Length of discussion topic

OMG, limit the number of words I'm allowed to leave in a response, I can't take it. I will have to leave mylot again. I stopped by quite few boxes that you left comments in if you would like to continue.

Yes. I have read and re-read your comments and counter comments elsewhere Diana and they all make sense. As you said somewhere to each his/her own. I was only concerned that those long winded topics and comments and counter comments do not get bypassed because of their length.Users may not express it in words but I am sure there will be many here who do bypass them for want of time. This is my observation and surely I am allowed it voice it!

I have only recently become aware of Beanie and that instance was during an extremely long dicussion, with pages of responses all with many comments. I can confirm that Beanie had read everything before commenting to me and since then, and after adding each other to our lists, I am now aware of her activty and I love how she participates. I agree that everyone has their own way of dealing with topics and that many of us, as soon as we see particular users have started a topic, will pounce on it because we know that there will be a lot of interaction. A long topic often gives the chance to respond with lengthy responses then comments too and many of us enjoy doing that. I would not like to see any limits set at all. We have choices here and we are free to do almost anything that we please. I would like to see it remain that way

Beanie, I agree with you on all points. I also read the entire discussion and responses before responding. We have encountered each other quite often, because we both do this, and I believe that is how we became friends ... through interacting and responding to each other in many different response boxes on numerous discussions.

This for once is not worth just 2 cents but much more as I am going to mark it as the Best Response![em]thumbup[/em. But let me wait for a couple of days more.

There are exceptions to every rule!!

A post of 4-6 lines packing what one wants to say is not impossible!

Hello PA, I have to say the same thing that my definition of a short discussion would probably be around 12 lines I too love to have lengthly and interesting discussions (well of course by my definition of interesting). The short ones while I may participate to a degree are near as fun to me as the long ones. I like it when a mylotter takes the time to give me details to a discussion instead of making me guess what they were trying to say. I agree that the discussions that are longer do tend to respond back and the one liners don't. I believe this is due to the misconception that they are earning for the responses to their discussions and of course you and I know this isn't the case. They are also the ones that start one 2 liner discussion after another in a lot of cases, never bothering to comment to any. I always wonder do they rate the responders??? As always PA I enjoy interacting with you here at mylot.

Beanie - I do think that some people are under the misconception that you earn more for getting more responses on your discussion, which is not true. If you get a lot of responses, then you have more opportunity to earn, because you can choose to comment back to everyone and further the discussion. However, you can do the same thing with fewer responses as long as everyone involved is actively participating in the discussion, especially if they jump around into different response boxes. Similarly, if the original poster of the discussion does not choose to comment back in the discussion, then they do not earn more no matter how many responses the discussion receives. Allknowing - I do understand what you are trying to say here. You think that the discussion topic, what we first type when we "start a discussion", should be short and to the point, because not only will it give you more opportunity to expand on the topic in the response boxes but also more members might choose to respond to shorter discussion topics. I agree that some members do overlook the longer initial discussion topics due to their length. I also know that some members will avoid discussion topics that they think are too short. I think it is all a matter of personal preference and neither is necessarily right or wrong, unless of course it is too short and violates the Guidelines. I also know that you, Allknowing, do actively participate in the discussion, meaning back and forth interaction. I do not think that anyone that has read you on here would argue with that.

Dividing topics using fews words and many words having the distinction of them being responded/commented and counter commented differently is not what I would endorse. Any topic be it using few words or thousands getting attention depends on how eye catching they are. My only point was because of their length good topics sometimes get bypassed.

This also means that when the discussion is too short and the responses are even shorter it gives little room for continued interaction, thus everyone here for earnings looses. If people didn't have to search around so much for discussions they want to participate in but could just have 2 or 3 a day that they responded and commented too, wouldn't that be so much more fun. How about earn the same amount or even more, by keeping a discussion going??? Sounds like more fun to me!!! As always just my 2 cents worth!!!

If we don't read the entire topic before responding we also risk losing our response as it would be irrelevant. If we cannot spare the time to read we should not even attempt to respond. Have you noticed that the discussions with a short few lines as the topic often have shorter responses than those with a longer topic? Surely this means that many Lotters enjoy them?

That is the sorry state of affairs - reading half way through, totally misunderstanding the topic and giving wrong opinions and responses can confuse everyone resulting in wastage of time and energy!!!

I elaborated on this in response #5. Making the same or more responses/comments each day by just visiting 2 or 3 discussions per day. However this would require participation of course from multiple mylotters, I see this done in a small group of people here at mylot and they also never complain about not getting to payout each month either. So I say they must be doing something right to just bounce back and forth in a few discussions. Hmmmmm food for thought!!!

Assuming that the majority of myLotters are here for the earnings, responding to maximum discussions is not necessarily the most effective way to earn here. It is more worthwhile to spend time furthering the topic in several responses with extra backwards and forwards comments rather than to spend the same amount of time responding on many discussions, Both admin Alice and the FAQs make it quite clear that myLot is not a questions & answers site but that it is for discussions - and discussing is where the earnings lie.

There could be some good discussions that many of us skip because of the length of the discussion which could be avoided so that due justice is given.

How is one to know if the topic is interesting unless one goes through the entire 'pastorol'? If you have the time surely no one stops you from sitting through any number of lengthy discussions but sadly so many such discussions are skipped as most who are here are short of time.

Oh, I don't agree there...I can generally tell if a discussion is going to be interesting to me based on the subject and the first few sentences of the message. Unless the writer has a very indirect style and starts off talking about something unrelated to the main topic, the beginning of the message sets the stage for the rest of it.

If you see some of the lengthy topics here the subject has nothing to do with the topic per se!

sorry allknowing I will reread it as I seemed to have got the horse before the cart. ah topic I see so I do apologize as I must have been in too much of a hurry.

hi again now I understand and thats odd. I wonder if this person was thinking of writing a book and got carried away by his or her topic. Yes we do not need to write a long winded introduction to our discussion as that will defeat the purpose of the discussion. I think most of my topics have been a paragraph or two as i did not have time nor did I want to try to write a short story. he he.

I feel sad that my topic of discussion is not understood by you. Is it because it is too short?If you read it again you will see that I am only referring to the topicand not the discussion. In another of my topics I have referred to the benefit of having long discussions - responses, comments and counter comments in order that, that topic gets the status of 'discussion'

There are other sites that have rules that state the number of words within which one should frame the discussion/response.

'There are other sites that have rules that state the number of words within which one should frame the discussion/response.' Each site has its own rules. There are none here on myLot that state how much or how little should make a topic for discussion but we are told that we have a choice - to respond or to move on.

@ mysd, I would be so disappointed if mylot only allowed us so many words when starting a discussion.

I hope you don't mind..you have been kind enough to take part in my discussions and I just wanted to participate in some of yours too.

It is a good thing when a discussion comes back to life JenInTn. I respond to yours because I find them interesting!

My topic is about 'topic' and not discussions. I too like long responses. Anyway glad that you have brought to life this discussion which is 13 months old.

My point is unless one goes through the length and breadth of the discussion it is bound to be not understood resulting in giving wrong responses. Invariably users only read the heading and mess up the discussion!!

As long as one has the time to read through it is fine but many a time the topic is read through half way and response given which is irrelevant to the topic. May be there is a point there in that, that in itself could initiate a new discussion "I did not mean that actually I meant bla bla bla..."!

yes,if some users here would be more specific on giving or starting their own discussions,make it more relevant and straight to the point,having those super over lengthy ones would make others feel bored or lazy to read the whole thing so they respond on what they know about just the title itself.without knowing the whole topic being discussed.i also do like to state that i hope those who wants to respond take time to read the whole thing before responding to make our discussions more useful and straight to the point.

@ PA, I bet you keep those discussions open all day too, checking on responses that have been made to see if you can add more comments to the discussion???

I have to agree that longer discussions that capture your interest and draw you in do not seem that much of a bother to read. If they are not interesting, on the other hand, then even short discussions can seem too long.

I was saying it in the interest of the one who puts up a discussion that runs into several words because not many have the patience to go through the entire 'pastoral' resulting in giving responses that do not help the discussion in question,.

all! Many thanks for your kind words about my topics. I feel humbled and honoured. I agree that shorter and brief and to the point response and comments look better.

I enjoy reading your topics and responses which are always crisp and to the point. This is a place where people come for relaxation and time is of the essence. Hence the crispier and shorter the input the better it would be for all.

If one has the patience as you have to go through the lengthy topic meticulously and respond accordingly nothing like it but I have seen users giving responses that are not relevant to the topic obviously because they have not read through the topic!

Unfortunately long discussions get lost on the way resulting in the discussion getting responses sometimes that have nothing to do with them. I don't suppose anyone would want that to happen.

I too get carried away when writing about something I am interested in!

Many a time the title says one thing and the discussion concerns totally a different topic. One should either skip the discussion if it is too long or have the patience to read it through rather than just read the topic and make a mess of it

Yes i have ran into that, but i still do it. If the title is ok and they change subject that is not interesting i move on, i can not understand why they would do this but people are people.

No one is stopping you. Go ahead but my only fear is that due importance should be given to your shouting. Users are always in a hurry and don't go through the lengthy discussions which might result in your getting wrong advice!

My point is that most of the time these lengthy discussions are not read through and responses sometimes have no relevance whatsoever to the topic.