Etiquette pet peeves

Jan 19, 2010
12,374
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I'm not sure if this is the right place to start this thread but "site talk" is in the (parentheses) so it seemed appropriate. If I’m wrong -- @Phil Herring please move or delete as you deem appropriate.

This January it will be 12 years since I first joined SBO and before that, I was an active member on several other forums. Over the many years, I have noticed some repeated behaviors that I find irritating and I thought it might be cathartic to vent them here. Please add your own.

IMHO, the top 3 most annoying forum no-nos are (in no particular order)
  • Responding to a dead or inactive thread.:eek: In my opinion, if the last post has been over six months, it is unlikely that the OP still needs to hear what you have to say about.
  • Chiming in on a long post without reading the previous posts first. This is most annoying if a) the answer provided has already appeared in an earlier post or b) if the OP has already found the answer they needed and already thanked the forum for the service.:facepalm:
  • Using people’s first names instead of their forum handle. This one probably shouldn’t bother me but it does so … I guess that is on me.:poop:
Okay! Add more if you got them.
 
Last edited:
Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
I dunno, I've purposely violated the "Responding to a post over 6 mos old" one a couple of times with good results - not because I wanted to necessarily just comment, but because I had some info which could advance the thread (e.g. "Does anyone know...", and there wasn't a fully satisfactory answer). I frequently dig up old threads rather than - and here's what should be a pet peeve - posing a "new" question which has already been thoroughly covered. I've also PM'ed a couple of people on "dead" threads to get more information, and that has been very helpful.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,374
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
...and here's what should be a pet peeve - posing a "new" question which has already been thoroughly covered.
Oh you mean...

1) What is the best bluewater sailboat...:rolleyes:
2) What is the best anchor...:facepalm:
3) What bottom paint should I use...;)

I used to get annoyed at those three but now I just find it funny when one of those pops up each month or so:cool:

I just thought of another post, or should I say type of post that is annoying. How about the one where someone asks the forum's opinion but before anyone can answer, they tell you what they are going to do (or have already done) and then they list a bunch of reasons in defense of their decision. :plus::beer:

Or the guy who uses way to many emojis :poop::biggrin:
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,374
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I dunno, I've purposely violated the "Responding to a post over 6 mos old" one a couple of times with good results -
Yeah, it is nuanced for sure. My beef is when someone found an obviously dead thread, and then answered it. Like "Hey anyone know where I can find this part". Responses list possible sources,... OP thanks forum and states they got the part and it works great. Six month later someone chimes in with their recommendation of how to fix said item instead of buying a new one.
 
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Joe

.
Jun 1, 2004
8,007
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
I just bought a "new to me" (boat age) (boat name). .... ANY boat you buy will be "new to you. (unless you're buying a boat you once owned previously)

Any thread beginning with "So....."

Excessive use of parentheses. (oops, I plead guilty to that one)

BUT #1 .... is making comments without reading previous posts. Hmmm, I might have done that too.
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
I have read part way through some threads on subjects that hold interest for me that were still active with seventy-eight plus pages of content. They still are going on, I read the first few pages. I read the last page. I go back a little ways. I have questions or I have answers or just simply responses, but I don't have the time or even the will to read through all the posts and I think to myself, 'someone has probably already said what I was thinking of to say', so I don't join in. After all, I didn't read it all and I'll probably just end up being annoying. But then I watch more pages get added and I think, 'what am I missing out on?' But I feel silly jumping in. Sometimes I do, but mostly I don't. I also try not to start threads about subjects that have already been hashed over, but I remember when others do, they are likely new and don't know what's come before them. New boat owners are excited and want to share and get involved. Then they catch flak for asking for help that they could find if they just did a quick search. Form members say things like, 'this guys expects us to do his research for him.' Except asking a question of people who know answers, is doing research and before you know enough to not ask, "what is a good Bluewater boat to buy?" You have to start from not knowing enough to not ask that question. What I find annoying are posts that are long and hard to follow because they ramble without paragraphs and are filled with run-on sentences. They don't not have an abundance of double negative do they not? And there's no reason to apologize for a dumb question you're going to ask anyhow. I'm sorry, but am I right?

-Will
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,265
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
I have read part way through some threads on subjects that hold interest for me that were still active with seventy-eight plus pages of content. They still are going on, I read the first few pages. I read the last page. I go back a little ways. I have questions or I have answers or just simply responses, but I don't have the time or even the will to read through all the posts and I think to myself, 'someone has probably already said what I was thinking of to say', so I don't join in. After all, I didn't read it all and I'll probably just end up being annoying. But then I watch more pages get added and I think, 'what am I missing out on?' But I feel silly jumping in. Sometimes I do, but mostly I don't. I also try not to start threads about subjects that have already been hashed over, but I remember when others do, they are likely new and don't know what's come before them. New boat owners are excited and want to share and get involved. Then they catch flak for asking for help that they could find if they just did a quick search. Form members say things like, 'this guys expects us to do his research for him.' Except asking a question of people who know answers, is doing research and before you know enough to not ask, "what is a good Bluewater boat to buy?" You have to start from not knowing enough to not ask that question. What I find annoying are posts that are long and hard to follow because they ramble without paragraphs and are filled with run-on sentences. They don't not have an abundance of double negative do they not? And there's no reason to apologize for a dumb question you're going to ask anyhow. I'm sorry, but am I right?

-Will
Nice ramble Will but I’m not sure what you mean!
 
Feb 14, 2014
7,423
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
I sometimes renew interests in old threads by links that answer FAQ's
The best at that must have a great data base. I keep my own minor one with FAQ's

We had started FAQ's, but it seems not active anymore.

I tend to only responded to threads with LIKES for people that are "on target" with the answer.
No need for me to add repeating answers.

This site is used by people who do not know how to troubleshoot or know what DVM's are.

This site has morphed a bit since I joined in 2014.

But I still read new posts.
Jim...
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
How about the people who ask and receive sometimes multiple helpful answers to their questions but don’t bother to either acknowledge or thank those who took the time to help.
I don't care whether the OP thanks anyone; it's nice, but I hate it when you don't get to read how they fared. One posted question and 3 pages of answers never to be rewarded with, "I got it and it works great." Pictures are great too. I just want to know the OP is still hanging around soaking up all this wisdom you guys are handing out.

Thanks, by the way. You guys are a lot of fun.

-Will
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
How about just not complaining about anything, and moving on, we are all here to help and or looking for help. I have better things to do in life then to analyze and pick apart someones post,date post etc . I don't really care, try to stay positive, then look for the negitive . Not everyone is an expert although some think they are, they are all just opinions and experiences including mine.
 
Aug 2, 2010
502
J-Boat J/88 Cobourg
With respect to answering old threads, I have another take. While I admit there are some occasions where there is no point, others may have the same problem as the OP and reading all the responses is informative. Think of it like a knowledge base.
 
Oct 2, 2008
3,807
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
Oh you mean...

1) What is the best bluewater sailboat...:rolleyes:
2) What is the best anchor...:facepalm:
3) What bottom paint should I use...;)

I used to get annoyed at those three but now I just find it funny when one of those pops up each month or so:cool:

I just thought of another post, or should I say type of post that is annoying. How about the one where someone asks the forum's opinion but before anyone can answer, they tell you what they are going to do (or have already done) and then they list a bunch of reasons in defense of their decision. :plus::beer:

Or the guy who uses way to many emojis :poop::biggrin:
That is my wife, she needs a consensus before deciding on a course of action. It’s a developmental outlook that makes her comfortable. I used to know the different types, but knowing my action orientation style was totally opposite is good enough for me. It’s the right brain/left brain thinking.

Whew, I just went back to the original post and it was yesterday. Talk about dodging a bullet.