DavebytheSea wrote:3. I think I am now on dangerous ground, but one of the most dispiriting things is to see that every most recent posting is by the same author. I cannot believe that there is any one of us who are so polymathematical as to have an interest in all and every topic under the sun. We should maybe think to contribute only to those threads and topics in which we have a genuine interest. I can well imagine that for all those who regard DBTS as a pompous old prat, it would be a real turn-off to see his name appearing as the most recent poster on every thread and topic in the forum. Please, please let us try to be selective in our postings.
Finally, I have great sympathy with those who come to read our postings and maybe consider posting themselves, but then turn away disapponted, seeing that the forum is dominated by just a small clique who are in the know, and among which they feel they have no place. Some have asked the question as to why so many register and do not post; here I think lies the answer.
I read this topic and wasn't going to comment, but somewhere while reading about sexing cats, a thought popped into my head.
Possibly, the reason that people post on every single topic is as an easy reminder of which they have read. Because the orange buttons don't stay orange once you logout (and sometimes you have to, to go do some work or something) it's easy to see you have read a topic if you were the last one to post.
If we could fix the orange buttons reverting back to blue even though you ahven't read it, this may help.
I would point out I'm not cunning enough to do this, I only just thought of it and it might be what others do.
Also, as most topics are way off subject by about page 4, it's not surprising that the same people are replying to them - those people are not talking about the original topic. Note this statement I'm writing does not indicate whether I support this practice or not.