Comments that are too long.

[csb (Craig)]

I tend not to fully read reply posts that are looong or I quick read the first line or so and then decide if to read further or just skip.

This is possibly due to the nature of forums and how I use them. (IIS is the only forum I regularly use.)

Long paragraphs may also cause me to skip a comment. I find it easier to read a post with 5 short paragraphs than one with say, 3 long paragraphs.

So I sometimes miss constructive/helpful information. Which is a pity, for me.

Are other people inclined to skip long comments?

[Shiraz (Ray)]

no

[Atmos (Colin)]

I sometimes speed read and slow down when something is more than speed reading can understand. Like your post, took 5-10s to read
The idea is to be able to recognise when something needs that effort to read. Having "read" a lot of scientific papers, a LOT of speed reading happens hehe

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

no

^^^ win!

[csb (Craig)]

Stirring is certainly appropriate for what may seem to be just a whinge

My intention is to get people to realise that comments need to be submitted in appropriate format or they may go unread.

Although this is only so if it happens that many others also tend to skip very long posts.

[JA]

Originally Posted by csb

I tend not to fully read reply posts that are looong or I quick read the first line or so and then decide if to read further or just skip.

This is possibly due to the nature of forums and how I use them. (IIS is the only forum I regularly use.)

Long paragraphs may also cause me to skip a comment. I find it easier to read a post with 5 short paragraphs than one with say, 3 long paragraphs.

So I sometimes miss constructive/helpful information. Which is a pity, for me.

Are other people inclined to skip long comments?

What was that?
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I tend to agree. Whilst I may not skip a very long paragraph (that should be 3), it can make for a very uninviting read. Although, if someone is trying to get a message across to you personally, that's another matter. You need to suck it up and read it.

Best
JA

[JB80 (Jarrod)]

A longer comment is certainly better than those thread titles like 'Check this out, haha' and all it contains is a link to youtube and no comment as to what it might actually be.
I never bother with those.

[Sol-Skysailor (Sol)]

‘Too long, too short’ (hair) was taught early in the piece as judgemental and an arbitrary rule ‘or-else’, in this training, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_Communication

Is this long? http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...d.php?t=143521
(First light with an APM Wirth-Intes Mak-Newt 86, IV, by Dana)... riveting!
And I read stacks of big thick books and articles and good novels.

I read every word of rational posts (but only selected threads) or at least pick up enough bits, usually regardless of who write them. Some long ones the writer tries hard to communicate, so I feel 'thanks! I'm listening'.

I skip short illogical or bully posts, and read zero of most things on the news agency stand.

Maybe it is also a fad thing of mobile phones and social media shepherding us to have low attention span? Oh. 5-para.... phewwww. LOL

[Shiraz (Ray)]

earlier short post was intended to make the point that short posts can be bereft of info. I would rather see much longer and more substantial posts - especially on technical forums, where we can be dealing with complex ideas that just don't fit into 25 words. I agree that long posts can sometimes be difficult to read, but we all have different writing skills.

[glend (Glen)]

Some people have short attention spans, or are not used to reading anything longer than a text message or Twitter post; for them any detailed response is likely to be passed over.
For others, particularly folks born before the above technology became pervasive, a longer well structured response is considerate and appropriate if it covers the topic in sufficient depth.
Perhaps, if it offends you, spell out how you would like a response, ie in 25 words or less, or 144 characters, etc.

[RickS (Rick)]

Originally Posted by csb

I tend not to fully read reply posts that are looong or I quick read the first line or so and then decide if to read further or just skip.

This is possibly due to the nature of forums and how I use them. (IIS is the only forum I regularly use.)

Long paragraphs may also cause me to skip a comment. I find it easier to read a post with 5 short paragraphs than one with say, 3 long paragraphs.

So I sometimes miss constructive/helpful information. Which is a pity, for me.

Are other people inclined to skip long comments?

I have to agree with Ray. The length of a post has no correlation with its value. Assuming it's a topic of interest I'm happy to invest some effort in reading a long post. I'm even willing to think about it sometimes

[Boozlefoot]

Ray/Colin/Clive/JA/Jarrod/Sol/Glen/Rick.........Seems we are cut from the same cloth. I tend to think the "twittering", Facebooking, and all the other media chatter is making society as a whole become extremely superficial in some respects. Everybody wants things faster/shorter quicker, BUT.............. Admittedly it is a time of super information highways. Call me a Luddite, and so I am! Also regard me as a Visiobibliophobe. I have long ago deleted that internet account. (I don't wish to relate the condition of my bowels, or need to know the state of other peoples. Maybe we could take a selfie of it and post it? That would reduce the time describing it. I know some people who would!)

Its all going way too fast people, and sit back and review what you did today on all the internet portals. At the end of the day, did you gain anything by saving 15ms of time by reading abbreviated comments. Is speed dating the way of the future? (Remember the thrill of the hunt?)

Its a crazy world we live in, and its only getting crazier!

RELAX Enjoy the scenery. Enjoy interaction. Talk to people. The average age span allows you to do this, enjoy it while you can!

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by Shiraz

no

[Nikolas (Nik)]

Originally Posted by csb

i tend not to fully read reply posts that are looong or i quick read the first line or so and then decide if to read further or just skip.

This is possibly due to the nature of forums and how i use them. (iis is the only forum i regularly use.)

long paragraphs may also cause me to skip a comment. I find it easier to read a post with 5 short paragraphs than one with say, 3 long paragraphs.

So i sometimes miss constructive/helpful information. Which is a pity, for me.

Are other people inclined to skip long comments?

tl;dr

[csb (Craig)]

Thanks all for reading and for the comments.

Not a big deal, nor an annoyance, if someone posts a long comment. Just food for thought.

[csb (Craig)]

Hmm, my attitude/behaviour seems to be more related to comments that are just someone expressing their opinion on subjects such as posted in General Chat forum.

[raymo]

I have written a couple of poems during my life, and one was relevant to Boozlefoot's post.
Reflections on then and now
I find life incredibly sad, the things I bought then can no longer be had,
the friends I made then are nowhere to be seen, I hope they are somewhere
pleasant and green,
the Jag I drove then I thought just great, but now would be considered
distinctly third rate,
there were three billion people, and life was quite slow, now there are seven
and its all go go go,
time passed by gently as in growth from a seed, now its all I want, I must
have, and at lightning speed,
all in all the world has gone mad, and it just makes me incredibly sad.

hope you like it
raymo

[Atmos (Colin)]

Need a Like button Raymond

[JA]

Raymo ROCKS

[acropolite (Phil)]

I'm happy to read what's written, if someone has gone to the trouble of writing a long reply one should at least have the courtesy to read it.

The short attention span trend is a real problem for me. I often send emails for support cases detailing complex technical issues only to find the idiot on the other end has only read the first line and not addressed most of the issues raised.