Please! Read the OP and then read your post...Before you post it.

Is what you are posting directly related to the OP, or are you just taking the thread on a tangent?

Are you getting caught up in someone else's derailment of the thread? I know I sure have, many times.

The easiest way to cure this is to read the title of the thread, read the OP, and then read in full the link to the whole article. Once you have done that, you will be in a much better position to comment, and chances are your post will be on topic.

But there are many good reasons to read whole threads before you post:

1) You will be much better informed to make your post.

2) You will stand a much better chance of not posting something that has already been posted in the thread.

3) You will not put the burden of being informed on the others in the topic. Now this part really kinda irks me sometimes. I most often will not respond to someone who comes out of nowhere with some statement or question that clearly indicates they have not even read the OP, much less any of the rest of thread.

This is problematic also because then the person asking the question (that was answered 20 posts ago) will start feeling like they are being ignored. Then they get some kind of personal thing going on with the Original Poster. And all that because of their own laziness not to read the OP and/or most of the thread before they respond.

4) Often a thread can change direction dramatically when a new post comes about that sheds very important information on the topic at hand. If you're still sitting there arguing the OP once that new post has occurred, now you have put the burden on others to update you, when the update was already there!

5) Your chances that someone will reply to your post will be greatly increased. Because if you have done the minimum that I am suggesting above, chances are that what you are now going to post is a) very relevant to the thread topic and OP, b) has not been posted before, c) contains an angle worth contemplating, and d) increases the chances of other members wanting to read more of your posts. So it's a win/win.

6) (Courtesy of NGC2736, forum moderator) It is easier to moderate, thus reducing workload on the staff.

7) (Courtesy of NGC2736, forum moderator) It is less likely that threads will result in shouting matches, personal attacks, etc.

8) (Courtesy of NGC2736, forum moderator) Threads are more understandable and readable.

9) (Courtesy of NGC2736, forum moderator) You will reduce the chances of your temptation to post a one-liner comment that really does not add anything substantial to the thread.

10) The more reading you do on the subject, the better position you will be in to Flag and Star threads and posts from an informed standpoint, making the flag and starring system even more pertinent.

11) You will probably get more friends, as time goes on.

This topic has probably been discussed before on ATS many times over, and thus in a sense I stand guilty of repeating what has been said before. But some things are worth repeating, and this is my personal appeal to members, especially with so many new members coming on board in the last couple of years. I'm just trying to make this a more enjoyable place for all.

Regards,
TA

[edit on 4-2-2008 by TrueAmerican]

If only more people would take this approach, moderating would be so much easier. Threads would be so much more understandable. And tempers would not flair near as often.

All I can add is that once you have done these things outlined by the OP, make your comment more than a single line of six or seven words. Unless you are unusually pithy and have a flair as a world class writer, a one liner does not raise the level of the thread. it's more like a submerged rock readers stub their toe on.

Good job, True American.

Originally posted by NGC2736
If only more people would take this approach, moderating would be so much easier. Threads would be so much more understandable. And tempers would not flair near as often.

Thanks NG. Those are 4 additional great reasons, for sure. Mind if I add those to OP?

edit to add: Of course the 4 adds would be with credit to you. But my reasoning is that at least this way most of the good reasons would be in the OP, lol, just in case someone comes along in this thread, does the exact thing we are talking about, and doesn't read the whole thread. At least maybe if they read the OP, they'll have that many more reasons not to take the "easy route."

edit to add: With permission via u2u, rephrased and added NGC2736's comments to OP, and changed this post to reflect the actual 4 good reasons provided by NGC2736, which I later spotted.

[edit on 4-2-2008 by TrueAmerican]

Thanks! This is a timely and well written post.

I know that I am also guilty of this sometimes. To an extent. Usually I find myself in a better position to post an informed comment after I've read the OP and any links to articles. However, my times of being guilty have usually come in when, after reading the OP and the articles that they linked to, I still don't understand and I will ask for clarification or help in understanding.

Hopefully, those aren't too bad. At least, for me, personally, I would rather have someone say "hey, I didn't understand all of it, could you help?" than have them pepper the thread with one liners which prove that they have no idea of what is happening. That is why I hope that no one minds when I might ask for clarification.

It definitely is a mild pet peeve of mine, though, to be reading a thread and have 20 different people pop in asking for information that has already been posted and answered 12 other times previous to their asking. The same applies to the times when a thread has changed direction a bit and someone comes in having not read any other replies, but skipped right to posting. And updates, and...pretty much all of the points that you made!

So, all of that, just to say how much I appreciated your post and to say thanks!

Take care,
Cindi

reply to post by Glencairn


Hi Cindi, and thanks.

On your point about clarification, remember that you always have the option of u2u. I think most of the OP's here, especially any of the ATS veterans, would be more than happy to have a conversation with you via u2u to help clear up things if you don't understand something. u2u is also a great way to feel a bit more "connected" to another member- adds that personal touch.

Have a nice day!
TA

[edit on 4-2-2008 by TrueAmerican]

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Thanks! I didn't even think of that and it is a nice reminder. To say nothing of being a nice way to help keep threads a bit more clear for those who don't need an explanation or help. I will definitely keep that in mind for the future. Especially with the added bonus of "meeting" others and having the potential to make new friends that way.

Take care,
Cindi

reply to post by Glencairn


Yes, that's true too. But, like many things in life, we are wielding the double-edged sword here. On one hand I'm sure the three amigos like to see the high post counts. Heck, SO has spent a good portion of several podcasts talking about it. Big numbers, big ratings, ATS is moving up in the world. YAY!

But, the antithesis to that is a natural reduction in quality. So somewhere we need to find that fine line. I hope the admin here do not take this post as threatening to those numbers, because I surely hope you know that is in no way my intent. My intent is exactly as the OP states, and nothing more. For the concerned member dealing with these issues, I would like to hear from you.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
For the concerned member dealing with these issues, I would like to hear from you.

This is very interesting that not more have responded, and I think the management needs to take note.

I'll let you all in on a little secret: In over 3 years on ATS, and over 2,300 posts, this OP got me more staff applauses than anything else I have ever posted.

But interestingly, very very few responses from the membership. So what does this say about the membership? They all hate me? lol, not quite. I have plenty of friends here. But could this possibly say something like "nah, that's too much work. I just wanna lightly browse, and comment away without really diving into the details."

To me, it is appearing more and more that way, and it is really unfortunate. I could be wrong.

But it is with this in mind that I am seriously suggesting (again) an ATS elitist forum- and maybe even one that runs in parallel for each forum on ATS. In other words, have the regular forums as we have now, but for each one have an elite version that would entail certain requirements such as required reading, required responses, and certain membership status to actually post- now the exact details of what those qualifications should be would need to be carefully considered. It would seem mods would get immediately in.

If those elite forums became the highest mark of quality on ATS, it would create a serious benchmark that newer ATS users could aspire to. And believe me, in no way am I asserting that I would qualify for such forums. I am taking about people like Valhall, The Libra, The Vagabond and other extremely bright and talented people here. ATS premium attempts to do this in a way, but still opens up the discussion to all. And my point is that: Is it really fair to open up brilliant posts by some of these authors to superficial and shallow remarks that often accompany such threads, after they have done the kind of work they have? (I am suggesting reading allowed only, unless you have "the badge".) RATS just requires some points to get into, but still poses the same problem.

[edit on 19-2-2008 by TrueAmerican]