A Plea: Please Clearly Indicate When You Are Copying From Someone Else's Writing

[NashVegas]

In the last 5 minutes, I've opened two threads where there is no such indication. In both threads, the OP has no commentary of their own at all, and it looks like they're posting their own opinions and experiences.

FYI, this plea comes from my own embarrassment. I just came *this* close to asking someone a question about their sex change, before I realized they'd copied and pasted a passage from a blog written by the opposite gender, about their marital relationship.

:)

thanks

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Alert

That would be a violation of DU rules, would it not?

[LiberalFighter]

2. They should blockquote to set off writings not their own.

Blockquote method can be found when clicking on HTML lookup table link when doing a posting. Right above the Smilies lookup table.

[aikoaiko]

3. Agreed

Generally, DU posters are really lazy about their posts. Don't get me started on the direct hyperlinking without permission.

More DUers should use the following:

HREF link with text display for example DCScripts

Create a styled, indented blockquote (useful for posting excerpts from articles)

Text

[rrneck]

5. Yep

It would be really nice if there were some sort of flash thingie (much like wordpress) to make the process of blockquotes and hyperlinks a little less clumsy. (A not too subtle nudge to the admins)

It is no doubt a lot more complicated than I could possibly imagine and I understand why it isn't there though.

[DefenseLawyer]

4. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

When I said, as I often do, that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.