# How often do you write out a whole post, then not submit it?????????????????????? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054 "2003-12-05T00:12:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/1 "2003-12-05T00:12:17Z")
for every five posts i put up here, there is probably one more that i wrote out, but didn’t have the nerve to submit, because either the joke was entirely lame, the content would get me flamed to death, or i didn’t feel i knew what i was trying to say. I know i can’t be the only one who does this, so fess up, Dope-arinos! ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/2 "2003-12-05T00:19:29Z")
I had a whole big response to this typed up, but I decided it wouldn’t really contribute anything to the discussion, so I deleted it. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/3 "2003-12-05T00:20:14Z")
Fairly often. No, wait– ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/4 "2003-12-05T00:24:35Z")
Not that often - once or twice a week, perhaps. Usually it’s when I preview and see that I won’t be adding anything or I catch myself being a little snarky. ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/5 "2003-12-05T00:26:19Z")
it’s about 50/50 ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/6 "2003-12-05T00:40:12Z")
All the time. I’ll write something then think “does anybody _really_ care about my opinion on flying meat-eating wombats?” More of than not, I think “No, nobody does.” so then I hit the back button and delete my post. I imagine if I posted everything I typed, I’d have about 10,000 posts. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/7 "2003-12-05T01:01:27Z")
Maybe about once every couple of weeks or so, usually because I look at what I’ve written and decide either it doesn’t really contribute anything to the thread, or I’ve missed something in an earlier post that either makes my post completely redundant, irrelevant or wrong. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/8 "2003-12-05T01:01:50Z")
Constantly. Far more often than I use 22 question marks in a row. ---
**Author:** ![LadyMack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@LadyMack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LadyMack)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/9 "2003-12-05T01:06:17Z")
Often. And that’s not counting the ones that never make it from my brain to the keyboard. It is a _good thing_. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/10 "2003-12-05T01:13:06Z")
Often, (maybe not often enough), if the thread is at all serious, I think about my post after constructing it and only post it if I still think it’s necessary or helpful. Luckily this thread isn’t all that serious, so I’ll post this even though i’m agreeing with everyone else… ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/11 "2003-12-05T01:59:34Z")
I do it all the time. Otherwise, I’d probably have a postcount of handyesque proportions. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/12 "2003-12-05T02:28:15Z")
Look at all of 'em, **Tars**! I thought the type/delete syndrome was just a Mars thing. _Sigh of relief._ ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/13 "2003-12-05T02:40:57Z")
I’ve done it a few times. Generally it’s when I read it and decide it’s lame. Haj ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/14 "2003-12-05T03:55:59Z")
50% of the time. Sometimes I type out a post and forget what the hell my point was. Or I change my mind about what I want to say and after a few tries I just lose interest. I think it’s because of this handy reply box at the bottom of the thread. If I had to hit reply every time I probably wouldn’t bother unless I KNEW I had something to say. This joe causal box here makes it so easy to just start yapping away as soon as you get to the end of the page. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/15 "2003-12-05T04:04:55Z")
Every time I forget to copy the response and the hamsters eat it. Usually I can’t be arsed to type it again. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/16 "2003-12-05T04:21:22Z")
When I first started posting it was 3 to 1 the posts I’d not submit to the ones I’d submit. It’s droped to about 1 to 5 the other way now. (I’m sure some people wish I’d go back to 3 to 1) mainly whenever I feel I’m contributing zero to the discussion and fear I might be posting just to post. ---
**Author:** ![Nvme77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Nvme77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nvme77)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/17 "2003-12-05T04:33:38Z")
whenever I would start posting and notice I was not logged in and that happens at least once a week. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/18 "2003-12-05T04:36:33Z")
I didn’t do this at all when I started reading here. Then someone offhandedly mentioned hitting the ‘back’ button after writing out a post and it’s like a little lightbulb went on in my head. Now, I’d say about 1/10, with the percentage going a bit higher if I’m involved in heated discussion. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/19 "2003-12-05T05:02:05Z")
All the time. I go through the exact same thought process as **pepperlandgirl**. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054/20 "2003-12-05T05:07:57Z")
Depends on the forum. In MPSIMS, Cafe, and the Pit, rarely. In GQ, sometimes I’m answering, hit preview, and see a very similar answer just posted. I either edit my post or delete it. Happens maybe about 1 in 5. GD. That’s the one I usually end up deleting. Maybe 50/50. So many GDers are so full of themselves, that other people’s posts either get ignored, misinterpreted, or flamed. Who needs that? And considering that I have yet to see any GD thread on a major topic actually change anyone’s mind… Well, if I can add to a _reasonable_ discussion, I will. But since I usually just end up wanting to tell them to go squink a dead donkey, I just delete my last response and chalk it up to “Who cares?” So, overall, very rarely. Not at all in the conversation type threads like in MPSIMS or Trek. Ya shudda seen the other post I wroted! 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-often-do-you-write-out-a-whole-post-then-not-submit-it/217054.md?page=2)