Under your
User Options, right at the bottom under
Miscellaneous Options > Message Editor Interface, choose
Enhanced Interface - Full WYSIWYG Editing.
Personally, I prefer the basic text box, because it gives you a better understanding of the way stuff is formatted. Also, you can use shortcuts even in the Basic Editor box.
For example, if you select a word and hit Ctrl + B, it will surround it in [b][/b] tags.
Formatting Options
Linear Mode
