Irritating posts and threads that are hard to follow.

AZDesertRat · #1 08/10/2006, 08:26 PM

Why don't people use proper grammar and punctuation anymore.
This thread is almost impossible to read with all the misspelling and lack of capitals and periods. I guess maybe I am getting old but this is a little ridiculous, try to make sensible statements, complete sentences and for our sake, use the spell checker feature. I only have a high school education myself but at least I can do better than what I see here anymore.
This is not directed at any one person but to everyone who desires an answer to their questions or response to their statements. If you post makes sense, is easy to read without having to try and decipher your codes, and is brief and factual you will get many more responses. Also remember to put the subject of your thread in the title and not just "????" or "Will this work?"
I am by no means an english major and you can find many mistakes in my posts, especially when I forget to put my glasses on, but at least I try to be helpful and easily understandable.
Am I off base here? I really enjoy reading threads here but jeez sometimes I just give up as my head is spinning from trying to figure out what people are saying. If this is an indication of how our education system is doing its no wonder kids can't pass the AIMS test much less a college entrance exam.
OK, I'm done. I'll turn my soapbox over to the next person now.

Satori · #2 08/10/2006, 08:35 PM

I agree. Not just on this forum, but everywhere in general. I was just telling my wife last week, I hope reading this forum doesn't affect my document review skills at work!

grenaria · #3 08/10/2006, 08:46 PM

i Kouldnt agre moore!

AZDesertRat · #4 08/10/2006, 08:48 PM

Touche!

Doglover_50 · #5 08/10/2006, 08:49 PM

You are right on. However, I must come clean of my own problem posting--> verbosity--my posts have acceptable grammar, but are incredibly verbose (like this one)! Particularly the one I put out today on QT tanks. I'll work on it.
And yes, you (and I) *are* getting old. I'm on faculty at NAU, and let me tell you the atrotious (sp) grammar in some work is not to be believed--in my upper level classes.
However, to be balanced in this context, perhaps some on this site have less formal education/2nd language issues etc... and what's posted is simply what they have to offer in writing posts. And if their stuff is too hard to follow, though it is frustrating, perhaps relying on the natural consequence (being ignored) is all that can be done. Oh--and give up on any expectations for spelling, because that one is a lost cause.

Fliger · #6 08/10/2006, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AZDesertRat
Touche!

And what's worst - people not speaking English!

Seriously, I'm totally with ya on this one. I like to come here when I'm on the computer and have down time. Then I see these posts that I either don't understand, or threads with someone's name. No offense to anyone, and I know not all my posts are on-topic, but it gets tiresome sometimes.

Anyhooo ... take it for what its worth ....

random_ryan · #7 08/10/2006, 08:58 PM

I have a disablity and I try very hard to spell things right. also I think that its mean and crule to go on to a persons thread and treat them like they make absolutly no sence, for this reason I don't post as much any more or reaspond to posts as much. I admit I am autistic and have a hard time wording things. and at times things come out bass ack wards. also my spelling is not the greatest yet I make the effort to try to spell things right. and now that everyone knows where I come from. IF YOU DON'T HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY ..... DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL ... Take a leason from bambi the movie. god made us all different and I get real sick of people complaining about my wording.... I am Freeking Tring give me a break .... dang

Sk8r · #8 08/10/2006, 09:02 PM

I think many posters have no idea that the backspace key can actually erase their typos. Or that the edit/delete toggle above gives them the opportunity to fix their message.

If I've written something or asked something, I re-read it just to make sure I've made sense. It's a habit I earnestly recommend.

Perhaps we should start a thread of our favorite incomprehensible statements of the day, inviting creative interpretations.

random_ryan · #9 08/10/2006, 09:03 PM

now that would be nit picking the heck out of everyones vocaulary... wouldn't it... gezzzz

army67romeo · #10 08/10/2006, 09:06 PM

i have ADD and dont know gramer very well ...but i can read any thing and i have won every scince and math comp and got schools paid for for auto for free and the army took me and i worked on aircraft .. i have every been does that mean i dumb? if i cant spell get...... off of your soapbox.... if you dont like the post or dont under stand it when dont replay ...or read it ...there is so many more post to read and articels to read .... every one is negive around the forum

evolust · #11 08/10/2006, 09:07 PM

Where is the spell checker?

random_ryan · #12 08/10/2006, 09:09 PM

I lost my spell checker... sorry

Satori · #13 08/10/2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by evolust
Where is the spell checker?

It's a button down by "Submit Reply" when you're a premium member.

Fliger · #14 08/10/2006, 09:21 PM

I didn't mean to offend. Everyone's different, maybe I'm too anal about grammar - I do pitches & presentations for a living. But you should know that its difficult to read sentences with no punctuation, missing words, etc. It literally takes twice or three times as long to get thru a post like that. Don't take offense man - but if you come here for people to read your posts, to ask and answer questions - I just think you should be courteous and make it easy to read - otherwise you'll get very little response. Just tryin to help, know what I mean?

BTW when I type emails or PM's - I usually never use caps or apostrophes. I use a lot off abbreviations - but I still at least use punctuation so that my friends can follow my sentences.

Seriously though, please don't take offense.

Sk8r · #15 08/10/2006, 09:22 PM

Ryan, you make perfect sense. Your sentences may be phonetic, but they *are* phonetic.

Satori · #16 08/10/2006, 09:30 PM

.

rljlll · #17 08/10/2006, 09:33 PM

Google toolbar has a free spell check i believe.

Doglover_50 · #18 08/10/2006, 09:40 PM

I'm a clinical psychologist, so that's where my moralizing comments are coming from. I think we need to be really careful about judging people's posts for grammar/spelling (and quality of question, too)--especially in our posted responses we send back. If we don't like a post or thread for grammatical errors or content (e.g., "How do AZ Frags feel about my gorgeous new clown trigger in my 5g pico tank?") we can curse out loud to our monitors. We serve poorly our common hobby interest by chastising/teasing. What if a newbie is shy to post for fear of criticism and instead of getting feedback like "STOP NOW" they do it on their own and animals die. I think what has played out on this thread demonstrates these risks--2 posters feeling the need to defend themselves for problems they didn't ask for that make grammar and spelling challenging for them. ******************NOW******************
With that said, I posted earlier because I do strongly agree with AZDesertRat. Some people do the best they can, others are just damn lazy and don't do basic things like spell check or proofread before sending. We readers can't really know if irritating posts are of laziness or otherwise. So maybe next time a post is a grammatical mess, don't be rude but bite your tongue and write back something jolly like, "Dude, your post has me lost like a Jew in the desert. Please rewrite." And--**posters who are grammatically challenged for whatever reason**--to the extent possible please spellcheck, please read it out loud to yourself, take an extra 2 minutes before shooting into cyberspace. Lord, I wrote another book post. (Please don't ask me how long I edited this post before sending)!

AZDesertRat · #19 08/10/2006, 10:02 PM

As I stated earlier I am not singling out anyone in particular and I don't mean to belittle or pick on anyone. I think Doglover hit it on the head when he pointed out that some people are just plain lazy. I enjoy answering posts and joining in on conversations that pique my interest but you almost have to open each thread individually to see what its all about. Put your subject or question in the title so we can clearly see what it is you are asking. Try to use complete sentences whenever possible and proofread before you post it. I am the worlds worst for proofreading my own writing so you will find most of my posts have been edited after the fact. I look it over before clicking the submit button and then I read it again once it is posted to the thread. Almost always I find mistakes in what I have done so I click the edit button at the top and fix what I have found. All that is to make it easier for everyone else to understand what I am trying to convey, its not for me as I kinda sorta have an idea what I was trying to say!
Please don't take offense as none is intended. Just think about what you are trying to say for others sake. I work in an office full of engineers, of which I am not one, and let me tell you, you talk about acronyms and abbreviations they know them all. Sometimes they make absolutely no sense at all.

clkwrk · #20 08/10/2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Doglover_50
So maybe next time a post is a grammatical mess, don't be rude but bite your tongue and write back something jolly like, "Dude, your post has me lost like a Jew in the desert.

I am with AJ.

Doglover_50 I think you need to edit your post see quote above. Thats not cool!

random_ryan · #21 08/10/2006, 10:11 PM

hmmmm

grenaria · #22 08/10/2006, 10:22 PM

I'm a jew lost in the desert and am in no way offended.

random_ryan · #23 08/10/2006, 10:24 PM

hmmmmm offened....I think not...althou please no crule jew jokes

Doglover_50 · #24 08/10/2006, 10:33 PM

Clkwrk, I'm not sure what AJ is. However, if my joke seemed in bad taste, my apologies as this was not the intention. Like grenaria, I too am a jew lost in the desert, so I felt it okay to make a light joke on the topic. But perhaps this wasn't the greatest idea--my apologies.

AZDesertRat · #25 08/10/2006, 10:42 PM

Heck, I'm a mutt. Part Norwegian, part Irish and part American Indian. I don't know which part is which but thats OK. I will say I am a fourth generation Arizonan and lets see who can top that! Yavapai and Coconino county Cattle ranching and railroading on my mothers side and Mohave county goldmining and Silverton Colorado narrow gauge railroading on my dads side.