I am just curious as to how many of you/us actually read all the reply posts to a thread’s title post, or just read the titled post and click away on it to answer it without reading the other replies.
I know some read the replies as later “Quotes” will show up for agreement or disagreement or for argument’s sake.
I admit to reading all the posts if it is a short paged thread, but tend to skim over the longer replies or multiple page threads. One thing in particular to a long thread that has been resurected is to reread to see If I already posted a thought**/idea/opinion/**experience on the topic, and how the thread’s postings may have changed the tone of the thread as it moved along and maybe post again based on how thread may have changed. If I have read all of ,say pages one or two, I will just pop in on page three later when it shows up.
So: do you read all the posted replies, or just post to the OP’s title post without reading all the thread?
I generally read all of the posts in a topic before replying. Depending on the replies, I may not post if most of the responders more or less agree with my thoughts on the topic. No point in repeating what has already been said (generally in much clearer, more precise language than mine).
If it’s a survey type post such as “how many cars on your layout”, I will skim through and then post my reply.
These forums are recreation and relaxation for me. I’m not in a hurry. If I’m interested enough or think I have something worth saying then I certainly would read all posts.
I noted this is my 100th post. Most are on CTT though.
If the title indicates that the subject might be of interest, I open the thread and read the first few posts. If it’s a long thread, I continue on. If I have previously posted, I read all of the later posts to see if my own comments have generated aagreement, disagreement or discussion (with or without being quoted.)
Then, if I think I can make a useful contribution, I add to the thread. More usually, I don’t.
I don’t open threads that do not have a title indicating there is something there of interest or that I can contribute to. On threads I do reply to, I usually stay with them until the last dog has barked and died.
I do some of each. I am expected to be aware of what is posted in all the fora, but it is practically impossible to know all that is said by all posters. If the title intrigues me, I’ll look at the first several posts, and if they seem to be building to something momentous, I’ll continue. Occasionally I see a post that begs a reply, and I’ll reply to that, but not without a quick glance ahead to see if any quotes are visible of that post where someone else has made my point. I find it a chore at times to read long posts, but I also post some of them myself. Some thoughts need context, and that adds to the length. Crandell
I read all of a post that I am interested in and when I reply I always follow the post to the “bitter end”. It bothers me when some folks reply to a post as if they were the first and only poster and completely disregard what has been said before.
Except for topics such as “What’s your favorite xxxxxx?” or “How do YOU do a particular task?”, I think it extremely bad manners to post a reply without reading the previous posts. It says: “My opinion is more important than anyone else’s–why would I bother to read what these other people have to say?”
So, I read all of the posts IF I feel inclined to post a response. If I post, I also tend to follow up on responses unless it’s gotten to the dead horse phase.
Yup - I always make sure I have read all posts so far in threads I reply to before I reply.
But since I have a reasonably decent memory, I will generally remember the last visit status of maybe 40-50 threads or so I follow in half a dozen forums, so I don’t need to re-read every post in the thread everytime someone posts something new in the thread
Some make comments in a thread that has nothing to do with the OP’s question or completely missed the intent of the question.
There are times we should read each message in the thread. Those who have been here long enough know exactly what I mean
There are times I had to tell someone to click on a web site link. Some are not aware that link will sometimes answer a question. They admitted they completely missed the link.
I suspect many newbies never look at threads like this or even read on how to use the forums.
Definitely. If the post is something that I like or think I can possibly contribute to, then I’ll read all the replies to see if there’s something that I can add.
Also, it’s always worth reading to find out whether or not the post starts going ‘off-topic’ from the original poster’s, or there’s a possibilty of a ‘Flame War’ starting. In that case, I’ll just stay clear these days–I’ve learned by Trial and Error. [:$]
For the most part, I read all the posts because, as was previously suggested, I may simply be repeating something someone else has said. Sometimes, I may have the same opinion or answer and feel I can still add to the postings, but often times not and think that by rpeating what has been offered is just fill, creating a longer list of posts to read through before the OP or someone else can read something of value that may not have been said. Uh, like I’m doing now. Well, maybe not because it is a “what do you do” question
I’ll admit to not reading all the posts if I come in several pages behind, but if I choose to post I try to at least skim all the postings before opening my mouth. Most often, again, someone has already offered up anything I can offer to a conversation.
Another reason I read all the posts is that there are so many opinions and suggestions that multiple answers help me to figure a way that may be fitting to me.
It does not bother me to see multiple like answers or comments, but I do often wonder how many people will answer a question such as “what is the website for Walthers”. I’m also curious of the responses that state something such as "I’m not sure but…"followed by an answer that conflicts with a known correct answer already posted. Or how about the responses to the OP’s question about a problem who later replies “Thanks, that fixed it” then a couple posts later someone suggest something to do that isn’t at all what the OP has informed has already solved the problem. Upset? No. I just chuckle and know they just read the OP then posted. They may not have read the entire thread, but at least they tried to help using their experience and that’s pretty nice of them.
I read the entire thread – or try to, although sometimes I lose patience with very long threads that are all one paragraph (or worse yet, one enormous run-on sentence).
Do schools still teach what a “topic sentence” is? Or has that gone the way of mandatory shop class?
There is something of an “art” to giving post a topic name that invites reading it. I tend not to read posts where the topic heading is “I have a question” or “Hi there” or similarly generic statements.
Hey, I read thru all the posts on this thread so far… [:P]
Seriously, as others have mentioned, and as I do myself, before posting your insightful replies, please read the prior posts before you yourself post. For whatever reason it is just irksome when somebody posts a reply that simply rehashes what was posted a few post prior, without adding any addition info (again, as others have mentioned, this excludes opinions and poll threads, like this thread).
OK, it’s especially irksome to me because several times I have posted info (usually with a useful link), and a few posts down somebody else posted more or less the same info (and the same link). Depending on my grumpiness level at that time, I generally roll my eyes and ignore it, but once in a while I call them out (in the nicest possible way, of course, since if I call them Big Dummies for doing it, invariably I will goof up myself and get razzed for it via the ‘Law of Conservation of Karma’). I admit it never occured to me that people just didn’t bother to read the prior posts in the thread, as I got used to posting via the Straight Dope message board, and if you repost the same previously posted info on that board you WILL get razzed, usually via the “Rio by Duran Duran” thread meme*
*Long time ago, somebody asked for the name of a song (Rio, as you might guess) in a thread - a number of people replied “Rio by Duran Duran” in such a short time that soon people in the thread just kept posting variations on that response in a…er…cajones-busting humour razzing. It became a message board shorthand response for “Didn’t read the previous posts in the thread, You Big Dummy!”
If the poster is asking an opinion or how to do something, I do not read what others wrote so it won’t affect my writing. I usually read them after I post.
If its something other than the above, I will read the previous posts before I write my own.
