Always. I love reading everyone's take on things.

Sometimes, but I always thought that saying you didn't read all the replies sounded a little big-headed and self important. Like you were too busy to bother reading other's opinions. I usually skim through if I don't have time to read everyone's replies. If it looks interesting I will come back when I do have time.

Sometimes in my replys, my fingers forget what my mind thinks and the words come out wrong--that is not the way I mean. I am trying to be more postive. We don't know the state of mind of the poster-- or we (me) make suggestions that set off fireworks.

1. When a thread gets very very long it is not always easy to read all the responses.
2. If one comes late to the conversation there is reason to not bother reading all the early responses, more than likely the conversation has taken a turn, the initial question was resolved an a new perspective is being dissected.
3. If a response makes a specific note of a posters comment reading all the others is not necessarily important. One may want to only comment on the one specific comment concerning said post.

Using the sitting around the table analogy this is how conversations often take place. Friends may have a comment about one specific addition, not caring to focus on all the contributions.

I do most all the time.

It depends on the subject...like what's for supper?

But others are more thought provoking and controversial, therefore deserve some time to really read them all before answering.

I always read the replies. Sometimes I expand on the original question if I think it will be helpful or of general interest. For instance, someone asks if (A) or (B) is the best answer, and I bring up (C) as an option.

I do most of the time, but if I missed the original posting and there are a lot of replies, I don't always.

The only time I might not read all the replies is if the thread has become very long, but even then I will skim through.

I too usually read the replies unless there is a large number of them, then I also skim through.
Like Mariend, I have decided to try not to post negatively. After the past couple weeks when several posts turned nasty, and i admit I got carried away in the fray, I decided that is not the way I want to come across.

I read the replies...sometimes I find myself posting at the same time someone else is and we're essentially posting the same thing. When I'm reading a reply and it sounds the same as another I generally check the posting time and find that the posters had the same problem so it's not necessarily so that the poster isn't reading the replies.

Good thread. I thought the same thing. I will scan most responses, so as not to repeat something that's just been said. That's happened to me before, and it feels a little rude, and I want to say..."didn't I just say that?"

It depends on a lot of things, like the subject matter, the length of the thread, and what I'm doing at the time. Occasionally I'll post a reply before reading everything, simply because I don't have time to read them all at that moment. But if a topic interests me enough so that I respond, I'll come back and at least skim through later.

I didn't read all the replies here but....

OK, sorry! Just kidding! I couldn't resist!!

I almost always read all the replies if I'm going to post. But it depends on the question and how many replies there are. Here on KT, it makes sense to read all the replies as this is kinda like sitting around the table and you need to follow the entire discussion in order for your reply to fit in.

But in some other forums, that's not always the case. For example, in the Kitchen forum someone might ask, what did you do in YOUR kitchen, or what was YOUR experience with XYZ? So, then if there are a ton of answers, I don't necessarily feel the need to read them all because my answer is not going to be affected by other answers. And in that case, I might be repeating what someone else said but it wouldn't be a bad thing because the OP may be not only looking for ideas, but also for what is more often done.

And in that case, I do say that I haven't read all the answers. I don't see it as big-headed and self important so much as saying, I wanted to reply to your question in case my reply is helpful, but I don't have time to read all the other answers since they don't affect what I have to say.

It depends on who the poster is and whether the original subject and first few replies whet my interest.

soxxx, I meant if you post to the thread. I imagine that if you don't have interest in the original subject and first few replies you're not going to post to it.

I understand all of the responses above. I find it very interesting.

sometimes

Almost always, especially if someone wants suggestions, so I don't repeat (or can agree with someone else).

LOL. you don't have to ask this - ya can just tell!

Most the time, yes, but there are a very few exceptions; if it is a birthday or condolences thread, maybe not and as lowspark explained, if someone is asking what YOUR favorite X is, or what color YOUR living room is, not so much.

Yes, if I'm interested enough to open it, and the OP isn't misleading, I read them all. If I post I certainly read them, and try to reply accordingly.

I read most of them. Although, I have stopped reading ones from certain people because they are so negative.. I simply skip on by when I see their names...

I do read the replies, and sometimes with a long post, I have to Scroll Back Up to the orig post to see what the question was. Or maybe that is just my menopausal short attention span? LOL

I read the replies too. When a thread gets really long it's helpful if we try to be concise. When someone responds to a topic with a long winded, multi paragraph treatise on the topic it gets unwieldy. I try to remind myself to edit what I write.

Your responses are very interesting. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

I guess I really should've worded my question as "If you post a reply to a thread, do you read all of the replies first?". That would've been clearer, I guess.

I think I am bad about this. It just depends on my mood when I am reading other peoples threads. When it is one I have started myself, I ALWAYS read all of the responses, though sometimes I don't respond to all of them. Its not that I don't appreciate the time taken to reply because I do, very much. I value different opinions very much.

Almost always.

If someone has said what I planned to, unless I have a different slant on the situation ... what's the sense of reiterating something that's been said?

Reminds me (and I'm repeating myself from earlier posts) of one of my kids' refrains,

"Dad, you *told* me that before!"!

Surely I can find more useful ways to waste my time?

Or would I just get a kick out of seeing my name in print?

ole joyful

Almost always for me also, however I don't always reply to a post

I read them all. It gets hard sometime to reply to posts for things like birthdays, get well, etc. when they get long, because there's just so many ways to say what's basically means the same thing. I'll still send my wishes, but it may be redundant.

"Often I'll read threads where people will either say "I haven't read the replies, but ...", or they just reply and it's clear from what they say that they haven't read the other replies. Other times, it seems that an OP will probably read the replies but choose not to address different viewpoints."

Sometimes it's obvious they haven't even read the OP completely! I don't reply very often, just because I get on the computer late in the day, and I don't like to repeat what's already been said, either. Interesting question.

With the occasional exception of condolence or otherwise unique threads I read them. Seems stupid to not. All too often something was mis-stated, misunderstood or misinterpreted and it has to be explained since (usually the same few) people get a burr in their butts and go off on it without knowing the facts, and that can often be part of the entertainment. And I too will often only skim certain peoples' posts as some just say the same thing in every thread, applicable or not but that's a small portion.

The ones who post without reading seem to speak volumes for themselves anyway so not much more needs to be said.

I completely agree with the OP.

If it is someone asking for an answer to a black and white question like how do I......then I may not read the replies. But where opinions matter or the post is discussion oriented I read all.

The ones who post without reading seem to speak volumes for themselves anyway so not much more needs to be said.

Amen to that!

Yep, Cynic summed it up pretty well. There are a few folks that I will skip by their posts but other than those couple, I read the entire thread before responding.

"If you post a reply to a thread, do you read all of the replies first?"
Yes.

If someone has said what I planned to, unless I have a different slant on the situation ... what's the sense of reiterating something that's been said?
Amen to that. What I find amusing is when a member says something like, "Sign my name to So and So's reply", and often times it adds nothing at all to the thread.

Yes I usually read the replies. But if someone posts a long drawn out answer I may skip over it.

What I find amusing is when a member says something like, "Sign my name to So and So's reply", and often times it adds nothing at all to the thread.

Of course it adds to the thread. It's the poster's opinion which happens to coincide with another poster's. Much like sitting in a real conversation and saying I agree with so and so. What??? Only people with unique and new perspectives on a discussion should be allowed to post or speak?

It seems to happen quite often that an OP will post, then gets replies, then the OP comes back and updates in the thread, and some people post only about the very first post. In other words, for example, someone says "thanks for your replies; here's what I've decided to do". Then someone posts "Here's what you should do". Or even more blatant than that, if an OP comes back and clarifies something that they first posted, and subsequent replies ask for clarification. I always shake my head at those.

lowspark, you made me laugh out loud!!! I, too, read all the replies. I like to see what everyone has to say. If you don't, you can miss some real gems.

Yes, I read every response until get goes off subject and name calling.

Yes I try and read most of them, and I read ALL replies on anything I am going to comment on, just to make sure I haven't missed anything before I reply. The one thing that bothers me is a person that posts about themselves often, yet never has anything to say to anyone else's post's. That seems rude to me, but I was a member of a very small group for years and no one ever did that. Maybe it happens here because the group is so big ?

a person that posts about themselves often, yet never has anything to say to anyone else's post's

Well, I certainly know people like that IRL. They usually can't wait till you stop talking and frequently interrupt you to tell THEIR story. So I guess being on the internet is no different. To me, the interaction is the whole FUN of posting on a forum like this.

Guilty.........

I mostly lurk - and I apologize if that seems rude... I am very busy (job, DH,4 DD, etc etc.) I read all responses. I love to see other peoples' comments and quite often will respond out loud sitting here all by myself. In my opinion - no one person has all the right answers and I like to try and be open minded when I respond.

love to all! hostapasta

I read all responses.

I read them all.

hostapasta.....No I dont think its rude to lurk at all, I did it for awhile before I finally joined in. And beside's no one is aware of you , so you cant be rude if we dont even know your here.