Do you read - or just reply?
By jazzsue58
@jazzsue58 (2666)
March 15, 2009 5:35pm CST
Quite often I'll dive straight into a discussion from the daily digest, going by the feedline alone. Other times, I'll read through the latest topics in my interests and read them properly. If the post only has a few responses I'll read all of them, but I must admit that anything over 20 replies is a bit of a trial to read through, although I do pause on the best ones.
What makes a post worth reading for me is:
1) Reasonable spelling, punctuation and grammar. I'm not looking for perfection, just a limit on 'txt spk' and enough full stops, commas and correct word usage for the post to make sense. Too many times I find myself reading, and then saying "Wha ...?" Nice to see it has yet to happen in replies to my discussions (though that's probably because I don't get many!) BTW this has nothing to do with 'English as a foreign language'. In fact, the worst perpetrators are those from English speaking countries!
2) Long posts with no paragraphs. You have to hit 'enter' twice to get gaps to appear, and I know quite often I don't do it myself. But if I see a long post with back-to-back text and no spaces - especially if it's also lacking in punctuation marks - I just walk on by.
So - how about you? Do you read all the other replies before your own, pick out the best ones, or just respond to the original post and leave it at that?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@littleowl (7157)
•
16 Mar 09
Hi jazzsue, mostly I respond to discussions, mainly as I get so many and try to keep up with them lol. But when I make a discussion I answer all my responses to it, and that is because my freinds and other people have taken time out to answer my discussion. It soesn't worry me so much how it is spelt etc as long as I can understand the answer, we are all individuals and some type exactly as they would answer you face to face. Fortunatley I have never had the problem so far of mis-spelling etc but it honestly does not worry me..littleowl
@jazzsue58 (2666)
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16 Mar 09
I agree, spelling isn't a problem so much as misuse of words, and long sentences strung together with no punctuation at all. I actually read an interesting discussion earlier that had just one reply. The person who'd typed this used NO punctuation at all, and read as though they had simply opened the dictionary at random! The poster gave them a nice reply about thanks, they'd have to try that. I thought, either you're just saying that, or my brain cells have miswired themselves (again!)
@lilcee (2703)
• United States
15 Mar 09
A lot of times I respond through my email. The problem with doing it that way is that I can't see what everyone else posted. So sometimes that is not a good way to do it tho it is easier to respond to friends if you get an email about their new discussion. I wish they would have it so you could read other's posts too.
@jazzsue58 (2666)
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15 Mar 09
That's what I tend to do - I'll post a direct response and then discover I'm no 189 or something, and that the subject has gone completely off topic, and people must be thinking: "Just what is the crazy cow going on about? Obama WHO?!"
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
15 Mar 09
I like to just respond to the discussion owner, and not to individuals in the discussion as well - although I've been told it's better to do both so as to benefit from making money. I'm not sure what I really like to do as my opinion changes, but I'm trying to get used to doing both!
@chemcdow (149)
• United States
15 Mar 09
My problem is that I tend to read everything in a post, and all of the replies, but sometimes i don't reply myself! This does kind of get rid of the point of this site, though! As, this way I don't get any money for my reading. If things aren't well written, then I tend to skip over reading that. While my posts may not be perfect, they do get much worse (and hard to read!)
