In article , Mike Coslo
writes:

Kind of like:

In Unix style commenting, a "" is placed before each line of quoted
text. Add your new text below the relevant quote.

from http://www.magicpub.com/netprimer/netiquette.html

Mike...the quote-formatting standard originated on ARPANET
when USENET began there. Old stuff. Been there, done that.

It is a common-use standard, not a legal, lawful one.

5 minutes in the penalty box just because...

LHA