Do you look to post, or do you read others' first?

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

This seems to be a common habit of people in conversations--wait to talk, not look to listen. Do any of you look to post first, or do you read what's posted before you? I'm not referring to polls, but rather conversation threads. Sometimes questions are answered twice, three, four times within a single thread, and often 1 to 2 hours apart, so there's plenty of time to read the posts before you and not post at the same time (though ithis happens frequently too).

Sometimes it's easy to read the first post or second post in a thread and then quickly cobble up an answer, but it does kind of waste the several minutes of time someone else may have spent answering it before.

I can't say I'm complaining, as I've done this a few times myself. But I do think it is somewhat exasperating to see say, a thread that asks where to watch The Simpsons, only to have two people say "Fox!" 2 hours after someone else already said it. It's not bad in and of itself, but sometimes people must wonder if their posts are being read half the time.

Just an observation.

[Failure]

This is why I go to group recovery meetings to cry. Because they actually listen to me, instead of just waiting for their turn to talk. ;)

I definitely read first. A lot of times I'll find something I wanted to say has been been said, so I'll wind up not posting.

Plus, it's common courtesy. I hope what we're doing is reading and reacting and not just splurting opinions all over the place without reading others' posts. That's kinda like falling asleep everytime someone's talking to you, only to wake up to speak yourself.

[Shnay]

Originally posted by Failure
This is why I go to group recovery meetings to cry. Because they actually listen to me, instead of just waiting for their turn to talk. ;)

Heh heh. That was good. :D

Plus, it's common courtesy. I hope what we're doing is reading and reacting and not just splurting opinions all over the place without reading others' posts. That's kinda like falling asleep everytime someone's talking to you, only to wake up to speak yourself.

This is a great way of putting it. It's hard to even take someone's post seriously when it's obvious they haven't read the rest of the posts. If they don't take the time to read the posts of others, should other people take the time to read their post?

But, sometimes, there are really long threads, and if you want to say something quick, I guess I can understand. If you're going to do it, though, at least be up front about it. Say something like "This is a really long thread, so I'm sorry if this has been said before, or if I missed something, but I just wanted to add..."

So, anyway, I read everyone else's posts before responding to the topic myself. And, yes, I also find it annoying when others don't.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

I agree. I don't usually whine about forum etiquette, but I do think some people are more interested in posting their own answers/opinions rather than listening first, and then answer. Or, a recent thread I remember in the Adult Swim forum where people kept making the same factual mistakes within a thread long after the mistake was corrected by another poster. Opinions are one thing, but repeating the same thing over and over--and having 5 or 6 different people correcting the same mistakes made by 5 or 6 different people, well, it just urks everyone participating in the thread.

[Barb Gordon]

Like I've mentioned in some other thread, if I don't think I can add something interesting to a discussion, then I try not to post. A lot of times I find my opinion has already been spoken. I might have more to add, or an area to delve into more, so then I'll post, but I don't see the point of restating a statement that's already been expressed by one, two or even three people already.

~Barb

[TimTwoFace]

When a thread is relatively new, I usually read it. If it's pages long and I haven't even checked it out yet, then I sometimes read a few posts from a few posters and then post my own. If it happens to be similar to someone elses', fine - it just backs up their stance on the particular subject.

:)

-Tim

[ButteredToast]

I almost always read through an entire thread before I post, regardless of length. I don't want to blindly reiterate what someone else may have already said.

Also, I rarely will create a new thread... I'll at least try and glance through the boards to make sure the subject hasn't been started already.

[Tootlez]

Sometimes I try to read some of the posts but being at school kind of shortens my time!
When I find something that I like and I can think of some thing worth typing then I'll answer. You know when you don't get on in a while and you find some thing that sounds really cool but there are like almost 100 pages and you don't have time to read anything but then when you think of something when you start to read it, someone had already answered it. You seem kind of lost and clueless. Then someone changes the subject and then everyone is lost.
As long as the thread isn't too long then I'll post on it, like maybe 2 pages or maybe 3. but no more than 5 I'll get lost.

But mainly I browse the threads first then see if I like it, or if someone else had already answered it.

~Toot.

[rapper]

i always read before i post and only post if the conversation seems interesting to me

[Outlander00]

Depends on the thread... :p

[Failure]

Originally posted by Shnay
Heh heh. That was good. :D

:harley:

[Digu Volz]

Seems that ignoring the community defeats the purpose of being part of one. I always read what people say, and if somebody has said what I would have said, it spares me typing. Of course, all of this has already been said, so...

[James]

I read the post first - If it's like three pages and I know what the question is, I may skip some of the posts and read the last page and a half - referring to an answer that occured 4 pages ago is largely irrelevant. Plus, I don't like one word answers so I know that even if mine is similar to someone elses, it is still unique with it's own style and slant.

Then there are posts like this, which don't require to be in an argument, per se, just to add a POV. I don't think there is much need to read other peoples posts, but on nearly all occasions (unless there are 3 pages worth) I will read the comments. I find if nothing else it's the best way to formulate a reply. Reading other peoples opinions and seeing if the jar with your own.

Plus if it's a forum you mod, you don't have much choice :)

[The Detective]

It theres a subject that's like three pages long and I haven't read it, then I usually read the first and last page before I post. But if somethings just a page long I'll read everybodies. I have to admit though, sometimes if there's a post that really long I'll just skim it.

[Zero Signal]

I'll always read what's been said first. 9 times out of 10 I end up not posting because somebody before me has explained better than I ever could.

[Zach Logan]

I always read at least 2/3rds of the posts that have previously written. I always read the first post and the most recent.

[Daniel P]

I read all of the posts, unless it is many pages long or I'm short on time.

[Ajax]

Man are you kidding, once I read through a thread that had like 10 pages, only to end up not posting anything. I like to choose my words carefully, in other words I think a lot before posting in a conversation.

[Mike Spartz]

Depends, sometimes I read a few posts to get an idea of the topic, than I post. Other times, I post first and read later. It all depends on the question at hand, if I feel strongly about the topic being discussed, I'll post quickly. But if the subject is something that I don't really understand, I'll read a few replies and then decide before I post anything.

[Pilmedium]

I always look at the first post and a few of the replies because a thread is not always what the title implies. I often read the whole thread if it is not too long. If it is multiple pages, I only read the whole thing while bored.

[Masamune2052]

I'll read before I post because the information I have may have already been stated.

[turbomog007]

I read all the previous posts before I post

[FavreFactor]

I usually look at what people wrote and decided if I want to write back to them!!! :D

[Mitsuko]

I read first before I post, because someone could have an interesting point that I might want to comment on. I really don't post all the time, only when I feel I could make point or have something to add.

-Mitsuko

[Singin' Stray Cat]

Well, if you've been a good little poster and read all the responses before this, then you know why I don't post as much as some people. ;)

I also don't actively participate in threads where I have no adequate knowledge of the subject matter (i.e. politics), but I usually enjoy reading what other people have posted about it.

"Now I get it...I don't understand a thing!" - Mike, MST3K

[Chris Sanders MSX]

I usually read all the other posts before mine so I don't restate info, unless I just feel really pationate about a subject or am in a hurry.