Keep it short

[Helen_Highwater]

So a post, like this one, starts. It gets read, someone replies, then someone else and so on. So if the post tickles your interest such that you reply, how many of the previous replies will you read before entering your own?

Here's my point. While it's good that folks reply, once a post is in to say it's second page of responses, does anyone bother to read all that has gone before prior to adding their own 2 d's worth? Does adding yours become akin to scribbling it on a wall somewhere. Perhaps the only persons who'll read it are the next poster and the postie. Add to this that so many posts go off track diverting in all sorts of directions, once that happens is it time to draw the line and start afresh?

In truth it doesn't really matter for the bulk of what's posted. They're not of earth shattering importance, interesting and informative perhaps but not needing deep thought. Once in a while however someone posts a question of a nature that requires real consideration. If folks aren't going to read all the replies then firstly we get repetition but more importantly the nuances of the discussion are lost. Things that may have been written that could sway your thinking go unread and that seems to devalue the point of the post.

So, in all honesty, how much of a post do you read? Is there a case for limiting replies if what's happening is we're guilty of little more than spouting off our own opinions in isolation?

[Krisi]

I will usually read all the replies before adding my thoughts. The exception would be if I'm replying to one of the replies because it's easier to reply immediately than to read all the rest and then go back to the one I wanted to reply to.

You are correct in saying that most of what's posted doesn't really matter. None of it will be life changing. It's mostly just "bar talk" but on the Internet.

[DaisyLawrence]

Well for me I never reply without reading all previous replies, to do so would be a nonsense. I see what you are saying Helen but to limit replies is contrary to the whole point of a discussion forum which only exists for discussion and the replies are the discussion. Now I hope you've all read this before replying to Helens thread?

[Stacy Darling]

I rarely read other peoples replies, as those replies come from other persons minds. I reply to initial post mainly, but will respond if I do read something which stimulates my mind!

[Princess Chantal]

I tend to read the initial post, quickly skim read or ignore the replies from members that seem to post often (tend to repeat theirselves), and fully read the replies from those that tend to not post as often. I would withhold from replying if there is already a similar opinion expressed or if there are a significant amount of replies already (it will just get lost).
The problem with limiting the replies to a thread is that the folks that tend to be on the forum frequently (sometimes it seems like they are on 24/7) and have a say on everything would dominate the limit not letting other folks express their opinions.

[Gillian Gigs]

I read every reply, with the occasional exception, like they wrote a novel in reply. I don't respond to many posts, just the ones that tend to grab my interest. I agree with Princess Chantal, if you restrict the number of replies, I think you would hurt the sense and purpose of why many of us come to this site. Reading to learn, and sharing to be a part of the experience.

[Charlotte7]

Helen an interesting thought. I don't think that there are too many threads on here which are of great import and most can be scanned and then ignored, some though generate large number of replies because they are of common interest to many here, panties and wanting to have sex with men seem to be common themes that fall into this category. Then, sometimes there is a post where someone may have made a good point, be in a bad place or be asking for specific advice. These may generate a number of replies as there are a large number of people here who have much experience that they can share. Then, not as frequently as I would like, we get a super post, something that generates a genuine debate and which may get a number of replies, and many of these replies may be quite long. In these cases in particular I think that it is important to read all the replies as a lot of ground may be covered, and yes, that can take a bit of time, but scanning the site, two or three times a day can lessen the effort over doing so in a single sitting. If I decide that I'm going to reply to a post I do read the whole thread and (honestly) I do try to not repeat obvious things, unless, it seems to be a point which benefits support or reinforcement. I don't think that limiting threads in some way would help as everyone who finds themselves here has an experience or an opinion which is valid to them.

[Robertacd]

I read the original post and might skim the replies. Frankly I don't care if someone already said what I would say because if the OP was asking for an opinion or advice they are more likely to consider and follow it when we all tell them the same thing..

[Elizabeth G]

As I did with this post, I tend to read all responses. I don't pick up a book and begin reading mid chapter and expect to have all of the information, so I pretty much do the same here. There may be some repetition but I would rather be sure I haven't missed anything of interest.

[Shely]

it totally depends upon the content, some I read all of the responses, others I will scan a few comments. If I feel like adding my thoughts to a topic, I usually try to read all the others so as to not repeat something someone else has said.

[Fran-K]

Hi Helen

In the good old days of the Internet
It’s called “AOL!”
Someone says something
9,638,720 people, most from AOL, say “me too”
Or “your(sic) stooopid”
Or the same thing as all the other AOL! Posts

Fran (who’solder than you think:-)

[DIANEF]

Just as I have done with this post, I will read the OP, all the shorter replies and skim through the longer ones. I don't think limiting the number of replies is the way to go.

[alwayshave]

Hellen, I usually reply then read the other posts.

[Crissy 107]

I like to read as many replies as I can but if a post goes on forever I tend to read only part of it. I do always read the OP.
Crissy

[Tracii G]

I read all the posts except the long windy ones where people tend repeat their point several times just wording it differently with each sentence.
I have always wondered why people do that? Do they think we didn't get the point the first time?

[Stephanie47]

It there are not too many replies I'll read them all. Otherwise, if the thread is seeking a comment of a general nature, then no. Asking whether I prefer stockings or pantyhose is not a thread drawing me into reading all the responses. There have been threads that do draw me in and I'll read each response. Those threads seem to be about guidance and unique questions and answers. Sometimes the discussion ends up with different takes on an issue. Those threads a little more thought and response.

[Beverley Sims]

I often read the original post and if there are only a couple of others I will rrad them too.

Sometimes I do not understand what the OP is on about. :-)

THEN I read more replies to see what they ascertained from the question.

Then I may reply having understood? what it is about.

When I post late and there are a myriad of replies I often reply without reading others and later I will come back to ensure I have not duplicated what others have said.

I might add this is often the case and then I will edit what I have said or add something else to a point made by a previous poster.

I do avoid making critical comment or getting involved in senseless arguments.

"I think all men should be allowed to wear skirts if women can wear trousers."

Yep for sure that one raises comments all the time.

Someone is bound to grab that statement and turn it into an argument contrary to the OP's original question.

What did you say Helen?

Oh!


"Keep it short."

Bye for now. :-)

[Joyce Swindell]

Personally I generally only open threads that have one page and fewer replies. Occasionally a subject will peak my interest and I'll check it out starting with the original post then generally skim the longer posts and read the shorter ones.

[Frannie7]

I tend to read the OP in depth then the other posts to see if there is information to be had from there. Sometimes how well I read depends on the topic. If I feel "qualified" to comment I will.

[sometimes_miss]

I try to read all the posts first, to see if I have anything worthwhile to add. But sometimes that just might be, to add my own experience or to acknowledge that I feel the same way as others, in order to let the OP know what percentage of us here feel that way, or do something. An example would be a thread that asks if we wear, oh, schoolgirl outfits, and why. Even if others have responded, I will add in that I do, and why. Another would be how outfits affect how I feel, if something is a turn on or not, because very, very little of my crossdressing ever seems to coincide with any sexual desire for me. I occasionally come back to read a thread that I've posted in if I think there's a reason to.

[susan54]

I would not dream of answering a post without reading all the responses and often come back to them to see what else has been said. I only open about 15% of topics - I tend to ignore ones about panties and stockings and stuff about transition or attracting men. Length is fine with me as long as it is interesting. I think limiting posts on a Forum would defeat the object.

[Fran in skirts]

Well for what it is worth here is my .02 worth of ideas. :)

I will read the OP and if there are not over 20 replies read all of them. If there are more than 20 I will skim over most of them. When I see there are many pages of replies I usually just read the OP and the last 10 or so replies. If I feel like I can contribute to the thread I will post a reply.

As for making limits, no way!

Fran

[carhill2mn]

If the post is well-written (good grammar, paragraphs, punctuation, etc.) about an interesting topic I will probably read the entire post. If I find the post hard to read or follow I will skip it.

[Kathy Smith]

I'm a masochist. I almost always read every word of the OP and every reply to it. However, unless there is something that grabs my interest I don't join in. Sometimes I might add a daft comment as it feels like the right thing at the time. :) Usually that's after a bit of thread creep so I feel relatively blameless...

Having said all that, I don't read every OP. Some just don't sound interesting to me. :)

[CynthiaD]

If I feel I have something to say, I post it. I don't care how far back it is. If the topic is something I feel I already understand well, I sometimes skip reading a lot of the other posts. If it's something I really care about, I'll read all the posts, no matter how many there are, whether I post a reply or not. For most threads, I read the original post and a few of the replies and then go on to the next thread without posting anything.

[Teresa]

Helen,
I do everyone the courtesy of reading them as I do when replying to someone else , there's not much point keep repeating what others have said .

I do wish more people would take the trouble to read other replies , there are some useful addons and different ideas , also I wish people posting a thread would respond to the replies . Some toss a thread in and that's it post and forget so the replies go nowhere .

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Helen :hugs:, I always start with the OP and read all the way to the end to find out how may are thinking like me.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Orchid ..+:daydreaming:+..

[beckypanties]

Depends on the subject. A good number of the threads posted here don't interest me enough to keep my attention. Then there are those posts and replies that turn into multi page essays. Unless it's an awesome topic, I simply don't have the time, or recently, the mental fortitude, to read through every word. That's just the way it is.

[docrobbysherry]

To be honest, Helen? When I read your post was about posting?
Not only did I skip by all the other posts? I didn't finish your OP!:heehee:

[t-girlxsophie]

Im not thick by any means,but some posts that are a little wordy and long don't hold my attention so I tend to scan quickly,generally I read most replies to threads that are interesting to me,If I feel like joining in I go for it,I'm not the greatest at putting thoughts down and probably in a lot of cases have folk thinking WTF but I always reply with honesty

Sophie

[Diane Smith]

I try to read all posts and replies, and I only chime in when I think I can make a useful contribution to the subject. (You won't see me responding to many "relationship" topics because I have little experience in that area.) Limiting replies is a bad idea on any electronic forum - it drives users away, sooner or later.

- Diane

[AngelaYVR]

Yes.....

[mbmeen12]

I suppose a lot has to do, if your retired....I have X minutes available in a day and would like nothing more than read more and opine.

[Charlotte7]

... also I wish people posting a thread would respond to the replies . Some toss a thread in and that's it post and forget so the replies go nowhere .

Yes, Teresa, good point, but it's a difficult balance to make. Threads are like children, your give birth to them, you nurture them until they are ready, and then you have to launch them into the world, to exist on their own. Now, you hope that in their development you've covered all the angles and that they can sink or swim as you hope, but that's not always the case. Sometimes, they can benefit from a word to the wise. But this is where the balance needs to be struck. As people who generate posts, as people who respond to posts we have to be aware that this is a forum where all voices have equal merit and equal right to be heard. We don't want to be seen as responding to every twist and turn on a thread, we need to allow others room to opine. Also, it can sometimes be interesting to see a thread veer away from the original intention as that way new insight and wisdom can be gained. But, unlike children who we hope will long outlive us, threads and posts only have a limited lifetime, as there comes a point where they sink, at an ever increasing rate, until they disappear into the nether regions of pages 2 and beyond.

[Teresa]

Charlotte,
I'm probably as guilty as many others but digging back in the archives can be very useful and interesting sometimes .

[Teri Ray]

I like others here read the the orginal post and try (but not always) to read al the replies from others. Sometimes my reading is skimming sometimes I read in detail. I sometimes struggle to read and understand the orginal post (Some are almost cryptic) I then become amazed at the replies to a statement or question that, for me, is not clear.

I do agree that the topic often defines the level of detail of my review. All that said I come here frequently specifically to hear what others think and experience. For me that's what makes this forum great. I enjoy hearing different opinions and learning from the experience of others.

I get to listen to myself everyday and frankly I am not sure that I understand everything I know.

[GretchenM]

I am with Charlotte and many others in this thread. I find many subjects contain fascinating insights into the range of views of the original subject. It is not only informative but educational. I view the forum as not just a place to present your views but more like a discussion and interchange of views. Posts that present thought provoking subjects get my most interest and I always read all the posts even if there are statements of agreement with others. In my view, all information is good and important. I would really be upset if there was a limitation imposed as that tends to limit the learning value of the forum which, to me, is the most important aspect. This forum is one of only a few where serious and important and thoughtful discussions actually occur. Limitation to me would be sort of semi-censorship.

[Tracy Irving]

I like others here read the the orginal post and try (but not always) to read al the replies from others. Sometimes my reading is skimming sometimes I read in detail

Ditto. I generally pay more attention to the posts in a thread I am going to reply to.

[Kelli_cd]

I definitely read the OP. Then, I read as many of the responses as I can. I must admit that on some longer threads I will start skimming the responses.

[Jenny22]

Ditto to what Kelli said. Too many are just one or two word or run-on forever. I enjoy stories, advice, how-tos, did you knows, offerings and I almost daily follow up on additional comments to same. When I reply to OPs or offer my own, I do try to do so in a positive way that offers information that may be of value (or humorous) to someone, even lurkers (I was one for years but valued info that would help me).

[Lana Mae]

I will read the OP first and then all the replies up to 3 pages and then respond if I feel I have something that should be said! I do not respond nor read what I do not find interesting!(although most things interest me in some way!) I try to be as helpful as possible and as honest! No limits as it will cut back on info someone will need sometime! IMHO Hugs Lana Mae

[Tina B.]

started to say no answer, post as gone to long, but to be serious, if the subject is important to some one, I read to the end, if its light, like what kind of panties do you like, if I answer at all, I won't read 50 post to get there.

[Jaymees22]

Okay I think I read all the replies in this post. I don't think limiting replies is a good idea, but I do like getting the last word in. I go back to my posts and often I do get the last word, either my replies are so profound or so stupid no more replies are required.

[Amari]

I read the first few lines of the OP and decide if it interests me. If interested I'll finish the OP, then usually read most of the replies. If others have stated what I think, I don't feel the need to add to that, nor do I make "me too" replies, (therefore I don't post very often).

What I rarely read are the ones that are hard work to read. The ones not punctuated, nor broken up into logical sentences and/or logical paragraphs. I have to be 'on fire' for the topic to read those.

[Asew]

If I decide to reply to a thread, I read the OP and at least skim all the other replies (read all of short replies and skim parts of verbose replies). For a thread I am really interested in I will read everything.

Similarly, I feel a compulsion to reply to everyone who replies to a thread I start, and takes control if my reply will actually add further value.

[Helen_Highwater]

Well, having read all the replies, honest, I think it's time for me to respond. In truth limiting replies would if for no other reason just place more of a burden on the already busy mods so that's a non starter. I'm glad that the general consensus is that folks take the time and trouble to read what others have written.

This is a diverse forum, you can't expect everyone to agree with your point of view so as a postee you're likely to get praise and flak in equal measures.

What I would say is, if you've read the OP and jumped to here then you've missed out on some wise words.

[Lisa Roberts]

OP to the end. That’s why I am on this Forum. Love this place!!!
Lace and Smiles!
Lisa

[Bobbi46]

I always read the OP ad then reply straight away but if I feel that it is an interesting post, can I add anything of value? sometimes the answer is no and then I will read further replies to maybe get a better handle on the op then there might come a time when a thread is added that opens the whole thing up to a greater understanding then I will put thoughts/advice in.
If it is a complex post then I read everything to see if I can glean any knowledge from which to improve myself and thus make me a more useful contributor to this forum.