"Read the whole post before responding? Do you mean read each and every post in a thread completely?" --Jack the Sailor

Yes. to use your own "conversation" analogy, even those long wided ones that are eventually ignored are not ignored on the spot. If I, as a long winded sumbitch, had just bored you with my information would you then turn to a third party in the conversation circle and repeat what I had just said?

"I've asked questions and been refered to previous discussions. Only to find myself sifting through a hundred posts for a two post answer And when asking for opinion......" --JtS

I agree, but as catspaw pointed out, the posting of a link isn't meant to squelch the current conversation.

Admittedly, there is always going to be conflict between the desire for fellowship on what some see as an information based site, and dispensing information on what some see and a fellowship based site.

By the way, I don't think from what I've observed around here that I would conclude that catspaw himself doesn't like the "conversation" element here----he's merely, simultaneously, in an honorable attempt, trying to give just due to some people who have gone the extra nine yards in research or willingness to share from their expertise.

"If I started a conversation with you would you hand me a recording of an old one before you are willing to talk?" --JtS

This is a good and valid point and I have seen this, in attitude occur here. I can only reiterate that this is one of those things that arises out of the 'cat's dual nature--information and fellowship. I try to ignore it when it happens, but you are right, I feel squelched because my new take on an old event is not even being acknowledged before the putdown comes. It might soften the blow if it came more often in the form of "Hey, that's a good point.....I remember when we talked about that here *link*. I wonder what we said back then...hmmm.".

"The one rule of Mudcat is that you have to wade through a lot of garbage to participate in Mudcat." --JtS

yuppers. It's the nature o' th' beast here. The trick is to learn (and I do mean that for me it has always been, and will always be an ongoing learning experience---and occasionally I walk away for long periods of time in frustration) how to be the person I want to be, and come across as the person I want to project here-------in SPITE of how I might percieve my treatment.

Heck Jack, I KNOW what a nice, intelligent guy you are from our interaction on other forums. I warned you it was different here. [this is where I would insert one of those goofy smiley faces that lets you know I'm smiling as I type this]. Today I'm talking to you as if I "get" this place. Tomorrow I'm likely to sound just as frustrated as you sound to me (above)........that's because I too like the conversational element of the forum format. It just breaks down more often here.