Comments on: How to turn off smart quotes and dashes in Word 2007 http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/ wake up and smell the copy Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:09:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Phinbar http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-896 Phinbar Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:12:35 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-896 It's weird; I tend to omit the 'that' from a sentence when I write it, probably because I try to keep my copy light and conversational*, but I do tend to insert them when I'm proofing stuff. For my money it's a question of register, and in this context I probably should have thatted it up. Merci bien for the link action, too; I need to do a follow-up post to that at some point. Did you know that I actually had people suggest I should kill myself because what I was saying was so pointless? It’s weird; I tend to omit the ‘that’ from a sentence when I write it, probably because I try to keep my copy light and conversational*, but I do tend to insert them when I’m proofing stuff. For my money it’s a question of register, and in this context I probably should have thatted it up.

Merci bien for the link action, too; I need to do a follow-up post to that at some point. Did you know that I actually had people suggest I should kill myself because what I was saying was so pointless?

]]> By: Tom http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-868 Tom Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:54:10 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-868 Ah, yeah - 2.6 completely borked my site for half an hour or so. I went back a day later and tried again, and I did eventually get the upgrade working - I think the problem was with V2.5 introducing a new requirement in wp-config.php. Version 2.5 kept working despite me failing to add this (clever software), v2.6 fell on its arse (baaad software). So - it can be done, but back up the database first just in case :) Ah, yeah - 2.6 completely borked my site for half an hour or so. I went back a day later and tried again, and I did eventually get the upgrade working - I think the problem was with V2.5 introducing a new requirement in wp-config.php. Version 2.5 kept working despite me failing to add this (clever software), v2.6 fell on its arse (baaad software).
So - it can be done, but back up the database first just in case :)

]]> By: handolio http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-866 handolio Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:50:11 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-866 Nope, I don't remember an argument, either - it's just one of those things that used to get added to my copy, and after a while I began to see why. Charlie & I didn't used to see eye-to-eye on 'that', but I've noticed that he's started to use it more, too. I've realised now that I'm intentionally dropping it from some of the less formal copy I write, as it seems to help with the tone. I guess you've got to know the rules before you can bend them. Cheers for the link - too tired to investigate tonight. Been meaning to upgrade to 2.6 anyway, but I'm not sure <a href="http://www.tomroyal.com/index.php/2008/07/25/how-to-disappear-completely/" rel="nofollow">after reading about your problems</a>. Nope, I don’t remember an argument, either - it’s just one of those things that used to get added to my copy, and after a while I began to see why.

Charlie & I didn’t used to see eye-to-eye on ‘that’, but I’ve noticed that he’s started to use it more, too. I’ve realised now that I’m intentionally dropping it from some of the less formal copy I write, as it seems to help with the tone. I guess you’ve got to know the rules before you can bend them.

Cheers for the link - too tired to investigate tonight. Been meaning to upgrade to 2.6 anyway, but I’m not sure after reading about your problems.

]]> By: Tom http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-861 Tom Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:58:58 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-861 Funnily I don't remember a single argument about omitting the word "that" at Dennis, but then I do find myself inserting it on proofs all the time. Unless you're pushed for space, as in a headline, I don't see any reason to remove it - it doesn't help sentences to read more clearly. Also, you may find this handy: http://www.semiologic.com/software/wp-tweaks/unfancy-quote/ It strips out all curly quote marks automatically from Wordpress, preventing that particularly irritating error where WP puts a pesky stupid curly open quote mark (yes, this is a technical term) at the end of a block quote. Funnily I don’t remember a single argument about omitting the word “that” at Dennis, but then I do find myself inserting it on proofs all the time. Unless you’re pushed for space, as in a headline, I don’t see any reason to remove it - it doesn’t help sentences to read more clearly.

Also, you may find this handy:
http://www.semiologic.com/software/wp-tweaks/unfancy-quote/
It strips out all curly quote marks automatically from Wordpress, preventing that particularly irritating error where WP puts a pesky stupid curly open quote mark (yes, this is a technical term) at the end of a block quote.

]]> By: handolio http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-858 handolio Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:07:34 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-858 Get any closer to Janey and repeat that - she'll rip your head clear off. Get any closer to Janey and repeat that - she’ll rip your head clear off.

]]> By: Dave http://blog.hackbash.com/2008/07/29/how-to-turn-off-smart-quotes-and-dashes-in-word-2007/#comment-857 Dave Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:05:41 +0000 http://blog.hackbash.com/?p=242#comment-857 I think most subs would tell you that "that" is quite often a waste of space, particularly in a headline. A wise man once told me that. I think most subs would tell you that “that” is quite often a waste of space, particularly in a headline.

A wise man once told me that.

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