[HPFGU-Feedback] Posting limit and combined posts

[susiequsie23 at cubfanbudwoman.yahoo.invalid]

Random832:
>>> What exactly is saved by having one long post rather than several
shorter ones? It breaks threading, and doesn't really save any time to
read the posts. And since it's not possible to "save" posts in this
way in a back-and-forth discussion, the only purpose in that case
seems to be to slow things down. <<<


KathyK, a list elf speaking only for herself:
>> We don't have a posting limit to encourage combining replies.  We have a posting limit to lower message volume, which, during big releases (book, movie), can be qutie overwhelming.  Combining messages is an effective way to comply with the posting limit while still having your say on this day rather than waiting until the next. <<
 
SSSusan/Shorty:
Thanks for making that clarification, Kathy.  The other point I wanted to briefly mention is that the combined response *will* still appear in the thread if the poster hits "reply" from one of those messages s/he is including.  IOW, as long as the poster doesn't just go and post with a new subject heading or without replying to one of the posts in the thread, the new, combined response will appear in the list of those posts which have been in response to a particular subject.
 
When I mention combining responses, I'm not speaking of "back-and-forth discussions," where it's pretty much two individuals writing responses to one another.  I'm speaking of those situations where a thread is more active, in the sense that there are many participants in it.  
 
Sometimes more than one list member raises the same issue in a thread, or states something related to what another poster said which provides a good segue into something a person wants to say in a response.  Combining responses can make a LOT of sense in those cases, where you want to build upon a particular idea that's being discussed.  Responding individually to those two or three posters can make it disjointed and also lead to repeating your view or comments in multiple posts.  Bringing them all together into one response can keep responses more cohesive, as well as, yes, providing a way for a "prolific poster" to keep him/herself within the posting limit (which was recently raised, btw, from 3 to 5).
 
Siriusly Snapey Susan/Shorty Elf