Do you feel you’ve wasted your time on threads where the OP never updates?

[Toydrum]

Isn’t it a waste of time and energy? It’s a shame really because I see some really considerate and caring replies.

At what point do you give up on a thread?

@Toydrum I think it is long gone now for some reason, but yes if I think I'll be wanting to keep up dated I have done that before. Just weird how that one has gone completely from my posting history as I was watching it because I had commented today.

I wonder if the OP asked for it to be removed then Every? Maybe they regretted posting or felt there was identifiable information?

MN isn't a soap opera. Posters don't owe anyone the next installment, and on the other hand they're not owed replies from other posters either.

If you have a desperate need for closure then I'd say find a good TV series. If you are only giving advice because you want gratitude, I'd say you're probably being a bit silly.

By all means post on threads and give answers and help. But always be aware you may not get anything out of it. If you're getting emotionally involved and attached to threads on the internet, which may be total bollocks, then more fool you.

Her title implies that she feel put out if the OP doesn’t come back and keep others updated, as she asks if you feel like you’ve wasted your time. I’d say that is being too invested.

No I don’t feel like I have wasted my time. If I didn’t have time, I wouldn’t respond. I don’t reply expecting anything back. My expectations of random people online, who could well be trolls or be busy, are zero.

Not when the op is more of a starting point and the thread can then continue with everyone else.

I do find it really rude when the OP is specifically asking for advice - not just a general relationship LTB but "what's the best way of investing this money" "does anyone have experience of this particular school/household item/area" etc - people provide really helpful, sometimes often detailed replies and the Op can't even be arsed to pop back on and say "thanks."

Not really. Often it opens up interesting discussion. No one is under any obligation to return to a thread, particularly if they're having a hard time. Some replies on here can be very kind and helpful, others just vitriolic and unkind.

@EveryMeandEveryYou

Is it this thread?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5435430-christmas-presents-that-you-actually-loved-to-receive?page=1

When I click on a thread I always check to see if the OP has more than one post. If they don't I don't read the thread

Another way to look at it is that even if the OP doesn't come back and read your reply, it might end up really helping someone else who reads it. All the best advice I've seen on MN has come from reading other people's threads, not the ones I've started!

Yes, it doesn’t hurt to be polite/appreciative.

This!

It’s absolutely ridiculous how over invested and entitled some posters are expecting the OP to come back and respond/update. It doesn’t matter if OP is real, AI or on a windup, is it your choice to spend your time responding, nobody is putting a gun to your head.

The responses mostly are never a waste of time, they’ll always be other posters reading that the advice will help but some posters need to get a bloody grip and stop responding if it it is causing them this much grief.

Sometimes OP may read and take heed of responses,even if they don't return.

Whoa, that’s very aggressive! Anything you want to share?

I promise I’ll ignore your thread.

Yes! Thank you! It seems silly now but I wondered what on earth could have happened to make it go poof! I never seem to find anything with the search and no idea why it's not in my history. Thanks.

Glad you found the thread!