I stopped doing that a few months ago because I realized it ruins the natural course of debate and rebuttal and replaces it with an organized attempt to "win an argument." Ethan, boobs and a few others still do it and it pisses the fuck off me too.

No, but if what someone has to say doesn't require fifteen words what's the benefit of forcing them?

I think that's a product of the conversational nature of message board discussion. It's more conversational to reply point by point than it is to write the equivalent of a letter-to-the-editor response.

Ha, your discrete jab has not escaped me, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't clever.

The problem with it is, you either follow suit or you "dodge points made" which is BS. I'm not calling for it to be removed or anything, I'm just saying I hate it.

To tell the truth it actually wasn't intentional, that's just how I post. But I did notice when I hit "preview" and I thought, "heh, that's kind of funny".

How so? Can't you do either of those things no matter how you choose to format your post?

On paper or in reality?

You can, but for ridiculous forum brawls its not possible.

You know those fights where the guy making some grand stupid point thats being attacked from all sides keeps changing the point, usually ending on grammar. Those guys, thats what sits in me.

So again, I'm not taking a stand against that, its just a peeve.

I missed this earlier. You know, you're alright sammy. At least in this thread. I agree with this statement and would like to add onto it that when we have an argument for every little point, you're not really arguing positions, you're end up arguing points, but never state your own.

What we tend to end up with is a neutral position, I've said something, you've tried to undo it...so where do we go from here.

I have to confess I'm not really sure what you're talking about here. What does someone changing the point have to do with the posting point-by-point vs posting in one big chunk issue?

Inherently nothing. Historically its the method they use to "never lose."

They usually end up banned.

Edit: If you're looking for a televised version of these posters, Youtube Chris Matthews debating Kevin James. I've never seen an almost picture-perfect enactment of a message board fight.

Its brilliant.

I'll say this, it does get annoying when someone breaks it down into a thousand little points. But I think it makes sense to break the post up into a couple different blocks when you're really talking about a couple different subjects in one post. That's why I split your "Would a 15 word requisite..." post into two parts, for example.

This is true. ^