Posting habits people can do without

[Afrodyte]

This is not a thread started in response to a particular person's comments or to things I see exclusively on EN World. However, of all the RPG forums I go to, EN World seems the most committed to making sure the environment is welcoming to all members and potential members. So, a lot of this can be taken in the spirit of wanting a good thing to be even better.

After being on several RPG forums for a while, I've noticed some tendencies outside of flaming and trolling that impact how much I am able to enjoy posting on them. I know that not everybody does these things or that these things are unique to EN World, but they happen enough that I now think it's worth talking about it. Hopefully, people may read some of what people post here and use it to help curtail certain things, but at the very least, I just hope to feel better. Granted, some of this is just me venting, but any input you have on how people can better curtail these behaviors, or what people can say or do to counteract these, would be very helpful. I'm just going to list the traits, but if you need clarification, I'd be glad to elaborate.

1. Answering a how-to question with a critique or yes-no response.
2. Not reading posts throughly and responding in a way that reveals such.
3. Refusing to admit a question or comment is not understood.
4. To a complex question, giving an answer that is short, simple, and wrong.
5. Assuming posters who don't flash their credentials are new and/or stupid when they ask a question or raise an issue addressing things beyond the rules.
6. Turning a casual conversation into a debate not relevant to the original topic.
7. Replying to a post line by line by line (more or less).
8. Other things you've noticed.

This pretty much encompasses a lot of the things I've noticed people do frequently enough that I can comment on it. I'd really appreciate your help with this. Thanks.

 

[Desdichado]

Many of those things don't bother me much, but I agree that it'd probably be better if people didn't respond that way. However, one in particular I disagree with flat out:

7. Replying to a post line by line by line (more or less).

I'm curious what you think a more appropriate response would be? This is (IMO) the best way to respond to a lengthy post with multiple points, because you can easily match the response to the original point to which it responds. I do this, and I do it on purpose because it's the easiest way to follow a longer discussion.

Now, granted, I don't always respond to every single line item; if I don't have any comment, I leave it alone. I'm also concious of the amount of quoted text, and try to minimize it.

But I still don't see why you'd have a problem with this, and I'm curious what alternate solution you'd propose that would putatively work better.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

2. Not reading posts throughly and responding in a way that reveals such.

I've done this on occasion, sometimes I just read things too fast and others I jump to an incorrect conclusion, I shall stive to achieve perfection. Of course sometimes the poster is not clear about what they were saying and only upon clarification you realize what they were really looking for.

3. Refusing to admit a question or comment is not understood.

Well, that may be pride, or it may go back to #2

4. To a complex question, giving an answer that is short, simple, and wrong.

Short and simple can be good - complex questions do not always need complex answers. Wrong, well perhaps the respondent did not know they were wrong, they will learn when others inevitably point it out to them. I usually post on breaks from work without access to resources, so mistakes are made.

5. Assuming posters who don't flash their credentials are new and/or stupid when they ask a question or raise an issue addressing things beyond the rules.

I have not noticed this, and I am fairly new and have no credentials whatsoever expect that I play D&D

6. Turning a casual conversation into a debate not relevant to the original topic.

It happens a lot, but I see message boards much like a conversation; many times the topic changes as the conversation continues and evolves. Usually if the inital question has not been addressed I find that someone tries to get it back on track.

7. Replying to a post line by line by line (more or less).

OK, I did this just to cheese you off, sorry, but I think this is often a good way to be sure that people understand what parts of a post you are responding to, especially if it ends up on a different page from the post being responded to.

 

[Piratecat]

I absolutely agree with Afrodyte about point 7, line by line replies. Here's what another message board, The Forge, has to say about them:

E. Line-by-line replies

Line-by-line replies are the online equivalent of interrupting someone after every sentence and arguing that sentence, taking it completely out of context. It is not only highly discouraged, but if used often, will be considered a flame.

I tend to agree. In my experience when most people descend to this level (Hi Hong! ), they've already lost the argument and are just being snarky.

 

[Michael Morris]

I tend to agree. In my experience when most people descend to this level (Hi Hong! ), they've already lost the argument and are just being snarky.

ROFL

I need a ROFL smilie.

 

[Pielorinho]

I tend to agree. In my experience when most people descend to this level (Hi Hong! ), they've already lost the argument and are just being snarky.

Yep. Generally, the best way to respond to a long post, IMO, is to pick out a point or two from it that you think is key and respond to those points. Things tend to get pretty icky when two people start doing this to one another.

Daniel

 

[diaglo]

1. Answering a how-to question with a critique or yes-no response.

yes.

2. Not reading posts throughly and responding in a way that reveals such.
3. Refusing to admit a question or comment is not understood.
4. To a complex question, giving an answer that is short, simple, and wrong.

what was the question again?

5. Assuming posters who don't flash their credentials are new and/or stupid when they ask a question or raise an issue addressing things beyond the rules.
6. Turning a casual conversation into a debate not relevant to the original topic.

i've been playing this game since i had to call individual computer bulletin board style. you had to post your responses... and then hang up and wait several days later to see if anyone even replied to your posts.

7. Replying to a post line by line by line (more or less).
8. Other things you've noticed.

i hat line by line responses. (hi hong)

 

[Crothian]

1. Answering a how-to question with a critique or yes-no response.
2. Not reading posts throughly and responding in a way that reveals such.
3. Refusing to admit a question or comment is not understood.
4. To a complex question, giving an answer that is short, simple, and wrong.
5. Assuming posters who don't flash their credentials are new and/or stupid when they ask a question or raise an issue addressing things beyond the rules.
6. Turning a casual conversation into a debate not relevant to the original topic.
7. Replying to a post line by line by line (more or less).
8. Other things you've noticed.

1) Ya, it can be a bit of a pain. But it is not relly that big of deal. hey are easy to skip over.
2) This happens with people who post long winded posts that seem to ramble and with threads that go on for pages and people don't want to read all the responses to.
3) This I haven't really seen. I would actually think its the reader just saying this as a way to not give credit to responders answer.
4) Nothing wrong with short and simple. And some people do answer questions wrong.
5) Bias is a part of being alive.
6) Topics do change with the flow of the thread.
7) I think it is a good way to respond to the different points of a thread, especially a long winded one.

I think that if you want these problems to go away we will have to havea heavy handed form of moderation that people will hate.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Many of those things don't bother me much, but I agree that it'd probably be better if people didn't respond that way. However, one in particular I disagree with flat out:

I'm curious what you think a more appropriate response would be? This is (IMO) the best way to respond to a lengthy post with multiple points, because you can easily match the response to the original point to which it responds. I do this, and I do it on purpose because it's the easiest way to follow a longer discussion...

Ditto. I'm not even sure how else you can answer a lengthy post with several points...or what is wrong with this manner of posting.

 

[Teflon Billy]

...I tend to agree. In my experience when most people descend to this level (Hi Hong! ), they've already lost the argument and are just being snarky.

Hey now...it's all how you use the tools. Just becasue a rifle is an excellent weapon of war doesn't mean it can't also put food on the table

I'll stick with my line-by-lines (in peace and otherwise)