JohnRich 4 #1 February 3, 2004 One of the things that irks me about this forum, is the propensity of many participants to start new threads using a thread title which provides no clue as to the topic of the messages inside the thread. For example, here are some current thread titles, which fit this category:"A Week Ago..." "O.A.R.?" "Can You Read..." "So, what do you believe?" "If you could..."Oh yeah, and the numerous "Help" threads which don't bother to mention what they want help with. This annoys me, because it collectively takes up a great deal of time to open up many threads, only to find out that they are about some subject matter in which I have no interest. On the other hand, I enjoy reading many of the topics, and if I just skip over all of these types of thread titles, I end up missing out on some good information and debates. And it would also be beneficial for the people creating these threads, because by being specific with the thread title, the people who would otherwise skip over them, will be more likely to enter the thread and contribute something. So, I would like to urge everyone, when starting new threads, to create meaningful thread titles, which actually represent the message content. If more people would do this, we would all have more time to concentrate on the things we really want to see in this wonderful forum. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerryfuss 0 #2 February 3, 2004 why don't you read the " A week ago ..." thread. if you do I doubt you will be bitching about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #3 February 3, 2004 Quotewhy don't you read the " A week ago ..." thread. if you do I doubt you will be bitching about it. I'm not "bitching" about anybody's right to post anything they want, in any way they want. If people want to post meaningless thread titles, they are free to do so, regardless of my wishes. But taking that message for example, I would have skipped right over it without entering to read, just because the thread title was insufficient to grab my attention. And even if I had entered, I might have just noticed the first couple sentences, which talked about his trip to a wind tunnel. At that point, I could have decided that I don't need to read another wind tunnel thread, and exited. But if I had done either of those things, I would have missed the more dramatic, touching and deeper message which followed. Given all that, I think it would be more appropriate to give that thread a title something like "I almost lost my son!" That way, the actual content would be clear to everyone, and all readers could make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to enter and read that potentially upsetting subject matter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #4 February 3, 2004 so you're insisting people compensate for your limited attention span? if you don't like the thread titles, don't read em. your choice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #5 February 3, 2004 Well..the title of this one is MEANINGLESS __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #6 February 3, 2004 Quoteso you're insisting people compensate for your limited attention span? if you don't like the thread titles, don't read em. your choice. First, I'm not "insisting" upon anything. I'm making a suggestion. No one is obligated to follow my suggestion. I'm not a moderator, and have no power to enforce any rules or suggestions. Second, limited attention span has nothing to do with it. It does have to do with maximizing the time I have available to read messages in which I am interested. And I think that applies to all forum participants, not just me. Finally, you are at least correct about the "choice". When I'm crimped for time, I'm going to skip over meaningless thread titles, in order to concentrate on those which actually sound interesting to me. I don't think that I'm alone in this strategy. So, if message posters are hoping for maximum viewing readership of their messages, they would be wise to keep this in mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #7 February 3, 2004 So many of them have thread drift anyway.. its kind of pointless... such as the Less Government Thomas Paine ones you guys turned into yet another pro-con gun thread that just beats the dead horses till only the vultures could love them. I have tried to stay away from the gun threads..and trying to stay away from the political threads.. and I guess I should stay away from the religious threads as well since people have their beliefs and will never change those as well. So Mr just suck it up and read the crap with the rest of us or dont bother opening up Talk Back. I am sure that would make SM1 alot more happy since he would not have to read more of it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkydiveMonkey 0 #8 February 3, 2004 Quote "Can You Read..." I skipped that one for sure. Totally meaningless title ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bobsled92 0 #9 February 3, 2004 I agree with some that are like that game.... "I went to a picinic a I brought an:(A) Apple (B) Book (C) Cotton ball (D) Dumb thread I have my own view on things as an extremist (and Not meaning a sugar high kid that love MTV) I like to read thread but only start one when it's a major impact or "Share Worthy"(something the Masses would like) type of subjects or items (e.g. new gear)._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites crapflinger2000 1 #10 February 3, 2004 Clearly you hate people from China. Shame on you. __________________________________________________ What would Vic Mackey do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnRich 4 #11 February 3, 2004 QuoteQuote "Can You Read..." I skipped that one for sure. Totally meaningless title Yep, that's a good example of a time-waster. I don't even know why someone would be interested in posting text in a white color. It should be obvious that white text is unreadable to almost all viewers. A more appropriate thread title could have been: "Can you read white text?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkydiveMonkey 0 #12 February 3, 2004 Quote . I don't even know why someone would be interested in posting text in a white color I don't even know why people bitch about titles but they do edit: and just for reference, I posted that because I was talking with someone on AOL about how I could read these "subliminal" messages but they couldn't. it was a test. ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites diablopilot 2 #13 February 3, 2004 see THIS ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites freeflir29 0 #14 February 3, 2004 Quote"O.A.R.?" I titled it that way so that only someone that knew what it was would read and respond. My thinking was that if you didn't know what it was you would just skip it. I see curiosity can still kill the cat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites champu 1 #15 February 3, 2004 Well, "O.A.R." is the name of a band. If I wrote "The Cure" as the title of the thread and you'd never heard of them, I'm sure as a title it would be meaningless to you, if not altogether misleading. But despite that exception, I have to agree. I understand people get excited about posting a new thread. But it really wouldn't be the end of you to spend a few more seconds in that subject box, rather than just using it to hold the first three words of your post. I guess the subject line has just become the wrapping paper to the thread and you have to tear it off to figure out what's inside. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites McDuck 0 #16 February 3, 2004 I tend to skim just about everything, but only respond every now and then...mainly because I have less and less to say these days. Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28 "I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Muenkel 0 #17 February 3, 2004 I'll save you some time, only read threads started by Stanley the Clown or CrazyThomas. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites b1jercat 0 #18 February 3, 2004 How about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. blue skies jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skydyvr 0 #19 February 3, 2004 QuoteHow about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. Yea, nobody was able to get within a cubic fortnight of proving that thread title wrong -- what a waste of time. . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnRich 4 #20 February 3, 2004 QuoteHow about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may not have cared for that thread, but at least you knew from the title, what the messages were going to be all about, before entering. So if you chose to enter anyway, then you can't say that you were "tricked" into going there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites gerryfuss 0 #21 February 3, 2004 What's that old saying, "Don't judge a thread by it's title" , or was it book by it's cover? hmmmm... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airdweller 0 #22 February 3, 2004 > This annoys me< God for bid anyone should annoy poor johnrich >If more people would do this, we would all have more time to concentrate on the things we really want to see in this wonderful forum.< you mean like skydiving topics------------------------------------------------------ "From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" C. Montgomery Burns Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnRich 4 #23 February 3, 2004 Quoteyou mean like skydiving topics If you are looking for skydiving topics, then what are you doing reading a thread in the "Talk Back" forum, which is dedicated exclusively to non-skydiving topics? God forbid that skydivers dare to get together and talk about things other than skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites caress 0 #24 February 3, 2004 John, You and Airdweller have been on this forum for almost the same amount of time. You must admit, that DZ.Com has gone through so many changes since that time. There was a time when you were all leary of new comers, and a lot more, well skydiving oriented in talk back. altleast that is how the talk back situation has been explained to me by someone who has been on here about the same amount of time that you and Airdweller have been here. I just thought I'd point that out, even though you are right talk back has been designated for non-skydiving discussions. Please remember everybody, we are suppose to be a family here and we should be nice and respectful of one another.-Caress I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Antithesis 0 #25 February 4, 2004 Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I travel the land, Work in the ocean, Play in the sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. 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SkydiveMonkey 0 #8 February 3, 2004 Quote "Can You Read..." I skipped that one for sure. Totally meaningless title ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #9 February 3, 2004 I agree with some that are like that game.... "I went to a picinic a I brought an:(A) Apple (B) Book (C) Cotton ball (D) Dumb thread I have my own view on things as an extremist (and Not meaning a sugar high kid that love MTV) I like to read thread but only start one when it's a major impact or "Share Worthy"(something the Masses would like) type of subjects or items (e.g. new gear)._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crapflinger2000 1 #10 February 3, 2004 Clearly you hate people from China. Shame on you. __________________________________________________ What would Vic Mackey do? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #11 February 3, 2004 QuoteQuote "Can You Read..." I skipped that one for sure. Totally meaningless title Yep, that's a good example of a time-waster. I don't even know why someone would be interested in posting text in a white color. It should be obvious that white text is unreadable to almost all viewers. A more appropriate thread title could have been: "Can you read white text?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #12 February 3, 2004 Quote . I don't even know why someone would be interested in posting text in a white color I don't even know why people bitch about titles but they do edit: and just for reference, I posted that because I was talking with someone on AOL about how I could read these "subliminal" messages but they couldn't. it was a test. ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #13 February 3, 2004 see THIS ---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #14 February 3, 2004 Quote"O.A.R.?" I titled it that way so that only someone that knew what it was would read and respond. My thinking was that if you didn't know what it was you would just skip it. I see curiosity can still kill the cat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #15 February 3, 2004 Well, "O.A.R." is the name of a band. If I wrote "The Cure" as the title of the thread and you'd never heard of them, I'm sure as a title it would be meaningless to you, if not altogether misleading. But despite that exception, I have to agree. I understand people get excited about posting a new thread. But it really wouldn't be the end of you to spend a few more seconds in that subject box, rather than just using it to hold the first three words of your post. I guess the subject line has just become the wrapping paper to the thread and you have to tear it off to figure out what's inside. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McDuck 0 #16 February 3, 2004 I tend to skim just about everything, but only respond every now and then...mainly because I have less and less to say these days. Kevin - Sonic Beef #5 - OrFun #28 "I never take myself too seriously, 'cuz everybody know fat birds don't fly." - FLC Online communities: proof that people never mature much past high school. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #17 February 3, 2004 I'll save you some time, only read threads started by Stanley the Clown or CrazyThomas. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b1jercat 0 #18 February 3, 2004 How about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. blue skies jerry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #19 February 3, 2004 QuoteHow about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. Yea, nobody was able to get within a cubic fortnight of proving that thread title wrong -- what a waste of time. . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #20 February 3, 2004 QuoteHow about "Gun Laws Don't Work" what a useless thread that turned out to be. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may not have cared for that thread, but at least you knew from the title, what the messages were going to be all about, before entering. So if you chose to enter anyway, then you can't say that you were "tricked" into going there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gerryfuss 0 #21 February 3, 2004 What's that old saying, "Don't judge a thread by it's title" , or was it book by it's cover? hmmmm... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdweller 0 #22 February 3, 2004 > This annoys me< God for bid anyone should annoy poor johnrich >If more people would do this, we would all have more time to concentrate on the things we really want to see in this wonderful forum.< you mean like skydiving topics------------------------------------------------------ "From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" C. Montgomery Burns Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #23 February 3, 2004 Quoteyou mean like skydiving topics If you are looking for skydiving topics, then what are you doing reading a thread in the "Talk Back" forum, which is dedicated exclusively to non-skydiving topics? God forbid that skydivers dare to get together and talk about things other than skydiving. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
caress 0 #24 February 3, 2004 John, You and Airdweller have been on this forum for almost the same amount of time. You must admit, that DZ.Com has gone through so many changes since that time. There was a time when you were all leary of new comers, and a lot more, well skydiving oriented in talk back. altleast that is how the talk back situation has been explained to me by someone who has been on here about the same amount of time that you and Airdweller have been here. I just thought I'd point that out, even though you are right talk back has been designated for non-skydiving discussions. Please remember everybody, we are suppose to be a family here and we should be nice and respectful of one another.-Caress I've learned.... That being kind is more important than being right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Antithesis 0 #25 February 4, 2004 Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I travel the land, Work in the ocean, Play in the sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
