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Why don't people read what they post, before they post?
7

Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

(OP)
I'm not a grammar guru (I like the word funner, and often end a sentence on a preposition), or a spelling guru (alluminimum will always be autocorrected for me), but I'm a big fan of passing information to people in a fashion that is useful.

I know a number of posters are ESL (or English as a third or fourth language) but why do so few people stop to read what they have written before they post? Read the post out loud and if it doens't make sense to you, it won't make sense to anyone else. If the question contains all the variables required, and actually is a question, I'll forgive every other aspect of grammar.


/rant

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

ChrisConley,

   We are not all perfect, but I do not think there are that many badly written posts on here.  Are you thinking of any posts in particular?

   None of mine hopefully?  smile

                            JHG

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Time to change teams; us Structurals don't have that problem :)

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Why doesn't this forum allow posters to edit their posts? I always try to spell / grammar check my posts before submitting, but even I make mistakes sometimes (albeit rarely!)

Most forum software allows user edits, and this would permit those of us who care to correct their mistakes when necessary.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Uh, they do - it's the button called "preview post" and if you're not happy with the preview there's a button called "edit post"...

No more things should be presumed to exist than are absolutely necessary - William of Occam

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

3

You must remember that many of us engineers don't even have a first language...

  

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Dan, I though math was our first language

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

(OP)
It would be nice to be able to edit a post after you've posted.

My complaint is that I like offering input on problems, but lately my first response to any post is: what exactly to you mean?

One person posted asking if anyone had experience with tunnel ventilation. What kind of tunnel; mine, subway, other? What kind of experience; design, operation, maintenance? What kind of ventilation; heat recovery, rates, filtration?

As engineers we may lack communication skills (at least that's what my wife says) but we should be able to properly define and outline a problem.  

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?


If you understand what your wife says, you're not a true engineer.
 

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Oh, Dan, let me disagree, but wife's (not women in general, but wifes in particular) are one of the most complex and exciting challenges worth having. Talk about the scientific method and proving every theory wrong!

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Chris

Your comments are well taken, and I would agree with the "properly define and outline a problem".

I think one of the great things about this forum is the ability to realize and learn just that.

I have looked back at my own tomfoolery of text and found errors in terms and grammar. This is a good thing.

Some of us did not get an A in technical writing, but conversing with those who did most certainly helps us lackeys.

(FYI 2 changes on spell check, and one on grammar)

(No wife comments for me, thats another forum)

  
 
 

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

2
The importance of reviewing what you have written before forwarding it cannot be overstated. The penis mightier than the sword.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

In order to correct a post once submitted, you can try doing it again and red flagging your own incorrect post.  Usually works for me.

I agree that posts should be edited before submitting to the best of one's ability, but even more annoying to me is parroting of answers due to failure to read other's contributions.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Well, I'm guilty and a recidivist and proud of it (well, not really, but why should I grovel every time this topioc comes up?).

Yes, and now I think of it, why don't people do a search before they post? .... I'm sure we covered this topic in some depth before.

Yes, we've blamed Bill Gates and his spell checker and we've problems with not having auto-correct... and for some it is not their first language... been there, done that.... already.

Come on Chris, tell us you've had your rant and now you've had your coffee and now we can get back to normal.... or we'll all be ranting away and we won't get anything done.
banghead

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com
 

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

(OP)
My rant ended in the first post with /rant at the end 2thumbsup.

There's something funny about ranting about people's ability to ask questions on a free advice website. Really, if I wanted people to spell properly, or Google before they post, I just need to ignore their post.


 

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

You can always prepare your post in Microsoft word which gives all the bells and whistles needed.

But a correcting facility would be nice to fix-up those stupid mistakes we all make at some time or other such as - type in the wrong word spelt correctly or plug in the word left out and only discovered on the second reading after the preview stage.

But the most important thing to remember is you might be very clear on what you are thinking  - but is everyone else clear on what you have written.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

mauricestoker - I'm fairly stingy with my stars. Your post deserves one, however, IF you actually meant to put a reference to your manhood by neglecting a space in your last post.  I got a good laugh out of that one...


If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS

http://www.eng-tips.com/supportus.cfm

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

As Lennon once sang: "Happiness is a warm gun".
 

- Steve

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

IF YOU WANT YOUR POST CORRECTED RED FLAG IT AND ASK FOR THE CORRECTION TO BE MADE.  If it's a big correction just repost and ask for the first to be deleted.  It sometimes takes a while but the Eng Tips site owners do usually take care of it.

I usually review my posts, especially my more significant ones, and still drop clangers (am I allowed to ply the dyslexic card?).

However, also those reading it sometimes have a role to play.  I've seen posts that I thought were perfectly clear that other responders pick apart or reply in a way that makes no sense because they understood it differently.

KENAT,

Have you reminded yourself of FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies recently, or taken a look at posting policies: http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

a technique to ensure posting is "grammatically correct" is to read each sentence in reverse order (read last sentence, then 2nd to last, etc.).  hope this helps . . .

i chuckle a little as i am reminded of a story about an engineer whom spelled "quardinate" on his evaluation.  my uncle spent a little time learning that new word before he realized the author meant "coordinate".

-pmover

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

"whom spelled", Blinking flip!

Anyway, agreed that backwards reading is de rigueur for spotting typos.  But to spot grammar blunders... I think not.

- Steve

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

"Whom spelled" agree whom is wrong but what is wrong with  spelt.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Spelled = spelt.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

I was making the point that spelt = spelled, personally I prefer spelt - to my ear it sounds better in most cases.

   

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Isn't spelt a kind of grain?

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

(OP)
Also the 'whom' was incorrect. Unless the engineer was being 'spelled'.

But as I said in my first post, I'm not a grammer guru, I'm just happy to understand and be understood.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Great one, Mauricestroker...

tg

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Sometimes it is just hard to see your own mistakes while your thoughts are fresh in your head.  On my blog, I will often delay an article from posting until I get a chance to read it a day or so later.  I tend to catch more mistakes that way.  Don't have the luxury with a forum though.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

I was going to use the "dictate" joke, but thought some people would've missed the humor.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

(OP)
I remember Penis Mightier from an old Saturday Night Live sketch with Sean Connery on Celebrity Jeopardy. Very funny stuff!

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

"Sax and violins" was a SNL classic

The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. - Hunter S. Thompson
 

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

unotec,

wives, not wife's nor wifes

 

Kristine
Legazpi City Philippines
West Palm Beach, Fl, USA

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Maurice,

Along the same lines as the above quips (dictate, the pen...):

My 6 yr old son was putting on a stage show at our house with his little brother, and announced to the audience (my wife and me):

"For the next act, I will play the part of a master baker"  We had to conceal our laughter during the rest of the show...

OK, OK, not technically an engineering tip.

tg

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Thanks juntin. But even if I had read it multiple times I would still have missed it.

I rely quite a bit on automated spell check and might have made me a little lazy. I'll figure this Anglo-Saxon language eventually.

When I am posting more than a couple lines I do try to do the cut and paste from Word or something with a spell check.

However, the wife/wives error will not be repeated (neither in spelling nor in marriage)

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

One of the main reasons, it is free advise. Can't complaint for something you are not paying for!

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

smile

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

There are numerous ways to have an auto spell checker for forms and text boxes on web-pages.  One is extensions for Firefox (spellcheck and spellbound), IE has an extension I'm told.  There is software that does the same thing.

Mine puts a red line under mis-spelled words.

For a dictionary I like the TSR "one click" program that is free from answers.com.

===================================
Forging     http://mech.e.tripod.com
-------------------------------------------------
Ddraig Breuddwydia....www.tailofthedragon.com

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

I wonder why your spell checker didn't catch "mis-spelled".

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

I was going to flag that, but my pedanticity bell wasn't ringing loudly enough.

- Steve

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

This forum needs us pedants.   

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Probably because the spelling checker he's using accepts mis-spelled as being correct ... as does mine.

I take more exception against the use of "spell checker". I am not a Wizard or Warlock, and don't need any magic spells to be checked. I do however, occasionally need to have my spelling checked.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

How about misseplt.  

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Is that a word?

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Apparently this is a very common spelling error and someone even registered the domain.

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Which one, mis-spelled or misseplt?

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

misseplt

<<A good friend will bail you out of jail, but a true friend
will be sitting beside you saying " Damn that was fun!" - Unknown>>

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

One more reference for the people who speak that funny hybrid English that is spoken on the other side of the duck-pond.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/misspelt

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

Artisi,

My comment was just about your misspelling of "misspelt" as misseplt".  The use of spelled or spelt is optional.

RE: Why don't people read what they post, before they post?

hokie66  
blush

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