Help with using the forum

[Humble]

Dear teachers,
I find this forum really helpful and interesting, but even though I've been promoted to junior member (over 30 posts?), I have to act through trial and error.
In vain have I tried to find a sort of manual for inexperienced newcomers. The Site Information has nothing. The Tools - either.
I am not the only one to lose my posts. Yes, help was immediately provided, thanks, still there are questions.
1. If I want to find my post do I have to
a) look down the line until I find one of my own, then click on my name
b) create a new thread in order to get my name to be clicked upon! (Reminds of the Baron Munchausen pulling himself out by his own hair).
2. What do I do to read about, say, Mr.Pedantic or tdol (their profiles)?
3. Where can I read about the creators and staff of the site, their aims or goals and financing? I've been wondering what the point of answering thousands of questions for free is.
4. I don't understand the difference between Reply and Quick reply. How can I operate Quick reply?
5. Nor can I insert a quote from other messages. I am not able to paste a separate sentence and copy it.
6. What is private messages function for? How do I use it?
7. How (when, why) do I post attachments?
8. What about the buddys' list? What do I do with it?
Looking forward to your help.
Thank you.

[Red5]

Thanks for your list. I will answer them all for you later today.

[Red5]

I'm going to try to answer these one step at a time. Here goes...

Originally Posted by Humble

2. What do I do to read about, say, Mr.Pedantic or tdol (their profiles)?

The link to our staff profiles is at the bottom of each page of the site called Staff. Alternatively, you can view forum staff and moderators from the main forum page by clicking on View Forum Leaders.

Originally Posted by Humble

3. Where can I read about the creators and staff of the site, their aims or goals and financing? …

Start by going to our Staff page, however, we haven’t published much content about those questions.

Originally Posted by Humble

1. If I want to find my post do I have to
a) look down the line until I find one of my own, then click on my name
b) create a new thread in order to get my name to be clicked upon!

When you post a new thread, or reply to a topic, you can choose to automatically add that thread to your list of subscribed threads, with the option to receive email notification of new replies to that thread. You can change your subscription settings by clicking on Edit Options.

You can also click on any username in the forum listings (eg, in Ask a Teacher) or within individual posts to see their profile and other information.

Originally Posted by Humble

4. I don't understand the difference between Reply and Quick reply. How can I operate Quick reply?

Clicking the icon on any post allows you to use the Quick Reply feature to reply to it whilst staying on the same page (quick reply is really good for short, basic messages). The Reply feature takes you to a new page and gives you a full range of formatting controls to use.

Originally Posted by Humble

5. Nor can I insert a quote from other messages. I am not able to paste a separate sentence and copy it.

I'm not sure I understand your question enough to answer it. Could you give me more information about this please?

Originally Posted by Humble

6. What is private messages function for? How do I use it?

It's similar to email, but it is limited to UsingEnglish.com members. You can send a private message by viewing a user's name and clicking on View Public Profile.

Originally Posted by Humble

7. How (when, why) do I post attachments?

I've seen users post recordings of them saying words and expressions so that others could help them with pronunciation. Different users use attachments in other ways. It's really up to you.

Originally Posted by Humble

8. What about the buddys' list? What do I do with it?

See here for more information.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards,

Red

[Humble]

Red5, tnx a lot for your help.
I am sure many people besides me will find your message useful. I should have marked the main question as one in my list and it would have been answered. OK, I’m doing it now:
1. Is there a sort of manual for inexperienced newcomers on the site? It would only take one page.
2. (No5 in my previous post) What do I do if I need to insert a quote from another post, not the whole message, just a sentence or even a word, the way you have done? I have tried agn and failed.
3. What are those four tags in the bar above for? Could you give an example of their usage?
Regards,
Humble

[Red5]

Originally Posted by Humble

I am sure many people besides me will find your message useful.

If you really like or dislike a thread, you can rate it by clicking on the Rate Thread Menu.

[Red5]

Originally Posted by Humble

1. Is there a sort of manual for inexperienced newcomers on the site? It would only take one page.

Thank you for suggesting the idea. We think it's a good one! Please see: http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ne...elp-forum.html

[Red5]

Originally Posted by Humble

2. (No5 in my previous post) What do I do if I need to insert a quote from another post, not the whole message, just a sentence or even a word, the way you have done?

Whilst viewing the message you wish to quote from, click the Quote button. That will copy the content of the original message into a new message for you to edit. You can then remove all of the text you don't want and leave the quote in place.

For more information about formatting messages please see: http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/mi...o=bbcode#quote

[Humble]

Tnx, Red5.
You know, as I type slowly and every minute adds to my telephone bill, I mostly prepare my answers off-line. So there's no Quote button to click on. Besides, don't you find it awkward and slow to first copy evrth and then remove 90% of it? I have no idea what technical problems might there be with it, but I know some other forums where it's just past-copy-insert, very quick.
Thank you for your readiness to heed, I think I'm going to have more suggestions as questions arise in the process of going deeper.

Respectfully,
Humble.

[Red5]

Originally Posted by Humble

I have no idea what technical problems might there be with it, but I know some other forums where it's just past-copy-insert, very quick.

Actually, there is a way to do just that, but you have to use the advanced editing tools on the Reply page.

Simply copy the text you want to quote, then click the icon. You can then simply paste in the quoted text.

[Humble]

Tnx agn, Red5.
I tried to follow your advice and failed.
"Simply copy" sounds ironical. I wish I could do it simply.
Before I copy I have to paste, right? I just can't paste a piece, evrth from the cursor downwards to the very bottom of the page gets highlighted. Yes, I CAN copy that. Then it'll take me quite a while to remove the unnecessary part.
What's wrong ? I am at my wit's end. I wonder if other regulars have this problem. In fact I have only seen them quote whole messages.
I am really sorry to trouble you so much.
Have a nice week-end.