# Suggestion: restore nested quoting **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 22, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536 "2010-07-22T00:47:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [July 26, 2010, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/81 "2010-07-26T13:18:03Z")
I like it. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/82 "2010-07-26T13:33:21Z")
Add me to the list of people who like it. While I don’t post as often as some, I often read the Dope on my netbook and don’t always have my USB mouse attached; trying to edit quotes using the touchpad is a pain, particularly when my cat has decided to help by climbing onto my lap. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/83 "2010-07-26T13:58:55Z")
I don’t have heartache either way on this; I manually quote anyway. But I see that **BigT** does have a valid point. While **xash** used to be an admin, he currently is not. And even if he were, there was no discussion on the matter. From the response in this thread it looks like the “yes change” people would have won a poll or whatever, but shouldn’t you ask for consensus _before_ rolling out the change? _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/84 "2010-07-26T14:00:36Z")
Were we ever asked for a consensus when they originally removed the nested quotes? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/85 "2010-07-26T14:05:54Z")
Erm, if **xash** still has admin access but shouldn’t, isn’t that a matter for Ed et al? That’s a reason to get panties in a twist? That’s a moral issue? I guess if BigT was spotting an illegal or malicious hack, but calling xash’s continued access and ability to make such changes without BigT’s consent immoral is nonsensical. As for discussion, since the functionality was broken there have been numerous threads asking for a workaround–the consensus _was_ there before the change. Also note that much of the bitching in this thread is self-conflicting. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/86 "2010-07-26T14:19:05Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > Were we ever asked for a consensus when they originally removed the nested quotes? No–vB just unilaterally removed it, claiming it was a “fix”. At the time there was much outrage (and not just here although if you go back to when it was changed, there were tons of threads here–the change was universally reviled everywhere I saw). Up 'till now, no one at the SDMB has chosen to fix it because the fixes have required some pretty involved patches/add-ons, which the Dope has always been very hesitant to add. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/87 "2010-07-26T14:46:55Z")
For the record Xash does not have time with his new job to read for moderation and handle everyday admin tasks, so he’s no longer a day to day administrator. He doesn’t get the email alerts moderators and administrators get either, he doesn’t have time to handle them. That is the part that he gave up. He does – occasionally – step in for technical situations such as this one. Xash has been a member here for many years and served most of that time as a great moderator and an even better administrator. We are very fortunate that he is able to help us out from time to time. The nested quote function was the vb standard for many years and many iterations of the software until it was removed by vB in the last upgrade. Why? Who knows? vB giveth and vB taketh away. We wouldn’t have changed it from what we had to begin with and we had a chance to bring it back and we did so. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/88 "2010-07-26T14:54:08Z")
While some dissent is allowed here and certainly some complaint is tolerated, to sling personal insults and be abusive to other posters and in general throw temper tantrums because you don’t get your way is not a good way to go. BigT, you are formally warned for your bad behavior in this thread. This is the third major Warning you have racked up since May, all for the same causes: Inappropriate language, personal insults, being a jerk. Any further behavior of this type will result in reevaluation of your posting status. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/89 "2010-07-26T15:38:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It has to do with being a moral person. If I see an immoral action, I have an ethical duty to at least make people aware of it. We’re talking about some coding changes on an Internet message board, not a genocide in Darfur. Immoral action? I think you need to get a grip. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/90 "2010-07-26T16:10:41Z")
**TubaDiva** said: > [@](#): > > He does – occasionally – step in for technical situations such as this one. Xash has been a member here for many years and served most of that time as a great moderator and an even better administrator. We are very fortunate that he is able to help us out from time to time. So what you are saying is that he is sort of an administrator, but not really? He’s a super secret admin? That he’s a regular member that occassionally gets to make board coding changes? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/91 "2010-07-26T16:20:35Z")
Just saw the response in the other thread. Since is is closed, will reply here. **TubaDiva** said: > [@](#): > > He’s not available as a full time moderator or administrator so he’s not listed as one, but he does serve occasionally in this highly specialized function. I can’t imagine why anyone would find this objectionable – he does good work and makes things better around here. I don’t find it objectionable and have no problem with **xash**. My point is that it is unfair to expect members to consider **xash** an administrator when he does not have that title. If you wish people to know he is an admin, then make him an admin again. Whatever else **BigT** may have done wrong, he was right that **xash** is not a moderator or admin. The people who were chewing him out for saying **xash** is not a moderator were wrong. **twickster** said: > [@](#): > > Despite his lack of title, however, he was in this particular instance functioning as a member of the staff. For that reason, I still think this forum is the correct place to have this discussion. No argument. ---
**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:** [July 26, 2010, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/92 "2010-07-26T16:25:13Z")
Xash is like Jerry Davis – he handles occasional technical duties but is not involved in the day to day life of this board. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/93 "2010-07-26T16:34:05Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > **TubaDiva** said: > > > [@](#): > > > > He does – occasionally – step in for technical situations such as this one. Xash has been a member here for many years and served most of that time as a great moderator and an even better administrator. We are very fortunate that he is able to help us out from time to time. > > So what you are saying is that he is sort of an administrator, but not really? He’s a super secret admin? That he’s a regular member that occassionally gets to make board coding changes? I see him as giving the SDMB someone able to do board-functionality stuff. He seems to me to be in a similar role as Jerry the Tech Guy without the other workload that kept Jerry from doing as much as he’d have probably liked to here. Regarding BigT, it’s pretty much self-evident that if Xash can access the Admin control panel, that Xash is an admin. I could understand if Xash had issued a warning or done moderator stuff without the title, but someone with behind-the-scenes tech-powers isn’t particularly odd to me. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/94 "2010-07-26T16:52:34Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > **Fear Itself** says multi-quote is useless? And if you’re the first person to quote more than one poster … you do what? Also, how do you reconcile: > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > Quote sandwiches look like ass > > with > > > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > > > It really makes the multi-quote feature useless. I may want to reply to several posts made by others > > So “quote sandwiches” look like ass unless you want to make them? 😕 Most people hit quote and enter a reply to whatever the default is. They don’t raise a finger to cut out extraneous verbage. It looks like ass because some people don’t care if it looks like ass. But it still looks like ass. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/95 "2010-07-26T16:59:26Z")
That’s not true. I rarely see super long quotes around here. I think generally people click quote, then just reply, but if what they’re quoting is very long, people tend to crop out the irrelevant information. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/96 "2010-07-26T17:04:18Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > That’s not true. I rarely see super long quotes around here. I think generally people click quote, then just reply, but if what they’re quoting is very long, people tend to crop out the irrelevant information. [This looks like ass](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12726922&postcount=123), and it’s not even the worst example. [Here’s another.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12725905&postcount=91) ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/97 "2010-07-26T17:06:57Z")
Ehh, I’ve seen it before, and it’s no worse than quoting an entire post in order to address one sentence, but it’s not an epidemic around here. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/98 "2010-07-26T17:08:34Z")
It is now that nested quotes are the default. I don’t venture in MPSIMS much, but I bet that place is going to be a wreck. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/99 "2010-07-26T17:10:24Z")
Thing is, it’s not some great big change that would be murder to undo. We flipped it on like that; we could flip it off like that if it comes to it. So why don’t we give it a while, see if people learn to avoid the excessive “quote sandwiching” which bothers you so much, and if not, then we can decide whether it was a good or a bad idea and perhaps change back accordingly. No harm in the experiment, right? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536/100 "2010-07-26T17:16:16Z")
It’s happening a bit in the short term as some people don’t realize the functionality has been restored, some people are pouting, and some are playing. So, quote sandwiches look like ass unless you do it. And BigT finds nesting quotes manually a big pain in the ass but not for anyone else. Gotcha. Ya. Look, no shit people can blindly quote and make posts too long to read. People can also refuse to capitalize or break their posts into paragraphs. They, fortunately, are in the relative minority. ETA: I’m _still_ waiting for a significant hue and cry about nested posts _before_ the functionality was lost, or a rejoicing of their disappearance after the functionality was broken. Beuller? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestion-restore-nested-quoting/547536.md?page=6)