It seems that another demon of OLO, all but identical to the one recently cast out, still afflicts the body politic of the Forum.

I refer to the bug wherein the use of quotation marks in a topic title caused the truncation of the title from immediately before their first use. It seems, I suspect, that the use of single quotation marks (apostrophes) has the same effect.

I do not know for sure whether stevenlmeyer actually used single quotation marking on what I suspect were the words 'Islamic south' for his topic for this discussion ( http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=2107 ), but its my guess that he did. I find such are often necessary when not exactly quoting, but using a buzz word like 'buzzword'; the idea being to convey, perhaps, mild disapproval of the term at the same time as having to use it in order to be understood in context.

I just mention it in case anyone is monitoring this thread, lest there should be a failure to communicate.

ALSO VIEWERS ARE FAILING TO VOTE! (See the post three posts back from this one.)

Do not copy or use XXs when voting! Just re-order the list according to your preference and follow the instructions on the OLO bullet paper.

You can't expect improvement in posting facilities if you are too lazy to vote.

OK Forrest

Here's my definitive list.

1. Spelling and punctuation correction edit facility for topic titles

2. Bold

3. Non-intrusive but distinct background colour for intra-Forum quotes

4. Standard sized font

5. Italic (confined to non-Forum quotes)

6. OP designed mini-polls

7. Coloured text options

8. Unique user avatars

I believe in Keeping It Simple, Stupid.

Have sent email to OLO powers-that-be, so no more discussion will be entered into.

Forrest looked long and hard at the screen.

Although it was a 19 inch CRT, and the text size had been increased from the Firefox view menu text size option, it was still hard to tell. Was it a comma, or a full stop? The screen seemed to slowly pulsate alternately into, and just out of, good focus.

There was real potential for serious breakdown in communication over this one.

The uncertainty in question was really very topical. It involved (or didn't, as the case actually was) what Forrest thought should have been the use of single quotation marks around what could be taken as a 'buzzword' expression. Problem was, the single quotation marks were not there! The expression stood on its own, and had to be treated seriously.

"I believe in Keeping It Simple, Stupid."

Now 'Keep it simple, stupid' is a well known expression, often expressed acronymically as KISS.

When he had first seen it, Forrest had seen the first punctuation mark as a full stop. And he noted the capitalisations involved. He had found his left hand unconsciously unsnapping the heavy brass press-stud on the old, 1917 vintage, distressed genuine Australian tan leather holster flap; his right hand unbidden wrapping around the S&W butt in a fluid motion while his unblinking eyes never left the screen.

Stupid.

Forrest breathed deeply, tore his eyes away from the text, and his mouse hand from the revolver butt, and purposefully clicked another tab on his browser. This matter would wait. He would get back to it. He had a post to make on another thread, one that also involved a power play.

When Forrest looked again it was quite clear. It was most definitely a comma, not a full stop! No drifting in and out of focus. Comma. Comma. Comma. That changed everything! For some reason, since his visit to that other thread, the meaning had become absolutely clear to Forrest: Fractelle had been quoting the expression, just without the single quotes. Joy! He felt so good he could even have given her an acronym in gratitude!

Thanks Forrest - you're such a card :)

You're quite correct, of course (as is Fractelle). I know I'm starting to get on a bit, but the OLO typeface is a bit small for me even with reading glasses - and punctuation marks are often virtually invisible. That's why I use << >> instead of " " when quoting people.

I agree with the principle of KISS, and I think Fractelle's suggestions are about as elaborate as I'd like to see here. We certainly need some ways to emphasise text without appearing to shout, and also to indicate quotations - indeed all punctuation - more clearly.

Hi FG,
Very much agree with Fractelle's list as well, except perhaps for font colours if that means that insults and emotional outbursts are gonna be highlighted in bright blood-red, or worse- bible quotes might return in bold halo-gold.

So yeah, Fractelle's list minus the font colours.

I'll second Celivia's list.

Another option may be to have a user profile setting which allow for a choice of having coloured fonts displayed or not. I'm assuming that the page content is generated on the fly based on content stored in a database (or something like that) so if updates are done to the site that should be a possibility. For casual browsers who don't log nin maybe an option checkbox set for a session.

R0bert