Lazy forum members?
- Thread starter Phil Gary
- Start date
What is the point of this thread?
I think my boss is wondering why there are so few people who actually participate in these threads -- as such inactivity seems to negate the purpose of having a thread in the first place.
If it’s a stupid question, I don’t reply.
If it’s a repeated question, asked over and over, I don’t reply.
If the thread already has an adequate answer, I don’t reply.
If I don’t know the answer, I don’t reply.
If I have nothing constructive to add, I don’t reply.
If I don’t have an opinion, I don’t reply.
I don’t know if the thread falls into one of the above categories until I view it. If a number of people think the same why I do, there will be more views than responses.
Fewer responses can be a good thing. Often times, threads get crowded or hijacked and side-tracked to pointless or irrelevant subjects. If I ask a question, I want an answer. I’d prefer one reply, with correct, valid or useful information than one-hundred replies consisting of people guessing or assuming. If it’s an opinion I’m after, or constructive criticism, anyone if free to chime in, as I do sometimes. But sometimes people don’t have an opinion or don’t have time to form one.
At the end of the day, what does it matter how many views there are, so long as the limited number of replies are worthwhile? Quality, not quantity.
If it’s a repeated question, asked over and over, I don’t reply.
If the thread already has an adequate answer, I don’t reply.
If I don’t know the answer, I don’t reply.
If I have nothing constructive to add, I don’t reply.
If I don’t have an opinion, I don’t reply.
I don’t know if the thread falls into one of the above categories until I view it. If a number of people think the same why I do, there will be more views than responses.
Fewer responses can be a good thing. Often times, threads get crowded or hijacked and side-tracked to pointless or irrelevant subjects. If I ask a question, I want an answer. I’d prefer one reply, with correct, valid or useful information than one-hundred replies consisting of people guessing or assuming. If it’s an opinion I’m after, or constructive criticism, anyone if free to chime in, as I do sometimes. But sometimes people don’t have an opinion or don’t have time to form one.
At the end of the day, what does it matter how many views there are, so long as the limited number of replies are worthwhile? Quality, not quantity.
Thank you for the intelligent response, mad hatter.
Also keep in mind that there are thousands who are not registered forum members who just drop by to glean some information. It's not unusual to see (at the bottom of the thread page):
"Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 62 (3 members and 59 guests)"
"Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 62 (3 members and 59 guests)"
It takes time and effort to reply. No offense but how often have you helped vs reads? Some folks have 5,000+ posts here. You'll find a lot of time newbies ask questions that can be found in 5 seconds using google or doing a search here. Should I spend my time helping these people when they have not even made the effort to do a simple search?
And in Screenwriting or Movie threads we get: please review my work. That takes a lot of time - particularly giving screenwriting advice. Again doing a search here or on google for screenwriting advice, or screenwriting 101 could answer the majority of the screenwriting mistakes newbies make.
I recently did give detailed feedback for a newbie (who asked for feedback) and he took it badly, went off the deep end and started swearing etc. I spent a few hours on that feedback when I could have been doing my own work. He got banned and the thread deleted. So I'm wary giving feedback when someones post count is less than say a 100 or so now... Sad but true.
And in Screenwriting or Movie threads we get: please review my work. That takes a lot of time - particularly giving screenwriting advice. Again doing a search here or on google for screenwriting advice, or screenwriting 101 could answer the majority of the screenwriting mistakes newbies make.
I recently did give detailed feedback for a newbie (who asked for feedback) and he took it badly, went off the deep end and started swearing etc. I spent a few hours on that feedback when I could have been doing my own work. He got banned and the thread deleted. So I'm wary giving feedback when someones post count is less than say a 100 or so now... Sad but true.
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I am not only a lazy f**k, but a DUMB lazy f**k.
No, wait. That ain't right.
Actually I know that everyone one of us here KNOWS the perfect correct answers to EVERY question posed here - we're just holding back.
Nope. Wait. That ain't right either.
I'm gonna go back to my first answer: I am not only a lazy f**k, but a DUMB lazy f**k.
No, wait. That ain't right.
Actually I know that everyone one of us here KNOWS the perfect correct answers to EVERY question posed here - we're just holding back.
Nope. Wait. That ain't right either.
I'm gonna go back to my first answer: I am not only a lazy f**k, but a DUMB lazy f**k.
If you see it as a problem, why don't you contribute more yourself? I see you make the occasional post, though if you're going to complain about forum users being lazy, perhaps the answer is stepping up yourself and being the example you want others to follow?
There are a lot of people who ask questions looking for a magic pill. A simple, easy, lazy solution. You know, filmmaking requires a lot of hard work, knowledge, teamwork and a lot of talent and some users aren't even willing to put in the time to do some basic research first. Often I'm not willing to spoon feed the lowest common denominator who is unwilling to even do a simple forum/google search.
What an absurd provocation. Thoroughly negative, through and through. Just like the majority of (if not all) of your taut posts here on IT so far.
Another self-defeating question. Views
osts ratios is no indicator of the usefulness of the subject to the site users, nor it's 'purpose'. Points have been covered above by previous replies.If you guys dont like it, you can always leave.
This thread is pointless trolling. Have fun everyone!
I, too, wonder what the point of starting a thread is. I’m glad
Mr. Gary has an employee who can address the question.
Your boss signed up on Oct 10 - as of this writing that’s one
week. Perhaps one week is not long enough to get a full
understanding of the forum members here. Some may be
lazy. Some certainly are too busy and many do not reply
due to lack of knowledge on a specific subject.
Having a forum is a good thing - even when not every thread
gets dozens of replies. It’s odd that your boss feels inactivity
negates the purpose of the thread. The purpose of a thread
is to get answers or spark a conversation. The fact that many
people read but do not reply does not negate the purpose of
the thread.
One thing your boss can do is participate more. It’s clear you
and he are here to promote your web site. That’s a good thing.
Ask your boss to stick around for six months. I suspect he will
not respond to threads that he has no knowledge of the subject.
I suspect he will not respond to threads when he is too busy
(but he could sent you to reply). I suspect he will not respond
to threads when he’s a little lazy (but again he has you to pick
up the slack). Give the forum a chance, learn about the regulars,
your boss (and you) may fully understand the reasons.
I look forward to you and your boss participating more on these
forums.
No.
Dude are you for real?
I can only speak for myself really but I have found the vast majority of members on this site to be the very opposite of busy, lazy or self-absorbed, and the knowledge shared in these forums has been fantastic. Instead of looking to criticise others perhaps you need to look at the way you're phrasing your questions (that is if you're not happy with the responses you're getting) This thread for example comes across as very negative and a little insulting.
On the plus side, look at all the responses you've gotten to this thread. Probably none better than this one from A.D...
I found this one quite educational....
Are you new to the internet?
Once you get a community of more than a few people (maybe a dozen or two) you start to get a power-law distribution of contribution vs. consumption. There are plenty of explanations in the replies here, but it simply comes down to the fact that there's a couple orders of magnitude more time & effort required to contribute than to read, so that naturally filters most people into the consumption-only side. That doesn't mean they're lazy; it means they probably just don't have the time - a fixed resource for each individual which is under increasing demand.