>For those who elected to suppress auto-quotes then they could be eliminated from presentation. This might even be two separate options, one for 'regular' thread messages and one for 'Map' type displays.

I still don't like that. THere is something dishonest about pruning someones messages based on unintelligent methods. For example, I trim my autoquotes usually to one quote, but sometimes I need more, and sometimes, maybe I consolidate multiple messages into one reply. Example:

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>>I think thats a bad idea
>Why?
Well because...
===

Basically, quotes have a purpose, and when I use them, thats what I want my audeince to see.

Unfortunatly, autoquotes result in something like this Re: UT reported bugs -a compendium (almost) Thread #644341 Message #645615. Thats just mindlessness.

The simplest computer solution has two parts, IMO, make quoting a manual process (get rid of auto-quote, back make it easier to manually quote text), and provide a simple recapp of the message (click a button and see the message you're looking at, plus the previous two message).

Another solution woudl require an evolution of the medium itself. For example, the only reason a quote is required is if you want to address multiple ideas in the same message differntly. Example:

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>well, all I'm saying is that global warming is a huge problem
I agree with you there

>and the only way to solve it is by stop driving cars.
Now thats where I have a problem....
===

In the prefect world, this could be solved by people posting different thoughts in different messages. THat would pretty much change the way we communicate on here, and it would be fairly interesting to implement (and difficult!) but at this point in time, hardly realistic.

Maybe the problem is doesn't have a computer solution, maybe its a people solution? How about, for everyone that would like to get rid of Auto-Quotes, simply reply to every message you think is mindless with a "Please trim your auto-quote. THanks" sort of thing.

A human solution. How 20th century... *g*