Read or skim? What do YOU do?

[skyler]

Sometimes I read a thread and find that a lot of people reply and change what the main post was refering to. So, I was wondering..

How many of you actually read the whole first post, understand it, and then reply?
OR
How many of you just skim through, assume what the question or post is about, and then reply?

This isn't meant to make anyone defensive or feel attacked. It's just curiosity. :)
I wasn't sure where to put this.. sorry in advance if it has to be moved!

[Strega Del Vento]

I make it a point to read the whole post, let it sink in, and then reply.

[Dove]

*laughing*

Well I'm sure that when I read a person's post,
And then replay to it ...
I'm replying to what I genuinely "believe" it to be about.

Yes ...
I DO read the complete post (s) before I reply.
I reply to what I think the post is saying.

But two lines of thought / frustration here ...

I think that often, what a person posts,
Misrepresents what they actually wanted to say.
So others end up posting to other then what the poster had intended.

I also think that our own unique personalities are going to colour what we read,
And so "how" we respond.

But I'm sure that No One ever responds to a post,
Purposefully ignoring the true content.

[DocBruce]

I read it through so that I can at least sound like I know what the hell I'm talking about. :hahugh:

[skyler]

*laughing*

Well I'm sure that when I read a person's post,
And then replay to it ...
I'm replying to what I genuinely "believe" it to be about.

Yes ...
I DO read the complete post (s) before I reply.
I reply to what I think the post is saying.

But two lines of thought / frustration here ...

I think that often, what a person posts,
Misrepresents what they actually wanted to say.
So others end up posting to other then what the poster had intended.

I also think that our own unique personalities are going to colour what we read,
And so "how" we respond.

But I'm sure that No One ever responds to a post,
Purposefully ignoring the true content.

Oh, I understand that of course. It's their personal opinion about the topic.

But, what I'm refering to is when I've read a thread where the person asks a very clear, simple question and someone replies with something completely unrelated.
So, I'm left wondering if this person actually read the question or they just read a few sentences and assumed what it was about. :hmmmmm:

[EponaCapaill]

Sometimes I read too quickly and respond incorrectly, but usually I read the entire post, then respond.

ETA: Love your avatar by the way :hahugh:

[WokeUpDead]

Skim, assume, anwer. Like I just did now. I answered the poll before reading the first post.

[Rudas Starblaze]

i always read all of it and make sure i understand it before posting,,, but sometimes i like to change the meaning just for laughs!

[Flaire-FireStar]

I read the first post, and skim some answers unless I find an in-depth discussion going on, in which case I read back and figure out what's already been said so I don't repeat anything. In the end, possibly offering a different view.

[Xentor]

I skim.

And I just changed the thread title.

[skyler]

I skim.

And I just changed the thread title.

Thanks. :)
I wanted to change it after I posted it.

[Calen]

Generally, I read the original post twice so I know what they mean, read at least one oage of the other responses, and then post myself.

[Crystal_Raye]

If it really interests me then I soak up every word.

[Mistress_Ravenshadow]

i skim through posts and if they catch my eye i will then read it properly before i post my reply.. if there are already alot of replies i sometimes tend to skim through those.. although sometimes if i am very tired even when i do read the whole post i have been known to totally miss the point of it and make myself look dopey lol

[jetzige]

If the post doesn't mean enough to me to read, then I'm not going to answer it either.

That doesn't mean that I respond to every thread I read or even find interesting. Sometimes people have already given a smiliar answer to what I would say or I just don't feel like I have anything to add.

[MoonDust]

skim. I'm a skimmer

[Koehnae]

I tend to read the original post all the way through, but I'll skim the responses unless the discussion is of particular interest to me.

[Bec_W]

Sometimes I read the whole thing, sometimes I only skim, usually when I'm skim I'm only have interested in the topic anyway...

[Brenda]

I usually read the whole thread, except when it's too long, like more than 4 pages or something. Then I just read the first and the last post :rollingla

[Galaxia]

Ω

[DragonMan58]

I seem totally unable to skim successfully, never have done, so I read the posts, but bale out on some part way through if I'm not really interested.


So I understand that I've read all the words, but I do sometimes respond with what I think I feel from what I've read, rather than from what I understand the poster to have meant. In other words, I'm with Dove on this one. Many people, me included, write something that expresses what they think they feel, but can express something totally different to someone else, without being misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Basically, without the utmost care and attention, any written language, without the benefit of body language and intonation, can be so ambiguous. But, then, who wants to spend all their life writing reams of exact and precise English to have most readers submit after 3 sentences because it has no soul.

Its a trade off, and we just need to be aware, when someone seems to have misunderstood, that this is possible and, if its important, to try to clarify what you meant, rather than get into an argument about it. I'd better stop now before you all glaze over!:bouncybob

[skyler]

I'm going to answer my own question here.. :D

If I decide I want to add my opinion to a thread or answer someone's question.. I think it's pretty important to read the first post (what the person wants to know) completely and fully understand what they're asking. So, I picked the first. I read it, understand it and answer it.

I do skim through a thread's first post sometimes when I'm not really interested.. but in those cases, I never add anything.

[Haruka2077]

I read the whole post thoroughly. It's one of my pet peeves to see people who start stupid arguements simply because they didn't take the time to read something carefully. But then, my hubby claims I have "reading superpowers"! :abanana:

[Sionnach le Fey]

I read through carefully, and then post away :)

[Imbrium]

If I'm going to respond to a post I usually take the time to read it. There is the rare occasion though, that the poster really wanted to excersise his and/or her typing fingers, and made the post so long that reading it becomes a practice in patience...Then I start skimming, just to make sure that all of the information is relevant to the topic.

[halfwaynowhere]

well, i skim posts first, then if i find it interesting, or if its something i can relate to or have something to say about it, i'll read it fully, then i'll post my reply, but i usually skip to the last page of comments first to make sure i don't repeat anything thats already been said, or say something else pretty stupid..

[Jenne]

Meh...I do both, depending on time/interest in topic. LOL

[ApollaJade]

I read all of the first post and make sure I understand it, then skim through the rest of the thread unless something interests me.

[Pandoras]

I read the original post and all the subsequent responses. It's one of the reasons I generally stay away from threads that have a lot of pages.

[spirit wind]

I always make sure I read at least the first few posts. I feel that people have put time and effort [well mostly] into putting their thoughts out there so I should at least put a bit of time and effort into my reply, if there is one.

[shadowkiss]

*shrug* a little bit of both i guess.... i never really payed that much attention to be honest