Should you read an entire thread before responding?

[Panache]

It is interesting to note that people feel very differently about this issue.

Please vote in the poll and offer your comments as readers, posters, and thread starters. How does it make you feel when someone responds without reading the whole thread?

I will weigh in with my personal views about this later.

Cheers


Jamie

[Galb]

I somehow get the feeling that I in some way contributed to this thread being created. That being said I have read this entire thread before responding.

[Bugbear]

Oops, had trouble with the voter thing, but I got it now.
I think the ignore lists probably prevent many members from reading all of some threads before posting. Those that don't sometimes dredge up interesting threads from the deep bottom though... Not always so bad.

[Ayin McFye]

I wonder why this poll was created

Like I said in the other thread that I just revived, I do think it's a good idea to read an entire thread before chiming in.

1. You may say something that someone has already said.
2. It's respectful to not only the thread starter but to everyone that has contributed to the thread.
3. Threads has a huge tendency to dramatically change as time goes on, and the thread may have started one topic, but have grown into an entirely different genre. If you only read the first post, your comment may have nothing to do with what the thread is about anymore.

My rule of thumb is to read the entire thread. If there are >100 posts in a thread I will at least read the first page and the last page to try and figure out if I am interested in the content of the thread and how things have progressed. Then I will go back and read the entire thing before chiming in.

Just my two cents.

[Ayin McFye]

I somehow get the feeling that I in some way contributed to this thread being created. That being said I have read this entire thread before responding.

I almost spit my drink all over my monitor from laughing.

That was funny.

[Kilted_John]

Yep, I think the other thread was why Jamie posted this thread... ;-) Anyway, Ayin, you posted my sentiments, so I probably won't repeat them...

-J

[Splash_4]

Hmmm, how old is this thread? Oh yeah, Like others, I look at the date of the first post prior to deciding on adding a comment. On some threads, like the do's and dont's, start dates are not much of an issue. But for most others, dredging up an old thread should be punishable by a year of doing autopsies in the "post morgue".

[Monkey@Arms]

Well, I think its often pretty obvious when people post without reading the whole thread (e.g. giving info that have already been given, or ignoring additional facts that the original poster may have later provided).

Posting in those circumstances may give readers the unfortunate impression that the poster is more interested in voicing their own opinion, then in considering the views of others, or engaging in a dialogue. JMHO.

Best regards,

Jake

[Colin]

Oops, I voted before reading everything.

Having said that, I love checking out old threads, but still laugh when we get a strongly opinionated post in a thread that is 2+ years old (not talking about the recent one). My favorites used to be the Kilt Newbie threads where new members used to welcome people that had been on the site for years.

[herminator]

You should always try to read a whole thread before responding!


I don´t always succeed ...