# SDMB netiquette question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234 "2004-02-20T17:49:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![labmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@labmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/1 "2004-02-20T17:49:13Z")
Is it proper to thank someone who provides a well-founded answer to a question you pose? I’m thinking particularly of GQ. I’ve seen some carefully thought out responses that must have taken a great deal of leg-work(finding cites, etc.) and sometimes think I should at least acknowledge the effort. On the other hand, this board is slammed most of the time, why make the hamsters work harder? Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/2 "2004-02-20T18:06:06Z")
I’ve always posted my thanks, and I’ve sent emails on occasion also. I can’t imagine that such a post taxes the hamsters any more than any other posts. ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/3 "2004-02-20T18:10:52Z")
A thanks is always welcome. Otherwise they might be left with the feeling that they posted for nothing and that you never came back to read it. In GD a word of thanks is most welcome as, more often than not, people refuse to acknowledge each other’s points. I guess if you could add something to the thread rather than just posting a TY, that would be even better. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/4 "2004-02-20T18:26:53Z")
I always leave a “thanks,” saying something else if I’ve got something else to say. Frankly, I expect other people to say “thanks” when I provide information they were looking for, whether it’s in GQ or elsewhere. (I’m still a little miffed that there was no acknowledgement when I provided the plot summary that someone requested over in Cafe Society, though I refrained from a sarcastic “you’re welcome” bump two days later.) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/5 "2004-02-20T18:29:11Z")
I try to thank people here as often as I can. But I don’t post on weekends, and I don’t like to bump things from prior pages. Other times I’ll forget. But there certainly would be no reason to not post a thank you. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/6 "2004-02-20T18:37:21Z")
A “Thank You” is always welcome. You would say “Thanks” to someone who answered a question for you in real life. Why not on the board? ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/7 "2004-02-20T19:06:17Z")
Yes, like the others I think you should post a ‘thank you’. I try to do it when I’ve asked a question, I like it when I get a thank you after providing an answer and I hate it if there is no reply at all. By thanking for an answer you provide incentive for answering future questions by you and others. ---
**Author:** ![labmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@labmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/8 "2004-02-20T19:14:17Z")
I suppose a thank you is in order then. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/9 "2004-02-20T19:59:31Z")
hmmmmm…should I or shouldn’t I? Thank you **labmonkey** for saying thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/10 "2004-02-21T07:13:32Z")
When I do post a question to the group, I usually put a blanket thank you in the OP. Does that suffice? Am I being rude not sending out thank you posts afterwards? ---
**Author:** ![labmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f19dbf/32.png) [@labmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/labmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/11 "2004-02-21T07:20:58Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > When I do post a question to the group, I usually put a blanket thank you in the OP. > > Does that suffice? Am I being rude not sending out thank you posts afterwards? Naw, sometimes I don’t get thank you posts out until months after the thread, if at all. Even then my wife usually has to write them for me. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/12 "2004-02-21T08:03:23Z")
It also helps to toss in a thank you or two along the way for specific points when it keeps the answers on-topic. It lets the mods (and other posters) know when you’ve pretty much got the answer you were hoping for so posters stop adding to the thread. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/13 "2004-02-21T08:36:43Z")
> [@Fish](#): > > It also helps to toss in a thank you or two along the way for specific points when it keeps the answers on-topic. It lets the mods (and other posters) know when you’ve pretty much got the answer you were hoping for so posters stop adding to the thread. That is the answer. Thank you **Fish**. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/14 "2004-02-21T13:40:04Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I try to thank people here as often as I can. But I don’t post on weekends, and I don’t like to bump things from prior pages. Other times I’ll forget. But there certainly would be no reason to not post a thank you. Whatever you do, makse sure you help **Munch** out! You’ll not only get thanks, you’ll also get [love](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4560873&postcount=4). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-netiquette-question/230234/15 "2004-02-21T21:57:44Z")
I think it’s good form to thank someone who took the time to answer your Q. Some folks even grump about “drive by posters” who ask a question and never come back. Sometimes, I don’t thank (heck, sometimes I don’t think!) but have one or two other things on my calendar.