# Poster etiquette **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 27, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685 "2010-01-27T21:44:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![petew83](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@petew83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/petew83)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/1 "2010-01-27T21:44:29Z")
What is the usual poster etiquette here? Are you always supposed to follow up your question with some feedback on the responses? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/2 "2010-01-27T21:49:26Z")
You don’t have to, but it’s a polite thing to do. You’d probably see more railing against it in Great Debates where OPs that are dropped like hand granades and then ignored by the OPer typically generate some disdain. Other than that, a nice “Thanks for responding” is always welcomed, if not an actual Thank You card (my moms advice, not mine). ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/3 "2010-01-27T21:49:34Z")
Check [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384745), Pete. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/4 "2010-01-27T21:50:14Z")
Yes, it’s considered polite to respond to responses, though in some cases it’s not essential. A straightforward question might not need you to follow up (though saying “Thank you” will be appreciated); but starting a debate and not joining in the debate is regarded as bad form (and might mark the OP as a troll). ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/5 "2010-01-27T21:57:54Z")
You’re wondering about the [cat turd](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=549322), arent’ you? It’s always nice to let other know their advice or knowledge is appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/6 "2010-01-27T21:58:50Z")
Moved GQ --\> ATMB. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/7 "2010-01-27T22:31:08Z")
You should also type with your pinkies up. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/8 "2010-01-28T00:00:07Z")
If you start a thread, it’s probably a good idea. I generally will go back and do it even if the thread is almost a zombie and I forgot about it. I don’t know about if you didn’t actually start the thread. I’d say the only time it could possibly factor in is if you are asked a question directly. And, even then, if it’s more of a tangent, I probably wouldn’t care if the person didn’t reply. If I am atypical, I’d like to know, because I’ve probably annoyed some people with my habit to come into a thread, say what I think, and only come back if it pops up to the top again. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/9 "2010-01-28T00:27:13Z")
Yes, generally you should be insulting and dismissive of anybody who bothers to take the time to answer your question. That shows people that you’ve got high standards and you’re mysterious, and people love a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/10 "2010-01-28T01:45:48Z")
> [@petew83](#): > > What is the usual poster etiquette here? Are you always supposed to follow up your question with some feedback on the responses? Just curious. Yes. If you don’t care enough about a thread you started to come back and participate, why should anyone else? And yes, this is a peeve of mine. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/11 "2010-01-28T11:43:26Z")
People will think you started a thread and didn’t care enough to come back and participate in it if you don’t post again. Expect less people responding to your posts in the future when you have a pattern of no response to posts in your own thread. I try to thank people when I get what I want and let them know I don’t need more. After that point I don’t worry about if the thread continues. It’s also frustrating to try and help someone that doesn’t come back for a day and clarify questions other people have asked to be able to give a proper response. This eventually means people decide to ignore your thread. It also helps in GQ to steer the responses with your replies in the direction that you are looking for the topic to go to solve your problem. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/12 "2010-01-28T12:48:41Z")
There’s no “official” rule, other than the general rule that we’d like people to be polite to each other\*. Basically, a “thank you” is certainly polite, and nice to do, but not required.\*\* - The general rule is waived in the Pit, of course, but still within limits as to how nasty you can be to other posters. \*\* I think we did have someone once who posted a “thank you” after every single response in a fairly long thread: that was either post-padding (when number of posts was a mark of distinction), or just excessive. ---
**Author:** ![SleepyDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@SleepyDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SleepyDuck)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/13 "2010-02-04T05:20:44Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > I think we did have someone once who posted a “thank you” after every single response in a fairly long thread: that was either post-padding ( **when number of posts was a mark of distinction** ), or just excessive. So am I to understand that post count is no longer a mark of distinction? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/14 "2010-02-04T10:27:17Z")
> [@SleepyDuck](#): > > So am I to understand that post count is no longer a mark of distinction? Well, you aren’t allowed to have post parties, that’s for sure. I wish we could, as this is the first board I’ve stayed at long enough (and often enough) to reach 1000+ posts. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/15 "2010-02-04T15:12:52Z")
Notice how the OP hasn’t been back to the thread? ---
**Author:** ![ajb867](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@ajb867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ajb867)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/16 "2010-02-04T16:20:17Z")
Is that a pin you are holding there runner pat? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/17 "2010-02-04T16:37:33Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Notice how the OP hasn’t been back to the thread? On the plus side, you win. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-etiquette/526685/18 "2010-02-05T15:11:06Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > You should also type with your pinkies up. Use a napkin when encountering particularly juicy threads.