But you wrote this posting in your browser, surely?

Why are you trying to insert a symbol in written text instead of just typing it from your keyboard?

I am amazed to find that this problem - not readily being able to insert an apostrophe in a word* - is common to Chrome, Tbird, Word Perfect and Windows Notepad.

I discovered it writing emails in Tbird but apparently it is widespread. Weird!

And even weider that I seem to be the first person to notice it.

• I trust it is clear that the problem only arises when, after typing a word, you go back to insert the symbol. There is no problem if you include it when you type the word.

I think there's something wrong with your computer or your technique. I've inserted these apostrophes after typing, with zero difficulty. Won't, can't, shan't, I'm, I'll I've and so forth, but never it's when you mean 'its'. I can use them 'as quotes' and of course they can be used to indicate possessives. Mary's cat's ill.

How do you position the cursor? Mouse or keyboard? And if you use the mouse, do you click it to set the insertion point (the I-beam cursor) where the pointer cursor is located? Note that when typing there are effectively two cursors. One is the insertion point, the other is driven by the mouse. The mouse-driven cursor stays put; it doesn't follow the text insertion point around.

(And I have just entered the very same text in Thunderbird; again no problems.)

Well - that's a relief! I was puzzled that noone else had seen the problem. I can type in ' with no problem but adding it later is difficult. Fiddling here I can see that even though I can type in a 'there is something odd about it. Notice the 'before there? I typed 'and then a space. The 'does not appear until I type another letter. It appears when I type a space but the space does not appear. I just tried plugging in a different keyboard - still a Dell - to my usb. Problem still present. My computer is a Dell laptop.

I'm not saying I've been able to reproduce your problem.

You didn't answer my question about how you move to the insertion point. Mouse or keyboard?

Mouse, I plug a mouse into the usb (I find the Dell touchpad hopeless). And I have just plugged a different mouse in - can't can't In both cases I had to hit the ' and then the s[ace bar before the ' appeared. So it is not the mouse.

To insert a ' I have to type the ' and then hit the space bar for it to appear.

And I find that the problem is also present with " but not any other symbol. I can insert @#$;: etc with no problem.

This does not sound like a thunderbird issue.

Can you check something. Make sure that your 'Regional Language' settings is set to English (it might be set to 'US English International').

After that, go to the Languages tab in the 'Regional and Language Options' window, and click on the details button. Under the keyboard settings, remove the 'international' option and keep the 'US' option. Log off and then back in and retest your quotes.

Thanks - Dell offer three options under language and was set to the last one (something about US international keyboard). Switching to one of the others fixed the problem (which has been driving me mad!).

Thanks again