Merit system is a nice tool to qualify posts when it's well written and nicely developed, and as we are in SMF so using BBcode language remains to be a fundamental key to write good/high quality posts. [We can also use BBcode to make low quality posts]
Anybody can use the forum for posting and replying other's posts with simple strings of words written in almost all languages, without the need for learning how to use BBcode.
BBcode is easy to learn and there is a lot of tutorials and guides here in BBT that can help; User
roslinpl made the best one (in my opinion) here:
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/learn-bbcode-lessons-tutorials-tutorial-videos-1727100But, even mastering it, and in order to use it correctly, every post written in BBcode should be tested before publish. Using a BBcode tester is good enough to start and here a simple one:
https://infinite-story.com/tools/bbcode.php [free and doesn't need to sign up]
So, what do you need to start making well developed post in BTT can be resumed in:
- Understand that the forum is powered by
SMF which requires BBcode language while writing topics.
- Learn
how to use BBcode.
- Use a tester to see how your writing would look like after publish.
This seems to be so complicated for any user and almost all users using BBcode doesn't use tester for their code and just edit their post after publish if noticing a mistake or if get noticed by other users that there is a mistake in the code.
In addition, with some languages, such a bad errors may occurs if not testing the BBcode before posting; as an example, in my local language (arabic) , sentences start from right to left so even writing a simple string of words requires to use the bbcode tool to make it in the correct direction like this one:
السلام عليكم اختاج الس شراء من عشرة الاف الي خمسين الف دولار بي تي سي في الجزائر
and here how it looks without using BBcode option:
السلام عليكم اختاج الس شراء من عشرة الاف الي خمسين الف دولار بي تي سي في الجزائر
Note that this is a simple sentence with only arabic words.
The problem gets more complicated, even when using BBcode, by adding numbers, symbols, latin letters, or any special caracter and the sentence looks in dirty chaos {errors are shown only after display}. I faced those errors everytime i try to translate content from english to arabic where i have to add usernames in latin letters and links.
Arabic posters can well understand what am talking about. I also think some other languages may face similar problems.
Why i write this topic?It's a suggestion to add a feature/option in users profiles for privacy and not feeling watched, where they can build/convert/test any bbcode before posting and correct spelling/code mistakes that may occur and only shown after display.
I don't know if this technically possible or if it even make sense but i discovered (by chance) that there is another forum offers a dedicated board for BBcode test and only shown by the user and the stuff. It works like test compiler for programmers.
Note: there may be other solutions in scripts or apps but this also remains complicated for regular users whom not familiar with codes in scripts or even installing apps, as it is also sophisticated for good experienced posters which they have to revise their posts many times after publish or use other sites for test.
Am really sorry for the bad English, i wish everybody to feel free correct me if am wrong or missing something, i just try to express my thoughts loud first time in Meta and help improving the forum.
Thanks for reading
