Topic Threading 101

This is a COMMENT. A comment is a Direct response to the Original Topic Post.
This is how it should be if you want to respond to the Original poster of the Topic.

A response to this or any other COMMENT is called a REPLY.
A REPLY is made to a Comment by clicking on the Reply Link at the very bottom of the COMMENT, -> NOT by posting Add New Comment under the Original Topic.

When you are posting a Comment you have the option to Save or Preview. You should ALWAYS preview and check for errors first. It maybe your only chance.

The Commenter can edit this comment at anytime UNTIL someone "Replies" to the comment.
If you make a substantive change in the comment you should note the changes you have made. Some folks may have commented on the Topic, your or another comment or reply based on what you said before you changed it and therefore things will look very strange and not make sense.

Random text Gizmokid2005 has a big nose.

Tim

This is another COMMENT to the Original post/topic/node.

It is directed at the Topic and/or the Original Poster at the top:
"Topic Threading 101" {Random text TimClark likes the Vladimir Icon}

It is NOT directed to the first COMMENT/commenter above:
"This is a COMMENT" {Random text Gizmokid2005 has a big nose}

It would be wrong to reply to "This is a COMMENT" here as it would be very confusing.

IF I did want to reply to "This is a COMMENT" I would click on the "reply" link at the bottom of that comment

Random text JTH has a big feet.

Tim

In a moment I am going to "reply" to this comment. Once a reply is made, an ordinary user will not be able to edit it, so make sure you say what you want the first time, use Preview!

This is a 3rd COMMENT on the Topic

Notice that it did not indent like the replies to the comments and replies that preceded it.

This is intended as a response [comment] the the original Topic / Poster and should not be read as in anyway related to the other Comments or Replies that preceded it unless I state that it does.

The Replies to the Second Comment will possibly go off in a different direction than replies to this comment.

Replies to the First and Second comments should not be made as replies here, or as new Comments, but should, be made to the actual comment/reply/poster you wanted to respond to by clicking on the Reply link at the bottom of THAT comment or reply

Random text Patrick has very little patience

Tim

You said Gizmokid2005 has a big nose, shame on you.

-
This is not true

As this is a Comment to the original Topic/Node it appears to be disagreeing with the Original Posts comment that "Gizmokid2005 has a big nose"

But this is wrong, this is not the case.
The original Topic DOES NOT SAY "Gizmokid2005 has a big nose."
It was the FIRST COMMENT that said that, so this Comment is wrong.
It should have been made as a reply to the first comment above by clicking on the "reply" at the bottom of THAT comment, not by clicking "Add New Comment" under the Original post.

To begin with the Original poster will feel the need to say, in reply to this "I did not say that, it was ..." which is correct. Likely the poster of the First Comment will jump in with a reply either to the person who was trying to reply to him, or with a response to the Original Poster in response to his response. At this point a mess begins

Random text portableapps rule

Tim

This is the Seventh Comment, note how it is below and by passes all the other Comments and Replies above it.

While it could make reference to the Comments and Replies above it should be fundamentally a response to the Original Poster/Topic.

If the other comments and replies are unrelated to what I want to say here I need make no reference to them, but I should of course read them first in case someone else said and/or answered the same question or point.

It is always frustrating when someone asks or says the same thing because they did not read the whole Topic

Again, note how this comments stands out as distinct from all the postings above it.

Random Text TimClark thinks would be a good sticky topic

Tim

It should be noted that the rules of Topic Threading Do NoT Apply to the Corrupt a Wish Topic

In that one topic all responses are made as Comments to the Topic.
If normal rules applied the thread would squensh all the way to the right, as each page has about a hundred responses, and be unreadable

Topic:
-comment [...............]
--reply [....................]
---reply [...................]
----reply [..................]
-----reply [.................]
------reply [................]
-------reply [...............]
--------reply [..............]
---------reply [.............]
----------reply [............]
-----------reply [...........]
------------reply [..........]
-------------reply [.........]
--------------reply [........]

so in that one topic it's:
Topic:
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]
-comment [...............]

even though each Comment is actually a response to the one before it.

Tim