Why have people started to use the term OP now?

[PavlovtheCat]

I find it so impersonal.

Once apon a time, people responded to the poster by their name, and when referring to them on their own thread, they would say 'but pavlov said she did/did not...yada yada'. OR, more personally 'pavlov, i agree/disagree with what you said about...'.

Now it is 'the OP said' or 'OP i agree/disagree with you' why? why not just put their name, you are talking to a person.

I personally really dislike being referred to as 'OP'.

AIBU? i dont think so

bonnie ok, so you are the exception. I accept there is always one who is the exception. But that cannot apply to ALL those who do it.

So the reasons are, mostly

You are forgetful and lazy? is that a good summary so far?

Ah, so you read your threads upside down? As in, bottom to top?

I read mine top to bottom, so to get to the flip button, when I'm at the bottom of the thread, I'd have to scroll to the top anyway.

Where's the 'new post' box when it's flipped?

and what about the poor op who has to remember all the hundreds of posters responding to the thread, there is no generic form for her/his poor brain, and she/he has to scroll to the relevant post, not just the beginning!

Ah, ok, just tried it. So when you want to add a message, you click on 'add a message' and it brings you straight to the bottom?

Cool! A whole new way of using MN has been opened up to me!

Forgetful and lazy, yup, that sums me up. Don't forget to add self absorbed and mean though.

I just click on 'add message' at the side of whatever post I am reading and it take me down to the box.

mrswobble exactly, glad this is educational

ah clever. I too use op when I forget. I shall try to do so less!

Firstly, some people really struggle with names in RL. I do, there are people I have known for years but I have no idea what their names are and I am now far too embarrassed to ask. Again.

How much trickier, then, when I don't have any cues at all to help me connect to that person and conisistently identify and remember them?

Secondly, when it is the OP's thread, they generally remember their own name and what they posted.

Oh, and fliping is not that easy on a mobile as it has to reload the page from scratch - veeeeryyy slowly.

I use OP when I'm making general, comparative or off topic comments.

So I would say...

Pavlov, you are not being unreasonable and I like your posting name.

But I would also say...

But the OP didn't say she was being that unreasonable that she had petitioned MNHQ to ban it.

I think I'm using it as a makeshift pronoun as opposed to being dismissive or lazy.

I refer to the OP by name when talking to them always. That's polite. But I do use OP to refer to them in other ways.

I use the term OP because when using the poster's name, it feels like you are discussing the poster and not the point.

Almost as if you are talking loudly about a person and using their name even when they are in the same room. Feels rude somehow. Using the term OP lets things feel less personal.

Yep I'm forgetful and lazy. What of it, OP?!

I use it because people have long names on here! (yes I am one of them )

But seriously, names get longer and longer it seems and it is a nightmare to remember them.

I cannot read threads upside down. It is WRONG.

OP YABU

I think OP is useful in long threads, where there are heaps of cross posts, cross threads, and cross everythings.

A simple 'In response the OP....' can be a sensible way of making sure your post is about the thread, not what the thread has develped into on page 49.

No problem with it myself.

I am also not comfortable about using intials or shortened names if I don't 'know' the poster. I'd rather someone called me the OP than TD. Which is probably odd .

plus some of these names are verylongandtricktytospell

Forums are impersonal, I use OP and PP cause I can't be arsed remembering names.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest, tra la fiddle de dee...

Threads get so long now

So if i've been completely off topic talking crap with -ahem- OP, then I can return to subject by saying WRT to OP.

Easy.

Hey proudnsad I was not being accusationary! I was reflecting the points made, those where not my views on it!

Are you all sure it is not because we actually don't give a crap what the OP is saying, on an emotional level, its more about what opportunity it gives us to speak? and judge?

just so you know, I refered to OP, as I wasn't talking about me

Ahem Pav!

I, Peachy of the Sancti Moany Arse, Do Not Judge!

Much.

I never said judge. I said judge so you can't quote it back to me