Commenting on responses when the response is only a line or two worth it or not?
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
September 25, 2009 2:47pm CST
I am directing this question to those who are moderators, but will take advisement from anyone. We know that it is better to comment on the responses to keep the conversation going and especially for quality responses. But I heard that if a person makes only a one or two line discussion or response, that is deleted. I do not know if that is true or not, but where does it leave those who comment.
You see if I comment on a quality response that goes into in detail, and consists of three or more lines, and it does not violate the guidelines, then I can find out a year later that it is still there, but what happens if I start a discussion on, lets say, the condition of my husband for instance, the symptoms, etc. and I get a response from someone who says "too bad" with the usual sad sign. In that case, is it worth it commenting since that response might be deleted or do I just comment on the ones who write three or more quality responses?
2 people like this
19 responses
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
25 Sep 09
Personally I comment on every single response I receive no matter how short it is.
I started a discussion a few weeks ago about 'not getting any this weekend' and I was referring to notifiers. One user responded with 'Awwwwwww' which gave me a chuckle 
I commented back along the same lines and several others came and added their comment too.
If a response/comment is relevant to the topic it wil stay put. The user who posted will earn nothing for it but the OP and others can comment and earn from it if they feel it worthwhile.
Personally on my own discussions all the on/two/three word responses are still there even after more than a year. I see discussions that start with one line are often deleted but I have not noticed responses being removed for that reason.
p.s. 'I am directing this question to those who are moderators' Do they respond to discussions here? 
I commented back along the same lines and several others came and added their comment too.
If a response/comment is relevant to the topic it wil stay put. The user who posted will earn nothing for it but the OP and others can comment and earn from it if they feel it worthwhile.
Personally on my own discussions all the on/two/three word responses are still there even after more than a year. I see discussions that start with one line are often deleted but I have not noticed responses being removed for that reason.
p.s. 'I am directing this question to those who are moderators' Do they respond to discussions here? 4 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
25 Sep 09
I often wondered about that. I found that there are discussion that have been deleted, and stupid me, I responded to it before it was deleted. (excuse me while I pound my head on the monitor,ouch that hurt!)_ and I often wondered whether it was someone who responded who got it deleted. So everytime I comment on someone who said "who?" I wonder if that response and my comment will go bye-bye.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Sep 09
mylot admins mostly just delete discussions that have broken the rule or rules,our comments and responses have nothing to do with being deleted its only the discussion of course if we did respond we also lose points as they went bye bye with the deleted discussion.we did no wrong, only the poster of the discussion
did the wrong and because he or she was too damned ornery to just read the bloody rules.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I always that the deletions were when the poster commented and made a boo boo or a respondent sort of put her foot in her mouth and did something silly. The reason I think this way is I have responded to one discussion that went for two or three pages and then it got deleted and naturally I thought the poster when she asked the question or made the discussion did not violate the guidelines, but someone on page 3 did or she did on page 3 and the myLot administration said, "hey wait a minute now that I think of it, it is really the poster's fault because had she not asked that question or made that suggestion, that response would not have come up, so let's delete the whole discussion."
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I get some responses like that and sometimes I will respond. If they ask a question or make a comment that I would like to correct or share my own opinion, I will respond to that response.
If it's clear that they are making a short response merely in an attempt to make money, I won't comment. But I see a lot of one line comments that have just a few words and they stay there and aren't deleted.
3 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
I do feel that some of the short responses are from new comers who think in the terms of money - not that I do not, but at least I know that unless you are saying sorry or he's so adorable to the picture of a new baby -some of the responses are just silly. Then there is the practical angle. It is better if one goes into detail since often they can explain a bit more so the poster does not get that duh feeling.
@mipen2006 (5528)
• Australia
25 Sep 09
I don't believe it's worth commenting on one line responses like the one you mention, however, in some cases a brief response can fe fruitful. I usually skip brief, one line replies, as they're usually not relevent to the discussion.
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
I sometimes find that these brief responses did not bother reading the discussion or else they feel since they had already put notify on that they have to reply, because they think I will think them a horrible person. But of course I do not worry, but I would not be surprised by the way some of the posts from some of the members here sounds. They think you have to reply no matter what.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
A few sentences are worth it but a funny smilie, or a thumbs up, they are agreeing with you so you do not need to say anything because I feel as if they are finishing the conversation and there is nothing more to be said. As for the stupid ones, the ones who write nothing to do with the conversation, we have to set them straight.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Oct 09
I have no idea whether a comment was deleted or not, but then I never kept tract of my discussions or comments. I was too busy posting, commenting, or responding to take any notice, but I suppose if there was someone who wrote in their comment, "by the way if you want to know more about this subject" and then gave their link as well as their id, that would be deleted.
And I do think at least a three line comment would sort of keep the conversation going.
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
In cases like this I may try to make a comment to get a further response from the responder. It would also depends on the discussion, and the response given. I would not comment back if I am totally clueless about the whole situation. For example "Wow what?" , or "It does bring a surprise, doesn't it? Initially I didn't see it from that angle...."
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I do not think that way, I sort of thinking like either being sarcastic or they made a typo or where going to say something and someone came up behind them and said "[b]you are on myLot again?"
[/b]
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
26 Sep 09
That sounds just like what I do too! 
I love turning one word or one liner responses into something worthwhile!
I love turning one word or one liner responses into something worthwhile! 1 person likes this
@rosdimy (3926)
• Malaysia
28 Sep 09
suspenseful, I prefer to think on the positive side, though I do realise that there are naturally sarcastic people around us. That is why sometimes I make the effort to prod them to spill out their thoughts, so I could understand better.
Thanks, your last sentence cheered me up a little bit, because my mind automatically displayed several possible scenarios.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I would go ahead and answer them anyway, if you feel you have the time. Someone else, a third party might go ahead and comment on your comment as well. It could lead to an extension of the discussion.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157552)
• United States
27 Sep 09
"Wow" would be difficult to answer, but it could be done. Just do what you feel you have the time and energy for, though, because ultimately you are doing this for you, not the others.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Oct 09
Well there is the part about putting in your own two cents worth and you want the person to understand the discussion. One word or two word, I cannot tell, and I would not know if they are being sarcastic or not. Knowing me, if I feel they are, I would probably tell them to not be silly or something like that. So I would rather not say anything.
So maybe I will be long winded on the other discussions to make up the time I cannot comment on the wows!
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
I have only a limited amount of time now and I will try to answer all the responses, but sometimes I am unable to and the ones whom I will answer first are those that I can answer their questions or give them more information, but if they say wow! or rats or something like that, it is hard to expand on it. For instance, do they want more information? Do they have a suggestion that might help me? Have they been in the same boats,etc. How do you answer a wow?
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
29 Sep 09
For me it's not the length of the response, but if I have something to say, or not. If someone says something to me, and I find myself with something to say in response, I will. If they say something to me, and I can't think of anything to comment, I won't. An interesting question.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Oct 09
I cannot comment on something that is one or two words long because I have no idea how to keep the conversation going and I have no idea what they are asking or whether they just had a typo.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Oct 09
I was thinking that perhaps after a while, instead of just having short posts of one or two words deleted, they might expand that to comments or to responses, so I try to be careful. We never know what will be going on. So far, we have been lucky.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I keep wondering whether they have been scared by all those "I answered several of my friend's posts, but they did not answer mine, should I delete them?" posts. or whether they do not understand English and want to pretend they do. Or maybe they think I have a long conical hat and a crystal ball and by the power of my mind can understand what they are asking.
or whether they do not understand English and want to pretend they do. Or maybe they think I have a long conical hat and a crystal ball and by the power of my mind can understand what they are asking. 
@eshaan (6188)
• India
26 Sep 09
i have not seen any discussion or even discussion deleted just becoz its short...but these days i am seeing that mylot is too strict about other earning sites discussed here...but i reply only to the discussion where i think that i can write at least more than 3 lines...some people just ask questions like they appear in examination papers..where you will have to give your opinion...i dont know why don't they atleast write what they feel about the same.....i personally comment on each response i get..but while ersponding to discussions..i chose according to what i think sensible...
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
26 Sep 09
hi suspenseful It depends on the conversation.if its
sort of a joking going on with my friends yes I
will enter and join in just as you would in a real
conversation with your friends.If not then I may
skip that one and go on to something else. No I
would not do that in a serious discussion such as
you may make about your husband, I too always use
at least five lines to say intelligently what I
feel or think about something. sometimes when we'make
a comment on someone else's comment they are short'of
course but mylot admins do not delete these as it is'
part of a group of people just talking.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
27 Sep 09
I am not that much of a joking kind, I guess I do not have that much of a sense of humor. Comes from being told all the time "I didn't that was funny!' You say that to someone often enough and then you wonder why they no longer have a sense of humor. But if the discussion is serious, I wonder why they give a one or two word response unless it is about a child being murdered or something and that is all they can say. Then I feel that I have to say something in return.
But if the discussion is serious, I wonder why they give a one or two word response unless it is about a child being murdered or something and that is all they can say. Then I feel that I have to say something in return.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Oct 09
I find too short sentences boring, medium is much better, but I sort of like variety. It is just that if someone responds in one or two words unless it is an expression of grief, I do not know what to say or what they are thinking. I would rather have someone write something that flows rather then choppy four word sentences. I sort of get carried away. But it has to be accurate.
@richiemogwai (36)
• Canada
26 Sep 09
It should be worth it if someone only comments on a discussion with one or two sentences, so long as the response is meaningful. Some people don't like to waste their time mincing words while some are just natural born writers. I see nothing wrong with that.
1 person likes this
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
26 Sep 09
i can understand your point. and for me, even if it's too short, it's still worth commenting. as long as the response is within the topic, i think it should be commented. and even some times, i have some short response received but out of the topic, i still comment to it.
it is also true that we need to comment to each and every responses we receive to get the discussions alive. so whether it's a one liner or two, we should comment to them.
i remember what mysd had mentioned in her response, the "Awwwwwww" response she commented. then another commented to it and another and until that response received a lot of comments which made the discussion alive, lively and fun.
1 person likes this
@jellymonty (2352)
•
26 Sep 09
Depends really what the topic is about. If the discussion is a one liner then I don't respond regardless of whether it's interesting or not as I find that annoying
But If the discussion has attracted a lot of reponses there's always a chance of one line responses... but it truly does depend on the topic.. If its a serious topic then a one line response is really not worth it but if it's a goofy topic then yeah one liners can be acceptable.
But If the discussion has attracted a lot of reponses there's always a chance of one line responses... but it truly does depend on the topic.. If its a serious topic then a one line response is really not worth it but if it's a goofy topic then yeah one liners can be acceptable.1 person likes this
@gracefuldove (1668)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
I still see one-liners in my posting threads. Will they be deleting these in due course? I may have to check on this. Maybe the they have a time cut-off for this kind of things. Yes, it is a quandary when responses are subjective or done in jest.
1 person likes this
