Have you ever posted a thread in any forum that you had certain expectations for as far as number of responses that didn’t go as planned?
For examples; Expecting only a few replies and getting 2 pages or more or the flip side of that, expecting multiple pages and getting like 10 replies.
or getting a bunch of replies and only a handful deal directly with your OP?
This thread will fall into one of the above catgeories eventually 
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Well, here’s a reply anyway. I have found I can’t predict what will and what won’t strike other people’s fancy with topics I start threads on. I’ve yet to start a HUGE thread but some have been modestly successful. I have quite a few with 0-5 replies and some with that few views.
Often it seems that “new” threads are just spinoffs of other topics that are cruising right along. Perhaps there’s concern for hijacking that prompts the new thread, perhaps it’s wanting to select a post or two for BBQ responses, or maybe the details suggested in the parent thread weren’t getting deep enough for the OP in the new thread.
I have observed patterns within the 50 or so “current threads” at any one time and sometimes I can almost predict which new threads will pop up in reaction to the current batch.
It seems that some fresh idea or a really clever post will generate one of those wonderful 10-page marvels that become Doper Classics, but usually those things can’t be reliably predicted. It’s almost like a “group mood” that strikes from time to time. I love it when it happens and would love to find the secret to making that sort of thing happen.
But I suspect Madison Avenue (or wherever it is these days that new catch phrases, ad slogans, comedy gimmicks and such are created) would love to have those same powers. God knows they miss often enough for us to see they don’t have a real answer either.
I just clicked on Puppy Advice Needed, and I was dissapointed to find it was the owner, not the puppy, who needed advice.
I wish your first hunch was right too. The minute I catch my dog seeking advice on the internet is the minute he stops being known as a pet and starts being known as a “meal ticket”.
There was once in Cafe Society thread for favorite “GI JOE” quotes… Being a gigantic GI JOE fan I was anxious to see how many other joe fans were on the board… Not many… Not many at all. I think 8 replies was all it got.
Want to see the worst thread-starter on the board? Have a look! 
Wow, you suck!
I’M KIDDING!!!
I’ve done my share of DOA threads. I’ve got one now in GQ on TiVo. I predict maybe 2-3 responses tops. Ultimately, you learn not to take it personal, even if it sometimes is.
Damn, he’s on to us!
I started a GD thread about cognizance vs. innocence in virtual reality. Here it is. Very disappointing, but understandable since it was my second post. I may repost it under different parameters to see if I get a better response. I’m still obsessed with this idea and would really like to have more than four responses.
Yeah, I’ve had a few disappointing ones—some would-be discussions, and a few questions that I really would have liked to get an answer, to. Ah, well.
Still, I’ve gotten in more than my share of popular ones.