Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday, 14 January 2019

Etiquette

As I'm currently struggling to find any motivation to do anything hobby related and as it's coming up to my 7th anniversary of the start of this blog I'd thought I'd share a few thoughts of my blogging experiences.
When I started blogging, there wasn't a manual I could find to explain the etiquette; of blogs, not their content, but how one goes about comments, followers (I term I dislike) and replies etc.
Common sense states that one should be polite at the very least, a thing I bear in mine when both commenting on others' blogs and when replying to my own followers' comments and this is most generally the is the case on gaming blogs.

What I do find annoying is when I post a comment on another's blog and there is never a reply. I'm of the opinion that that's just bad manners and I know of several bloggers that do not reply to comments I've made and consequently I discontinue replying - of course.
As bloggers seem to like to play the numbers game (Look how many followers I have, how many 'hits' I get each month, etc) I fail to understand why  a simple "Thank you for your comment" is so hard for some to do.

Research 2

Following on from last week's post, grizzly bears etc,. The 'weird west', zombies versus cowboys (awful film btw), Dracula's America etc., I have a fascination with. Not because I like these particular genres but because I have been a fan of Westerns for about sixty years !  Many manufacturers get stuff wrong for which I blame Hollywood. Simple things, Belt loops (a 20th century invention), the quick draw Buscadero rig, worn low on the hip (again Hollywood and the 1920's).
Gunfights were frequent, but I could only find one instance of a high noon style gunfight Wild Bill Hickock) .  Most folk carried their guns ready in their hands!
Lastly for this Western rant, probably the most famous gunfight of them all, that in Tombstone in 1881, took place during a small snow flurry;  Doc Holiday was wearing a grey suit and carried his gun in his pocket!

That's it then for this week and I'll be trying to find something to rant post about next week.

Thanks for your support and I have replied to all your comments of last week in a single reply at the end of the post.
(I'm also trying to catch up with posts as I can).









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29 comments:

  1. Ivor Evans14 January 2019 at 06:00

    Great post Joe! I'm right there with you - I can almost give someone a pass if I just write something simple like "Looks good!" with no reply (but a quick "Thanks!" is pretty easy to do), but if I take the time to read and post a comment with a question about what I just read and I get no reply, that to me is a real head scratcher.

    I also really like how you changed your 'hits tracker' to "How Idiots Track Success" lol! Brilliant!!

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    1. Zabadak14 January 2019 at 09:19

      Thanks Ivor, most of the advise/help I was given at the strat of my blogging activities has all but been scrapped by the giver !

      Delete
  2. colinmnash14 January 2019 at 06:15

    Mea culpa! I am one of the people Joe refers to in his post - I rarely reply to comments on my (very infrequent) blog posts. I have no excuse and quite agree that it is rude.

    I shall do my damnedest to rectify this in future. Apologies to you Joe and other readers who may have commented on my blog

    Thank-you for pointing this out Joe.

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    1. Zabadak14 January 2019 at 09:20

      Thanks Colin, but no apology necessary as it's just the way it is. Your blog never came to mind when I wrote this as, at worst, you're onlt intermittent with your responses.

      Delete
  3. Blaxkleric14 January 2019 at 07:27

    A very enjoyable, thought-provoking post, Joe, and spot-on with the advice Ref comments.

    I'd also go so far as to say that personally if someone hasn't got something good to say, don't say it - I really dislike comments which simply say "I hate this model, mini or company" and am always tempted to simply reply "Good job I painted it for me then!!"

    I'm also not a fan of those who seem to feel I have in some way slighted them if I haven't commented on every single one of their posts. I look at a lot of blogs for inspiration, so would be typing forever if I left a comment on everyones...

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    1. Zabadak14 January 2019 at 09:22

      I'm with you 100% on " if someone hasn't got something good to say, don't say it ", - write nice or not at all.
      There ae many ways to say you dislike something in a way that doesn;t offend.
      I read a LOT more blogs than I'm a member of or comment on too.

      Delete
  4. The Angry Lurker14 January 2019 at 07:46

    I must admit I like questions and like to help if I can!

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    1. Jay14 January 2019 at 09:02

      Me too.

      Delete
    2. Zabadak14 January 2019 at 09:23

      Thanks guys, I too like questioning things in genreral and most blogger I think would prefer a thought-provoking comment that can be answered with a couple of words.

      Delete
  5. Da Gobbo14 January 2019 at 09:16

    Spot on Joe, despite my almost criminal lack of blogging time these days, I do my best to reply to all comments that people have taken the time to make. I may not be able to comment on all the blogs I read (which keep me very entertained during the wee hours of a night shift) but I do go back to blog posts to read replies to comments I have made

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    1. Zabadak14 January 2019 at 09:25

      Thanks dGG, real-life has a dastardly way of interfering with our screen time, especially qwith long shift hours like your own. I too read many more blogs than I comment upon.

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  6. caveadsum147114 January 2019 at 10:49

    Fair points,weird western does sound interesting and surely it's just nice to be polite?
    Best Iain

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    1. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 03:10

      Thanks Iain, I have to say that learning about the realwest to be far more interesting, but for fantasists I can see the attraction "valley of the Gwangi" anyone ?
      I agree politeness is important and most itmes seen in gaming blogs - but not always

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  7. Vagabond14 January 2019 at 16:12

    Hi Joe I was hoping the Palaeo diet games would give you a bit of a lift hobby wise. Sorry that doesn't seem to be the case, hang in there, something is better than nothing and that's where I am at the moment.
    Cheers

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    1. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 03:13

      I did get a huge lift from Palaeo and no diubt I'll get bak to it when my head is right!
      For me the greatest problem is not having like-minded friens to play games with, and shoot the breeze afterwards.

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    2. Da Gobbo16 January 2019 at 01:32

      Ah if only you weren’t 7 hours drive away Joe

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    3. Zabadak16 January 2019 at 03:42

      I know that feeling well, I have friends within walking distance of my house that I can;t get a game with !

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  8. Michal DwarfCrypt14 January 2019 at 20:33

    oh, I understand you completely - for me it is a dishonor to thank everyone for visiting and commenting :)

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    1. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 03:13

      Thanks you Michal, you are one of the good guys out there !

      Delete
  9. Frank O Donnell15 January 2019 at 00:03

    An interesting post Joe, first the history lesson, while I like to know stuff I don't take modelling to the has to be historically correct but I know many do, so each to their own I guess.

    On that not replying I thinking that's just bad manners, but again each to their own I guess, before I go I hope the hobby bug get a bite on you real soon :)

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    1. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 03:18

      Thans Frank, research isn't essential, but if you're into a particular genre I feel you should know something about it - enough to have a reasonable conversation on whatever it is, whether it's Dracula, Tolkien or Frederick the great. I reckon most folk read about what they're playing anyway, but I may well be wrong.
      Replying to comments I reckon is essential to a helathy blog-style and I continue to have the bug (*hard to give up after 50+ years, but the energy to 'struggle' on by oneself is lacking.

      Delete
    2. Frank O Donnell15 January 2019 at 05:20

      That might be why I like Pulp Joe as everything goes & I don't have to read to much ;)
      I feel your pain about wanting to play with other like minded people as it does add a lot, like you say been able to have a chat is just as enjoyable as playing the game.

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    3. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 06:46

      Pulp gaming is OK too and I'd love to finish off my gangsters, but with no super-villains involved.
      Sharing ideas face to face and developing ones own rules or adapting other rules is one of the biggest things I miss alongside the bragging rights after a game.

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  10. Michael Awdry15 January 2019 at 03:58

    I think you are spot on with regards to etiquette Joe; I have always held to good manners on line. Replying to comments is an interesting point and in principle, I would always aim to. It all rather depends on the post or if a specific question has been raised.

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    1. Zabadak15 January 2019 at 06:50

      Thanks for that Michael, as I've said a few times, we're really, on the whole, very lucky within our gaming community that most folk are polite etc.
      My opinion remains though, that if someone has taken the time to write a ocmment, I expect an acknowledgement, even if combined in a general one to many commentators.

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  11. The Wargame Addict15 January 2019 at 11:25

    Fair points, and very well made Joe - absolutely no question that a bit of research works wonders for historical accuracy where it's needed.
    I can't argue with any of the points made about etiquette either, but I MUST look closer at my own on-line activity, where it might appear I'm being rude but in actual fact it's just the time pressures of 'real life'.

    Having a good old chin wag after the gaming tables were packed away in the club, or meeting down the pub or curry house post game are (were) an integral part of belonging to the community - I like to think that as a solo gamer these days, those chin wags still take place here in cyber space with our blogs and comments :-)

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    1. Zabadak16 January 2019 at 03:40

      Thanks WA, there really aren;t tht many blogs wherein replies aren;t generally made and we all have the occassional comment that slips past our notice.
      You nailed the rearch bit with "where it's needed".
      I have the opinion that blogs aren't really th place to have long discussions, but the occassional interchange of view is far more healthy than "Nice figure" etc.

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  12. Spiderweb of History22 January 2019 at 04:44

    I must admit, I've been bad about responding in the past. I apologize and am trying to do better.

    As far as research goes, it's one of my favorite parts of this hobby of ours, and it's mildly annoying when I discover I may have messed up in painting/building/modeling etc.

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    1. Zabadak26 January 2019 at 08:11

      Thanks SoH, but some folk just ahven't got the time and apologies are not needed - each to their own.
      I to find research is one of the more interesting parts of our hobby and to me is never a chore.
      I have messed up in the recent past with a couple of figures, once more because I rushed into something I thought I knew about , but hadn't fully researched - lesson learned..

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