Where are all the replies ?

[Richard Golde]

I am a novice at best and enjoy reading the threads without replying because it is a great source of information for me. I have learned so much about hollow forms, finishes, design and form, etc. Thank you guys and gals. There may be two levels of viewers here, the skilled and the learners. The learners will some day be the posters so fear not all will even out. Oh look Im now a poster. That was fast. Some day I might even have some thing worth while to post.


Richard

[Jim Underwood]

Richard... Even newbies have something worthwhile to post. I've been turning since 2004, and consider myself an intermediate turner. I'll probably never "arrive" as an expert turner, and I'm learning all the time. Just yesterday someone posted their bad experience with hollowing tools and I learned several basic things from the responses. If he hadn't posted, I wouldn't have have learned those things..

Even if you're new to turning you can still post questions and experiences that are worthwhile.

[Bill Wyko]

Since I read most of the replies I might as well reply myself. I say turn something absolutely absurd so you just shock everyone into replying. I did notice the other day the member count vs the guest count and the guests are a huge number. I think they should at least bring a bottle of wine.

[Scott Flamm]

I am new to woodworking. I have about a year under my belt and frankly not much expierence yet. So I joined sawmill creek to learn from all of the wonderfull people who post on this forum. Being able to absorb the knowledge of so many peolple with different levels of experience has been great. If I have a question I will search through previous posts looking for the answer. There have only been a few times up to this point where I couldn't find an existing thread that dealt with my question. In those cases I have started a new thread. It has allowed me to learn about the craft, and more than that expand my horizons and see what is possible. Over the course of the last year I have looked at hundreds of threads if not over a thousand. I check the creek daily and look through the new posts. I look at threads from all parts of the site, including this forum (turning) even though I do not have a lathe and may not for several years (hopefully that will be remedied). For all this looking and learning I think I have posted less than 30 times. It's not that I don't want to help or offer my opinion, but that I often don't have the knowlegde to impart (when I do if it has not already been said then I will add my 2 cents). Over time this will change and hopefully I will be able to offer more advise/help/recomendations as good as I have recieved. I'm only 30 so hopefully I'll have a long time to both gain and impart knowledege. I don't think that my experience is unique, it is just the nature of how many progress while learning something new.

[Wally Dickerman]

One must consider that in a typical month, there are upward of 50 MILLION views on SMC - sometimes much more!!! That includes folks from all over the world, and includes both members, contributors, and simply visitors - in addition to the webcrawlers, spiders, etc. At any given point, just take a look at the bottom of the Turners Forum page and you will see a list of the members online (including contributors), but also a notation of the number of visitors - nearly always double the members viewing. Those visitors cannot post.

So, factor out the visitors, factor out the members that have a casual interest in the matter posted (look, like, do not get excited - may not even turn), and factor out the folks like those that have posted here that feel they cannot contribute beyond what has been stated, and you end up with a group of participants that numbers less than 100. Just give some thought to those names we all know that post frequently - pretty small number actually, especially considering the millions of views of the entire SMC forum.

Harry, I actually like to see the number of views of something I post more so than the number of comments. IMO it indicates that folks at least want to look. Whether they like what they see or not, at least they are interested.

Don't read too much into the number of replies.

50 million hits per month? I don't doubt what you say John but that's hard to get a grip on. I do like the math you've put out here though. Explains a lot.

I'm not keen on seeing nothing but a bunch of attaboy replies but I'll admit that I do like to receive them. I sometimes hesitate to be the only negative in a bunch of attaboys. Having taught a lot of woodturning over a period of years I've had a lot of experience with critiques. Always contructive critiques of course. That's what a teacher does. The folks posting here aren't my students though, so I feel that sometimes my comments aren't always appreciated. I've been flamed more than once because someone's ego was bruised.

If a question is asked and I feel that I can give a helpful answer, I will reply, often with a lengthy answer. I do get discouraged when I see answers from well meaning people who really don't know what they're talking about and sometimes give poor advice. If I'm not sure about the subject I stay out of it and try to learn from those who do know.

If I click on a post and see a bunch of replies and my reply would be essentially the same, I usually don't give an answer. Perhaps I should.

[Bill Bukovec]

My wife is on a quilting board and some of the replies are utterly useless.

For example, a poster will ask, does anyone have a presser foot for a Binford 2000 sewing machine?

Many of the replies are , "I don't".

Thanksfully, that doesn't happen here.

[Bill Wyko]

Wally, to be an extraordinary wood worker we must be able to take some punches with grace. I think it's important that those of that do post our work understand, when someone comments in a way that's not flattering, it is still constructive. That's what will separate the men from the boys. To receive a comment from someone with your skill level should be taken as good advice and appreciated. In my audio business I've seen so many installers that felt they didn't need any body's advice. Almost all of them are mediocre at best. Constructive criticism can advance the knowledge of those who choose to listen to it. All in all we are the teachers of the internet world of woodworking. If used correctly, there is a PHD in woodworking to be learned here.

[Mike Cruz]

So, Harry, how do you feel about 36 replies to 686 views on this thread? Of course, if you don't reply to my question, I will have to assume you read it and didn't have anything to say...which will beg the question...Why didn't you reply?

[Kurt Strandberg]

I have been watching the post and was wondering why there are so many views and no replies.

now I am curious, what is the post?

[Tim Leiter]

When I read a post and have something to add, I post my response. When I don't have anything to add, I don't post. I am sure this is what occurs with most people. I really don't understand the OP and his post. Does he need more gratification and is not getting it? I just don't know why someone points out what many people have said is not a problem and to suggest someone get kicked out of a forum for not posting, in my opinion, is ludicrous. Just my humble opinion of course, but I did post. (Am I ok for another month?) lol

[Bill White]

I only reply if I have a positive/instructive responsive contribution. Lighten up a bit about the limiting issue. Dang!!!! Oh, learn how to spell! There! How's that for a response?
Now I feel better, and will go back to cleaning up the shop ( it is Friday ya know ).
Bill

[Harry Robinette]

Thanks to all who replied and sorry for starting this. I was making an observation about something that should have stayed in my head longer before I posted it. My whole thing was I didn't stop to think before I said anything.The numbers just seamed way out of wack to me, but I didn't take all the facts into consideration.
This was a post that I do fell was just one of those mistakes we sometime make and wish we had thought more before saying anything.Sorry if I caused any problem for anyone.I think I'll stop now my brain is starting to quit again.

[Tim McClelland]

I don't know what to say, but I figured I'd better reply something so I don't get cut off at the end of the month. I do enjoy reading the posts, being mostly inexperienced I love the learning that comes from them and just admiring the fine work being done - it let's me dream on and on and keeps me going back to the lathe knowing that the meager turnings I do now may someday be more like those that I see here.

[Montgomery Scott]

...which will beg the question...Why didn't you reply?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question

Begging the question (or petitio principii, "assuming the initial point") is a type of logical fallacy in which the proposition to be proven is assumed implicitly or explicitly in the premise.

[Mark Hubl]

I have replied! But really, the internet is all about openness and freedom. Not about censorship, segregation or country club cliques. (understand the censorship for civilities sake) I think the math of views has been covered, the redundant nature of replies and the overall value that those trying to learn find here. I would hate to start locking the doors to the likes of Malcolm, or Kieth or .... just cause they have not typed something in a while. Hopefully Harry's anger has waned after all these responses. Now back to wood turning.