Forums + Laziness

[Murder he Wrote]

Has anybody noticed the majority of forum members are lazy?

Recently I've been looking at user's habits both here and other large forums and have come to a conclusion. Anything that requires a fair amount of effort is seriously off-putting for the majority of forum users.

Let's start with long registration screens. How often have you gone to register to a site and been put off by the sheer size of the registration form? Realistically it's not long at all, but the sight of a lot of text boxes, radio buttons and check boxes is enough for some users to say "Can't be bothered with that". In addition to that things like hard-to-read CAPTCHAs can be off-putting to some users who just can't be bothered to put their mind to work.

You wouldn't believe it, although looking back Email activation also has a negative effect on lazy forum users. Clicking the link alone isn't particularly difficult, although the long-winded process of opening a new tab / window, typing in the website address, waiting for the page to load, typing your login information, waiting for it to log in, finding the email and then actually clicking the link is too much for some. Again, users telling themselves "can't be bothered with that".

Other main habit I've picked up on are users who read the topic title, possibly skim the first post and skip straight to the quick reply. A classic example of this occurred in the MyBB announcement we posted just under a week ago. Granted the first post and topic were fairly long, but it was astonishing the amount of times we picked up on people who commented without reading through the topic. Honestly, does it take that much effort to read through a post? It's almost as if people are turned off by the sight of paragraphs or long blocks of text.

Other habits include users who...

• Don't bother choosing an avatar
• Don't update dead links and images (eg: Photobucket's "This photo has been moved / deleted")
• Don't use grammar in their posts
• Don't proof read posts
• Don't spell check posts
• Don't read board guidelines
• Don't read terms & conditions
• Use txt / l33t (l337) speak

...I could go on and on. At the end of the day it's pure laziness - internet users are lazy. I guess this is why Web 2.0 is all about clean layouts that are simple and easy to navigate.

Anyone else noticed this?

 

[hcfwesker]

Don't proof read posts
Don't spell check posts

^^ Guilty.

And I agree on some members just reading the topic title, or maybe just the first sentence, and start replying without fully understanding what the discussion is about.

One fo the biggest things that irritates me, on my own forum, is we get cocky new member ... and the first person they always want to play ... is me. Just because I have the title of admin, it singles me out, and they think because i own the place, i must be the best to challenge, 😛

There's about 30 members or so way better than me. Still, though, half these new members don't even take the time to get acqainted to look around, it's always, "I want to challenge hcfwesker!" :rofl:

 

[Ste]

Has anybody noticed the majority of forum members are lazy?

Recently I've been looking at user's habits both here and other large forums and have come to a conclusion. Anything that requires a fair amount of effort is seriously off-putting for the majority of forum users.

Let's start with long registration screens. How often have you gone to register to a site and been put off by the sheer size of the registration form? Realistically it's not long at all, but the sight of a lot of text boxes, radio buttons and check boxes is enough for some users to say "Can't be bothered with that". In addition to that things like hard-to-read CAPTCHAs can be off-putting to some users who just can't be bothered to put their mind to work.

You wouldn't believe it, although looking back Email activation also has a negative effect on lazy forum users. Clicking the link alone isn't particularly difficult, although the long-winded process of opening a new tab / window, typing in the website address, waiting for the page to load, typing your login information, waiting for it to log in, finding the email and then actually clicking the link is too much for some. Again, users telling themselves "can't be bothered with that".

Other main habit I've picked up on are users who read the topic title, possibly skim the first post and skip straight to the quick reply. A classic example of this occurred in the MyBB announcement we posted just under a week ago. Granted the first post and topic were fairly long, but it was astonishing the amount of times we picked up on people who commented without reading through the topic. Honestly, does it take that much effort to read through a post? It's almost as if people are turned off by the sight of paragraphs or long blocks of text.

Other habits include users who...

• Don't bother choosing an avatar
• Don't update dead links and images (eg: Photobucket's "This photo has been moved / deleted")
• Don't use grammar in their posts
• Don't proof read posts
• Don't spell check posts
• Don't read board guidelines
• Don't read terms & conditions
• Use txt / l33t (l337) speak

...I could go on and on. At the end of the day it's pure laziness - internet users are lazy. I guess this is why Web 2.0 is all about clean layouts that are simple and easy to navigate.

Anyone else noticed this?

People who skim through topics or don't read it properly are really annoying. As you said the classic example was in the MyBB topic, I don't know how many times I had to repeat myself. People also will want to make a debate on the subject when they haven't even read through the topic. That is what really annoys me but I suppose you cannot do anything about it. Some people are like that and some aren't. I couldn't care less if someone doesn't have an avatar or not to be honest. It is your choice if you want an avatar or not, if you decide you don't then it don't think it makes you lazy unless you want one but just can't be bothered to upload it.

I am not to bothered about people who don't spell check posts either. If I can understand what they are saying then I have no problem even though I prefer them to write things properly.

 

[DarkRaven]

God, how much I hate leet, txt spk... It is the bane of my online life.

I don't normally choose and avi and sig unless I really choose to get involved in the community. But as for the rest, I believe I'm mostly OK.

I do hate members who don't read the rules. If they did, then they'd know that I don't appreciate them tlking liek dis, that I require them to have a minimum of five words in their posts, that no matter how fascinating their off topic chatter may seem to them, I don't particularly like it.

 

[Kino]

I agree with you 100% MhW because I'm a lazy person.

 

[birdy]

I hate complicated Captcha's, biggest turn off for me along with too many questions to get it - oh and having to activate your account. Other than that I am not lazy hehe !

 

[Callum93]

I hate having to active my account and yes, that is due to laziness.

I only bother adding an avatar when I'm really active on a forum and I read the guidelines usually.

My spelling and grammar is fine though and I correct typos if I make them.

 

[Palace]

# Don't bother choosing an avatar
# Don't use grammar in their posts
# Don't proof read posts
# Don't spell check posts
# Don't read board guidelines
# Don't read terms & conditions
# Use txt / l33t (l337) speak

^

I seen these on alot of new forums even mine going like, "Omg dude wth?" its annoying sometimes. 😛 Maybe on msn its fine, like cell phone texting, etc its fine because it takes less time to type with them tiny buttons you can barely press with out big thumbs. :lol: But on a forums, blogs, websites. Its just plain madness. :roll:

 

[Darthmaul]

guilty, i have been known for: "teh, meh, etc." and what not 😳

 

[RMRM]

I hate it when people don't use Capital letters at the beginning of a sentence arghh.

 

[Justin]

Its actually a study that people are 95% lazier than 5 years ago

 

[Nathan]

This is actually really true. In the myBB topic as efc said he had to repeat himself so many times, and so did i. It's frustrating but then again people are like that, you can't stop them, you can't make them not do it, nor can you make them write posts properly.

It's depressing but it's life 😉.

 

[DreamACT]

I try and correct my posts grammar wise when i see it. And if I'm not lazy.

 

[Justin]

Hey HCF I found this just for you!

 

[GardsJr]

Well, I will admit I can get lazy but when I don't get an avatar, it is cause I don't want to, not because I am lazy.

Other then that, your whole post was true, I hate when people do not put a lot of effort. Myself I read through the entire topic unless I have read it earlier or if it is over 10 pages. I just hope people take notice of this.

Oh and the image New Kirk posted was absolutely positively epic.

 

[Nebulous]

Has anybody noticed the majority of forum members are lazy?

Yes

Anything that requires a fair amount of effort is seriously off-putting for the majority of forum users.

Makes sense, most of us here on the internet are here during our spare time. Relaxing after a long day of work or school. Why work some more? lol..
Although I was never afraid of work. I put a lot of work and dedication into my forums and they grew very large because of it.

Let's start with long registration screens. How often have you gone to register to a site and been put off by the sheer size of the registration form?

Well Ive never really thought they were that long, except for freeforums.org forums, where you have to click 'No' on a bunch of 'Free Offers.'

In addition to that things like hard-to-read CAPTCHA can be off-putting to some users who just can't be bothered to put their mind to work.

Well the only way a CAPTCHA would scare me off is if I kept failing at it and then got locked out by the forum for 15 minutes or whatever time limit they set. I would probably not bother coming back after that.

You wouldn't believe it, although looking back Email activation also has a negative effect on lazy forum users. Clicking the link alone isn't particularly difficult, although the long-winded process of opening a new tab / window, typing in the website address, waiting for the page to load, typing your lo gin information, waiting for it to log in, finding the email and then actually clicking the link is too much for some. Again, users telling themselves "can't be bothered with that".

I dont have a problem with checking my email to click a link but I hate it when it takes hours or even days for the email to get to me. They need to come instantly or don't bother coming at all. Phpbb forums are usually instant though.

Other main habit I've picked up on are users who read the topic title, possibly skim the first post and skip straight to the quick reply. A classic example of this occurred in the MyBB announcement we posted just under a week ago. Granted the first post and topic were fairly long, but it was astonishing the amount of times we picked up on people who commented without reading through the topic. Honestly, does it take that much effort to read through a post? It's almost as if people are turned off by the sight of paragraphs or long blocks of text.

That topic was 20+ pages long. Nobody is going to skim through all that. In a topic, people usually discuss what is in the 1st post. They read it then give their thoughts.
Although it could be annoying to be a member involved in a topic like that, knowing what has been going on throughout the entire thread, then getting someone posting about something that has already been discussed on page 9 of a 25 page topic, but it never bothered me to bring someone up to speed .

Don't bother choosing an avatar

Thats ok.. No biggie.

[*]Don't update dead links and images (eg: Photobucket's "This photo has been moved / deleted")

In a sig or avatar that would be annoying but in a topic they probably dont look at anymore wouldnt be such a big deal.

[*]Don't use grammar in their posts

Doesnt bother me. As long as I can understand them, its ok. Not everyone is blessed with the ability of using perfect grammar at all times.

[*]Don't proof read posts

Does bother me but I do it sometimes. If I dont catch it before I hit submit then I might catch it after I post the post. If I dont catch it then, then oh well. I just hate it when several people come post in a thread only to point out a typo or use of the wrong word.

[*]Don't spell check posts

Yaeh, i hat itz whn ppl do thaat. 😛

[*]Don't read board guidelines

It never bothered me when people made a mistake, I would just send them a link to the rules and if they continued after that then they were knowingly breaking the rules.

[*]Use txt / l33t (l337) speak

Yeah same here. I never understood that l33t speak stuff. It also bothers me when I see people posting as if they were writing a text message on their cell phone. Lol.

...I could go on and on. At the end of the day it's pure laziness - internet users are lazy.

Like I said: Makes sense, most of us here on the internet are here during our spare time. Relaxing after a long day of work or school. Why work some more? lol..
Anyways at the end of the day (most) forums are just for fun and we shouldnt let "lazy" people bother us because we dont know their situation and why they do or dont do whatever.

 

[Fullmoon]

I used to be really bad for grammer, I never used to use Capital letters and what not. I got picked up on that from a review I requested here 🙂 So thanks FP 🙂

As for spelling and grammer overall, Im dyslexic and it is quite a struggle and also highly irritating when people correct me!

I hardly ever read guidelines or terms & conditions because there nearly always the same on every forum I go on.

Hard to read captchas are a major turn off for me. As i try and try and then end up running out of attempts for get so angry I've nearly put my fist through the monitor. :rofl:

When I first started Headbangers Haven, I used txt speak, but now I find it really annoying. And I nearly always choose an avatar 😀

 

[AnAccount]

Don't proof read posts
Don't spell check posts

^^ Guilty.

And I agree on some members just reading the topic title, or maybe just the first sentence, and start replying without fully understanding what the discussion is about.

One fo the biggest things that irritates me, on my own forum, is we get cocky new member ... and the first person they always want to play ... is me. Just because I have the title of admin, it singles me out, and they think because i own the place, i must be the best to challenge, 😛

There's about 30 members or so way better than me. Still, though, half these new members don't even take the time to get acqainted to look around, it's always, "I want to challenge hcfwesker!" :rofl:

Ha, ha, that's one of my bad habits sometimes too. I will go to read a discussion that has been started up, and then I automatically hit the reply button without realizing fully what I'm replying to. I could end up only understanding half of it, and then I hit the submit button, and I go to read it again, and its like "Oh, that's what they were talking about? My bad!" It's either that, or I end up getting yelled at so to speak by the original poster because I didn't understand the whole message.

 

[Violetstar]

A lot of people today, particularly the younger ones don't seem to enjoy reading at all, I know very few under 25's who will pick up a book, so they aren't very likely to read an entire thread.

What does get to me sometimes is a huge block of solid text as it can be difficult to read, it's like hitting a brick wall.

I much prefer posts broken into sections like this one.

 

[Sam!]

I rarely read the board guidelines, but I use my common sense. Does that make me lazy?