Why I dislike long posts

[Matrix]

When there's a discussion and you want to make 'a good point' (i.e. convince as many people as much as you can), in real life the trick is to speak as much as possible. Thus you're more heard and people will remember more about what you said.

I think that on a forum this works contradictorily. Here, when you want to make a point, it's necessary to say what you want to say in as less words as possible. The more words you use, the more your point will blur. I tend to read faster and faster when I see I have so much to read as well. And I also tend to read smaller posts more closely than long posts, for the same reason.

Final point: use decoration, like bold, italic, or smilies. That makes a text more easy to read.

But I'm especially interested what others think about the first two paragraphs.

 

[floppa21]

I'm with you on the shorter posts, but I am like that in RL also. I try to be quick and to the point. Personally, I would rather say one or two sentences that clearly demonstrates my point rather than 'overtalk'.

And the same oftentimes goes with me as far as reading posts.

 

[Shadylookin]

i agree, the longer a post is i tend to lose focus or sometimes just skip it because it will take me forever to read it.

 

[Inter4]

I NEVER read long posts. Consumes a lot of my time.

 

[Smaasnekje]

I am so lazy that I neither write long posts nor bother to read them

(wich is why I almost never is in an argument on theese forums)

this is completely diffrent from everyday life

 

[The Yankee]

Another danger is that with longer posts, you have more for someone else to pick out a phrase and attack it and completely change the argument that didn't have a whole lot to do with the original one.

 

[hbdragon88]

Matrix, your post was too long...

Can someone summarize it?

 

[cgannon64]

I agree. I won't read a post over a certain length, unless I know that it will probably be good, as in it starts well or the poster is known for good posts.

 

[Akka]

Well, everyone do prefer to get the meaning in few words.
But subtleties, details, need some more works than two sentences and a half. I'm not so short on attention span that I can't read long posts, provided I'm interested in the subject. Yes, thinking requires efforts

 

[cgannon64]

Originally posted by Akka
Well, everyone do prefer to get the meaning in few words.
But subtleties, details, need some more works than two sentences and a half. I'm not so short on attention span that I can't read long posts, provided I'm interested in the subject. Yes, thinking requires efforts

The problem can be that long posts don't have subtly or detail, they are just repetitive.

 

[The Yankee]

I do read long posts. I don't know what counts for a long post, but I've made some decent-sized ones. The only ones I don't bother with are those where if I skim the post, I don't see much substance in it, then I'll just leave it alone.

 

[The Yankee]

Originally posted by cgannon64


The problem can be that long posts don't have subtly or detail, they are just repetitive.

A lot are repetitive, but there are some that are good.

For the record, are we talking about long posts on what the poster actually wrote, or would this include long quotes, say an article?

 

[bobgote]

I don't read long posts at all, unless they are aimed specifically at me. But yeah, a good way to stop me arguing against you is to put in a few long posts to turn me off the thread. happened recently in that leftists getting over war one. couple of huge posts and i'm gone.

@The Yankee:
I have more tolerance for an article (as thread opener) but still if it's too long i won't read it. I will read the summary at the bottom of it tho, if the poster has been nice enough to make one

 

[Jormurgandr]

I read long posts if they are interesting.

There's no way I'd read a long post without paragraphs, though. Makes my eyes bleed.

 

[The Yankee]

Originally posted by bobgote
But yeah, a good way to stop me arguing against you is to put in a few long posts to turn me off the thread. happened recently in that leftists getting over war one. couple of huge posts and i'm gone.

Duly noted. Now if only we actually ever engaged in argument....

@The Yankee:
I have more tolerance for an article (as thread opener) but still if it's too long i won't read it. I will read the summary at the bottom of it tho, if the poster has been nice enough to make one

Aha, finally...I'll remember never to make a summary. Although, if I have some real reaction to it, anyone could pick up what it's about from my commentary.


Be warned about the folly of short posts. All our arguments could end up like this, and in some cases, it already has:

Ripped from The Onion's archives.

No It Won't

No it won't.

It just won't. None of that will happen.

You're getting worked up over nothing. Everything is going to be fine. So just relax, okay? You're really overreacting.

"This war will not put an end to anti-Americanism; it will fan the flames of hatred even higher"?

It won't.

"It will harden the resolve of Arab states to drive out all Western (i.e. U.S.) influence"?

Not really.

"A war against Iraq is not only morally wrong, it will be an unmitigated disaster"?

Sorry, no, I disagree.

"To take over a country and impose one's own system of government without regard for the people of that country is the very antithesis of democracy"?

You are completely wrong.

Trust me, it's all going to work out perfect. Nothing bad is going to happen. It's all under control.

Why do you keep saying these things? I can tell when there's trouble looming, and I really don't sense that right now. We're in control of this situation, and we know what we're doing. So stop being so pessimistic.

Look, you've been proven wrong, so stop talking. You've had your say already.

Be quiet, okay? Everything's fine.

You're wrong.

 

[raen]

The size doesn´t matter, the problem may be the organization of the post. If it is long but organized and easy to read I read it. Very confuse ones, little or long, I dont read.

When the post interests me I read it anyway

 

[onejayhawk]

Anyone that dislikes long posts have never read Vrylakas or RIII when they are being emphatic. Genius may lie in simplicity, but that means it can be, and must be, unpacked as needed.

On the orther hand, I never have enough to say that a long post is required.

J

 

[The Yankee]

Yeah, Vrylakas's posts are the best, long or short. That's long post done right.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

If I know the poster, I'll read long pieces. Otherwise I'll just skim it.

I rarely finish reading long posts I agree with

 

[h4ppy]

I prefere posts of the 5 line variety. They are small enough to get the point across easily but large enough to cover multiple topics.