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Shhalahr Windrider

2007-03-07, 10:41 AM

Does anyone read every page of the episode threads? Its pretty much a given that these contain little to no useful insights. If something is important then it will get its own thread pretty quickly.
That's my take on it.

I neither read nor post in the discussion threads largely for that reason.

In any case, you're gonna get those "I didn't read the thread" posts because the thread gets some major length to it quite rapidly. By the time some of these people see the thread, it's on page 10 already, and they don't always have a spare hour or two to find out if someone else has said "Belkar rocks the socks in this one!" or whatever they want to say.

fwiffo

2007-03-07, 11:05 AM

Ahh, the good old "I didn't read the thread, because it is so long" / "it's so long because everyone posted same thing 50 times without reading the thread" gripe.

But, yes, have to agree with OP. The "I didn't feel like it is good use of my time to read what other people said, but I will say something and expect others to listed to what I said" is most annoying. Effectively, it is saying that the person thinks he is smarter than others - that nobody could've came up with same thought before he showed up. And when the thought is painfully obvious, it comes across as quite a bit of contempt.

I can give benefit of the doubt to those who have non-English speaking countries in their profiles. They might have good excuse for not reading. Everyone else - no. If you are not good at reading, you are usually not informed enough to make your opinion worth much anyway.

DeathQuaker

2007-03-07, 01:01 PM

Does anyone read every page of the episode threads?

If there is an interesting discussion going on in that thread that I want to participate in, then yes. I do read every damn page. I admit to some skimming if the thread is especially long, but if I want to be part of the discussion, I want to know what I'm talking about and what other people have already mentioned. No point in discussing if I don't have anything new to add. If I decide it's not worth reading the thread, then I don't post. (Or if I do post to an episode thread, it's a general comment like, "I personally enjoyed this comic"--one that has nothing to do with the discussion.)

Its pretty much a given that these contain little to no useful insights.

That attitude is one of the ones that is contributing to the problem. Sometimes people DO post very interesting and useful posts to the main episode--or other--discussion threads, and they end up going ignored.

The other problem is--it's NOT just an issue to do with thread length. The not-reading begins as soon as most threads start. For example--remember when Haley was still spouting gibberish? I distinctly recall several instances where PAGE ONE and TWO basically went like this:

Poster A: First post! What did Haley say?
Poster B: What did Haley say?
Poster C: Very funny, Giant. What did Haley say?
Poster D: This is what Haley said: (Translation)
Poster E: Hey, good comic! What did Haley say?
Poster F: What did Haley say?
Poster D: I already provided a translation. It's this: (Translation)
Poster F: Oh. I didn't read your post.
Poster G: What did Haley say?
Poster H: Here's a translation, since no one else has translated it yet.
Poster D: But I translated it!
Poster I: Here's my translation, since no one else has translated it yet.
Poster D: Buh!!!!!
Poster K: So, does anyone know what Haley said?

And so on, the same repeated conversation, for 10 pages. Simu-posting may account for a few initial redundant statements, but not for conversations like this going on for pages and pages from the very start. Similar behavior continues, just now about other issues.

It's not an issue about long threads. People post to the threads without reading the previous post, even if they are the second poster (which is parodied beautifully above by leadfeathermcc--poignantly so because it's too true). I have seen people, in fact, reply to the subject line without even reading the OP's message (and of course be way off base about the actual discussion at hand).

And this particular subforum, and especially with regards to the episode discussions of course, is the worst. This message board overall is actually one of the worst case examples of people completely failing to read threads before posting to them.

I know that it's against the rules to point out to someone that they didn't read your post. But I have to wonder if that just encourages a different kind of spamming? Maybe if people could be reminded to actually read before they get involved in a conversation, we would have less redundancy all around.

Emperor Demonking

2007-03-07, 02:28 PM

I agree and so I don't contribute to the problem I don't post in threads which I don't have time/ too lazy to read. Though you should definatly forgive those that Simu post. Though those that repeat something that was on the first page make me very mad.

Woot Spitum

2007-03-07, 05:38 PM

I think the new OOTS episde threads are an exception to the rule, most people probably read all the way through threads before posting (the other major exceptions being SMBG's and the "Things I'm not allowed to do while gaming thread," I don't think anyone expects all posters to read the whole thread before posting on those). With the new OOTS discussions, not everyone can be online the moment the new thread comes out, and it isn't entirely fair for the people who can to monopolize the whole discussion and basically tell everyone else that the whole comic has already been examined backwards and forwards, you'll have to wait till the next comic. Some ground may be covered multiple times, but it isn't a catastrophe.

Tolkien_Freak

2007-03-07, 05:51 PM

This will almost help itself, in that the fewer repeated ideas there are, the fewer pages there are, and the fewer pages there are, the fewer pages you have to read before you can post a useful and new idea.
And I HATE reading 9 pages before posting.

Green Bean

2007-03-07, 06:01 PM

Personally, if I feel like discussing the new comic in depth, then I read the whole thing. But, if I just feel like posting a generic 'go Giant!' message and just write what I liked about it, I read the first three or four pages, then post (really, is anything new said past the first few pages anyway?)

Demented

2007-03-07, 06:03 PM

"Things I'm not allowed to do while gaming thread," I don't think anyone expects all posters to read the whole thread before posting on those).

What? What's the point of posting in that thread if people don't read 'em!?
A "discussion" thread, sure, we just expect you to express your momentary opinion and move on, but in a thread filled with nothing but pages and pages of side-splitting anecdotes? There is seriously something wrong with you if you don't read that thread through-and-through! (Unless it's a hazard to your health because you have a weak heart, or somesuch.)

Iranon

2007-03-07, 06:08 PM

Leadfeathermcc and Bisected8... I will convince someone to tell me where you live (possibly involving a cheese grater, live jellyfish and extra-gassy root beer). I have a lively imagination, a long memory and no morals to speak of. In the dead of night when you least expect it, I will sneak into your homes and

deliver a bunch of flowers because those replies were awesome.

Hobot

2007-03-07, 06:32 PM

Right on, Iranon, it's really frustrating. I read through the 10 sections of the current episode yesterday and the number of people apparently believing themselves to only ones with an 80+ IQ that posted their 'sudden insights' into the 'Is he or isn't he' Xykon debate was extraordinary. It was an excruciating read...

I agree wholeheartedly, it really was a painful read!

It certainly is rather disrespectful of people to pop into a thread, announce they haven't read it, and then proceed to launch into an analysis that has been repeated dozens of times. Some of those people in the 422 discussion thread would outright declare that they were sure nobody else had gone as far as them in their analysis when only a few posts up you could see their points repeated; that's incredibly arrogant! If you're not going to read the thread, at least have the decency to be humble and acknowledge that you may be going over rehashed ground. Of course, if you really want to add the discussion it would help to actually read the thread and respect your fellow board members as you expect them to respect and read your posts.

Unfortunately for us, I doubt very many - if any - of those who "snipe post" will bother reading a thread like this. The worst offenders will most likely continue in their actions without any care of who they annoy. Oh well, one can dream. :smallwink:

Elliot Kane

2007-03-07, 07:16 PM

I tend to keep my comments in the episode threads to single lines, mostly, just to say what I enjoyed most.

Before now, I've come online to check the forum a day or so after the strip goes up and the discussion is already ten pages in. I just don't have the time to read through that much.

As Om has said, anything Earth shattering will get its own thread anyway - and if I intend to participate in those I do read them.

Tharr

2007-03-07, 07:33 PM

The MITD would say loud What is this new thread you speak of.
Go now people ask what is trump and who lead.
Forgive me though post was playing cards really did not read your post.
Beware I did not read the post hope this goes over fifty pages.

Tornek the Unhygenic

2007-03-07, 08:21 PM

Does anyone read every page of the episode threads?

I do... right down to the periods.:smallfrown:

Tilian

2007-03-07, 08:23 PM

As Om has said, anything Earth shattering will get its own thread anyway - and if I intend to participate in those I do read them.

And possibly three or four, with some notable recent subjects for example.

Darkxarth

2007-03-07, 08:35 PM

I do... right down to the periods.:smallfrown:

As do I, Tornek. And I am PROUD of my attention to detail! :biggrin:

Demented

2007-03-07, 09:32 PM

Leadfeathermcc and Bisected8... I will convince someone to tell me where you live (possibly involving a cheese grater, live jellyfish and extra-gassy root beer).

Now that sounds like a party I want to be invited to!

TinSoldier

2007-03-07, 10:25 PM

I used to read the entire comic threads but now they are just too long. If I'm online when the comic comes up, I'll usually read and/or post in the first few pages otherwise I don't usually bother.

However, I am very likely to read a whole thread before responding. Retaining the info, though, is a different thing :smallbiggrin:

phlip

2007-03-08, 08:39 AM

For the recent comic, there were two points I thought of to raise in the comic thread. I read through the 7 pages that existed at the time (which became 8 pages by the time I got to the end), and saw that one had been mentioned, one hadn't. I only brought up the latter.

It didn't take long, and it stopped me from looking like an arrogant fool, raising a point that had been brought up before, as though I was the only person who could think of it. Now you can be like me and stop looking like an arrogant fool too!

Reading: it's not just for the über-awesome anymore!

DeathQuaker's script above is pretty accurate, but not as bad as the V Gender Debate thread was (is? I haven't checked that thread in months, for sanity reasons). Every half-dozen posts, someone'd come along and say "Hah, the debate's over, I have complete proof" and post something that they thought was groundbreaking, but that had already been discussed to death many times in the thread. Invariably they'd act like the blatantly obvious thing they'd pointed out was something noone had noticed before, and that they were so clever for figuring out something that noone else in the hundred-odd pages of thread had discovered. I lost count of the number of times someone said "In #9, Roy calls V 'V-man', so V must be male... QED, thread over, why did noone notice this before?", despite the fact that it's that line that started the debate in the first place...

happyturtle

2007-03-08, 10:12 AM

I read the whole thread, because I have no life, but it doesn't bother me that everyone who wants to participate in the episode discussion does not have an hour to spare reading every post first. So long as they skim the first page and last page, they'll get the gist of the whole discussion. For example most of today's discussion was either about the feasibility of the titanium elemental or applause for the demon roaches. Should the demon roach fans not be allowed to express their love of demon roaches just because other people got their first?

phlip

2007-03-08, 06:15 PM

Should the demon roach fans not be allowed to express their love of demon roaches just because other people got their first?
Of course they should be allowed to. That's not the problem. Stating your opinion is fine, even if someone else has already stated the same opinion. The problem is giving arguments in a debate that have been given (and argued against) before, and acting like you're oh-so-clever for bringing it up.

Case in point is the other half of that thread, the ballistics of titanium... several people have claimed that a titanium elemental would not fly as far as a boulder, using the same arguments, and each believing they were the first person to notice, completely ignoring the other times it's been mentioned (including the first page, post #12 in fact)... Again, that's not to say that the point is necessarily wrong, or that people shouldn't join the debate, but that they should think of a new argument to raise, rather than being so arrogant and thinking they're the first to bring it up.

bluish_wolf

2007-03-08, 09:58 PM

The episode discussion threads get fairly lengthy as it is, and posts along the lines of 'I didn't bother to read the thread, but I'm probably the first to notice that...' are becoming an increasing annoyance.

If you can't be bothered to read through the existing thread, other people probably can't be bothered to read your post. Especially not since it's likely to be redundant and less informed than the ones you skipped over.

Please have the courtesy not to do this.

It's because mods say things like "please post this in the weekly thread." Now, there is no way I'm going to read through that huge thread and I don't want to be pestered by a mod, so that's pretty much the only option.

I'm not reading through ten plus pages just to post my opinion on this week's comic.

Caractacus

2007-03-09, 04:25 PM

It's because mods say things like "please post this in the weekly thread." Now, there is no way I'm going to read through that huge thread and I don't want to be pestered by a mod, so that's pretty much the only option.

I'm not reading through ten plus pages just to post my opinion on this week's comic.

It does take a long time, true. But I think people aren't concerned about people posting OPINIONS, more about those excitedly revealing INSIGHTS that are actually on the same page.

My own take on it is:

If you want to say what you think about an episode, then there's not TOO much point in reading 10 pages of comment. (Although not reading ANY is still odd as it creates the impression that (if that is typical) writing a post has value above and beyond whether people read it or not. At its silliest, we could end up with a thread that is read by no one...)

But if one wants to put forward a point for discussion, then I think one HAS to research a little before hand. Or, at a minimum, put a disclaimer at the beginning saying, 'Sorry, everyone - too little time to read though everything, but wanted to ask if anyone has noticed X'.

In short, I guess I would say that if you want a response, then you need to be relevant, so you read a bit; if you don't need a response, then you don't need to.

DeathQuaker

2007-03-10, 10:42 AM

If you want to say what you think about an episode, then there's not TOO much point in reading 10 pages of comment. (Although not reading ANY is still odd as it creates the impression that (if that is typical) writing a post has value above and beyond whether people read it or not. At its silliest, we could end up with a thread that is read by no one...)

But if one wants to put forward a point for discussion, then I think one HAS to research a little before hand.

Good point and well said.

And the fact is, if you think you have the time to start and/or participate in a discussion, then you have time read relevant posts beforehand so you don't make a fool of yourself.

Or, at a minimum, put a disclaimer at the beginning saying, 'Sorry, everyone - too little time to read though everything, but wanted to ask if anyone has noticed X'.

Though this is more nicely worded than the OP's complaint, this is sort of what the OP was talking about--people just post stuff saying, "I didn't read the thread, but...."

Personally I wouldn't encourage it. If you have time to discuss, you have time to read. (Now, with a very long thread where even if you try to read, it's easy to miss something, you might note that.)

Otherwise, it's like having an argument with someone without listening to what the other side says. Someone yells while someone else covers their ears, then the second person yells while the first covers their ears. Sadly, it happens all too often--but the fact is, it's just a cycle of nonsense, and never accomplishes anything.

I guess what irks me is I think most everyone posts hoping their post will be read (at least if it's what they think is a thoughtful comment)--but if you think no one else's post is worth reading, why would you assume other people are going to read what YOU have to say? That's where the arrogance comes in, IMO--that somehow people will listen to you, even if you don't listen to them.

And I'll note again that while the "episode discussion" threads might have the most repeated conversations in them, it's NOT the only one. phlip notes the V's gender threads are awful like this. Most any debate about Miko goes this way too. Any sort of character theory discussion in fact usually has some sort of cyclic nature to them, and some of those threads aren't very long. And beyond the OOTS forum... a lot of the debates in the RPG section and Other Games section go this way too.

Axl_Rose

2007-03-10, 12:33 PM

If you can't be bothered to read through the existing thread, other people probably can't be bothered to read your post.See the thing is people don't care whether or not anyone has read their post.

If I want to post something like, "Redcloak rocked" I don't care if it's been posted a gazillion times in the last 14 pages before - I'll post it anyways, redundant or not. And I also don't care whether or not anyone reads my post.

But good luck with your unrealistically optimistic anti "spam" protocol.

Sage in the Playground

2007-03-10, 02:34 PM

See the thing is people don't care whether or not anyone has read their post.

If I want to post something like, "Redcloak rocked" I don't care if it's been posted a gazillion times in the last 14 pages before - I'll post it anyways, redundant or not. And I also don't care whether or not anyone reads my post.

But good luck with your unrealistically optimistic anti "spam" protocol.

He's not talking about "Redcloak FTW!" He hates "Hey, I think Xykon is a fake!"

"I know I'm the first to notice this so I won't read the thread, but Xykon is a fake!"

"ZOMG, I'm the first to say it, Xykon is so totally a fake!!"

"Since no one else noticed it, Xykon's a fake."
For three pages all put together of the thread.

Alfryd

2007-03-10, 03:01 PM

The episode discussion threads get fairly lengthy as it is, and posts along the lines of 'I didn't bother to read the thread, but I'm probably the first to notice that...' are becoming an increasing annoyance.
The logical solution would be to round up all the halflings, dwarfs and pixies and send them off to Silly Message Board Games until they can graduate. You've just eliminated 90% of spam. Oh, sure, there will be a few useful insights missed among the padawans, but sometimes, for the greater good, sacrifices must be made.
Get out, Iranon. Lead by example! :p

Does anyone read every page of the episode threads?
I do my humble best.

And this particular subforum, and especially with regards to the episode discussions of course, is the worst. This message board overall is actually one of the worst case examples of people completely failing to read threads before posting to them.

I know that it's against the rules to point out to someone that they didn't read your post. But I have to wonder if that just encourages a different kind of spamming? Maybe if people could be reminded to actually read before they get involved in a conversation, we would have less redundancy all around.
Yeah, I seriously think the rules of posting might want to be modified to allow for that. You should, in theory, be able to point out that another poster didn't read your post in cases where it's really glaringly obvious they didn't.

The problem with the episode threads is that, basically, a lot of posters just want to make comments to the effect of "Great Strip Rich," and you can't exactly screen that out, as it's one of the major purposes for the boards. It's just of no interest whatsoever to any other posters. But I do wish the Hand of Mod would at least issue a few warnings for cases of completely redundant posts made in brief succession.

As Om has said, anything Earth shattering will get its own thread anyway - and if I intend to participate in those I do read them.
Yeah, but you get the same problems there to a lesser extent.

Some ground may be covered multiple times, but it isn't a catastrophe.
What we also need is a wider variety of FAQs to save them dead horses some flogging. I did one for common criticisms of Miko, but it's rather out of date, and given her recent behaviour it feels like pissing in the wind.

Most any debate about Miko goes this way too.
I tried my best, damnit!
*breaks down sobbing*

It's because mods say things like "please post this in the weekly thread."
Where? Where do the mods actually require you post in the weekly thread? Or any given thread?

If I want to post something like, "Redcloak rocked"...
Then you are, in fact, stating unique information- that you, Axl_Rose, thought RC rocked. It's not neccesarily any very profound insight by itself, but it's not redundant per se.
Stating that RC rocks because (insert argument cloned three posts beforehand here), on the other hand, effectively *is* spam.

Oh, while we're on the subject, can we petition for restrictions of the size of peoples' signatures? Some are quite ungainly specimens.
.

Caractacus

2007-03-10, 07:41 PM

Yeah, Alfryd, exactly what I think (apart from carting off us dwarfs...*sniff*).

If people want to post opinion - no problem, but when they put forward a genuine point for discussion without bothering to even check whether it has been discussed to death in the last page (or even over the previous 10 pages) is just greying my hair...

[Now I'm starting to worry that that is what I'm doing here now - even though I HAVE read the thread... Gah! :smalleek:]

Finwe

2007-03-10, 10:24 PM

Yeah, Alfryd, exactly what I think (apart from carting off us dwarfs...*sniff*).]

Hey, extreme situations call for extreme measures.

Spiky

2007-03-10, 10:31 PM

Clearly, those who feel they have wasted their time reading entire giant meaningless threads have decided it is someone else's fault and are whining about it.

Course, I haven't read this whole thread. Maybe someone else already said that.

Vonriel

2007-03-10, 11:51 PM

I think my worst annoyince with this sort of thing is when people will start out a thread just outright not reading what's been posted before them. Anyone else remember the time when Haley couldn't speak? People were posting stuff that sounded like..

Person A: So, what'd Haley say?
Person B: Yeah, what was it?
Person C: She said [insert correctly translated cryptogram]
Person D: Anyone know what Haley said?
Person C: I just said it!
Person D: Oh, oops..
Person E: So, what'd Haley say?
Person F: Here's the first translation!
Person D: Mine was first..
Person G: Here's the first translation!
Person D: Hey! You copied and pasted mine! That's it, I'm napalming anyone who reposts this translation like it was a new thing!
Person H: Here's the first translation!
Person D: BANZAIIIIIII!!
etc.

It just gets annoying when people do that and don't bother reading what was already written! While some of it may be attributed to those awful simuninjas, most of it is simply reader idiocy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry to basically copy and paste your post DeathQuaker, it was simply the first one I found with easily copyable information. I'm wondering how many people either A) thought I was completely right in what I was writing and was the first to post it, B) didn't bother to read what I wrote, or C) actually recognized that DeathQuaker posted this on the first page already. You guys are right when you say that this is really, really annoying. Little things like 'This comic rocks!' or '<Line X> was hilarious!' are of no consequence, but it's when people basically do what I just did (without the disclaimer at the end) that make me annoyed. With that said, now taking bets on how many posts it's gonna be before someone else misconstrues everything that was said in this thread because they didn't bother to read it, and are gonna post something similar to the last post on page 1. No offense meant, Axl Rose.

TinSoldier

2007-03-11, 12:48 AM

I tried my best, damnit!
*breaks down sobbing**pats Alfryd on the back* There, there. That's all we can ask of anyone.

Where? Where do the mods actually require you post in the weekly thread? Or any given thread?It's not so much that they require you to post in any certain thread, but sometimes a thread is opened up to discuss a certain aspect of the comic and the mods lock it and suggest that it should be in the main comic thread. I've had this happen to me on at least one occasion.

I don't think it has happened very recently, but I know that it has happened since we moved to the new forum software.

Just think--as much repetition of certain ideas from the main comic thread were all to become new threads in their own right. I don't always agree with the decision but I find the alternative to be much more disagreeable.

phlip

2007-03-11, 05:51 AM

Am I the only one who finds it hilarious that, in this thread, of all threads, there are people complaining about this idea's stifling of their opinion, despite all the posts that say "It's not people posting their opinion of the comic that's the problem"?

factotum

2007-03-11, 06:12 AM

The logical solution would be to round up all the halflings, dwarfs and pixies and send them off to Silly Message Board Games until they can graduate. You've just eliminated 90% of spam.

Because, obviously, people who are new posters to this board have never, ever posted on any other forum and don't have a clue about netiquette... :smallfurious:

Pentegarn

2007-03-11, 07:09 AM

Wait, what did Haley say anyway? :smallbiggrin:

Sage in the Playground

2007-03-11, 11:08 AM

Hobot

2007-03-11, 11:58 PM

I thought it was funny the first time it happened, but now it's just getting sad.

Clearly, those who feel they have wasted their time reading entire giant meaningless threads have decided it is someone else's fault and are whining about it.

Clearly, you need to work on your reading comprehension.

bluish_wolf

2007-03-12, 12:25 AM

You know, I just realized that there is a "search this thread" option up there in the top right hand corner of the screen. You have to be logged in to see it, but you could, if you wanted, use it to see if anyone else brought up the point you're making.

Then, the question arises, is it considered good manners to quote someone on page 2 if everyone is on page 10 and talking about something completely different?

DeathQuaker

2007-03-12, 06:58 AM

The logical solution would be to round up all the halflings, dwarfs and pixies and send them off to Silly Message Board Games until they can graduate. You've just eliminated 90% of spam. Oh, sure, there will be a few useful insights missed among the padawans, but sometimes, for the greater good, sacrifices must be made.
Get out, Iranon. Lead by example! :p

Realizing that you are (I think) being somewhat sarky, I will point out that in some cases, having a lower post count means you are more restrained in your posting, and therefore less likely to spam. :smallsmile:

By the same token, if post count is what permits you to post in certain areas, it will actually encourage people to spam--if they just make a million posts in "silly message board games" and become a Barbarian in the Playground by virtue of their mad silly message board game skills, that may not indicate they are yet capable of extensive reading and reading comprehension. :smalltongue:

Clearly, those who feel they have wasted their time reading entire giant meaningless threads have decided it is someone else's fault and are whining about it.

I don't get that sense at all. With a few exceptions, I would say this discussion is actually relatively whine-free. There's some constructive criticism going on, but that's not the same thing as whining.

And most of the threads I read through I read through because, in fact, I find them to be meaningful. It is still irritating to read through redundant comments, but I think that's something that could be addressed if people cared about encouraging useful and interesting discussions.

I understand that you may not be interested in useful and interesting discussions, however. That different people come to the board at cross-purposes may contribute mightily to the situation.

Sorry to basically copy and paste your post DeathQuaker, it was simply the first one I found with easily copyable information. I'm wondering how many people either A) thought I was completely right in what I was writing and was the first to post it, B) didn't bother to read what I wrote, or C) actually recognized that DeathQuaker posted this on the first page already.

That's all right. You got me at first--I was like, hey!! I said that! And then I read on. Well done. I wonder the same.

You know, I just realized that there is a "search this thread" option up there in the top right hand corner of the screen. You have to be logged in to see it, but you could, if you wanted, use it to see if anyone else brought up the point you're making.

Very good!

Then, the question arises, is it considered good manners to quote someone on page 2 if everyone is on page 10 and talking about something completely different?

I'd honestly be surprised if they were. OTOH... I'm not sure, I guess it depends. If the person on page 2 said everything you were going to say, I'd say there's no need to post (i.e., no "QFT"s on page 10 for something posted on page 2). However, if you felt they made an interesting point and it was worth bringing up the issue again, I personally wouldn't have a problem with it. I'm not sure about everyone else.

Shhalahr Windrider

2007-03-12, 08:26 AM

You know, I just realized that there is a "search this thread" option up there in the top right hand corner of the screen. You have to be logged in to see it, but you could, if you wanted, use it to see if anyone else brought up the point you're making.
'Except they might use different phraseology than you plan on using, and the search could just come up 'nil.

And it's not gonna help unelss you use pretty precise terminology. If you wish to make a point about Vaarsuvius, you can't just search for the word "Vaarsuvius" because then you'll wind up with 124 posts just saying, "Vaarsuvius rocks!" and maybe buried somewhere in there is the more detailed point you don't wish to reproduce.

And that's all assuming the search feature works. In my experience, the search function's performance has been less than stellar.

Alfryd

2007-03-12, 09:40 AM

Yeah, Alfryd, exactly what I think (apart from carting off us dwarfs...*sniff*).
That was mostly intended as humour.

Mostly.
'When I am King you will be first against the wall, and your opinion which of of no consequence at all...'

Because, obviously, people who are new posters to this board have never, ever posted on any other forum and don't have a clue about netiquette...
I calls 'em like I sees 'em. There will of course be exceptions to the overwhelming rule. My rule!

...become a Barbarian in the Playground by virtue of their mad silly message board game skills...

And [search isn't] gonna help unelss you use pretty precise terminology. If you wish to make a point about Vaarsuvius, you can't just search for the word "Vaarsuvius" because then you'll wind up with 124 posts just saying, "Vaarsuvius rocks!"
Yeah, you'd kinda have to enforce other anti-spam protocols first. I dunno about search, though, I've generally found it moderately able.

It's not so much that they require you to post in any certain thread, but sometimes a thread is opened up to discuss a certain aspect of the comic and the mods lock it and suggest that it should be in the main comic thread. I've had this happen to me on at least one occasion.
I see. However, I don't think this is the main source of the problem, unless the thread is merged.

If you watch people walk into brick walls all day, it will cease to be funny.
However, being repeatedly savaged by pandas never gets old (http://www.pvponline.com).

Vonriel

2007-03-13, 12:25 AM

You could at least have posted a link to a panda beating (http://www.pvponline.com/comic_archive_results/panda%20attack) rather than just a generic one..

If ya wanna see more, click on panda attack (http://www.pvponline.com/comic_archive_tags). He's right about it never getting old though :smallbiggrin:

And to Quaker: Good.. I was kinda afraid you'd get halfway through the post and then pen either a PM to me or a post in response about how I stole your ideas.

Tharr

2007-03-13, 01:00 AM

Maybe 300 people will say that 300 line rocked.

416365416c

2007-03-13, 07:53 AM

I agree. If you want an intelligent discussion then you should read the thread for it's own sake to discover different and varying perspectives and ideas. Then you can add your perspective for the insight that it (possibly) contains.

This repetition appears to be by people who don't care... and if they don't care, why are they spending their time 'contributing'?

When I started reading this thread, I immediately thought that I should tell them about the search function. Since I did actually read the thread first however, I have seen that post #43 has already elucidated this feature. Furthermore I have read other peoples perspectives on that feature. In this instance at least, my model holds perfectly. Although I now need to think of an insightful perspective to add...:smallwink:

My experience with the search feature has been very good, but I will admit that the limited circumstances that I use it in are very favorable towards it. I think though that it only really should be used in message board games and the like, where it is not intended to be an intelligent discussion. With the other threads, even the individual comic threads, I think that one should read all of them if they wish to participate. I do, although I read fairly quickly and that makes it a lot easier for me.

It is theoretically feasible to force people to read the whole thread, by not allowing them to post until they have read all the posts in the thread, as the forum software does keep track of this. Maybe someone can suggest this as an improvement in board/site issues. It would help if they had PHP experience though, because I doubt that this feature is already written, it would simply be relatively easy to write.

I will point out that in some cases, having a lower post count means you are more restrained in your posting, and therefore less likely to spam.

I volunteer to be an example.

The logical solution would be to round up all the halflings, dwarfs and pixies and send them off to Silly Message Board Games until they can graduate. You've just eliminated 90% of spam.

I think that posts in Silly Message Board Games do not count towards your post count, and thus they would never graduate. Maybe it should be that they can't post outside of the New Members Say Hello Here thread until they graduate :smalltongue:

kabbes

2007-03-13, 09:37 AM

This thread is awesome. I remember complaining about this very exact thing on another message board back in... ooh... about 1999? Possibly 1998. Fat lot of good it did then, either. The subsequent 8 years or so have taught me... well, not a lot really. But certainly that arguing against bad netiquette is kind of like waving your fist in the sky to complain about the rain. It won't make any difference and you'll get even wetter. Maybe that metaphor needs work.

I do find the suggestion that bad netiquette is linked to low post count particularly amusing, however. That one is pretty new. In my experience, it's the 20,000+ post-spammers that you really need to watch out for -- how do you think they aquired that many posts in the first place?

dan4ster

2007-03-13, 12:05 PM

(This thread is like seventeen billion pages long, so I won't bother reading past teh first three replies. )
Okay, I agree! :smallsmile:

Manga Shoggoth

2007-03-13, 01:05 PM

I understand the sentiments, but I think two closely related points need to be made (at least in my case):

1. The Comic discussion threads have a lot of repetition and redundancy (especially at the beginning, when there are more people posting at the same time)

and

2. I use a 56k modem.

I quite literally do not have time to read every posting in the discussion threads, and by the time I see the comic there are usually in excess of six pages. This is why I very seldom post on the board.

I don't condone laziness, but please remember that we don't all have broadband.

Shhalahr Windrider

2007-03-13, 01:17 PM

2. I use a 56k modem.
You have my sympathies, good sir.

Manga Shoggoth

2007-03-13, 04:13 PM

You have my sympathies, good sir.

I thank you for your sympathies, Shhalahr. Actually, I don't download videos or music, so broadband is largely a waste of money for me. These forums are about the only place this is a problem.

Tharr

2007-03-14, 01:44 AM

The couple of very funny posts here cause then me to agree.

Edna

2007-03-15, 12:53 AM

Legendary

2007-03-15, 02:41 AM

I'm not going to read this thread at all. Too long.

And I've proven that I haven't read it because I'm assuming no one has made this kind of joke.

Ok, seriously, I agree wholeheartedly. Being ninja'd is one thing (and people often edit their posts to say that), but it is really beginning to annoy me with all the "OMG all the Xykons are fakes and you're all so stupid not to realize it!" posts, and whatnot.

My suggestion: Delete the accounts of those guilty for three times in one week. Ban them for a month. Whatever. That'll make them learn. Or they won't post any more.

But since we're complaining about the fact that they're not really contributing anything and just adding to the clutter, would we miss them?

Caractacus

2007-03-15, 05:02 PM

How about just the pixies and halflings? Some of us are still dwarves because we DO take the time to read everything before posting! (By the time I get around to reading through the whole thread, someone has usually already posted whatever it was I was thinking) :smallbiggrin:

Edna (the time-challenged)

Absolutely true! I read a large amount and post maybe once or twice a session...I'll never grow up into a big, strong, handsome bugbear.... *waah*

Electric_Monkey

2007-03-15, 06:36 PM

Hey, I'll bet no-one's made a joke about doing the exact thing the OP doesn't like in this very thread. Am I original or what?

Sage in the Playground

2007-03-15, 06:59 PM