talkmagic.co.uk

This is a broad question, and probably invites a myriad of responses, but...

When you key in a new post, or a reply... WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR MIND just before you hit the 'submit' button.

If you've made a review, or a critique, do you re-read and consider the impact?

Do you purposefully create posts for reaction, and just hit submit without playing out the consequence?

Do you read through your post to see if it's coherent and sensible, let alone legible and gramatically correct?

Do you post for the sake of posting, and just hit 'submit' without thought, ethics, guilt or pride?

Really odd, but reading the posts made by various members over the last few weeks, I feel that although some make a conscious and obvious effort to re-read and think about what they've written before submitting, there are also a number of TM members who just do not think before making a response or a post.

Unlike verbal communication, where sometimes one says something which is the first thing off the tongue—and possibly inappropriately so, the internet allows us to 'think twice' before making a comment. We get a second chance to review how our comments may offend, or change the way people look at us.

So why do some people not use this advantage?

Your thoughts, ladies and gents, as this is something which is interesting me a lot today!

it's true. can't tell you how many times i've written a post then hovered over the sumbit button thinking "shall i just delete all this through fear of someone laughing at it or the possibility that it might cause unintentional abuse" and the answer being yes and Crtl+A > Delete.

Of course there are those moments where a post gets you riled up or something and you just hit reply type out a three word repsonse and hit the sumbit button, and this is where that lovely edit button can come in handy.

Ditto. I try to be reasonable and helpful within my own limited sphere of experience, but sometimes it'd be giving away enough information for some google-literate type to reverse engineer a trick. Then again late at night, when someone registers and starts swaggering about looking for a reaction, the temptation to react is great, but ultimately, trolls love reactions, so I keep schtum.

Mind you, I've submited a number of posts I thought were A-OK at the time, only to read them back later and think "what a plonker!"

I try to say something relevant which someone else in the thread hasn't said. Then again there's always those threads which invite 'witty' retorts, such as a first post from krisang3lisdab3st or somesuch saying 'I saw this trick where da coin goes in da can help me pls I really wanna know this trick!!!!!!!!!!!' and it's all you can do to not hammer caps lock and scream down the web.

Well I tend to edit all of my posts at least once after it has been posted. Mostly to correct spelling, but occasionally to edit content that I think people will take the wrong way or that I have taken a bit too far. Also I often change my mind about a subject as I'm writing! So I have to go back over afterwards and make it a bit more consistent with my final conclusion

I too have changed my mind on hitting the 'submit' button from time to time, sometimes after pretty lengthy responses. But yes, that decision is made just as I'm hovering over the submit button. There is a flash of thought where I think "do I really want to say this?".

Hmmm interesting topic here...

Oh one last thing! Drunken posts are also a danger. I think I need a breathalyzer on the computer to prevent me form posting, like that new mobile phone - have you seen that? It stops you from ringing up your ex girlfriend when you're drunk, great idea

Wasn't that the one that was on Dave Gorman's Genius show?!?!?

Ironically enough, I was going to post a reply earlier but I instead hit that back button.

Do you not think that by clicking on a button marked "submit", the psychology should be as to whether or not one is subconsciously bowing down before the great Talk Magic forum and admiting that Talk Magic is indeed one's true master?

themagicwand wrote:Do you not think that by clicking on a button marked "submit", the psychology should be as to whether or not one is subconsciously bowing down before the great Talk Magic forum and admiting that Talk Magic is indeed one's true master?

A cruel master, but fair...

I'd say I probably only hit 'Submit' about half as many times as I thit 'Post Reply'. I read, re-read and make a lot of revisions to what I've written before I ever submit anything more than a sentence or two.

I've got absolutely no patience whatsoever for all of the illiterate garbage that gets posted to forums. I just can't be bothered with the effort it takes to read someone's thoughts if they can't manage to frame them coherently themselves.

I would like to think of myself as a fairly responsable poster, only replying when I have something constructive to say. I have had to make editorial changes to some of my posts due to poor spelling, and I no longer visit TM after I have had a drink, just in case I get carried away and type a load of rubish! I learned very early on not to use modern Internet or Text Message language, due to it taking twice as long to read it. I tend to copy my post into Word for a grammer check before hitting submit.

I always read through what I have writen, and most of my posts take around 10 minutes to type and submit. Therefore sometimes I reply to unanswered questions only to find that they have recieved a reply since I started typing mine.

I joined about three months ago and I still concider myself as a new member to the site, I have tried not to be a "forum troll", replying to every post just for the sake of it. I have seen quite a lot of newbies posting one liners to absolutly every topic and just filling the boards with junk. This is not a trait that I wish to adopt.

leighton wrote: I have tried not to be a "forum troll", replying to every post just for the sake of it. I have seen quite a lot of newbies posting one liners to absolutly every topic and just filling the boards with junk. This is not a trait that I wish to adopt.

if only there were more with this attitude

some posts i do post just for the sake of posting it, but when i do post my post i re-read them to make sure everyone can read them, but when i txt people i re-read them and think to myself i sound like a t***.

I always press the 'review'-button first to see what it would look like, and I re-read my post.
Most of the times I do some editing on my posts after that.

And only then, when I think the post is useful or could really contribute something to the topic I hit the 'submit'-button.

Personally I panic before I hit the submit button. I think....

What if no one likes the post?
Does this make sense?
How bad is my spelling?
Will people think I'm stupid?
Will I get in trouble?

Seriously, my heart races some times, especially if it is a post that has many views and may turn in to a mini argument.

yeah me too but I think if you've got a valued opinion or comment although some might disagree with it, you should stand by it.