Do you read every one, or do you just pick topics that apply to or interest you? Do you always read posts by particular individuals?
I tend to concentrate on most things steam especially pre WW2 with a Southern bias. Layout planning and building I will follow some but not all, I ignore DCC and don't pay much attention to diesel or electric traction.
Scratch and kit building, both stock and buildings interest me.
Open them all. Some I will read and others - such as 'What are you listening to' just glance at. The problem with ignoring some posts even though they might not sound to be of interest is you never know what tips you might pick up. Threads tends to drift quite often and that is where some of the gems of knowledge and experience are hidden. On the other hand some do get a little heated and there are some posters who seem at times to think that they have the only view worth taking any notice of.
I do not respond to all posts and feel disappointed to open a post and find just a smiley or flippant remark but that is part of the nature of this friendly forum and suppose it does encourage the OP. Surely a click on the 'Like' button would be as effective in this regard and reduce the list of posts making it easier to find topics.
Don't mean to upset anyone and these are just my views for what they are worth.
In many ways I feel guilty that I do not open or read more postings.
There are so many wonderful things being made, constructed and shown on the forum I feel I should be doing "something" with every one.
But, no excuses, I cannot be bothered!
Normally I tend to look through the new posts, choose the ones that have any bearing on my own modelling and leave it at that.
I only open those which look interesting or sometimes those with a catchy title and always check the jokes!!
:) :beers:
Depending on time restraints when I log in I tend to start with the topics that hold particular interest for me,then read as many others as I can in the time I have.
I read most of the posts .I pick out the ones that I'm most interested in .Then go back over the rest.Things such as DCC I miss out because I'm never going down that road ,I'm not too bothered by what are you listening to and one or two others that I'm not keen on but I read more than I skip , but then I've got allday to read them anyway .
Bob
I'm pretty picky.
I really like layout planning - if it's an interesting plan (I lose interest if it is a variation on a well-worn idea). Anything to do with diesel and (particularly) electric traction, layout construction (again if it is an interesting layout design IMO), DC wiring and possibly buildings (depending on the building).
I don't look at much to do with steam traction or steam-era rolling stock, foreign themes, DCC, jokes, angry/sad/happy threads, what music, what are you doing on your layout, computer help, e-bay madness, exhibitions, aren't Dapol rubbish/aren't things expensive etc., unless occasionally a topic pops out that grabs me.....as evidently this one has!!!
I will take a look if anyone is asking for help on a topic I feel I have some knowledge to share, and try to help where possible. I will also look for new posts by the OP where I admire that person's work, in the hope of fresh photos!
Cheers Jon :)
I don't usually bother with topics that start with "What..................",
like what are you reading, eating, listening to...............
Also avoid topics discussing hex frog juicers and raspberries
as I haven't a Scooby what they're about.
Being a mod we don´t get a choice, we have to read everything whether it interests us or not and it is amazing what gems are found in the most obscure topics. ;)
Being a retiree I read virtually everything unless it's in the DCC section. I like to welcome and encourage all newbies, along with providing any help/guidance to anyone I think I can pass my experiences on to, especially for the transition era. I really enjoy seeing layouts coming together and am often gobsmacked (and horrified :-[) at how high the standards are, especially by 'first timers'.
At a rough guess, probably 95% of the posts are read.
It varies with me depending on how I feel or how much time I have.
I always keep up to date with certain threads with which I'm associated or have a particular interest in.
I like to meet and greet newbies and if I like the sound of a thread title I'll read it.
Some things don't interest me so I keep clear of those generally.
I guess it's all down to personal choice and preference.
I think this is a great thread, so thanks for raising it.
I tend to have a look at most, but there are some I skip over, such as continental and USA as I have no interest, same with layout planning.
As an aside (?), on another forum to which I belong, you can hover your cursor over the heading and then read the first line or so, which gives you an idea what the OP means. Would this be feasible in future updates here?
Cheers, Bill.
Quoteyou can hover your cursor over the heading and then read the first line or so
That option is on a music forum I frequent, it runs under VBulletin software, as you say very handy.
Quote from: Caz on November 10, 2015, 07:50:14 PM
Being a mod we don´t get a choice, we have to read everything whether it interests us or not and it is amazing what gems are found in the most obscure topics. ;)
Some guys have all the luck....................... ;D
Hi,
I mainly read 'layout construction' and 'continental' but also 'ebay madness strikes again' which can be funnier than some of the 'jokes' posts.
Also, no offence to the people who have done this but I think all layouts should have a name, even if temporary, rather than 'my layout' or 'new to n' or the like as I forget which is which and can't remember whether I was interested or not. I can normally remember the ones I like to follow with a name that I have just given a 'thankyou' to. Hope that makes sense.
I do browse every day but don't always have a lot of time.
weave
Good point. When I see layout names appear, I always check 'em out to see developments.
I have a page set up to only show posts since my last visit, and i scan down that and open the ones i think might be interesting...
I don't open many threads. Probably fewer than a dozen a day. I have too many models in my stash to spend an hour and feel like i didn't see much of interest... So i am pretty selective.
I look at progress on layout builds that i know i like, such as Franklands. I watch for news of new models, like RevolutioN and Oxford Diecast threads. I check out jokes posted by some posters who usually post good ones. And i will usually see a couple of topics that just look interesting from the subject line, like this one.
My pet peeve is topic titles that don't say what they are, like "and another thing", and if i can't tell what the subject is, i don't bother reading.
Like has been said before, it often happens that you see a thread you follow only to see a smiley as the new post, but it only takes a second, and i think that is what makes the forum a friendly place.
There is a lot of banter, which can be fun to read, and things get heated. I do quite often follow such nonsense because it is more fun than many of the jokes. But usually it gets a bit banal so i just wait to see if the thread gets locked... Pengi does a great job with locking threads, and i then go in to see what the final straw was. >:D
I have learned that a short post is easily misinterpreted, and rather than risk getting embroiled in a debate, i usually don't bother posting my opinion. And i won't usually bother saying something if it was already said.
Like others, I use the "new since last log-on" option, and I look at those that catch my interest; maybe half of what's posted, maybe a bit less.
I'm another one who uses the 'unread posts since last visit' facility. Then it's random browsing all the way - otherwise I'd waste too much of my life here - unless I am looking for a particular topic. I do try and read the threads about product development, be it crowd-sourcing, Nelevation or Finetrax. I may not be that interested in the product, but the process is fascinating. Jon
Since I remember and model BR corporate Blue, anything about that is of interest, and then there are things like couplings, DCC, etc. which makes for about as much time as I have; and then the jokes are there as well !
I don't care if they are repeats. Most are fun and after a couple of years I have forgotten the first post !
I may be missing some really good threads but I still enjoy the forum, and I suppose that's what counts.
It does seem to go in cycles for me.
Sometimes there are lots of threads which interest me then we have a period of a few weeks when it is less interesting.
I guess that's only natural.
I've also noticed that sometimes the forum is a lot busier than other times.