Discussion»Questions»Computers and the Internet» If you are on an internet social site you can ask/answer/comment/ignore what's going on. Why show up if you are just gonna watch? Do you?
Always wondered that myself! Why just sit there and watch and not say anything? I try to answer and comment as much as possible. I even ask a question or two here and there. I've seen that on many sites.
Some people enjoy watching rather than participating. They're tourists who pass through without leaving much of themselves behind. Some (as Maurice said) lack confidence.
To be honest, I'm more interested in the people who answer when they have nothing to say, and from them we often get answers like, "I don't know." It's a very valid response. These are the people who want to be here, want to be a part of the community, but lack the background to make much of a contribution. They're welcome, too: they're all part of the mix.
There are various reasons people may leave simple, "Yes", "No" or "I don't know" responses. Just a few:
• Some people who are shy in person carry that over to the internet. Contrary to popular opinion, the internet does not bring out everyone's inner ogre/ogress.
• Sometimes people new to a site or to responding to a particular poster are just testing the water to see how inviting it is.
• Sometimes posters can be rather persnickety about how they want their posts answered, and others are really only looking for simple responses.
• Sometimes people get interruptions (phone call, family, pets, etc.) and intend to get back to it later.
• On certain subjects, people may feel strongly (and reply "Yes" or "No"), but do not wish to elaborate thus inviting snarky attacks from people prone to them.
A simple engagement with the member, asking them to elaborate may be all that is needed to start a meaningful discussion.
All good points, Bozette. And on a different tack altogether (since you kind of brought it up) I once wrote a poem about a horse race and one of the runners was named Princess Persnickety. That was about 1960 so don't ask me to remember it. I'd have forgotten it altogether if you hadn't mentioned the word.
"Internet social site" is a rather broad term that encompasses a wide variety of types: from the personal to simple Q & A to having a main theme, such as politics or tech. I am and have been on various sites, and on some I am very active, others not so much, and on a few, I generally do not participate much, if at all. Sometimes that is because users are very rude and unwelcoming to outsiders, other times it is because I am just interested in information posted but have no desire to become embroiled in the games played on so many sites.
I spent a couple of years with an Australian chess forum but dropped out for that reason. Too many of them carried on like little kids -- and not even teenagers. It was just too bloody depressing.
I have been active on a couple where people acted like that. The first one had a lot of members and things were categorized such that between the sheer number of people and by avoiding certain areas, it was actually pretty tolerable. The other is quite small and has no categorization, so bickering has often ensued.
Benedict Arnold 