robjame

I hate it when you post an answer to someone's question and they just disappear. Sometimes you spend time researching the answer, trying to give help and the OP never returns to the thread. Are they just filling in time between coffee breaks at work or do they get lost in fodorspace?

Tim_and_Liz

I totally agree with you. I think it's rude not to thank posters and let them know what one has decided to do.

suze

Nope, because I've been posting here for years. People come (and go) for different reasons. Some like to have a conversation back and forth about the suggestions and their planning, some just take the information, maybe some never even find their way back to their thread, I don't know.

dovima

I think it's only polite to thank the respondents at least once. If your original post is long outdated (for instance, you are still getting advice on a trip you took 6 months ago) but is still popping up, it's also polite to point out that you've returned, with thanks of course.

I've gotten to the point where I just don't reply to general "things to do" or even "off the beaten track" inquiries. In my experience, these posts are the worst for ingratitude.

FainaAgain

I love when people reply to their threads, and even more when they come back to post a report or at least to tell us they are back from the trip.

But what I "enjoy" the most, is when somebody tops an old post, and people start to reply, and then after 5-6 replies somebody will notice, the OP is 2-3 years old. Ooopss...

J62

I agree with Faina, again. I like it when there is dialog back and forth as it helps me learn, or may spur me to remember a different reply. But for dead end threads I'm happy to ignore and move on. I definitely don't waste my own time on those threads so it really doesn't bother me how someone else chooses to work here at Fodors

Cimbrone

I'm definitely annoyed when the op doesn't bother to offer a "thank you." Is it just my imagination, or does that happen A LOT more often on the U.S. board than the Europe board?

alanRow

If the OP thanks people then those postings go to the top of the forum pushing down other newer postings.

How would you feel if your urgent request about how to get out of jail in Alicante was drowned in "thankyou" postings?

I think www.moneysavingexpert.com has it right as their forums allow you to thank indivdual postings without raising the whole posting to the top

hopscotch

It happens often on the Europe board as well. I generally reply to those asking questions about Amsterdam and Haarlem which I know well, and get a comeback Q or TY about 50%. That's OK. But I mainly refuse to reply to Fodors newbies with "what is the best and cheapest and fastest" questions. Click their name and you'll see how often they have visited the forum.

Christina

I don't know what that last forum does, but I really think the idea that is is bad because it raises the post to the top is not valid. There are many posts on here that are constantly getting pushed down, a thank you is a better reason than many of them (such as the people who raise it to the top just because they want to post something in it so it shows up when they click on their name -- I think they call this "bookmarking" and that is my pet peeve). People raise old posts for inane or no reasons at all, and that's worst.

So I don't think there is anything wrong whatsoever in raising a post by posting a thank you, I think it is polite. Also, if one has manners, that thank you will appear within a few days of the original post, not a year later, so raising it to the top could even bring it to someone else's attention who may be interested or had not noticed. There is nothing bad about this at all, so I don't agree with Alan whatsoever.

Also, if I do respond to a post or spend a lot of time on it, I enjoy seeing newer posts (sometimes, depends on the topic) and enjoy seeing the OP's response, even if it is just thanks a lot. I do not want to search through old threads to try to find thank yous (really, that is kind of neurotic), so like it when it is pushed to the top.

I think it is really rude especially when a lot of folks have given a lot of advice and some of that advice has posted URLs or other info that has taken some time. I can understand it when some folks have said not nice things to the poster, and even when some had, the OP might get embarrassed or just not feel comfortable reading any more or posting on it. But when it's just a lot of advice, I don't get it -- but I've seen it all so it doesn't surprise me any more (on this or other boards).

Some people just don't have manners and do kind of treat message boards like they are ordering up something in a restaurant and sort of think it is due them. I think others are just kind of wasting time and aren't really that interested and just don't ever come back or only a little.

I also don't think I ever respond to the posts about very broad questions about -- gee, I'm going to Europe and don't know what to do at all, etc. I also don't usually respond to posts asking for all kinds of detailed info and they haven't even made reservations yet, etc. (like restaurant reviews and addresses, etc., for a city where they may not even go, or if they will, they may be miles from the place you named).

I just won't spend time on the restaurant stuff unless someone is very specific as to where they will be or what they want, as I suspect it is rarely used when the question is so broad.

But I think some folks do like answering those questions, so that's the good thing, there is something for everyone and some people usually always answer almost any question.

suze

Even if the OP never returns, the information you contribute becomes part of the database at Fodor's... so people in the future using the Search feature will benefit.

Dukey

I agree that it is considerate to at least thank people who have bothered to answer a post, especially when a certain degree of research (that the OP did NOT have to carry out) is involved.

If one's post is truly "urgent" then I think they'll come up with a way to find their own even if it is drowned under those from more considerate folks.

buongiorno

The last time I checked, I think I've posted about 1,200 times and to be honest, I rarely, if ever, check back to posts unless I was the OP, those I always check back.

Given the impersonal nature of an internet message board, I'm not surprised people don't return to posts. While I think it's a matter of good manners in the context of how I was brought up, it isn't necessarily the same for all the posters. I'm from a traditional "please and thank you" household if you know what I mean. While it would be nice in this setting, I honestly don't expect it.

prhirsch

What an uplifting topic. I have posted many questions and received many many wonderful responses. Often I will thank the repondent(really meaning it)and sometimes I will hold back for fear of being perceived of trying to "top" my topic. Perhaps as an American, I'm too worried about being too pushy.

So to all that have responded, thank you....

rex

When an OP is a first-time poster, and never returns to ever post anything again, I think that is strong evidence that they do not know how to get back to their post.

And I blame Fodors for this, in a strong way. Computers know easily when a first-time poster makes a new (original, first-time) post, and could easily initiate an e-mail to the OP (they hsve everyone's e-mail address), when the posting gets a first response...

... and provide the URL of the posting.

Best wishes,

Rex

nyse

Like prhirsch, I too thought it was presumptuous to "top" one's one question by posting a thank you.
Can we compromise by having the OP thank everyone "in advance" for their help? I for one have benefited greatly from the collective wisdom so generously shared here.

maitaitom

Back in 2003, I told a woman about a hotel (where we had stayed in 2001) in Florence. She booked it and said she would write a trip report when she got back and tell me how it was. She had previous posts, but she never wrote another one after that one saying she had booked the hotel I recommended.

Did she hate the hotel? Worse yet, did she die of a pasta overdose while in Italy? I will never know, I guess. I always wondered what happened to her.

FainaAgain

Anybody remembers... was it PLMN? She went to Italy with parents, dad got mugged and lost credit cards, she started a very interesting report just not to finish it! Argghhh...

maitaitom

I believe her name was MaryMac. I

maitaitom

Yes. It was marymac. She asked the question in may, and she did have more posts with questions after saying she got the hotel. She went in September and was never heard from again. Maybe it is because I was new in 2003 that this one poster has remained on my mind. Of course, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning.