Do you feel some SDMB threads develop too quickly?

This is something that’s been on my mind for awhile now. I often look sadly at great debate or BBQ pit threads that are 5-6 pages deep before I ever get to see them. I don’t consider myself a slow reader, but I’m a thorough reader and it does take me awhile to read through 6 pages of posts. So usually even if I’m interested in a thread I won’t post if it’s 5-6 pages when I first see it. I just don’t have enough time in my day to read through that much and post.

I have to wonder how some of the dopers here have such huge post counts. My life isn’t necessarily over demanding but I do have to budget my times and there’s no way I’d ever have enough time to rack up 20,000 posts on this forum.

Am I the only one who’s ever just like “wow” when you first look at the dope for the day and see some threads already bulging with an epic number of posts.

I’ve noticed that. Something really controversial or fun will have a gazillion replies, and I often don’t have time to read through everything and see if there is something I can contribute, so I don’t.

If you don’t mind missing out on some threads (and you’re especially looking to participate), you can always do an advanced search (Click "Search then click “Advanced Search”):*

Select find threads with “at most” I dunno, maybe 10 replies.
Select find threads from “Yesterday” and “newer.”

Pick a forum if you’re so inclined and then “Search Now.”

This will bring up relatively young and fresh threads where you can jump in and contribute to the discussion.

  • I apologize for being so particular - but I thought that less experienced Dopers might take a look at this thread.
  • Peter Wiggen

I’ve caught some multi-page threads right at the beginning, and I feel like I’m surfing a big wave. But I don’t wade through a 4-5 page post. I figure the points I want to make are already made, and that’s why I’m not a big participant in the Lost threads, even though I do watch the show.

They’re either prolific GD/Pit posters who enjoy a good argument/flaming and/or they participate in a lot of game threads. Mostly, they’re people that post from work.
I’m on the west coast and don’t have internet access at work, so I too am sometimes surprised by how fast threads pop up, evolve, and then devolve before I even get a chance to see them. I’ve learned to skip over most threads over two pages long (except joke or picture threads) because by that point the thread is already well on its way to being hijacked. By page 3 defenders of whatever it is the OP mentions have already invaded the thread, ignored the spirit of the OP, and gone on to allude that anyone who doesn’t agree with their opinion is stupid.

No. If I miss getting in on something that might have been interesting, it’s no big deal – it just means I wasn’t fast enough that day, or that my timing was off. The Dope moves at its own pace: if you want to get in on more threads, hang around here more often. If you can’t hang around here more often, don’t blame the boards for being faster than you. :wink:

I just hate when I find a thread that really interests me and it’s already gone on for pages and everything I wanted to say has been said. But reading GD is what got me here in the first place - the interesting conversations that are had here. While I’d like to contribute, just reading some threads is great.

A good point indeed. A while ago there was a thread where someone proposed we make up a name for threads that grow faster than you can read them. For example, it’s growing at 15 posts an hour, but you can only read about 10 posts an hour, plus you haven’t read the first two pages yet… I think some clever names were thought up but I can’t recall what they were.

Hey cool! That was my thread. Here . Not to toot my own horn or anything. Well, okay a little bit.

Toot!! :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Although the thread didn’t last very long. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :frowning:

And it was actually other posters who came up with the names. :slight_smile: :frowning: :frowning:

And the name never caught on anyway. :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

Oh well. Still :cool:

Whenever I run into a thread that might interest me that already has at least 3 pages, I always start at the back. That brings me up to date, and if there are obvious pertinent references I’m missing, I’ll work backwards. Fortunately, in GD, most people quote/excerpt like crazy so that’s usually a good way to catch up without all the excess reading (I’m a slow reader, too).