Here's my thoughts (from a realitive forum-newbie)...
** warning: really long post, much longer than I meant it, once I went back and read it. Skip to the end if you want! **
I like to look at the picture posts -- seeing everyones pets is always really great! But sometimes - as a new member - it's hard to jump the mental hurdle, and break in and start posting on boards with people who have all been together for a longish time, who know each other and each others pets. Its not really being shy (im a goof and a talker so thats not a problem), and everyone has been really friendly here too! It's not intimidation either so much as it is trying to build up people's perceptions of me as a poster/responder.
I guess for me its trying to post intelligent, well thought out and/or interesting things since I dont have the post count (or tenure) here, and don't want to come across as a dreaded 'noob'! I like to try and post comments about the picture or pet if i can, but in a lot of cases [1] I've been responding to postings in forums asking for technical computer help, and such (things in my frame of reference per se), or [2] since i'm at work, i get a chance to browse through a lot of postings, but tend to take my breaks and lunch to make long(er) comments since I dont come here in the evenings or weekends, and sometimes [3] my first thought is the 'awww cute!', which i've been hesitant to post for the same reason that JenBKR mentioned happened to her (people thinking that i'm posting just to raise my post counts), even if awww-cute is what I think.
I've started a couple of threads since I started here in July, and for me I've always been more interested in the number of people that have looked at my post than the number of people that have replied. Its kind of along the same lines as what GreyhoundGirl was saying -- i'm still an unknown, and unless I have something interesting to say, or until I have been here longer to have my name become more recognized, well I really don't expect the kinds of responses that forum regulars get. I'm happy if a couple of people go in and look at my pets, or my posts, etc.
** end of really long post **
Summary: I look at a lot of posts, and I try to post when I have something to say specifically about the pet or the picture. I always appreaciate all comments (from in-depth to the aww-cute and smiley comments) in any thread I create, and I try to post in others' threads as often as I can.
Hope all that rambling makes some kind of sense from one newbie's perspective ... and I think this reply just ate up my entire lunch break!
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Originally Posted by Zippy
Ill try to post there sometime!
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