A computing question....

I wonder if anyone can help clear up a little problem I'm having with posting stuff on the forum recently. I've just posted THIS in the Ebay section. When I type it up then hit Preview, the text in the window turns into this:

< a href = "http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Spectrum-FX-guitar-/160436891574?cmd = View Item&pt =UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV & hash = item 255ac8afb6 # ht _ 500wt _ 1182 " target = " _ blank " > < strong > < font color = " red " > Westone Spectrum FX guitar < / font > < / strong > < / a > < strong > - £135 Starting Bid.< / strong > < br / > < br / > Trem arm is missing as is the centre string lock plate. A bigger worry is the damage to the rear, a crack from the control rout to the edge of the body? < br / > < br / > DAN.

I've added spaces to this just so it's visible on this post as it all corrects itself when I press Send on the completed post.

I just wanted to know what's causing all of these crazy "< > /" things to appear in the text window? I don't think I've changed any of my settings and it doesn't affect the finished post, but something is definitely wrong. Anybody have an answer?

By the way, I'm using Windows Vista, and I use Google Chrome as my explorer.

DAN.

Hey Dan.
Looks like you're QUOTING the URL rather than LINKING to it.

Hi Barry.

I normally click and paste the URL along with the title into the link tool, it's after I've previewed the post the original text including the bold text, italics etc. all appear as code in between my text.

It's a while since I've posted anything and in the past (since using Google Chrome), things like the text colour would appear in brackets. Now - just today - things such as a return is shown as "< br />< br />" and stuff like "<strong>" pops up?

As I've said, it doesn't affect the finished post, it just makes it harder to edit it after I've previewed it.

I am officially bamboozled!

DAN.

Hmmm, weird eh?
When was the last time you rebooted? Lots of problems creep into Windows (assuming that's what you're running) when you slip in and out of Hibernate/Sleep mode. I find that's corrected a lot of strangeness for me, you know, the computer; me, that's another matter!

This probably isn't helpful, Dan, but my Mac with Snow Leopard and Firefox works perfectly....

Sleep/hibernate is a terrible feature and should never ever be used.