Any advice posted in reply to a given OP, has a relavance factor that appears inveresely proportional to the given post’s # relative to the OP.
I’ll use my “Eat your veggetables, dammit!” post to illustrate.
I covered the texture, taste and conditions under which I try to make my kids eat veggies. I addressed the fruit issue. Subsequently, the first few replies were very helpful. The veggie garden being the most innovative. But the further you get from the OP the more OP facts are summarily ignored.
Not critisizing mind you, just making an observation. For all I know, I’ve done the same. Once.
I think that when people read a naked OP, or one with very few replies, they get all excited about getting the first post in, so they post a little more hastily.
After there are a few more posts, people will tend to read the OP and every post. There’s not as much pressure to get in your licks early, but not so many posts that it’s a burden to read them all. Parts of the OP may be quoted in the posts so that you read them again, and also as you read the other posts, you may think, “Hey, wait, I don’t remember the OP saying that . . .” and go back up and reread. So I think posts in the 5-10 range are often the best.
Once there are 10-20 posts, though, it gets to be a drag to read them all, so I think people tend to skim . . . and that includes the OP. Also, people tend to just drift away from the OP. Good advice has probably been given by previous posters, so people start sharing their own experiences and feelings, and people can get those all muddled up with the OP.
So I basically agree with you, but I think things peak a little later than the OP. (Now, look, I will have missed something important. )
Podkayne—I tend to agree, and you have provided what is easily the best response to the OP so far—which disproves your point (or at least, it doesn’t apply in this thread).
(or at least, it doesn’t apply in this thread).