Three Bad Ways Of Replying
[B]1.[/b] A reply which doesn't make proper use of the quote function.
I'm typing up these comments for a reason, and I want you to put the effort into at least making it look like you're trying to address the points I'm making. So quote me, and break what I say down into more manageable chunks so that you decrease the risk of digressing or missing something important.
This should be [I]quid pro quo[/i]. If I do it in my reply to your comment, then I expect the same in return.
[B]2.[/b] A reply which is too lengthy.
Whatever you're saying, you can probably say it in less words and you might even benefit from cutting out certain parts altogether. Sometimes particularly lengthy replies are necessary, but often they're not. Don't ramble. Be succinct. Remain on point.
[B]3.[/b] A reply which doesn't make proper use of the quote function [I]and[/i] is too lengthy.
These replies are worse than a reply which is only bad in one of the two ways above.
I'm typing up these comments for a reason, and I want you to put the effort into at least making it look like you're trying to address the points I'm making. So quote me, and break what I say down into more manageable chunks so that you decrease the risk of digressing or missing something important.
This should be [I]quid pro quo[/i]. If I do it in my reply to your comment, then I expect the same in return.
[B]2.[/b] A reply which is too lengthy.
Whatever you're saying, you can probably say it in less words and you might even benefit from cutting out certain parts altogether. Sometimes particularly lengthy replies are necessary, but often they're not. Don't ramble. Be succinct. Remain on point.
[B]3.[/b] A reply which doesn't make proper use of the quote function [I]and[/i] is too lengthy.
These replies are worse than a reply which is only bad in one of the two ways above.
Comments (13)
Overusage of the quote function can also be bad though. One should avoid to take posts apart sentence by sentence, because that can cause you to miss the forest for the trees.
Yes, overuse of the quote function can also be bad. And in general, yes, a single sentence here and there can work, but typically quoting in chunks or paragraphs is better. Though long paragraphs can warrant being broken up, and especially excessively long paragraphs.
4. If you can't follow these S rules and thus by habit become associated with what is S "bad", you can still post in the Lounge.
Just make sure you poke S with a stick now and then.
What's good for the reply is good for the post. Pretend you are being charged by the word.
I ought to vow ABSOLUTE SILENCE on that account. (9 pennies).
And if time is also money... (5 pennies + y seconds)
(Parenthetically closed words ought to be charged at a different rate)
Well I'm fucked.
That is not always possible. The quote function on this platform is unreliable and intermittently fails in some combinations of browsers and operating systems.
So one cannot know, when looking at a post that does not quote correctly, whether it was because of a knowledge failure or a system failure. Since charity is an important principle in philosophy, I default to assuming the latter.
Yes. Effort is the key in addressing points being made. And I am not just talking about use of quotes here. In 'bad ways of replying', there is more to be said.
In another thread about being Addicted to the forum:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/4950/addicted-to-the-philosophy-forum
'I create many discussions that I don't even get involved in. I bombard this forum with discussions and it probably annoys some people. I don't even read what people write most of the time, I just skim through their posts. Most of the time, I don't even understand what people say. Some people have said that I should try to improve my concentration, but improving my concentration and reading comprehension has proven to be very difficult for me, almost impossible. So I really don't see me getting much out of this forum'.
It is understandable that some people might not have the required attention span for whatever reason.
Some ask others to be patient with them because they are 'slow'.
I think this can often be used as an excuse for laziness in not following through with care.
It is disappointing and discouraging when the quality, interested posters spend time and effort in making their responses as clear, concise, and understandable as they can - and what do they get in return ?
Sometimes hostile accusations and personal attack.
A feeling that they are not even being read, or that a serious text discussion has been reduced to a mere whim...
Apologies if I have taken your words and run off at a tangent. Actually, no I'm not.
It needed saying...
[ So this thread has been moved to Feedback which can hardly be seen...
So, talking about feedback. The layout of this forum is confusing when threads are moved from the main page. Almost instantly. I think they should be given more of a chance to be read by people just clicking on. Oh, never mind...I may have got that wrong...
'All discussions' section is a misnomer. It does not include 'All discussions'.
Jeez :roll: ]
Not to interrupt, but I agree that overuse is badQuoting S
Yeah, that's what I was saying.
And define 'bad'.