Poll: How do you read huge forum threads?

[tippy2k2]

I will read through every reply if I'm interested but I very very rarely post in the thread if it's more than one page long (hell, 21st post is nearing my threshold of when I'll post). Nine times out of ten, someone has already stated my opinion by then and we don't need a bunch of echos in the thread...

...not to mention I'm an attention whore.

...PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!!

 

[bobmus]

I will read through every reply if I'm interested but I very very rarely post in the thread if it's more than one page long (hell, 21st post is nearing my threshold of when I'll post). Nine times out of ten, someone has already stated my opinion by then and we don't need a bunch of echos in the thread...

...not to mention I'm an attention whore.

...PAY ATTENTION TO ME!!!!!!!

tippy echoes my views very thoroughly, and in a case like this I'd normally say 'Hey, my opinion has already been stated, and in a manner of equal or greater eloquence than I would have achieved' and leave.
However, seeing as this is a meta-thread, and tippy demands attention, I will post to agree with what he said. Posts for the Posts God.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I'll read the OP and if I find that interesting I'll read the first page or two of posts to see how the conversation is developing. If I'm still interested at that point, I'll read the last page or two of posts and then decide if I want to participate. It's pretty rare for me to read anything but the OP in extreme detail though unless I find a post I want to reply to.

 

[Fiery Killer]

Unless it's a subject where I REALLY want to read about it, usually I just read the first page to get a sense of the subject, then read the last page before replying to posts or posting my opinion

 

[Kae]

I usually don't post in large threads because I read all of the comments and normally somebody said what I was going to say before I did, no point on saying the same thing all over again.
Most of the time when I comment on a large thread when it's gotten really long is because I made a comment when it wasn't long and somebody quoted me, though that doesn't happen often, some times I do find that rare time when nobody has said what I wanted to say and comment, if the thread is one of those when you have to say something about yourself, then I'll comment because at that rate, nobody is going to read it so I can say what I want to say without holding back.

If it's a forum game, well I don't post much on forum games because I normally start reading and never finish it and never post, there was a thread on Forum games that I did read around 500 pages of once, and it wasn't even interesting, I just wanted to post so I kept on reading and after that much I just gave up and posted at the end, and I hung around that thread for a while, but then I had to leave for a couple of months and when I came back there were too many pages between my last post and where it was, and I really had to read all of it so I could let myself post, but I didn't and have abandoned the thread, it's still going and I go and look at it from time to time but I no longer post on it.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

I generally read the first page (or half of it), then read the last two pages after posting. If its REALLY good, I'll make reading it my priority and go through the whole thing.

 

[gazumped]

I find the way that people communicate with each other is more interesting to me than the topic sometimes so I can read the first 4/5/6 pages quite thoroughly. But then what tends to happen is I've picked up on particular points or particular posters' arguments and I just start looking for responses to them to follow their specific discussions (and if no one's made the answers that I have, I'll respond to them at the end).

Some threads just become train wrecks, at which point, I really should stop reading, but for some reason I can't look away.

My method of reading can also lead to this little timesink...

 

[hazabaza1]

Look for the big pointless arguments that never end up going anywhere.
There's a few specific users that I look out for when this happens. Not telling though!

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

In 99% of all threads, I read OP and reply to that. That is all unless someone quotes me.

 

[wintercoat]

Forum games? One page at a time, two if it very recently flipped.

Off Topic? First few pages and a few of the last pages. Generally I want to see if the thread has gone downhill or has been terribly derailed. And I like reading what people have to say.

Pretty much what he said. A few from the front, a few from the back. Gives you a pretty good idea of how the thread has evolved.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Depends, in R&P I try to at least skim the thread, but in Off Topic and Gaming I just go over the last page.

 

[DanielBrown]

Read the OP and the first few posts to see the direction the thread is taking, skim through the rest on the first page, then I post if I feel like. If the thread is intresting I'll keep skimming for another page or two. Generally avoid huge threads however.

 

[Cazza]

Spot samples.

It changes on how long the thread is. How interesting it is. People replying.

As to how many posts I read. I probably read 4-6 and skip every 2nd or 3rd page. If a large thread has a lot of replys I read more then if there were little or none. So I can get the feel for the overall opinions.

I do that reading before I post. I don't care though if Iam posting pretty much the same thing as a few other people. It's so others can see that more people hold that opinion. If it's a ton though I don't.

I do sad to say post and forget. This is mainly because I'm rarely the first half of a page. So I don't expect the thread to get much bigger. If it does get a fair bit bigger then I return though I normally don't post again. I do if someone has started to talk to me.

 

[Goofguy]

I'll usually read the first few pages as that's where you all the 'fresh' opinions will be stated. After that, it tends to either be derailed or two or three people quoting each other constantly for argumentation. In either of those cases, I'll still say my piece even if it gets lost in the shitstorm of other posts.

 

[smithy_2045]

I read til I get bored with the thread, or find something I feel needs responding to.