How many DUers read the content of posters' links before responding?

[HuckleB]

I know some OPs are very long, with multiple links, but I'm starting to think most responders to posts with even a single, concise link haven't taken the time to read the link. I hope I'm wrong, but ...

[tazkcmo]

1. Most of the time

Except when the posted excerpt contains something ludicrous like Sen Sanders is trying to take away CHIP and leave children at the mercy of Republican governors. Then I don't.

[HuckleB]

5. Good for you.

[Warpy]

2. Some I do, some I don't

Occasionally, the substance of the article can be posted in 4 paragraphs. Once in a while, the article at the link was written by someone who was being paid by the word and those are the links I don't read. I scan other long articles.

However, life is short and most people at DU are busy and if an article contains much more than can be summarized in 4 paragraphs, I do people here the courtesy of saying so.

[Renew Deal]

3. Sometimes yes, sometimes no

I feel like all of the most important information should be in the OP. Occasionally it is not and I post something that is answered by the article.

[Jim Beard]

4. I will admit I don't read all of them

If the header seems to have given a great deal of information, I will usually not read all of it. If its skimpy I will or move on.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Next you'll find out that congresspeople don't read the bills they vote on. n/t

[HuckleB]

7. Yeah, it's just weird when it's so very obvious.

I had a poster respond by stating the most basic part of an OP I posted as if it was a new idea, and another poster "agreed." And the OP took that point and went much further, in the first place. It's just strange.

[PoliticAverse]

12. Did you see the (related) prank NPR pulled back in April of 2014?...

https://www.trippapparel.com/2014/25746

[HuckleB]

17. LOL! Nice.

[Ghost Dog]

35. Hah!

[Gregorian]

8. Often I see a post that I'm already familiar with.

Or sometimes I know the author well enough that I'll rec it before watching some hour long video, hoping that it gets more recs and exposure.

[HuckleB]

18. Yeah, but that's because you've already read/watched it.

That makes sense.

[bigwillq]

9. I respond mainly to the subject line

and not so much the content. I am not a fan of long posts, so I respond mainly to the subject line, even if it really has nothing to do with the content.

I rarely read links. I normally post at work and this computer is old and slow; some of the links take a long time to load.

I like short posts that can potentially lead to a big discussion/debate.

[hollysmom]

10. if it is a video I tend to not watch it, but then I also tend not to respond unless there is

enough meat in the OP

[HuckleB]

14. I guess that's the thing. I tend to not respond if I don't know the full content of the OP.

I'm not sure why anyone would.

[hollysmom]

30. basically, some topics beg for a reply, or I know enough about the topic. (Chris Christie)

I just don't like watching videos much. I read the articles or scan them, but I have toturn off the TV and turn on the sound on the computer which I usually have off, then sit there and watch.

[darkangel218]

11. It depends.

I don't read the Pro-GMO ones anymore, for example. (Same links from the same few people)

[Art_from_Ark]

38. I see what you did there

[underpants]

13. I read them

[HuckleB]

16. +1

[NV Whino]

15. Most of the time

I try to at least skim the long articles.

[randome]

19. Red and infected.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]"If you're bored then you're boring." -Harvey Danger[/center][/font][hr]

[Kaleva]

20. I think that sometimes a poster doesn't fully read their own links

There was a poster at the old Kerry forum who was outraged about a story that the Army was signing up 14 year olds and he provided a link to that report. I followed the link, read the story and saw there was another link which led to the original source that contained a disclaimer that the news report was a April Fools joke

[HuckleB]

24. Yeah, that does happen, too. It is amazing.

[B Calm]

21. Sometimes I don't and I get chewed out for it. Sometimes the OP

is so poorly written that I misread what the poster is trying to communicate.

[JHB]

22. Not nearly enough n/t

[ryan_cats]

23. How

How about those Steelers?

[HuckleB]

26. I like the people who work in the steel mills.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

25. Oh, I believe a lot of DUers read.

[pangaia]

27. I never, ever read past the first one or two lines.

I have it figured out by then.

[Rebkeh]

28. I mostly scan them unless

they are particularly comprehensive. There's often a lot of "noise" to sift through, I make a point to read them completely if I make a comment though.

[jberryhill]

29. Mostly no

[ronnie624]

31. Always.

And often, all of the replies to the thread.

And sometimes, the comments to the article.

[JudyM]

37. +1

[Demonaut]

32. always after once jumping the gun

[JesterCS]

33. I try to make sure my comments

Won't be dupes or considered bad taste or whatnot, I like to get the feel of a thread.

[Texasgal]

34. Never!

LOL! Just kidding.. it depends. If it's a long drawn out thing I'll usually comment on the first couple of paragraphs.

[Kalidurga]

36. I read until I can come up with a smart ass comment

Sometimes it's in the first line of the text. Sometimes it's in the last then it's like wow I really had to work hard to get to that punchline.

[JI7]

39. i usually do not click on links and if someone is going to make an OP , they SHOULD

post some of the article or at least give some explanation of what it is.

[HuckleB]

40. Interesting to note how many people readily admit to not knowing the content before responding.

I'm a little astounded. I guess I shouldn't be, but that might explain why discussion often goes off track. Hmm.

[MineralMan]

41. Some only read the title of the post before replying.

That's what I've noticed.

Few, I think, bother to visit the source link.

[HuckleB]

42. If the responses are representative, that seems to be the case all too often.

And many people don't find that to be a problem. It's a little strange to me, but I guess, well, I don't know what I think any more.

[MineralMan]

43. Who among us knows what we think?

I wait until someone tells me what I should think, and then I think that until someone tells me to think something else.

[bobthedrummer]

44. I read before responding. I find no amusement with the neurolinguistic programming/NLP anymore.

Chapter 21-Omaha
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016139460

[Atman]

45. Sarah Palin's links suck!

Oh, wait...what was this thread about?

[HuckleB]

47. I didn't even know she could post a link.

She is far more skilled than I knew.

[Atman]

49. Trigg helps her.

He's got an iPad.

[NaturalHigh]

46. What were you saying?

I stopped reading after the title.

[TacoD]

48. I don't even read the posts, I just respond to the subject line! (nt)

[Atman]

50. ^^ 90% of DU.

Just sayin'.

[ScreamingMeemie]

51. If I don't read it I don't respond.

That's why I've never formed a relationship with many of our verbose and beloved DUers.

I did, however, just respond to your Eagles post.

[1StrongBlackMan]

52. Hell ... I think some of the most active responders decide the tone ...

of their response by looking at the screen name of the person posting the OP.

[Lizzie Poppet]

53. Sometimes.

If I elect to respond at all, and there's not enough content in the post itself, I'll usually read the links. Sometimes, the link is just support for a point the author is making in the post, so whether or not I click through on them is situation.

Some post only a link (besides the headline)...and I never click through to those...ever.

[tularetom]

54. Many posts extensively repeat the text of the link in the body of the post

When you click on the link, you find that everything you needed to know before responding was already available in the post. So when I see four paragraphs from a link copied in the post, I don't bother to read the link before responding.

On the other hand, some post titles contain only a sort of secretive arcane reference to a link. If the post title catches my eye I click on the link to see if there really is anything there.

IMO, the title and body of the post itself is the main factor in (a) whether or not I respond at all, and (b) whether or not I read the link before responding.

Of course there have been some posters, like ProSense, who posted a gazillion links in each post. Usually I responded to those with a smartass comment about all the effing links.