Gill brought up the subject a few weeks ago. It is lovely of people to thank you for your comment on their pic, but I am going to release anyone whose pic I comment on from doing so.
I thanked everyone up until a few weeks back myself, so I know how hard it is not to do it. However, when you get to a certain point of commenting on as many of those who you follow and who comment on your pics, it just gets impossible to click on all the thanks as well. Now, instead of thanking I try as often as possible to view the pics of those who comment on my pics, and where I am moved to do so, I also leave comments. Due to the high quality of work here, that is the majority of the time.
I use the time that I would otherwise have used to thank people to go and look at their work. And if I don't have to click through to all the thanks from those I comment on as well, I reckon that also leaves more time for taking pics and commenting, which, afterall, is what it is all about, no?
I understand when newer people come on board and, generally speaking, might have less volume of followers and pics to deal with and how exciting it is to get comments. In my case, I was terribly grateful and was compelled to press that reply button ....and fill up the notifications box of all those who'd been kind enough to comment with that gratitude!!! I am just saying, don't feel compelled to do that with me. And if you don't want to go look at my work, take the time you would otherwise have spent thanking me by looking at another 365ers work.
I am totally with you, I don't r e a l l y see the point of the 'thank you'. When I started this project there was no reply bottom and thus no ' thank you's'. I personally would MUCH rather have people come look at my photos than write 'thank you' on their own :)
I just reached this point mysef a couple of weeks ago and posted a similar thread about it - so I totally get it. I think people appreciate a view and/or a comment on their own photos over a thank-you:)
@miranda Thank you so much Marinade, it's perfectly said - as Gill did it before. Some days I almost want to leave comments on pictures and ad "please don't thank me". Hope you'll be followed... like you I rather spend time looking at other pictures but always afraid to miss a comment or a question so I always look at the notifications! And I must confess that I'm leaving less comments to people who thank me!
I would rather spend time going back to all my followers and look at their photos once a week and comment on their photos. I actually enjoy looking at a week worth of photos, especially if they have a special theme or project going on. I try to reply if they leave a really great comment though.
Outstanding post! I've been wondering if my friends would be offended if I neglected a thank-you for comments. I'm on dial-up (no fast-access is available here), and so posting thank-yous and even getting around to my follwers' pictures is difficult. So, I'm going to follow your lead and try my best to visit others and leave comments. Thanks for posting this. A related notion that might make a good separate discussion is about what to say about pictures we visit. I feel as if I sound insincere when I say "Beautiful" or "Lovely picture," etc., although I never say anything I don't really feel. Right after I joined, I actually went through a thesaurus to find the right words! LOL Sometimes a picture is truly beautiful and that's the best word, rather than "spot-on!" or "what a bang-up job!" lol
@miranda : A very wise decision! Commenting back means so much more to me than being thanked for my comment and is a very special thank you then. I made the same choice a while back and hope people will not find me rude because I don't say thank you all the time. I also think my time is spent more wisely by commenting back. Thank you for starting this discussion ;)!
I feel the same way! Honestly, when someone thanks me for the comment I've made on their wall...it's nice, but it is just another click I have to make in order to see a simple 'Thank you'. It's totally appreciated, but not necessary at all. We are all thankful for the comments we get...I'm sure of that!! =) Hey @oblateal your post cracked me up. I loved your last few sentences. No one's said "Spot-on" or "what a bang-up job" on my photos. ha ha ha I love it!
Miranda, I started thanking everyone every few days,as a group, instead of each personally. I read and appreciate every comment, but I would rather spend my time looking at the wonderful talent on here and commenting on their shots.
It was difficult at first, and I hoped I wouldn't offend anyone, but I think it works.
@miranda and others, I agree 100%. At the beginning of the project I did not realize why it could be annoying/upsetting for people to receive thank you notifications, and I thanked everyone. Now I prefer looking at their pics and commenting back.
I agree and am trying so hard to not thank. I just don't have the time. If my views go down, I'm OK. I'd rather if people saw I tagged them then they'd know I was continuing a discussion or answering a question that they asked. I'd rather browse anyway.
As a newbie, this is something that's driving me batty. On the one hand, I never expect to be thanked for a comment in forums, and so I wasn't initially thanking people for their comments here either (my standard way of operating in other forums in general). On the other hand, this particular forum is nothing if not extremely polite, and I suddenly felt that I was breaking some sort of 365 Project rule of etiquette by not thanking, so I started to do so. But now, on the third hand (yes, I'm part octopus on my mother's grandfather's side... I've got many hands), a number of "stop the thank-you madness" threads are starting to pop up, making this whole situation all the more confusing.
I think what I'll do from now on is to try and split the difference: if a photo of mine receives comments, I'll give out a group "thanks" at the end, but without clicking "reply" for anyone in particular. That way, no notification message is generated for anyone, yet if someone is curious as to whether or not I've seen the comments, they can come back to the picture in question and find the generic note of appreciation...
Otherwise, it seems to be turning into a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of thing, which is no fun at all. :-/
I'm trying not to do the thanks to every comment. I want to thank people but I can understand that it can overwhelm them if everyone they comment on does that. I am trying more or less not to hit that reply unless I am answering something they asked or just wanted to let them know something. It is hard though because I do appreciate all the comments people made and sometime's worry I might be rude if I do not reply and thank them. LOL!
@spaceman Should that space be filled by a picture of you looking totally lost and bemused for a second while you try to remember what you wanted to say?
I completely understand how you must feel with so many followers,and such great work,but I am one of those less talented people, just happy to be part of this Project and yes,inordinately grateful to elicit any interest at all in my photos,so I can perhaps get a little carried away with my thanks! However,I would not feel in the least slighted to not receive thanks for my own comments and,as you say, be more than happy that time has been taken to view my stuff. I love making comments anyway, and really will not miss being thanked. I know now what big hearts 365ers have...!
I absolutely agree with you, Marinda. I've often wondered how people can follow & comment on so many others' entries. I've found that commenting takes me away from actually getting out there and photographing and even exploring the wealth of information contained on this site. I've been on it for over a year but have rarely had time to dip into discussions about technique and such. It is really gratifying to recieve comments and I appreciate each one, but I don't often thank people for commenting.
You are funny ! - hey , I never thank on my page cause I wonder how many people would come back to check that ! but Thank You to all !!!! not that I have a miriad of followers , just loving those I have ;-)
It is nice to see all these comments! I wasn't sure what to do and of course if someone made a nice comment about a photo I took my immediate response is to say "thank you!". It is nice to know it isn't necessary and I totally agree with everyone's posts here. It is nice just to be able to enjoy all the wonderful photos out there and I hope people will sometimes take pleasure in seeing some of mine as well! Thank you everyone!
First -- a ''thank you'' for writing this. I am a newbie, and have been trying to thank each commenter because I thought that was the social norm here. But I am a fan of change, and am definitely on board with your suggestion that instead we look at the commenter's pix, and comment there. So -- off I go to look at lots of pix.
Personally, I"ve had issues with this website and notifications. For example, I just now was browsing through someone's photos and they mentioned me in the description, I never got the notification for it. I don't know if this has happened to anyone else, but I've decided to continue to personally thank the people who comment on my photos so at least they know that their comment has been received. In my opinion, it really only takes a moment to click on a notification and see that a person has thanked you, so I don't personally find it to be a bother.
I'm with what @lily said. rather than a thank you, come look at my pics and make your own comments if inspired to do so. I usually only reply in mine if I'm asked a direct question that should be answered.
I agree whole heartedly, Miranda and have stopped thanking everyone after your last post on this subject. We're raised to be polite and thank people for compliments, but on a site like this it just clogs thing up. I'd rather use the time to check out others' work!
I agree with this. I don't thank people because it fills up the notifications and it's just too tedious. I assume people know that you're grateful when you view their photos, so a huge thank you list doesn't seem necessary.
I'm not going to say anything quite so extreme as, say, that my head explodes with rage every time I have an "ooh, a new notification; ok it's a mention on someone else's photo; OH MY GOD IT JUST SAYS THANK YOU FFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUU" episode but my stock of [insert the name of a cleaning product which might be used to clean bits of brain off of walls and carpets] is getting terribly low.
@miranda Ditto! It's not that I'm not thankful for the wonderful comments and the time it takes, because truly I am ever SO grateful!! However, the sheer numbers makes it so very difficult to respond to each person. As it is, I sadly don't seem able even to comment on all the incredible pics from so many awesome people that I really want to. This is a huge forum so I may make a generic thank you on a new posting or random appreciations when a comment asks for a response, etc. I just really hope folks can understand and just know how much it means without me saying so every time. You folks totally ROCK!!!
:-D
@parisouailleurs I have nearly been driven to the same position... It's funny, I wasn't like this at all. I appreciated the politeness, but I think the volume thing has to be taken into account. But I have almost wanted to pop a 'please don't feel the need to thank me' with my comment.
I agree with you all....as I would much rather spend the time looking at latest or new faces pictures and comment on some of heir posts than spending the time thanking everyone who comments on mine. we all like to receive comments and appreciate them that goes without saying and therefore I have already stopped thanking my followers and hope they will do the same..
I also agree. It's nice to be thanked, but never expected and certainly not necessary. I would rather spend my time looking at and commenting on their photos than typing the words "thank you" I hope those who comment on my photos know I AM grateful for their comments even if I don't say it most of the time.
I do have to post that now I am paranoid about "thanking" people. I tried not to today, and, well... it just doesn't feel right. I comment on others anyhow, so thank you is just added for me. It takes me about 2 minutes max just to mass "thank you" everyone. I feel compelled to at LEAST do that... So if you are one of the ones who has asked to not be thanked, my apologies. I can't help myself ;)
Agree, Agree, Agree! I've always considered the thank you implicit and I'd rather take the time to comment on others' shots, which is often challenging enough to keep up with! It's everyone's personal preference, and I don't mind if others want ot post a thank you, but please know that I already recognize that you likely appreciate views and comments!!!!! :D
@mej2011 Links won't show up in descriptions . . . you'll only get a notification for mention in a comment or discussion and then, of course, only if your "@" name is entered correctly . . .
i get people thank me for leaving comments but don't look at the noitifications, you generally can see if its a comment on your photo or not. if not i ignore it
Whew! Well put! I love the comments, and thanking people, but I am finding it overwhelming. Like so many of you said, the thanking takes away from viewing more work. Good idea to post this often so others see. It does feel wrong not to thank people, but I want to continue this project and don't want to get to a point that it's just too overwhelming.
THANKS everyone!
@davidchrtrans Haha, I do the same thing; I thank people without replying. Sometimes, though, I do feel like sending out a thank you with another little comment (just kind of like a short conversation with the people that commented). I have decided that I will just thank who I want, when I want, and not worry so much about who it annoys! :)
Far better to say a genuine personal 'thank you' with relevant comments when somebody makes a point requiring a thoughtful response, than to simply click the reply button under every comment and add a couple of words which have little relevance to anyone in particular.
I always reply individually to anyone who has taken time to raise a special point of ask a question, but send a general word of thanks addressed simply "to all" to everyone else. I appreciate all comments, good or bad, and make a point of sayig so, but do not want to waste their time by filling their notifications box with long lists of names attached to an impersonal message.
well said Miranda - i was worrying about this recently - my number of followers has risen significantly in the last couple of months and I'm finding it so hard to keep up - and checking over the "mentioned you in a comment" posts is just way too much now. I am doing exactly as you - if someone comments - I am saying thanks by revisising their site to leave comments on appropriate pics on their site (ie I don't so it for the sake of it - they are genuine). Agree with wordpixman too! Phew - this project is getting more difficult not easier - maybe that's the price of improving??!! I hit the 50% mark in a couple of days -hurrah!
@sparkle It is getting more difficult and I am sure there are ways of helping ease that so people aren't left with the only option of leaving due to the complete overload. Good luck with the other half. Love seeing your pics.
I keep feeling guilty about not replying to all the great comments I get, but I spend a lot of time looking at other people's work, looking at the work of my commenters and like @miranda said, leaving comments if I feel compelled to. I look at the work of my followers and friends, and some people who come up as latest and pop page. So I do a lot of looking and commenting. I do try to touch base with commenters, and I do make a point to answer questions. I hope that everyone knows that I appreciate that they took the time to look at my work, and maybe get an occasional laugh from it. I see my skills improving with all of the encouragement, and I am very grateful for that. I also agree with @sparkle , and have seen an increase of comments (YAY), and though I see myself improving, I do find it getting harder. But challenging, so challenging, in a really good way!
I like your approach! I keep feeling guilty when I don't thank people, especially if I already thanked the other 3 or 4 who commented up to that point. But I'd much rather take that time to browse through other people's photos. I find myself clicking on people who made comments I liked on someone else's photo, and so on, sort of like the domino effect. And if I see something I like, I love taking the time to tell them what that is.... I think I'm going to adopt your approach from now on.
@miranda I finally changed my profile settings with my thoughts on this topic and it's readily available for anyone to read and view! I think it covered this quite well. :D
Today I received notification of a comment which consisted of a list of 45 @names and a generic 'thank you' which would have been just as acceptable if addressed 'to all', without cluttering 45 people's notification boxes. I will now change the message in my profile to make it very clear that I will no longer comment on the work of anyone using mass-mailing tactics.
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It was difficult at first, and I hoped I wouldn't offend anyone, but I think it works.
I think what I'll do from now on is to try and split the difference: if a photo of mine receives comments, I'll give out a group "thanks" at the end, but without clicking "reply" for anyone in particular. That way, no notification message is generated for anyone, yet if someone is curious as to whether or not I've seen the comments, they can come back to the picture in question and find the generic note of appreciation...
Otherwise, it seems to be turning into a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of thing, which is no fun at all. :-/
I totally agree.
:-D
. . .and for my NEXT number. . .
lol....funny - you've been reading minds as well. :)
@miranda I think your post is great and "thank you." :)
THANKS everyone!
I always reply individually to anyone who has taken time to raise a special point of ask a question, but send a general word of thanks addressed simply "to all" to everyone else. I appreciate all comments, good or bad, and make a point of sayig so, but do not want to waste their time by filling their notifications box with long lists of names attached to an impersonal message.
Today I received notification of a comment which consisted of a list of 45 @names and a generic 'thank you' which would have been just as acceptable if addressed 'to all', without cluttering 45 people's notification boxes. I will now change the message in my profile to make it very clear that I will no longer comment on the work of anyone using mass-mailing tactics.