RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Mart 'n' Al on Monday 04 March 19 10:57 GMT (UK)
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This is just a suggestion but I think it's a good one. Quite often I see that people make a comment and then another comment and another comment in the space of about 2 or 3 minutes. This makes the thread difficult to follow, and it might help if people were encouraged to modify (click the MODIFY button) their first comment when they want to add further information, rather than making multiple consecutive and contiguous comments. I know some people probably just want to increase their comment count but I thought I'd suggest it.
It makes a comment thread so much more readable. No reply necessary.
Martin
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When I modify a post I note that I have done so. I modify to ADD live links or to sort out grammar or typos.
I also will make a separate post if introducing new thoughts.
I usually type up my posts in word and copy that across into Rchats dialogue box after I have read it ...
I dont like it when I reply to a thread with some replies and then afterwards I discover that my reply is duplicating a post because there has been changes made to replies .... undocumented ....
I am not sure there is anyone who is actually concerned about how many posts a person makes and if there is, then I am happy for mine to be reset to 0....
But I see no benefit in encouraging additional paragraphs being added to an existing post.
JM 1 finger typing from e reader.
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I have just read through some posts and once you have 3000 you go pink and stay pink for ever more .... seems to be the only difference between 2999 and 50000 ....
JM
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majm, I appreciated your wit!
Martin
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On the other hand, IF there was a red warning alert if posting that a post you had already read had been modified AFTER you had read it, well that may overcome some issues .... and allow the next poster to avoid duplicating or triplicating ....
JM
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If you check how many RChatters are online you can see who is pink, and who is turning pink and moderators have their colour, and etc.
JM
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If they get the alert!
Using opera I have never had any of the issues that I notice other RC'ers mention but what I don't get are the alerts that whilst you are typing someone else has also posted a reply - often meaning that I have seemingly duplicated a post but unknowingly in my case.
I'm not sure therefore that I would get any alert about a modified post.
Pheno
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I'll shut up in future. It seemed a good idea. Some forums actually frown on or even forbid replying to your own post. My self-confidence has been set back decades. I will call crawl back under my rock.
Martin
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I would say that it depends on the thread, and what is being posted as to whether multiple posts one after another makes the thread difficult to read.
Sometimes small posts can have more impact than one long post containing multiple (important) points or comments which can tend to get lost.
For example, if you are asking numerous questions, which you often need to do to extract further information, I find that some questions are often overlooked, and often it is necessary to re-ask in order to get your question answered. In cases like this, I think that one question at a time can be beneficial, as each question can be answered in turn.
As JM says, it can get confusing, and with posts which are later modified, those additional comments can be missed. Modifying a post also means that the post needs to be re-read to find that added information if it is not added to the bottom of the post and noted as having been added later.
In summary, I think it depends what is being said or asked, and who is doing the saying or asking, as to what is the best method. I honestly doubt that anyone makes many small posts to increase their post count. What would be the point in that? :-\
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Martin, there's nothing wrong with it as an idea and I wasn't being critical just not sure that it would benefit me - but I may be one on my own in not getting the alerts so may be applicable to all the others.
Keep the ideas coming.
Pheno
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but I may be one on my own in not getting the alerts
Which alerts are you referring to?
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Martin, you are not to shut up, without fresh thoughts we are all stale.... and could end up as rejected fodder for weevils...
Keep offering solutions and your name will turn fully pink.
JM
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but I may be one on my own in not getting the alerts
Which alerts are you referring to?
Those red ones that pop up whilst you are typing a reply to a post to say that someone else has posted whilst you are typing.
I did used to get them in the very beginning but not for at least a couple of years now.
Pheno
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Those pop-ups do still occur.
Martin
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Apart from correcting a typo, I only modify posts if I come up with additional information almost immediately, and if no one else has posted after me. If another post has already followed mine I then make a new one. That prevents chatters missing the amendment and wasting time looking for information already provided.
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Jebber, that seems perfect common sense to me.
Throughout my life if ever I've seen a possible improvement to a system I've always been prepared to suggest it, even though sometimes the idea gets shot down.
About 10 years ago I worked with a girl who used to type the same 16 email addresses every morning, to send the daily update to 16 colleagues. I noticed her her doing this, and tried to suggest that either she could revise the previous day's email, save the email addresses to her address book, or best of all, create a group address. She turned to me and said, "I like doing it this way.". I didn't make any more suggestions to her.
Martin
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I think perhaps Martin was referring to examples where someone makes a lot of small postings in rapid succession with no replies in between. In cases like this I often wonder why they don't marshall all the information first and then make one or two longer postings.
Otherwise I agree that posts shouldn't be modified after replies have been made, because the modification could well be missed.
This has happened to me. In a few cases its been clear that the person concerned, having realised they'd made some sort of error, has gone back and completely altered the text of their reply. I'd have more regard for them if they'd admitted that their reply was incorrect rather than doing a furtive edit.
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Agh Martin, that lass reminds me of another lass, 1973ish ... worked for several of us as PA in our office .... she was asked to check some figures .... all were $ amounts to be discounted by 25% .... she came to me asking to borrow my calculator .... oh dear .... I was a slide rule nerd ... but I asked if I could help ... in her view her machine was broken ... stuck .... she kept getting $25 as the answer .... as in finding 25% of $100 .... we managed to transfer her to the typing pool and she became an excellent telex machine operator
Sorry for the diversion
JM
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I think perhaps Martin was referring to examples where someone makes a lot of small postings in rapid succession with no replies in between. In cases like this I often wonder why they don't marshall all the information first and then make one or two longer postings.
Otherwise I agree that posts shouldn't be modified after replies have been made, because the modification could well be missed.
This has happened to me. In a few cases its been clear that the person concerned, having realised they'd made some sort of error, has gone back and completely altered the text of their reply. I'd have more regard for them if they'd admitted that their reply was incorrect rather than doing a furtive edit.
See my next post ;D
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JenB, 100%. I really despair when people type something, and then overwrite it with deletion characters, and still post the comment rather than totally remove the deletion. I think that makes sense.
I worked in IT my whole career and I strongly believe in passing on ideas that have been successful elsewhere. I've worked with people of all sorts of abilities, both educationally and physically, and I just try to make things easy for the majority. I'm very aware that you can't please all the people all the time.
Martin
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Yes,
Totally wiping out their original words, replacing them with info that may be in later posts by several posters ... and which contradicts their original words ... and if you mention it ....
JM must log out, after midnight here and our visitors arrive in the morning.
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Yes,
Totally wiping out their original words, replacing them with info that may be in later posts by several posters ... and which contradicts their original words ... and if you mention it ....
If I notice I do make a specific point of mentioning it.
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There was a woman on another forum that I used to frequent who was very .... forthright with her opinions. She was a condescending know-it-all type, but she was also sometimes wrong. She would of course never admit to being wrong, that sort never do.
She was a past master at going back to her post and making alterations to it, so that the context of any responses was lost, and the replies then seemed to make little sense.
I soon learned never to reply to her without quoting the full text of her post, so that she couldn't change what she'd written without revealing her dishonesty.
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I am not sure it is deliberate dishonesty,perhaps the poster did not notice something even when they read through their posts before posting.
Also when you read through you sometimes see how your comments could be misconstrued and then things can get a bit ,er difficult. ::)
To avoid that I alter as soon as I can so plead guilty .
But a valid point , Mart.
Viktoria.
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I think the machine gun approach - numerous small posts sent in rapid succession - is generally taken by those who take RootsChat to be a competitive sport. The goal is to overwhelm the 'opposition.' I don't even bother to participate on threads where that is happening. While I'm trying to compose a coherent post that takes into account several censuses and other records, someone else has engaged in a rapid blitzkrieg of mini-posts.
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If we are joining in with our little pet annoyances, I might add those people who rather unnecessarily add two or three column inches to all their posts, just telling us all the families they are interested in or connected with. I'm sure it could be done more economically, especially if they post several times in one thread .... ???
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If we are joining in with our little pet annoyances, I might add those people who rather unnecessarily add two or three column inches to all their posts, just telling us all the families they are interested in or connected with. I'm sure it could be done more economically, especially if they post several times in one thread .... ???
That's easily dealt with. Go to your profile/look and layout then check 'Don't show users' signatures' and you won't see them any more. You also can do the same thing with avatars. I've got them both turned off.
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That's easily dealt with. Go to your profile/look and layout then check 'Don't show users' signatures' and you won't see them any more. You also can do the same thing with avatars. I've got them both turned off.
Thanks for that JenB. I wasn't really getting at anyone in particular - it just happened that Erato's post was immediately above :D. It means more scrolling of the screen, that's all.
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If I make a small change to a post I've made, I usually type the word EDIT: . . leaving the original untouched (maybe a
strikeout . .)
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If, when I've posted I glance at it and realise I've made a typographic error, then I'll modify the entry. Often I might be in the lovely situation of being able to give a bit of help to someone who has put a post up, and then I post my "bit". I might then be continuing to research for that post, and if I come upon something else, then I put it in as a new reply - in my view less confusing than modifying/ adding to my earlier response.
I'm certainly not trying to add to any total number of posts managed, can't see why anyone would want to. Noticing the number of posts by someone may help you to consider that if it's reasonably high, that person may be experienced, and if the number is very low that they may be a newcomer and/or a beginner.
TY
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I am not sure it is deliberate dishonesty,perhaps the poster did not notice something even when they read through their posts before posting.
Also when you read through you sometimes see how your comments could be misconstrued and then things can get a bit ,er difficult. ::)
To avoid that I alter as soon as I can so plead guilty .
But a valid point , Mart.
Viktoria.
Take it from me, the individual I spoke of was being deliberately deceitful in order to save her face. It also made those who had responded look foolish.
An honest person would post again conceding that they had been wrong or bowing to someone with greater knowledge, but not this individual.
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An honest person would post again conceding that they had been wrong
Quite right!
This has happened to me. In a few cases its been clear that the person concerned, having realised they'd made some sort of error, has gone back and completely altered the text of their reply. I'd have more regard for them if they'd admitted that their reply was incorrect rather than doing a furtive edit.
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Yes,
Totally wiping out their original words, replacing them with info that may be in later posts by several posters ... and which contradicts their original words ... and if you mention it ....
If I notice I do make a specific point of mentioning it.
I just dont understand why those making those changes that change the meaning/info/focus etc actually are interested in helping family history enquiries .... is it because we are being targetted because we choose to be un-named volunteers .... do they also behave in same way with their immediate family or workmates or neighbours .... I also make comment on the thread ....
It is easy to make typos ... eg 2019 instaead of 1819, its the changing ...adding entire paragraphs or adding/removing just one word ... eg 'not'
JM
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An honest person would post again conceding that they had been wrong
Quite right!
This has happened to me. In a few cases its been clear that the person concerned, having realised they'd made some sort of error, has gone back and completely altered the text of their reply. I'd have more regard for them if they'd admitted that their reply was incorrect rather than doing a furtive edit.
Thanks, Jen, you get it.
I'd like to make it clear that I was not referring to anyone posting on Rootschat. It was a person on another forum (and not a family history forum).
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Hi everyone,
Everyone's comments on post changing I find of an interest. My own comments / thoughts on the matter are on the person posting. He / she wants the post to reach for help from the person who could lead / give them the best possible information / answer of what their post ask's for. I think probably it's happened to quite a few of us at some time or another, once posted the person who has posted thinks he should have added extra?, worded differently?, or should have asked in a different way??. I found this out from when I first started my research, and hopefully I put my post's on now that will reach the person who will be able to help me with my posting request's. ???
Newbie's coming onto Rootschat are and do firstly come into my thoughts. To me it depend's thinking on if that you have the right board and secondly if you have worded it correctly. I believe once you start to have these thoughts, and start to alter, add extra it can bring in confusion to your answer that is needed. An answer to your posting, could be leading you into going away from what the poster requests / wants in information??.
I have found the people on Rootschat very helpfull. I find it quite amazing of what area's of subjects? / knowledge that the people cover on Rootschat.
I still, after nearly 20 years of research class myself as a bit of a newbie with Family History. Some people may think otherwise as to my alternative headed name. A lot of us individually know the ups and downs that comes from when we all first start with working on our past. It is never ever going to be an easy ride. Times especially when you realise that there is a mistake that you have made in your family line and it totally wreck' s all the work / results that you have achieved. ( I'm sure it's helped to why I have become a skinhead in my later years of life as I had a full head of hair before I started ?? )
I'll sign off on this now. Rootschat holds a lot of helpful people with a lot of knowledge. Ask with as much info. that you may have and want help with. There are not many posts that get unanswered and looked at. Appreciate greatly what Rootschat is. Happy Hunting, Best Regards to all, Brickwall Demolisher
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A "brickwall demolisher" could be just what I need.... but I'm afraid I'd simply be scrabbling in loads of rubble, my brickwalls seem to have been erected in the very earliest 1800s!
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This is just a suggestion but I think it's a good one. Quite often I see that people make a comment and then another comment and another comment in the space of about 2 or 3 minutes. This makes the thread difficult to follow, and it might help if people were encouraged to modify (click the MODIFY button) their first comment when they want to add further information, rather than making multiple consecutive and contiguous comments. I know some people probably just want to increase their comment count but I thought I'd suggest it.
It makes a comment thread so much more readable. No reply necessary.
Martin
Where is the MODIFY button? Every time I want to modify one of my posts (make a spelling correction or to indicate it's complete) I never see the MODIFY button.
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Where is the MODIFY button? Every time I want to modify one of my posts (make a spelling correction or to indicate it's complete) I never see the MODIFY button.
You only get 24 hours to modify your post. You need to be logged in. I will be back shortly with a snip of the modify button
JM
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attaching snip .... on my post it is top right hand corner...
JM
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Where is the MODIFY button? Every time I want to modify one of my posts (make a spelling correction or to indicate it's complete) I never see the MODIFY button.
You can indicate it's completed by using the 'Topic completed' button at the bottom of the page :)
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It's getting the "unnotify" to actually DO that that I find erratic.
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To clarify CarolA3's comment I think you only see the topic completed button at the bottom of the page on threads that you have started. It means you can't close somebody else's topic.
Martin
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If you look at the question I was answering, it was (edited version) 'I want to modify one of my posts ............ to indicate it's complete'.
Surely no-one would want to close other people's topics ???
Carol