Why Are Some Replies Not Counted in Forum Threads?

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The discussion centers on why replies in the general discussion (GD) forum do not count towards users' post totals. Participants note that the forum aims to promote meaningful discussion rather than inflate post counts, leading to confusion among new members who expect their posts to be counted. Suggestions are made to enhance visibility of the existing announcement about post counts, as many users overlook it. The importance of post quality over quantity is emphasized, with some humor about the competitive nature of post counts among members. Ultimately, not counting posts in GD is seen as beneficial to prevent "post padding" and maintain the integrity of discussions.
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I noticed a couple of times during the last few days that whenever I posted a reply to a thread it did not get counted. This might seem to be a pretty trivial problem. But does anyone know the reason why this happens?
 
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The general discussion forum doesn't increment your post count. We try to have it be a loose measurement of meaningful discussion. Not that there isn't meaningful discussion in GD, but you know...
 
no need to beat around the bush, Greg. :biggrin:
 
Depends upon how you define "meaningful." :biggrin:

Can you change the color of the font on the announcement in GD about the post counts, or, well, anything that might help people see what's apparently hidden in plain view? A lot of people have been asking the same question lately.
 
Is it really important the # of posts? (easy for me to say :wink:) Shouldn't the content,quality,relevance and usefulness for the reader prevail?


Daniel.
 
Is it really important the # of posts? (easy for me to say ) Shouldn't the content,quality,relevance and usefulness for the reader prevail?

You pretty much said it all right there, dex. People need to stop complaining about not having their posts count. Last time i checked, there wasn't a prize for highest post count (great, next time i check, there'll be a little ribbon reading "highest posts" next to Dex's avatar, .) :biggrin:
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
The general discussion forum doesn't increment your post count. We try to have it be a loose measurement of meaningful discussion. Not that there isn't meaningful discussion in GD, but you know...

OK! So...trivial postings in GD \Rightarrow zero post count...:biggrin:

Now I don't know how to define 'trivial' :wink:
 
Gza said:
You pretty much said it all right there, dex. People need to stop complaining about not having their posts count. Last time i checked, there wasn't a prize for highest post count (great, next time i check, there'll be a little ribbon reading "highest posts" next to Dex's avatar, .) :biggrin:

No ribbon,Russ is well ahead :rolleyes: Anyway,it really doesn't matter.Plus that it's provisional...It could change really easily.


Daniel.
 
dextercioby said:
Is it really important the # of posts? (easy for me to say :wink:) Shouldn't the content,quality,relevance and usefulness for the reader prevail?


Daniel.

Nope, it really doesn't matter, but since there's a post count there for everyone to see, those who start off in GD get puzzled why their post count stays at 0 for a while. There is that announcement there about it, but it seems to blend into the headers on the page and I don't think they see it...well, I know they don't see it since they keep asking about it.
 
  • #10
Ughh MB, no fun. :biggrin:


Greg, you should make new members pass a pf quiz that goes over the basics of the forum :smile:
 
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  • #11
One of the key questions should be:how many times are u allowed to post a new thread on the same topic...?I know a few who might fail:-p

Daniel.
 
  • #12
For those interested in posts and who has the most... you can check it out at
https://www.physicsforums.com/memberlist.php

also russ walters has the most posts
 
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  • #13
You searched all 365 pages of that?
 
  • #14
A genuine nerd should always care about statistics,numerology and forum post counts.:-p And he should do anything (literally) to satisfy his enoumous need of (useless) knowledge...

Daniel.
 
  • #15
mattmns said:
You searched all 365 pages of that?

:smile: You can sort by post count.

Hey, wait! I'm in the top 30, and with two more posts, I'll tie with Les Sleeth and move into the top 29. :devil: Nevermind what I said, post counts are an incredibly important indicator of status at PF. :rolleyes: :smile: :-p
 
  • #16
Ahh woops, I thought there would be an option for it. I see it now :smile:
 
  • #17
And you probably have a good quarter million posts in GD...
 
  • #18
russ_watters said:
And you probably have a good quarter million posts in GD...

:smile: I do sometimes wish I could get a count of posts there, just to be able to quantify how much time I'm really wasting. I'd say I might even surpass your post count if those counted, but with the politics subforum, you'd still give us all a run for our money. :-p
 
  • #19
Moonbear said:
Nevermind what I said, post counts are an incredibly important indicator of status at PF. :rolleyes: :smile: :-p

Yuupp, you've heard of those quantity vs. quality posters, right? Post count sure is an important indicator... For instance, somewhere a wee bit over 60 posts must be sign of utter quality.
:approve: :biggrin: :-p
 
  • #20
Moonbear said:
:smile: I do sometimes wish I could get a count of posts there, just to be able to quantify how much time I'm really wasting. I'd say I might even surpass your post count if those counted, but with the politics subforum, you'd still give us all a run for our money. :-p
Moonbear,

The database has 6,446 posts from you, including those in GD and any posts which have subsequently been deleted.

- Warren
 
  • #21
Holy,moly! 5,000 more?? : Make that 4,997 for the nerds.:-p

Daniel.
 
  • #22
chroot said:
Moonbear,

The database has 6,446 posts from you, including those in GD and any posts which have subsequently been deleted.

- Warren

Hey thanks! Though, hmmm...now I'm disappointed. I had hoped for more. :frown: :rolleyes: I'll never catch up to Russ at this rate. :cry: :smile:
 
  • #23
Not counting posts in GD is a good thing, IMHO. Otherwise, we'd start getting so-called "post padding parties" where massive threads crop up all the time with zero content merely for the purpose of increasing post counts.
 
  • #24
I agree,yet "zero content" applies for many of the existing threads in GD...No offense.

Daniel.
 
  • #25
Phobos said:
Not counting posts in GD is a good thing, IMHO. Otherwise, we'd start getting so-called "post padding parties" where massive threads crop up all the time with zero content merely for the purpose of increasing post counts.

You mean ones like the thread-killer thread? :-p
 
  • #26
The thread killer thread is high quality, what are you talking about? I have over 250 posts in that thread, each one as good as the rest. :smile:
 
  • #27
Phobos said:
Not counting posts in GD is a good thing, IMHO. Otherwise, we'd start getting so-called "post padding parties" where massive threads crop up all the time with zero content merely for the purpose of increasing post counts.
You haven't been in GD recently, have you? :biggrin:
 
  • #28
Evo said:
You haven't been in GD recently, have you? :biggrin:

Guess not! :redface:
I must be click-shy of GD topics that go on for more than 3 pages.
 
  • #29
Phobos said:
Guess not! :redface:
I must be click-shy of GD topics that go on for more than 3 pages.
By the third page, there's rarely a topic anymore. :biggrin:
 
  • #30
Phobos said:
Not counting posts in GD is a good thing, IMHO. Otherwise, we'd start getting so-called "post padding parties" where massive threads crop up all the time with zero content merely for the purpose of increasing post counts.

:redface:

Remember TheoryWizard's thread, "Post you fools, post!" in PF2? I made posts in that thread that specifically stated that they were there to boost my post count.
 
  • #31
Evo said:
By the third page, there's rarely a topic anymore. :biggrin:

Third page?!?

Try third post...
 
  • #32
enigma said:
Third page?!?

Try third post...

:smile: You mean threads in GD have a topic?

Well, I think we've disproven the theory that people only create endless threads to increase their post count. It seems we're fully capable of that without any added incentives. It just helps keep us from tipping to one side as we might if the side of our brain used for logical discussions develops disproportionately from the side used for illogical discussions. :-p
 
  • #33
Moonbear said:
:smile: You mean threads in GD have a topic?
In the past they did..
 

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