To wish posters would read the whole thread?

It needs something like "The story so far .......... now read on", missing out the irrelevancies. On some threads the summary of what was relevant to the OP would be very short.

My real life is retirement now, and I don't mind the meanderings when a post has triggered someone's memory and they want to share their thoughts. If we did that in a management or team meeting, we'd be called inefficient. Thank goodness Gransnet is for our own entertainment and socialising, and we're all here voluntarily.

I do find it annoying though when someone hasn't read the whole thread and picks others up on what they have said or, jumps to someones defence when it has all been sorted earlier. Sometimes if the whole thing hasn't been read it is easy to get the wrong end of the stick.

Eggzackly!

Or the sharp ones who mind the meanderings could just zap through them and go straight back to the point. Some people do that. No-one minds

I think some people do have to read every single word of every single post, apparently a letter at a time, to get the gist of the conversation. Some threads are very long, and the first page contains the "active" part. After that come the meandering posts, with important points made here and there in between them.

If people are fired up to reply after a page, and don't persevere, they can be repeating points already made and refuted.

It is an art to skim read several pages and discard the waffle while keeping the meat of the discussion.

I remember a thread where someone (was it deserving?) became very angry when asked to condense long disjointed posts into something more readable and to the point. Seemed to think it would be dumbing down to do a little work organising thoughts before posting.

I always read every thread through from the beginning before posting, unless I have been following it attentively. I have got cross once or twice when threads about really serious, even tragic, subjects have been diverted by silly banter. Of course, I was told to 'lighten up' and that I had no sense of humour. I think that what I have is a sense of what is appropriate in certain circumstances. As for my sense of humour, Your Honour, I would refer you to almost 1,500 jokes!

You could say this is a thread about threads and as such liable to be deleted.

You can't possibly read it all! Some posts are soo long!

I mean, that's ok if you have a situation that you need to explain, perhaps seeking advice, but just to put your point across? No. Shouln't be necessary.

see, you can make 'em even shorter if you miss letters out.

You're priceless Jings

Sometimes when a thread goes on for several pages I will just give up and not bother with that thread. It depends on how busy I am, some days I have time to read through all the posts, sometimes I don't. If it is a subject that I am interested in then I will skim read through all the pages before I post.

I speed read at 800 words a minute (I know because I went on a course when I was teaching). I also have a lot of spare time and I want to be sure that I am accurate when I post.
Not for the next six weeks though, as I will be in New Zealand.

Greatnan Have fun!

Greatnan I think I'm a speed reader too.
It's very useful. You will still be on face book in New Zealand won't you?

Do you think that your speed is as fast now as it was when you were tested greatnan? Just wondering as reactions slow as you age, and reading is a type of reaction.

If you don't read all the thread how can you possibly answer or ask a question with a wise post.

That's precisely why there are occassions things go belly up. Also if somone takes the time to put a thread up the least you can do is assess it rationally before you jump in.

I think it also depends on the type of thread. Those, such as, Lils Bar and Just Jokes obviously don't require scrutiny they are what they are, just for fun.

I am taking my new Kindle Fire tablet with me, but it is very slow when posting, but I will ask my daughter to put my photos on my FB page. I will be able to read my pms and e-mails.
It will be strange to be in temperatures approaching 30C as it has been -10C here today - very beautiful though.

Ceesnan, no I haven't been retested but I know I am still reading very quickly. It is a matter of taking in phrases rather than individual words, and of course you have to be able to understand what is written at a first reading. I must confess that we have had one or two posters who have slowed me down considerably!

Greatnan..whilst I often enjoy the way threads meander I totally agree with your comment
' I have got cross once or twice when threads about really serious, even tragic, subjects have been diverted by silly banter '
Sorry I missed meeting you in Manchester
Hope you have a wonderful time with your family in NZ.

Thank you, Maniac, I would have loved to meet you too.

I agree with you Lilygran
If you are going to post on a topic, it is simply common courtesy IMVHO to read the OP and respond to that OP.
On the odd occasion that I have started a post where I am asking for guidance, it has driven me MAD when others have responded in a manner that demonstrates that they have clearly not read what i originally wrote (That's a bloomim' clumsy convoluted mess of a sentence but it's late so I don't care )
Most of the time, I skim down the recent topics and am not inclined to look at them. Most of the rest of the time, I will just read but not respond. IF I feel inclined to add a response, I make sure I'm responding to the OP, and am confident that I know what they were posting about. Just comes down to mutual respect; is all.

If I'm interested in the thread then I read it from the beginning. Otherwise why bother. It would be like joining a group of people who are talking and you making comments when you haven't a clue what they are talking about.

What you say seems to me to make perfect sense, janthea. If it isn't interesting to you, you don't read and you don't post. Simples!