onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm wondering if anyone else has a difficulty in reading posts that consist of long paragraphs with no line breaks?

I'm finding some replies which look interesting but I just can't bring myself to read them cos of their lack of structure.

Presumably I'm not alone in this, as breaking up information with white space is always presented as being a function of web page/print design, to aid readability.

It'd be good to get some opinions on this because anyone who creates a long paragraph has obviously put in some time and effort, and it's a shame if it's wasted due to people not reading it.

I'm definitly not being critical here, if people prefer to use big text blocks in their posts that's their choice; I just thought that if they were doing so unthinkingly it might be useful to know that some of us have difficulties reading them.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
i rarely write rants, but when i do i tend to space it out - one break every 5 lines is good.

often in the heavy discussions [such as religion, depression and alike] there is and incredible amount of text. i usually cant be bothered reading it all - which i agree its a shame because theres some pretty interesting threads going on.

although ive noticed in the religious threads always have everyone quoting each others quotations of each others quotes which unintentionally does break up the flow a bit.

cheers.

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
I kno I do, it doesn't help that I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat, but sometimes my eyes gloss over on long paragraphs. Is one thing I look for when editing for print or web, large blocks of text do tend to run on together, n make it hard to discern one idea from the next. Even makes it harder to remember, for some reason.

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
quote:
I sometimes have the attention span of a gnat
which is......

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:
shooort, very short

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


EeraBRONZE Member
old hand
1,107 posts
Location: In a test pit, Mackay, Australia


Posted:
Soundbites are good. Bullet points better. No words of more than three syllables please....

There's a lot of good stuff that gets lost in very long posts, but that may just be because lazy gits like me feel our eyes glaze over and drool start to appear when we try to read them.

There is a slight possibility that I am not actually right all of the time.


Pink...?BRONZE Member
Mistress of Pink...Multicoloured
6,140 posts
Location: Over There, United Kingdom


Posted:
I agree. I often dont have the willpower to start reading long paragraphs...

I like things split up, so much easier to read.

Alice

Never pick up a duck in a dungeon...


Dirty Marmite SpiderClimbing up my leg
141 posts
Location: England


Posted:
I think you should set up some sort of HoP on line english lesson. 'How to use paragraphs and bullet points - Make your posts more readable.'

pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
really it's just the big words that get me all confused

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
jeeze, its a good thing you guys arent reading anything truly dence, theorectical french translated into english for example.

theres lots of stuff i cant understand, but I do tend to ask for a clarification if so.

are we becoming syntax police too? Next well have a "can everyone use a dictionary" tread?

T

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


pounceSILVER Member
All the neurotic makings of America's lesser known sweetheart
9,831 posts
Location: body in Las Vegas, heart all around the world, USA


Posted:
quote:
Originally posted by [Nx?]:
are we becoming syntax police too? Next well have a "can everyone use a dictionary" tread ?

there's something oddly ironic about that statement

giggles

I was always scared with my mother's obsession with the good scissors. It made me wonder if there were evil scissors lurking in the house somewhere.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

**giggles**


musashiistarring Skippy the green llama
1,148 posts
Location: Seattle, WA


Posted:

First intention, then enlightenment..
Ars Pyronomica

" Life is programmed. Whether death is programmed or not is yet to be determined."


dromepixieveteran
1,463 posts
Location: Florida


Posted:
quote:
Originally posted by [Nx?]:
are we becoming syntax police too? Next well have a "can everyone use a dictionary" tread?
I agree not just in the relevance of this site but much of society.

If you dont feel like reading it: dont...
it might not give you anything if you dont want to read it.
If you do feel like reading it: do...
you might get something out of it.

Its all there if you want or dont want to look.

Hugs light love,
drome

JUGGLEwithyourmind!


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
This thread wasn't posted in a 'syntax police' spirit at all; the initial post was put in as sensitive way as possible and made it quite clear that there was no critisism of people who post difficult to read blocks of text; I just thought they may want to know that some of us don't read them.

Some of the replies show that others have difficulties reading unbroken text, so it's been worthwhile in that sense.

I think it's important to realise that it isn't due to laziness, I think for most of us there's a limit to how much time we can spend on a forum.

In that time we have to read new posts on threads we're interested in, compose a few replies, post new threads etc.

If there's a choice between reading a post that's got no structure, or reading three that have, I'm going to go for the latter.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


[Nx?]BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,749 posts
Location: Europe,Scotland,Both


Posted:
*shrug* do it then.

it does beg the question, why post?

sometimes, there is only one paragraph.

puntuation and line breaks were only invented a couple of hundred years ago.

No matter how you say this thing, what your saying will make it an attack to some.

Look, I spelt 'dose' right!

T

This is a post by tom, all spelling is deleberate
-><- Kallisti


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Nx?- I'm not sure what you're saying here.

By your original 'syntax police' comment I assumed you were being critical of this thread topic.

Like I said before, the original post didn't critisise anyone, it was simply saying that I find certain posts hard to read, and asking if anyone else does.

It turns out that other people do, which is to be expected as large blocks of text are harder to read than text which is split up.

I'd like to point out that it wasn't long ago that I did several detailed posts defending simplified spelling so I'm not out to bring people down who aren't so good with grammar.

I just think that using line breaks is a fairly straightforward matter and that the people who don't use them probably would do if they were aware that it makes life easier for those reading them.

I notice that your posts are clear and well spaced, as are most on this thread; if anyones interested in what prompted me to post this thread then go to: -

https://www.homeofpoi.com/ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006481

a thread on religion which I started, but which I haven't really participated in because so many of the posts were difficult to read.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


dromepixieveteran
1,463 posts
Location: Florida


Posted:
if life was easy what would be the fun in that?!




I'd rather take the time to read if i feel like it.

hugs
drome

JUGGLEwithyourmind!


DentrassiGOLD Member
ZORT!
3,045 posts
Location: Brisbane, Australia


Posted:
i can only handle monosyllabic words......

"Here kitty kitty...." - Schroedinger.



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