So, I've noticed that in the GD threads a lot of people ask a question, tell their experience then ask other users to answer...

Then people post their answers, but they never seem to actually repond to others. I'm not accusing people, I've done it myself. I am curious though, why do you think the rules of conversation cease to exist in forums?

Whaddya think?

I think it just depends. I think a lot of times, people read the first post, respond to the topic, then move on. They don't read the posts before or after their own. Part of this is due to the way this forum is set up. Each topic must have a specific subject to talk about, and it isn't really meant for chit chat. That's what the hangouts are for. That doesn't mean people can't still respond to each other about the topic, but it just doesn't always happen. I have seen it happen sometimes though. I sometimes will read through and respond to what other people have said on the subject, especially if I find the subject particularly interesting. It all just depends. I sometimes check back and see if other people have responded to my posts as well. A lot of the times no one does, because like I said, they are all responding to the first post, but there are times that I do get responses.

That's just not true, Vickicat. It's people's "post and run" habits that make this happen, not our posting rules. We encourage discussion, so how can that discourage it? The majority of people just don't bother reading what others have said. I find it quite frustrating. If I've responded to a topic I'll go back and see if anyone's had an opinion on what I or anyone else has said, but most of the time all the replies after mine are just in response to the first post...it's generally a shock if I find that someone else has actually taken the time to read the other replies too.

I'd say it's a GD habit really, picked up from Gaia. People are too used to a much faster moving forum, or, too used to spammy drivel, so is all they know.

Our GD is kind of like a way station. It's a place that people use to acclimatise themselves to a new site after coming here from somewhere else. Once they've been on here a while and found their feet, they tend to move away from the GD and create a niche for themselves in other forums. So the majority of the time, most of the people posting in here are relatively new to Menewsha, which is why post-and-run is prevalent, it's just habit for many.

I think Vicki has it partially right - a lot of people just read the first post, post their opinion and then never look at it again. I don't think it's how the forum is set up that dictates it, but I find myself guilty of it at times just because of the sheer amount of responses and a lot of them being the same. I figure I'll weigh in and give my opinion, whether it similar or not, to if nothing else back up everyone else's responses.

It is more cut and dry in here, but if you want to simply sit and chat there are plenty of other places around here where the communication feels more like a chat room than an actual forum...and that's nice as I don't really have to read through the last posts as you're just able to hop in at the end and it all makes sense. :)

Originally Posted by jellysundae

That's just not true, Vickicat. It's people's "post and run" habits that make this happen, not our posting rules. We encourage discussion, so how can that discourage it? The majority of people just don't bother reading what others have said. I find it quite frustrating. If I've responded to a topic I'll go back and see if anyone's had an opinion on what I or anyone else has said, but most of the time all the replies after mine are just in response to the first post...it's generally a shock if I find that someone else has actually taken the time to read the other replies too.

I'd say it's a GD habit really, picked up from Gaia. People are too used to a much faster moving forum, or, too used to spammy drivel, so is all they know.

Our GD is kind of like a way station. It's a place that people use to acclimatise themselves to a new site after coming here from somewhere else. Once they've been on here a while and found their feet, they tend to move away from the GD and create a niche for themselves in other forums. So the majority of the time, most of the people posting in here are relatively new to Menewsha, which is why post-and-run is prevalent, it's just habit for many.

Oh, I'm not blaming the rules for their posting habits. I'm just saying it seems to happen more often in areas where the threads are about a specific topic people can make one reply about, as opposed to the hangout forum, where people continually come back to the same topic and post to each other. It isn't just Menewsha, it's like this on all sites that have a general discussion forum. I usually do come back and look to see if anyone has replied to me when I post things.

That's too bad about the new people here leaving the GD after a while. I wasn't really aware of that trend here. I always typically hang out in here in the GD and it's subforums. I don't wander into too many of the other places on Menewsha. Once in a while I'll go in the other forums, but these seem to be the most interesting right here. I wonder why people don't want to stick around here?

I'm pretty guilty of this myself.
Truthfully, I usually just don't see any posts that I want to reply to. Say, the topic about pet peeves floating around... about the only reply I can think of to someone else's posts is "oh, I hate that too" which is really the end of discussion. I check back up on my posts, but usually I have nothing to say to anyone else and vice versa.

I think Jellysundae is right. A lot of the topics in GD on gaia and incredibly fast paced. In addition the world is usually fast paced and it always feels like we have to get to the next place 'now'. I have made the mistake of not actually responding to others posts but it's usually because I don't have anything concrete to say about it. I feel that if I have something concrete to say about it I'll say something.

Another thing is that sometimes people are probably just posting in here to get gold. It happens sometimes on gaia (especially with the bumping) and it gets rather annoying.

I agree with atashi83 also because sometimes you just don't have time to read every single response. A good thing I might try in the future is to just read the most recent posts and respond to those.

I am so glad that I am not the only one who sees it. It can be so frustrating and I think a lot of topics that are really silly get bumped and those that require actually discussion tend to get ignored.


@DelilahHeart Love your siggy.

Usually , when I make a thread, I try to make sure that I come back and respond back to the people who have left their opinions, but honestly, it's only interesting for so long. Plus there are only so many posts that can responded to. For example, in one of my threads I asked for stories about weird phone calls. I got some stories, but I can only say "That's an interesting story" so many times before I feel like I'm just spamming. I do read them all, I just don't respond to all the messages.

I have to agree with the first post.

Generally, if someone posts a direct question I only respond to the original poster...
The rest are just other people posting their opinions.
(Unless it's a really interesting topic, I don't view the responses as entertaining)

Not sure if that's exactly what you were talking about, but yeah.
XD

Sometimes I just post in reply to the first poster and sometimes I stick around and post more. Usually depends if I have something to say to the other posts. I read them and take note but I am not going to post something just for the sake of posting. I need a reason to. Everyday though, I search my last posts and read the new posts added. If I have nothing to comment on I won't.

Hope it does not make me sound like a bitch. I'm not. I just do not wish to post comments I don't need to as it eventually gets spammy. Make sense?

@Sho-Shonojo: I agree with your post entirely. There is only so much you can say until you start repeating yourself.

Also, some threads are double digits long and with shaped internet speed, I just do not have the time to respond to every single post.

I generally have every intention of coming back and taking part in the conversation - but I often forget :gonk:

Alot of people want to give opinions or just tell stuff to
share experience with stuff that the thread is about,
I think thats why. xD I forget to come back alot,
and most of the time I only post once cause when I come back,
I see that people didnt replied on my post either xD

Originally Posted by siaasgn

I generally have every intention of coming back and taking part in the conversation - but I often forget :gonk:

I feel you there! I get sidetracked or busy!

I just tell my opinion, offer advice, and the leave, occasionally I come back, but I won't likely respond unless it relates to a post I made. I think it's just a matter of the fact that in an actual discussion, you deviate from topics, but on here, you have to stick to one, which makes it harder to add stuff.

I admit that I sometimes forget to aswell. D:

I, for my part, assume that the poster simply wanted a general opinion. Most of the time, I cannot seem to tell whether they want conversation but I admit that I have a harder time waiting for someone to reply to me. Hence, I go somewhere else and simply check back to see if someone did respond. If not, I move on.

I'm a serial and repeating offender of this. I usually respond to the original poster. When discussion does take place after that, i usually feel i got there to late to start making a contribution relating to what's being said, so i just post my own thing and go. Sometimes i revist the thread, but only if i think there's a potential that somebody might have responded directly to me, and you can usually tell such threads looking at the first page.

I find more often than not that people looking for advice aren't really looking for advice. I very rarely go look back to see if people have responded to what I'd suggested because of this.

Originally Posted by D-CRESCENDO

I find more often than not that people looking for advice aren't really looking for advice. I very rarely go look back to see if people have responded to what I'd suggested because of this.

I get that feeling a lot. I'll think about how I would handle a situation, making sure to be careful of any considerations and take time to post what I think is a thoughtful intelligent plan and then the original poster is like "I'm just gonna do (whatever it was they asked you to talk them out off).

The reason people converse with each other in real life is because the conversation is taking place in real time. You are in roughly the same place as the other person or people involved in the conversation, and you generally get an immediate response to whatever thoughts you express. Without the assurance of a response in the near future, the cohesion of the dialogue is lost. Posters have no idea if anyone else will ever bother to read what they write, so there is no desire to go to the trouble of writing a response to someone else's post, since they may never see it anyway. The one exception is that the person who creates the forum tends to check back to see what people have to say, so posters have reason to respond to that. The interesting thing is that much of this logic takes place subconsciously, so posters are unaware of it for the most part.

I tend to overanalyze stuff. It's fun. =)

Originally Posted by Answer42

The reason people converse with each other in real life is because the conversation is taking place in real time. You are in roughly the same place as the other person or people involved in the conversation, and you generally get an immediate response to whatever thoughts you express. Without the assurance of a response in the near future, the cohesion of the dialogue is lost. Posters have no idea if anyone else will ever bother to read what they write, so there is no desire to go to the trouble of writing a response to someone else's post, since they may never see it anyway. The one exception is that the person who creates the forum tends to check back to see what people have to say, so posters have reason to respond to that. The interesting thing is that much of this logic takes place subconsciously, so posters are unaware of it for the most part.

I tend to overanalyze stuff. It's fun. =)

I think you hit the nail on the head there. :yes:
Not over analyzing at all.

The time between replies is a factor for me which is why I tend to forget to check back again.

Originally Posted by purple_artemis00

I get that feeling a lot. I'll think about how I would handle a situation, making sure to be careful of any considerations and take time to post what I think is a thoughtful intelligent plan and then the original poster is like "I'm just gonna do (whatever it was they asked you to talk them out off).

My point exactly, it's annoying and immature to not accept advice you asked for - whether you dislike the content or not. I'm having a hard time here on Menewsha not sounding like a complete arse already. ><;

I'm perhaps too blunt sometimes. ;P