just to add a one line response to the bottom that could’ve been made just as well without quoting at all should be moderated. Not a warning, but a “mod note, this is bad practice” type of thing. This board is way better about it than the rest of the internet, but we should actively discourage what little remains. The only person on my ignore list is there solely for that nasty habit. And then never saying anything interesting in response. I got tired of scrolling through a long post I’d already read, for no payoff at the end. Ignore is your friend. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/38 "2013-03-27T16:08:16Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > (slightly altered the inner quote tags so they didn’t bollix up the coding) You should learn the noparse code. It allows you to use other codes and have them show up without enacting. > [@Kzbre5m](#): > > But the OP had two questions _about_ the servers, neither which apparently (almost) no one can see. And **TubaDiva** answered that question by saying the reason we don’t like people quoting large swaths of text has nothing to do with the servers, it is an ettiquette thing related to having to wade through unnecessary repetition. From my totally uninformed position, I would think the answer is no. There is a miniscule amount of effort to pull up the post content from the database to quote it, but then it puts the content in the edit box and is done. That seems a much smaller server effect than, say, searching all forums for any post with the words “hamster balls”. In the quote instance, you are telling the servers exactly where to look, versus telling them to look at _everything_ and then sort for some part of that content. ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/39 "2013-03-27T17:38:10Z")
Q: Is it any extra burden on the server … to quote such a long post? A: It’s about not making people wade through a ton of stuff already there just to read something that isn’t there. Q: I am not asking if re-quoting long posts is against the rules, or against board etiquette. I am asking if it has any bad effect on the servers, or the software. A: [T]he reason we don’t like people quoting large swaths of text has nothing to do with the servers, it is an ettiquette _[sic]_ thing related to having to wade through unnecessary repetition. I, too, would think the answer for the OP is no, it is not an extra burden on the server, but I’m guessing. I was rather hoping to learn something. My thought is the quoted text is placed right into the data stream just along with everything else, along with formatting codes and a pointer to where it was quoted from. The only burden is more bytes on the hard drive. I’d be curious how much data the server is holding, and how often another hard drive (or whatever they use these days) gets added. I also knew, before I speed-scrolled to the bottom of the moon screed, that it would be quoted and re-quoted in full. But this is, after all, the SDMB, and the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017/40 "2013-03-27T17:51:33Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Great question. Conversely, I wonder how much extra server load is caused by posting the same two extraneous lines of text nearly 22,000 times? This is not only hysterical, it’s pretty much the answer to the question. I’m not a vBulletin expert but quoted text shouldn’t impose any additional burden on the servers than any other text. Once the post has been made it’s just text - the fact that it includes a link is irrelevant. There would be a slight increase in load because it includes the arrow images, but if they are elsewhere in the thread it’s already in cache. So, bit blocks of quoted text shouldn’t impose any significant increased load over your signature which is included on all of your 1000’s of posts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quoting-extremely-long-posts/654017.md?page=3)