# Nitpick your fellow Dopers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 15, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583 "2023-06-15T20:49:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/61 "2023-06-16T13:38:42Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > To be fair, i was ALSO bothered by long patches of conversation where i couldn’t tell who was speaking. > [@](#): > > So i associate the convention but only with a sense of broken quotes that never close, but also with being confused as to what was going on in the book. I think we have all come across such passages, and IMHO the blame for reader confusion in that situation falls squarely on the author and editor, not on the style. Although I admit that the multi-paragraph convention, combined with sloppy editing, could very easily worsen confusion. Maybe it’s just the books I read, but I don’t recall seeing this convention used in fiction very often. Indeed, I was only thinking of it in non-fiction / journalism / social media contexts when I posted, and was mildly taken aback to find the example I posted, and others, set in fiction. > [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I recently needed to use “pled” in a post but my spellchecker flagged it. I looked around Google and found that the preferred spelling was “pleaded.” Thanks for this correction. I was sure of the other two, but should have checked that one myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/62 "2023-06-16T13:47:39Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > My nitpick is SD-centric. Please don’t sign your posts! There is a certain someone in the list games that does this, and it makes it (just a little) harder to cut and paste for the quote function. We can see who you are! It’s right there! I agree with this one. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/63 "2023-06-16T13:50:47Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > Maybe it’s just the books I read, but I don’t recall seeing this convention used in fiction very often. Indeed, I was only thinking of it in non-fiction / journalism / social media contexts when I posted, and was mildly taken aback to find the example I posted, and others, set in fiction. Whereas i came upon it in fiction, and it only just occurred to me that one might use it in journalism. And i may even have figured out the intention. But there were a few books i read as a kid with pages and pages of dialogue, and those quotes were the only indication of who was speaking, and it was really easy to get confused and lost. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/64 "2023-06-16T13:53:53Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > For those of you who play the list thread games and don’t check if somebody posts before you and the new list is out of whack: EDIT YOUR FREAKING POST!!! Yeah, although I would have worded it something like “Please make sure you’re responding to the post that is most recent at the moment you hit **Reply**.” ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/65 "2023-06-16T13:55:55Z")
A non-grammar pet peeve of mine here at SDMB is posters who mention something related to their location without identifying where they are. As if we somehow know where they live. “That’s not the law here.” Where?!? The only possible excuse for this was the poster formerly known as Paul\_In\_Saudi. In his current incarnation as Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/66 "2023-06-16T14:06:01Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > A non-grammar pet peeve of mine here at SDMB is posters who mention something related to their location without identifying where they are. As if we somehow know where they live. > > “That’s not the law here.” > > Where?!? Huh. I feel like, “that’s not the law here” is evidence for, “no, that’s not universal” without needing to know where “here” is. Also, i apologize if i drive you nuts that way, but i like to pretend I’m at least a little anonymous, and so I prefer to be very vague about where i currently live. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/67 "2023-06-16T14:09:57Z")
Well, that particular phrase may not have been the best choice, but I have seen posters refer to “here” in a context where the actual location was relevant. Or specify a wider region, eg, Western Massachusetts, if you don’t want to admit living in Springfield. ETA, I wasn’t thinking of you specifically, @puzzlegal. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/68 "2023-06-16T14:54:31Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > My nitpick is SD-centric. Please don’t sign your posts! There is a certain someone in the list games that does this, and it makes it (just a little) harder to cut and paste for the quote function. We can see who you are! It’s right there! > [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I agree with this one. Make that three of us. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/69 "2023-06-16T15:00:28Z")
Eh, you could have been. I usually say that I live in suburbia in the northeast, which covers a lot of jurisdictions. And I had one really weird interaction fairly early on on this board where I asserted that (iirc) attitudes about guns where I live are not the same as they are where the other person lived, which was something like Texas. And, honestly, I thought that was both relevant and ought to be easy to believe, without needing to name exactly where I live. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/70 "2023-06-16T15:06:01Z")
> [@themapleleaf](#): > > There’s this one Doper whose answers often amount to smart remarks rather than answers in good faith to a question or clearly rendered opinions. With all due respect there’s definitely more than one guilty doper, I’d also include at least two mods as well. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/71 "2023-06-16T15:49:12Z")
I could do without the posters who add cutesy things like “and additional words for Discourse” at the end of their brief post. Yes, we get it. Discourse has a minimum post length and you’re annoyed by it. Maybe it was clever in the first few weeks when we were getting used to Discourse, but the joke has run its course. Add something useful, add a few dots if you can’t think of anything else. Seeth silently in your annoyance rather than annoying everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/72 "2023-06-16T15:58:43Z")
If you’re going to respond to a post, add something to push the conversation forward. Posts that only have “lol” or “ISWYDT” or “I came in here to post that” with nothing else are a waste of time. Exceptions include thanking someone or otherwise being polite. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/73 "2023-06-16T16:32:52Z")
> [@Leo\_Krupe](#): > > If you’re going to respond to a post, add something to push the conversation forward. Posts that only have “lol” or “ISWYDT” or “I came in here to post that” with nothing else are a waste of time. I have mixed feelings about this. We don’t have a “Like” button here, but every once in awhile someone posts something so clever that I think it’s sad if it goes by with nobody acknowledging it. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/74 "2023-06-16T16:34:02Z")
I agree. It feels good to have someone think you’re funny or smart. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/75 "2023-06-16T17:04:15Z")
Yeah, I think short answers are sometimes fine. Someday I’m going to post something really funny (really, I am) and it’s nice when someone laughs or agrees. And I appreciate the occasional “ISWYD” to clue me in that I missed some bit of cleverness. But find a different way to pad the post. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/76 "2023-06-16T17:19:34Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I could do without the posters who add cutesy things like “and additional words for Discourse” at the end of their brief post. While it’s something to consider, I actually don’t mind it a bit when people do this. Discourse has no business dictating the length of our posts. We’re under no obligation to make Discourse (or anyone else) happy by adding anything more than what we intended to say or to waste any time on it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/77 "2023-06-16T17:26:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I have, however, been so overcome by my own cleverness and insight that I’ve failed to see if I’m too late to the party. We probably all do it once in awhile, but some people do it so often that you have to wonder why. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/78 "2023-06-16T17:33:03Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Ugh, I despise that convention. I remember seeing it when i was young, and it confused the hell out of me. Thankfully, it seems to be dying out. Me, too! Oh, and one vote against “y’all.” It’s nails on a chalkboard for me. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/79 "2023-06-16T17:40:31Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Discourse has no business dictating the length of our posts. Well, it’s the SDMB (Ed) doing this. Discourse just provides a parameter to define the minimum length for a forum. The admins here could change it to zero if they wanted. Even so, bother them about it. Don’t annoy all the users who are trying to follow a thread. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2023, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583/80 "2023-06-16T17:59:01Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Oh, and one vote against “y’all.” It’s nails on a chalkboard for me. I agree. Sure, it may be cultural snobbishness (at least in my case), and I’m okay with that. But it’s also becoming overused on the net. I’ll also add cutesy terms for the internet like “interwebz,” “intertubez,” or any variation. It’s not cute or witty. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nitpick-your-fellow-dopers/985583.md?page=5)