Forum faux pas?

[mikm]

This may seem a bit frivolous, but I'm genuinely interested to know why some people consider the following situations to be grave forum faux pas.

1) Resurrection of an 'old' thread.

-Every so often, an old thread is resurrected when the new poster responds to something but doesn't take notice of the date, or they are just interested in the topic and don't care how old it is. I don't get why some people feel an intolerable urge to jump in and question why the new post was made, or even to comment on the age of the original posts. It seems as useful to me as asking someone with a plaster cast if they broke their arm. Everyone can see it's broken (or an old thread) - does it really require a comment stating the obvious?


2) Asking 'obvious' questions.

-Along the lines of "Which hammer is best?" or "How to stop rust on my table saw". Does it really matter how many times the same question has been asked before, or how simple the answer may seem to some people? The compulsion some people have to reply with "use the search function" or something similar just makes me smile and think 'you idiot'. Insert any one of the "that's as useful as a .... on a ...." proverbs here. This is like people whinging about the lack of television censorship - if you don't like it, don’t watch it (or read the thread). Seems pretty simple to me...


To reiterate, this isn't a non-specific whinge, or an underhanded dig at anyone, I just see this sort of thing crop up occasionally and I really am very curious to know what the rest of you think. Am I the only nut job that wastes brain cells thinking about this? Do you agree, or do you think I'm barking up the wrong tree?

[damian]

1) Resurrection of an 'old' thread.

Often it's a thread that pertains to a sale or items for sale or people that are no longer on the forum or equipment that isn't available anymore. If you just stumble upon an old thread and don't bother looking at the dates and post a followup to it your making a goose of yourself. Like making a dirty joke in a church.


2) Asking 'obvious' questions.

It's a question of manners. If you were a waiter and you had a constant stream of customers walking in asking you to recite the menu even if it's printed up would you get fed up ? If you were a librarian and had a stream of customers wanting you to find books for them because they were too lazy to go look for themselves would you get fed up ?

People open the threads because they want to help, but if your constantly confronted with questions that can be answered in seconds with a keyword search it's annoying.

I am guilty of asking faq's, but I make a point of looking before I ask. I regard that as good manners. When I do ask I point out that I looked, I'm not very good at search and apologise for the bother. That gets a rather more positive response.

[echnidna]

Generally I'd rather see an old thread re-opened than a new thread started.
It avoids much duplication and concentrates info.

[Groggy]

1) Resurrection of an 'old' thread.
I am one of the 'guilty' ones who will post a comment, usually because it appears the poster has missed the date. If they haven't missed it then there is no problem, but it can take a few posts before people get the hang of checking the date posts were made. Some people do a fair bit of research to help someone out with a problem posted years ago.

2) Asking 'obvious' questions.
Sometimes there are new answers that crop up so why not. They are the perennials.


Everyone approaches the forums with different needs and perspectives. Telling someone to do a search or check a date can help them to become better acquainted with the tools available to us here. "How" they are told is probably where the real issue lies.

BTW, these questions have been asked before too

[silentC]

Everyone can see it's broken (or an old thread)

Can they? I've seen reopened threads go on for pages before anyone realised they were responding to a post from 2003 made by someone who flew the coup years ago.

I don't see any problem with pointing it out, especially when it's a very specific query that will not be of much value to anyone else.

However there's nothing wrong with posting something like "came across this old thread and thought this relevant new information might be useful to future readers blah blah". However I think most people just fail to read the date.

The real question is whether or not you should let it bother you.

[silentC]

these questions have been asked before too

Bugger!! I should've said "do a search!!" because they have been asked before, more than once. If you've been around here long enough you've seen it all....

[Rossluck]

Interesting questions. I've also been a bit surprised by some of the "hey you, get back in your box" responses to the heinous crimes of commenting in an old thread, or asking a question that's been asked before a few times. I really think that we could do with an archival deposit for threads older than a year. These archives could be included in searches, but not generally available for members to stumble upon while just looking around.

With the "what cordless drill should I buy" questions. I think that they're OK. Technology is changing. An answer of a year ago may not apply now. A lot of members are polite enough to answer the question and then refer the inquirer to the previous discussions. That's the way to go. It functions as a subtle hint as well.

[Sturdee]

The compulsion some people have to reply with "use the search function" or something similar just makes me smile and think 'you idiot'. Insert any one of the "that's as useful as a .... on a ...." proverbs here.

May be that is because the forum owner and illustrious leader Ubeaut himself that has posted in reply to a query to " Do a search" .

BTW if you want to know the link to that post may I humbly suggest that you "Do a search".

Peter.

[Papa]

But remember, a lot of new members are also new to the internet,
they don't have a clue about searching, posting images, downloading
a file and so on.

As well, when they do a search, they find a 2003 post and respond
without looking at the date.

We were all newbies at one time, I say, be polite and help everyone
you can.

I was a teacher for several years, and I answered the same questions
over and over, sometimes during the same period and the same
person.

One thing that bothers me and I think discourages newbies is when
they say "I am new to woodworking and need a table saw, what
should I get". And they are told "You will never be happy unless you
get a $5000 Super X Turbo Master Cutter. Or what ever they are
called.

I am new here as well and this is without question the nicest forum
I have ever been a member of. Lots of help and lots of fun.
I am still waiting for some help in the scroll saw forum??

[chrisp]

these questions have been asked before too

And while we are having this nice little discussion about gaucheries, I find to annoying when quotes have the poster and post number removed (see the sample above ). I find I can spend a fair bit of time trying work out who is being quoted.

[joe greiner]

I think some threads are, in fact, archived, but probably more than a year old - maybe two or three years. I'm pretty sure I've seen a few pop up via Google search for something, even though another hit provided the information I sought. The archived threads are in a slightly different format, IIRC.

I've established my own index file for threads of interest, including some of my own threads. That's how it's easier for me to cite something old. And easier than subscribing or bookmarking them.

To make matters worse, upgrades to the software can enable or disable some functions. At one time, we had Google built-in for forum searches.

I don't think you're barking up the wrong tree, but it isn't my primary source of stress.

Cheers,
Joe

[Gingermick]

Didn't you see the old thread, do a search.

[BobR]

The old thread and obvious question thing does not worry me. What does get me is new thread titles the are meaningless - "Help", "What is this",..... I only look at threads that catch my eye and are of interest to me, or where I feel that I can make a contribution. I don't have time to look at them all.

[Rattrap]

To be honest it really burns my butt when i get or read the 'use the forum search engine' post. Any time i read it in 1 of my threads or others my first thought to post is. 'way to go fool, fat lot of good your are!'
I don't tho cuse that would be almost as useless as the search engine post.
I usually search this forum for answers to my questions before i post but sometimes u need just the right keyword to stumble on what u are looking for.
Honestly if u can't be bothered to respond to the question with a useful answer or at least post a link to a previous thread then why even bother responding in the first place?

[silentC]

Well it's like this: I know there are several threads that answer your question, I haven't got time/can't be bothered searching for them for you, but if I make you aware that they exist, you might look a bit harder and find what you want.

So you might see it as a useless response, but it's up to you to choose your attitude. At least someone has confirmed for you that the answer is out there. I mean why do you think we have a search function? Why not just answer every question from scratch every time.

By the way, can anyone provide a link to a thread where someone has posted "Do a search" and left it at that? I've suggested search a few times in the past and I usually say something like "if you search for 'forum faux pas' I'm sure there have been a number for threads about this". I've been here for awhile and often I can recall that there was a thread about the topic but not sure where. Do you really expect me to go looking for it for you?

If that seems foolish to you, well at the end of the day, you're the one asking the question, it's no skin off my nose. But if that's what you want, I'll quite happily ignore any future questions you might post