Parsing Links
 

Is there any way the settings could be changed for the forum so that the option to 'Automatically parse links in text' is automatically deselected for members that haven't achieved link posting rights yet (and ideally automatically selected, as it is now, once they have achieved those rights)?

I ask because many people don't seem to be aware that they can just uncheck that particular option and post their links as standard text. This results in large numbers of people editing URLs they post so that they're no longer valid links - thereby forcing those of us who want to follow the link to first copy and paste it into the address bar and then edit it back again - and presumably some that simply give up and don't post their link at all. It may not be the worst thing to happen in the history of the world but it can get annoying, particularly if someone is following several such links in succession.

If this isn't a possibility, could it be made clearer to people that the option to disable automatic parsing is there; possibly by moving the 'Miscellaneous Options' section above the post, where it will be more readily visible, as well as relabelling the 'Automatically parse links in text' option as something less tech savvy members will better understand?

A lot of urls that are posted, are changed that way so that search engines do not trace back to here. Such as youtube links. Clickable links leave a trace.

CP.

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That's understood (and I didn't know that bit about clickable links leaving a trace) but what I'm actually talking about is the fact that they don't need to change the text to make it unclickable, they can just uncheck the 'Automatically parse links in text' box; however many people don't seem to be aware of this. Those of us who want to visit the link would still have to copy and paste it, we just wouldn't have to undo any edits - it would be a simple copy and paste job. My other point was that members that can't yet post links wouldn't have a problem posting the URL as text if the box was unchecked.

Sorry if I wasn't entirely clear before; I hope you understand what I'm trying to say now.