I think once folks figure how to get a picture on there profile it will help identify who’s posting where. In the mean time, you can hoover your mouse over those symbols and it will show their name, or you can click on those symbols and it will open up a window that shows their actual message board name.
Hit the Reply in the window of the person you want to quote and then look on the top left corner of the text editor window for the quote symbol. Easy Peasy (though a bit weird the first time because you’re expecting to “quote” someone, not “reply” to them.
It’s even easier than that. When you’re replying, just highlight the text you want to quote in the window above you and a Quote window pops up. Click that and there you go.
It even works on any part of the thread, just scroll up and down and highlight text.