It is clear that after an X number of posts people do not keep track of the previous posts and opinions, entering many times in a game of recrimination about what someone did say (or didn’t), confusing persons and arguments. I am currently using the "seven pages rule": I post for upto seven pages and then abandon the topic (socialism (page 7), for example).

Does anyone know of a good analysis on internet communities, and the limits in the type of communication that can be supported by a discussion group? Is there a theoretical limit to the number of posts that we can keep track of?

Just wondering…

Strangely enough, I agree with you on this, uncronopio.

I find it very cumbersome after about 7 pages too, and often wish that there was a breaking point and a new thread.  

Also, the only other message board that I used to post on could create new threads anywhere along the line so that side issues didn’t get in the way of the main discussion.  I liked that very much, although it could get confusing too.

I’m not complaining.

If I remember correctly, we have had pages into the 20’s or more here (very cumbersome), but someone keeps saying something that needs to be answered, and you don’t want to feel like you’re stealing the show by starting a new thread from someone else idea.

Sitran  

Sometimes I wish there was a ‘skip this topic’ flag you could set so that when ‘next topic’ or ‘previous topic’ would jump over it.

DJ