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What ever happened to basic forum etiquette?

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Brooks P

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What ever happened to acknowledging responses? Lately I have read what seems like an inordinate number of threads where the OP has asked for help with this or that, or help post processing a picture. Sometimes these threads stay active for several days and there may be a substantial number of people trying to help, but the Op is never heard from again, not even a “Thank you to everyone who responded”. I’m not saying that everyone who responds to a thread expects or needs to be personally thanked, but if you ask for help, and people answer your call for help, some sort of acknowledgment that you at least read the replies should be rendered.

I especially find it rude to start a thread asking for help when that help involves a real commitment of time and effort by those responding, and than the OP never returns to the thread and acknowledges all the effort put forth.

--
Brooks

http://www.bmiddleton.smugmug.com

I daresay one profits more by the mistakes one makes off one's own bat than by doing the right thing on somebody's else advice.
— W. Somerset Maugham
 
Brooks P said:
What ever happened to acknowledging responses? Lately I have read
what seems like an inordinate number of threads where the OP has
asked for help with this or that, or help post processing a
picture. Sometimes these threads stay active for several days and
there may be a substantial number of people trying to help, but the
Op is never heard from again, not even a “Thank you to everyone who
responded”. I’m not saying that everyone who responds to a thread
expects or needs to be personally thanked, but if you ask for help,
and people answer your call for help, some sort of acknowledgment
that you at least read the replies should be rendered.

I especially find it rude to start a thread asking for help when
that help involves a real commitment of time and effort by those
responding, and than the OP never returns to the thread and
acknowledges all the effort put forth.

--
Brooks

http://www.bmiddleton.smugmug.com

I daresay one profits more by the mistakes one makes off one's own
bat than by doing the right thing on somebody's else advice.
— W. Somerset Maugham
Click to expand...
Either that, or they only thank certain posters, and don't even acknowledge the rest. Either way, it's shows a lack of manners....

Just do as i do, and black list them...

james

A FEW OF MY SNAPS R HERE:

http://www.betterphoto.com/gallery/free/gallery.asp?memberID=158378

 
A lot of times I try to answer people who have asked questions about a thread I started, all in one response. I don't like to answer every single reply just to bump my thread. Sometimes it can't be helped. There used to be people here who replied to every single reply to a thread they started, and they caught a lot of slack for doing so. I can name at least two regulars who are no longer here simply for that reason. Some of us are a little scared to reply to everybody, but common sense should rule out. There is absolutely no reason for someone to begin a thread and then never respond to it. They can at least let you know if they got the help they were looking for, right? I'll check back later to bump this up. Ha ha.
--
DDT did a job on me...
Now I am a real sickie...
Guess I'll have to break the news...
That I got no mind to lose...
All the girls are in love with me...
I'm a teenage lobotomy.



http://allmeans.smugmug.com/
 
If part of what you're referring to is that the OP never shows up in the thread again, it could be related to the forum software. You have to remember to come back and check your threads to see if anyone responded.

I find it easy to forget where I've posted questions/responses.. not just here but other sites too... unless you subscribe to a thread and receive email notifications of thread activity... which I do not believe is an option here.
 
speedlever said:
I find it easy to forget where I've posted questions/responses..
not just here but other sites too... unless you subscribe to a
thread and receive email notifications of thread activity... which
I do not believe is an option here.
Click to expand...
You can click the "My Threads" link at the top of the page...
--
-pjm



I never gave a damn about the meter man until I was the man who had to read the meters.
 
speedlever said:
speedlever wrote:
If part of what you're referring to is that the OP never shows up
in the thread again, it could be related to the forum software. You
have to remember to come back and check your threads to see if
anyone responded.

I find it easy to forget where I've posted questions/responses..
not just here but other sites too... unless you subscribe to a
thread and receive email notifications of thread activity... which
I do not believe is an option here.
Click to expand...
Just click on "my threads" on top and it lists any posts you have made or replied to...

Bob
--

People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to pick on rich women than biker gangs.

http://www.pbase.com/mofongo
 
speedlever said:
If part of what you're referring to is that the OP never shows up
in the thread again, it could be related to the forum software. You
have to remember to come back and check your threads to see if
anyone responded.

I find it easy to forget where I've posted questions/responses..
not just here but other sites too... unless you subscribe to a
thread and receive email notifications of thread activity... which
I do not believe is an option here.
Click to expand...
I always check my threads I posted to, It is really easy, Just click my threads and bingo you are there. Can't blame it on the software.
--

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - ' Wow! What a ride!'

 
Replying here to all the above!

Yes, you can check My Threads. That's what I do. But if you've forgotten which site you posted the question too (IR, Steve's, Dpreview, etc.)... or even that you posted a question, it would be easy to forget to come back to that thread.

I find it helpful to be able to subscribe to a thread to remind me. I have other things going on besides photography. And if I get caught up in another project, it's easy to forget that you started a thread here.

Or maybe this only happens when you get past a certain age...?
;-)
 
In order to avoid all the bumping and whatnot, I usually thank everyone ahead of time in the original post, saying something along the lines of "I'd appreciate any advice... thanks" and leave it as that.
 
To me bumping is responding to your own thread when you didn't get any responses or perceive not enough responses for your satisfaction and that should discouraged.

Since when is it wrong to respond to responses in a thread? What's wrong with some back and forth until the thread is completed? It always puzzles me how some view newer threads as somehow more valuable than older ones, as if the older threads should make way for the newer ones at all costs. God forbid we should make way for the same question that has been asked and answered hundreds of times in favor of completing a more "unique" thread that is hours old. Etiquette, manners, common courtesy are slowing dying as such principles require more effort than many choose to exert and this forum is just a microcosm of the population at large unfortunately...
--
LayneC
 
speedlever said:
If part of what you're referring to is that the OP never shows up
in the thread again, it could be related to the forum software. You
have to remember to come back and check your threads to see if
anyone responded.

I find it easy to forget where I've posted questions/responses..
not just here but other sites too... unless you subscribe to a
thread and receive email notifications of thread activity... which
I do not believe is an option here.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry but I don't accept that premise. If an OP is going to post a request for somebody else to spend their time, maybe a considerable amount of time, processing a picture from the OP, and then upload the processed picture to a host site, and finally document all the steps that were done to the picture, it behooves the OP to make the effort to remember to come back to the thread. To not do so is a discourtesy to the many fine people on this forum who regularly take the time and make an effort to help others. It is something that I have seen much more frequently of late.
--
Brooks

http://www.bmiddleton.smugmug.com

I daresay one profits more by the mistakes one makes off one's own bat than by doing the right thing on somebody's else advice.
— W. Somerset Maugham
 
I have to agree with Brooks. I haven't been posting that much lately, but, when I answer someone in a thread I always check back to see if the OP has replied anywhere in the thread. (At the risk of going OT) we know the threads can sometimes go a bit off topic and this also leaves you wondering if the OP received the answer they were seeking.

Cheers,

John
 
Which timeframe are you screening.

Just my example that might be representative of other OPs:

I happened to be an OP and to answer after 5 days to my "repliers". I'm travelling badly abroad and working until late. Not always having an internet connection.

I always thanks but it might happen after few days. I'm not using forum as a chat line

g
 
James Cover said:
I typically thank several posters in a single response, so as to
avoid unneccessary bumping. But i do make an effort to thank all
who contribute. This seems to work, and no one has complained as
yet....
Click to expand...
Same here James, if I post some shots and come back the next day to find 10 responses then I can certainly find 5 minutes to make 10 replies.

Apparently some people cannot do the same and can only pop back every 8 hours and reply to one person at a time, they must be much busier than me ;-)
--
http://www.pbase.com/andydunn
 
I guess this shoe fits me... :(

My apologies if I didn't thank anyone or everyone who has ever responded to my threads. I guess I thought by having a "Thanks in advance for your replies." line in my signature, this would be "enough", because I am not always online, and by the time I am a couple days will certainly have passed.

Again, my apologies.

--

Thanks in advance for your replies.

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Bedde
DX6490
Sunpak 383
 
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