What Is This Code?

[Count Duckula]

What code is this on the forum? This [] bracket stuff. Just wondering...

[Quark]

Not really any code ... it's just proprietary stuff that most forums use.

HTML was found to be too powerful to allow forum-users access to, so they limit it by refusing HTML commands and inserting their own proprietary stuff that has access to limited, basic, HTML commands. The old forum had it too (as do most nowadays).

[WarBlade]

Disallowing HTML use in forum posts is common practice. Just imagine the chaos if some twerp could put a comment tag in without closing it, or a number of other things without closing . . . :o

[Quark]

Yeah, back in the bravenet days you'd always have one person who thought that BLINK was a cool HTML attribute and didn't realize that he needed to close it ... an entire thread of blinking posts was horrible. :angry:

Of course, it's much worse than that. Things like meta tags for auto-redirect, popups, etc, can completely ruin a forum simply on the fact that no one could even read the threads. Any amount of HTML being allowed means someone can always find a way to destroy a forum.

[monkeycid]

I belive it's known as InvisioN code. Just a simple way to customize your posts without compromising the security. The commands look almost like HTML except that you use brackets instead of tags.

[Taeme]

Actually the Something Awful forums have a den of evil known as "FYAD". For a period, the admins decided to create a FYAD2.0. This sub-forum's features included the ability to use both HTML and java script.

I read one or two threads before realising this one was not one to be messed with. Oh yeah, well, you know that when a thread can crash your browser, things are going to get worse before they get better.

I believe there were reports of auto-installing spyware, stealing passwords, and perhaps the transmission of trojan viruses, before the admins shut it down. Heh. I'm so glad people can't use real HTML on forums :D

[Bolty]

I believe there were reports of auto-installing spyware, stealing passwords, and perhaps the transmission of trojan viruses, before the admins shut it down.

Wait, isn't that my job? Oh no, did I type that out loud?

-Bolty

[AtomicKitKat]

It's similar to CSScript(Is that the right one?) And uses the square brackets rather than the pointy ones normally used in HTML. Neopets has that for their guild message boards. Basically allows little more than image insertion, font manipulation and simple links. Annoying in some cases(because the commands are different from the usual html), but otherwise okay. Still, we sometimes get newbies posting messages in all glowy text or scrolling, etc. :P

[Sheep]

You play Neopets?
Cool. B)

[Taeme]

Wait, isn't that my job?  Oh no, did I type that out loud?

-Bolty

The idea of you doing something like that is quite humourous.

But hey, we all picture you as a boy scout. Our guard is clearly down :D

[Bolty]

But hey, we all picture you as a boy scout. Our guard is clearly down :D

I WAS a Boy Scout - got my Eagle, too :)

Sigh.

-Bolty