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Krizaz
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Krizaz
2,399 posts
Nomad

Now, raise your hands if you have good punctuation and grammar.
60% of us, good.

NO! Walls of Text

You know what I hate? Walls of text, nobody likes reading walls of text, people want information in summed up sentences, short and to the point.

You probably notice that I don't do walls of text in my post, the most lines of text I do are probably 3 lines down. This is because I hate reading my own post of walls of text, I might feel good after I get done, but then I notice nobody's reading it until the 1 in 100 devoted reader comes along and makes a comment.

I thought "Why would somebody skip my excellent literature?"
I answered "Because people hate walls of text."

So I changed my habits, I started typing up these short paragraphs, which are short and to the point, so if you get confused on something you can generally pin them down.

Now I know many of you will go "But Krizaz, I just absolutely love walls of text!" Well, your one in a few, or you may say you love walls of text, but then go and see one, and just ignore it because your too lazy.


Include Photos

http://caffaknitted.typepad.com/.a/6a00e54f8f86dc883401287636e5db970c-800wi

Look! A puppy!

Don't you just want to read this entire post now?
I personally find myself looking at the photos before anything else, I see a photo and skip right down to it, I don't care what your text says at that point, but the, magically, I do care what it says. Because we're attracted to color we like photos, it makes us more interested and acute.

images?q=tbn<i class=http://ewans.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/grey1.jpg" alt="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbnhttp://ewans.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/grey1.jpg" />

I bet you just locked on to that.

See how the gray photo was boring and uninteresting to you, you don't hate that color, it's just boring, it has nothing to study unlike the puppy picture.

I'm positively sure you didn't read the wall of text part.
Admit it.

Boring Post

I see this a lot in the Forum Games section, I get annoyed when I see my score for 'rate the above user' as just 8/10, instead of a reason why we rate that user that score. People can't read your mind.

Boring post really don't happen all that often, it's more of just a post here you don't have anything to say. There's really not much to say about boring post other than have a motive when you start to post.

Links

Links are awesome, they're blue, and they make you look like your smart. See how fascinated you are.

Including a link can also help when people want to know where you got your information, whether it's a legitimate site, or just some stupid conspiracist site.

When I see a nice link to a article, I try to click it, unless I honestly have no interest in the subject.

What we've learned

Walls of text are generally unanswered
Pictures Rule
Boring post are boring
Links are smart

R=(-W)P*(-B)L

R = Respect
-W = No Walls of Text
P = Picture
-B + No boring post
L = Links

Enjoy the free advice.

  • 32 Replies
delossantosj
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delossantosj
6,680 posts
Nomad

you are great krizaz, and are making the world a better place

Ernie15
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Ernie15
13,349 posts
Bard

I try and give my longer posts images whenever possible. I don't like reading walls of texts either, and my long posts can get pretty long. Sometimes they're all one sentence.

Just a side note: don't encourage too many images, or the forum will flood with them. Try to let people know that this guide is mostly for opening posts rather than replies.

Blu3sBr0s
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Blu3sBr0s
1,287 posts
Nomad

You know what I hate? Walls of text, nobody likes reading walls of text, people want information in summed up sentences, short and to the point.


Good tips for members who frequent the tavern. But often in the WEPR forum a wall of text is necessary to refute the arguments of the new imbecile on the block. But a good tip in that these walls of text should be restricted for 1 or 2 topics.

This isn't 4chan, if I see a response almost purely composed of images that isn't in the tavern, I will likely report it as spam.
knight_34
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knight_34
13,822 posts
Farmer

Lol, some of the moderators make long walls of text... Which scare people away. And some things can only be explained in painful walls of text, even if they're separated into paragraphs. As Blu3sBr0s notes, it is impossible to be a good debater in the WEPR without long discussions. Sometimes, you might have to make things a little long, outside of the WEPR.

This rule applies best to OP's. I've seen moderators who make page long OP's and those threads never take off.

Pazx
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Pazx
5,845 posts
Peasant

All wall of text broke up into paragraphs can still be tl;dr.

Very nice guide btw. Just to everyone out there: don't flood the forums with short posts, walls of texts or images.

Cenere
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Cenere
13,658 posts
Jester

This isn't 4chan, if I see a response almost purely composed of images that isn't in the tavern, I will likely report it as spam.

This. Most of the time, a photo that is irrelevant (like the dog), big (like the dog) or generally disturbing to the read (like the dog) should not be included. It is not the Picture War or something, it is a discussion. No matter how interesting and smart it might seem to put in images to keep the interest of a reader, it will in most cases be disturbing the concentration and the flow of a post.

I'm positively sure you didn't read the wall of text part.
Admit it.

I read it, then the dog interrupted. Then I read on, and scrolled past the dog to be able to further ignore it.

Anyway, I agree. Making a wall of text is no good, because it is near impossible to read if it goes on for too long. 3 lines is a little short, though. Especially if you double space between it and the next line. It just ends up abrupt and harder to follow, if you are still talking about something related to the previous paragraph.
Instead, just a simply line change would do good. You break up the text, but not in a way that disturbs the reading too much.

Boring post really don't happen all that often, it's more of just a post here you don't have anything to say.

What you define as a boring post is a spam post to most mods. If people have nothing to say, they should not post. Why? Because they add nothing to the discussion, and it shows that they are too lazy to care, and might just do it to make themselves seen/rated, or in worse cases, to gain the points.

Links most often go places where you actually need to show your sources. Places like the Tavern does not often have long proper discussion, and is more an exchange of opinions than fact, like it is not the WEPR.
Sometimes I have seen links simply replace a post ("*link* Click it." or just "*link*&quot which in all cases are spam, no matter how relevant the link might be. It will still need a bit of text, if nothing just for the sake of explaining what people might end up seeing.

This rule applies best to OP's. I've seen moderators who make page long OP's and those threads never take off.

I know this all too well... I am a tl;dr master of OPs > >
Usually the topic is not very interesting as well, I guess. People don't want to face their mistakes.
Pazx
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Pazx
5,845 posts
Peasant

I know this all too well... I am a tl;dr master of OPs > >
Usually the topic is not very interesting as well, I guess. People don't want to face their mistakes.


like your etiquite thread with a funny name :P
MrDayCee
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MrDayCee
14,746 posts
King

I read the OP you made and not just to proove you wrong, I always read text, that's what's slowing me down sometimes when I enter a thread I visited some time ago and want to participate in again... it's good to know what happened while you were away from it! =P

And what made me laugh out loud was the fact that "you argument against walls of text, yet... you make a 'Berlin Wall of text' to proove your point! XD
Kind of a counter effect there huh?

The dog part does support your statement, but... that would mean slowing down the loading time of the thread pages, because everyone will paste pictures in their posts all the time! Ever though of that?

Now to conclude my 'little garden fence of text' in this post... I think you have a point, but better to leave this to the users to figure out what they want to do with it... some enjoy reading what others wrote very much, some don't!

And that's that... =)

I wonder who actually read my entire post... =P

knight_34
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knight_34
13,822 posts
Farmer

I wonder who actually read my entire post... =P


I did. Most of us are comfortable reading a post like yours. But not one ten times as long, if I recall one of Cen's correctly.

Usually the topic is not very interesting as well, I guess.


They are, but the long OP doesn't stimulate conversation. Fear, avoidance, annoyance and shock.

I am a tl;dr master of OPs


So is Strop, and some other people.
Pazx
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Pazx
5,845 posts
Peasant

Now to conclude my 'little garden fence of text' in this post... I think you have a point, but better to leave this to the users to figure out what they want to do with it... some enjoy reading what others wrote very much, some don't!


lol, each paragraph looks like a post In a picket fence~

What!? I was too busy making art out of forum posts to read it D:!

Naww, I read it.
Asherlee
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Asherlee
5,001 posts
Shepherd

Well, I am split on this. I will read posts regardless of its aesthetics. This is probably because the sections that I visit frequently require you to read the posts and not just scan them.

But, moving past the aesthetics of posts, would be the nature of them. The manner in which you communicate what you are saying to others. That being said, personally, I find it very entertaining to read posts of those that write like they would talk. I great example would be Klaushouse.

I, unfortunately, lack that talent. Or I just speak like a robot.

knight_34
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knight_34
13,822 posts
Farmer

Or I just speak like a robot


No, robots make whirring noises and beeps. Do you make whirring noises and beeps?
wajor59
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wajor59
909 posts
Nomad

No, robots make whirring noises and beeps. Do you make whirring noises and beeps?


I needed that laugh, thanks Knight!

Asherlee, I'm split, too but for a different reason. I do agree with others that have already said that the exception to the rule, (ignoring Great Walls 'O Posts), is posting on WEPR. I'm guilty of posting walls when:
1) answering a lot of people who have commented on my previous post.

2) having to provide proof of, or clarity to something I wrote that was misunderstood.

3) what Mr.DayCee said about trying to reenter a thread after an absence.

I totally agree about Klaushouse writing like he talks.
Asherlee
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Asherlee
5,001 posts
Shepherd

whhhhirrrr

Beep.

Beep.

knight_34
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knight_34
13,822 posts
Farmer

I needed that laugh, thanks Knight!


*claps* I've made someone laugh before I've started my day. Yay.

I totally agree about Klaushouse writing like he talks.


Makes for good laughs.

Your points wajor, are good one. Also, soometimes the only way to respond effectively is to write a long chain of paragraphs. Yes, that happens but not often.


Beep.


GREETINGS HUMAN. *beep*
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