Do I have to check back and see if anyone challenged me?
If asked for a cite do I have to provide one or say why I’m not doing so?
If I say something that’s blatantly incorrect and it’s pointed out do I have to at least come back and say “Sorry about that?”
What if I start a thread in GD and honestly don’t have anything to add in response to the later posts? Should I at least come back and say that?
Do I have to come back and thank people for help in IMHO or GQ?
What does your gut tell you about what mannerly conduct might be? What types of behavior have you observed in practice here on the boards, that people have called rude, and that you see others doing out of politeness? 
I’d say you probably already have some grasp of the “culture” here. Yes, you should provide an cite to an online source if someone asks you to, or give the book/magazine/study if you can’t find it online. Yes, you should continue to participate in threads you start. It’s better to admit you were mistaken, than bluster and backpeddle, or retreat in sullen silence. If you cannot add anything more to the debate, I’d think at least a “Thank you for your replies, they are food for thought” or a “Well said, I agree” might be callled for. I’d think thanking a person for their solutions, and giving a short update on how well they worked, or what you are trying would also be polite, don’t you?
I would think if you’re not coming back to something you started – especially if it’s a trainwreck – it’s only polite to say so. Politely, of course.
People should have some inkling of what you’re doing and if you’re in the middle of debating someone over some point and you decide you’re done you shouldn’t keep that a secret.
Consider it like you would a conversation with someone. You wouldn’t just walk away in mid-sentence and leave someone wondering what you were doing, this is the same thing.
And Zabali? Do you have some issue here or are you aggravated for a reason? Is it personal or just in general?
blink I put in a smilie. I’m not aggravated at all. Could it be that you are sensing a tone that isn’t there? What I posted, is a method to help a person realize they already know the answers to their questions. I was acknowledging that the OP was mostly just looking for confirmation of what they thought was true. I was affirming that they are correct. Maybe it’s that I recognized what they were doing, because I do similar myself? Really, looking over my words again, with smile intact (to be certain to show that I’m not “speaking” in a mean tone of voice) I don’t see any kind of grumpiness at all TubaDiva?
I am wrestling with some sadness that is welling up, but that is due to the fact that I keep thinking “Ack! I need to get Mom a Mother’s Day gift!” and then realize there will be no more Mother’s Day gifts, since she’s dead. Maybe it’s that which is coming out?
Adding I’ve seen the OP post in various places, and they’ve shown decent manners in the past. This is why I replied the way I did.
If you start a thread, I think it’s good form to check on it once or twice a day to see if there’s something you need to respond to. If nobody’s replying, you are allowed one bump, to bring it back to the top of the forum.
If you post to a thread with something confrontational, we assume you want some further conversation. So, come back to check. If somebody responds rudely, you are NOT obligated to get into an extended argument. You can acknowlege the disagreement, but you don’t have to fight over it if you don’t want to.
If you get in the habit of posting and never returning to the thread, you will be called a “drive-by poster.” :eek:
Sorry about your mom, **Zabali_Clawbane **.
Thanks for responses so far. They do help me to clarify a bit more. As I was reading the responses I realized that I was also a little resentful about some posters who walked away from threads at times which didn’t seem right. No cites needed, nothing worth notifying a moderator, I don’t think, but a PITA for sure.
So I’ll probably keep doing pretty much what I’m doing and not get too upset when some jerk doesn’t have the decency to finish a conversation at a time when I think they should.
Also, I realized that I could start a couple more GD threads, but I haven’t because I really don’t have an opinion, just a question. And I might have nothing to add after the OP. And as I think about it, there’s nothing wrong with that.