It is not just the CTT forum but several of the other similar ones that I frequent.
Somebody posts a legitimate, SPECIFIC question and is sincerely seeking information or a recommendation. He posts it in English, with puncuation and good grammar.
WHY can’t the people READ the question and then only reply if they have an answer to the question ???
This doesn’t seem too hard.
This doesn’t pertain to anything I’ve posted lately but as I read posts on today’s list I can’t think that there are some mighty frustrated posters out there.
I find it frustrating too, but I try to remember that sometimes a legitimate question will be answered and then raise other, similar questions. I could not have anticipated that my recent query about Alaskan cruise-train vista cars would edge over into the abortive “Marlboro Train” of several years ago. But I didn’t mind it either.
As for spelling, grammar, punctuation, I for one think that’s a different kind of negligence than improper trolling. Now please anyone don’t hammer me for expecting perfection in every post; I make mistakes too. There are the occasional posts, though, that are totally confounding because of missed words, wrong words, unintentional homonyms. How difficult is it to write a lengthy Q or A in one’s word-processing program, have it checked for spelling and grammar, and then cut and copy it into the foums?
I think drinking de caff. coffee helps keep one on task, stay focussed and be less pejorative. At 5:00 p.m. a nice glass of Chardonay helps take the edge off of the “off topic” posts and brings together the burning question “what was the question”?
Sure, it’s a legitimate question but largely rhetorical in my opinion. There’s some interesting research on topic flow in online forums that essentially concludes this sort of drift is inevitable in an un or semi-moderated forum - where every missive isn’t vetted against subject headers before posting. This drift is considered kin to FtF conversation flow. Heavily moderated forums were also rather unpopular.
And I agree 100 %. This entire Forum is comprised of a bunch of fun loving people
who consider each other as friends. Now at this point, I could say ( except Chief ),
which is the whole point of it. But, I won’t. Buckeye would. In the past year, I have learned more from this Forum, on the subject of Trains, than at any time in my life.
And I do expect someone to make a humorous comment about this text.
Lighten up, Folks. Life is too short. I like apple pie ala mode.
Chuck
p.s. I corrected my mis-spellings.
Welcome to cyberspace, where the masses now gather to show what they know, and in some cases don’t. The key to survival here is patience, a cool head, and no fear of using a dictionary. Sometimes, even that isn’t even enough.
I’ve found that it takes a good deal of practice to get comfortable and proficient in this environment. Proper grammar in writing is trickier than with the spoken word. And, if one isn’t careful, he can have difficulty conveying his actual thoughts. This can leave an opening to interpretation, which can cause problems.
Not to be rude or nit-picking, but grammar is spelled with an AR at the end. I got caught on that one quite some time ago, and learned my lesson.
In the context of “This doesn’t seem to hard.” to, should actually be too.
98%, not bad. Patience and tolerance my friend.[;)]
On the other hand, I have seen people post a thread and complain after 40 minutes and several views that no one answered him. Maybe they didn’t answer it because they didn’t know. Maybe this person would have preferred someone answer with I don’t know.
It’s hard to tell sometimes.
But I like my Apple pie warm
ps. On the spelling thing, yep sometimes that’s me. Sometimes it’s the arthritis in the fingers, so they just don’t get to the right keys. And sometimes it’s Spanky walking over the Keyboard as I am trying to type.
“that error” is quasi-correct, as personally, I don’t believe in using the word “that”
I’ve never seen thank you hyphenated either. Is this a new trend?
Point being, no matter how hard we try, we all make errors, and the cyber world makes it worse. I think faster than I type, therefore I have lots-o-typos, and having done this for a while, I am not inclined to go back and spell check.
As for not getting a response to a specific question, maybe there’s an active boycott. Did you say something deemed unacceptable on another forum?
I must say, I’m gone for a day and the place gets all wound up. Some good domments here. NYCRR1, I notice only 31 posts in almost 3 years. Come join us more often. We love for folks to come by and sit with us. This forum is known for its “lightness” but also for its info [well put Chuck or is it TOOTS?]. I think you have a lot to share that can help us all. Please stick around.
BTW: I love apple pie with sweet ice tea. I don’t like Yankees but I find some of my best friends are Yankees. [;)] So, it takes some of all of us to make the world go around. [:)]
With the fall season upon us I had apple cider with my pie. No it wasn’t hard cider.
Getting to the subject at hand the drifting around is probably the key reason I prefer this forum to others. As mentioned, it is a friendly atmospher somewhat akin to a group of train-o- phyles ( how do y’all like that one) sitting around an old toy train store shooting the beeze. It has been a long time since there have been any heated discussions as to how many rivets a certain boxcar should have, that’s for the other crowd.