said by OZO:Here is yet another example when the differentiation would help. So far, you can't ask a question in the tread without someone taking it personally...
I certainly don't have any objection to your proposal, OZO, but it seems to me it might only further confuse things.
We have long-time members here who post regularly, yet still haven't figured out the difference between the two options that currently exist.
At least one member doesn't even seem to realize that "forums" are a feature of this site rather than "bases", which are non-existent here.
It's currently up to the thread-starter to determine if a reply is to him/her directly, rather than to the forum topic in general.
And most of the time, with/for most members, that determination isn't that tough to make.
Also, if you click on the user name noted in blue at the top of any reply (at least it exists within most replies), that will take you to the actual post being replied to.
Though granted, many people probably already fail to take advantage of that if they're uncertain where a reply is directed, as well as the proper 'reply' button having been misused to begin with wouldn't help in that situation.
But the situation you referenced above seems to be the fairly rare exception rather than the norm among thread-starters, I would say.
So again-- while I have no objection at all to your idea, I can't 'sign' either, because I foresee only regular misuse of that button option as well to be the likely outcome of the implementation.