David,

I use Gmail as my primary mail server - but I also have Mozilla
Thunderbird on my computer as my e-mail client software. With it I can
download my e-mail from Gmail, redirect it into folders by subject, and
then reply in the manner in which you describe - in the message of
interest just select the text of interest and click reply. Only the
selected text will be forwarded from the old message in the new message
with the new text.

Works for me.

John R

On 3/5/2013 11:56 PM, David Beierl wrote:
> Karl Wolz and I have established that on an iPhone you can select
> desired text in a message before hitting Reply, and (only) it will be
> quoted in the resulting reply.
>
> That's a method used in many email programs, so it's certainly worth
> trying on your phone.
>
> I've just now briefly tried it with gmail's web interface, where it
> seems not to work.  There you have to click the three dots at the
> bottom left of the compose pane to expand the quoted text, and then
> remove the parts you don't want.
>
> Yours,
> David
>