Research Before Asking Questions

well this is a discussion forum on the internet. usually discussion forums are intended to be used for open discussion, which includes questions.

i guess it could be a generational issue as the internet is a new fangled thing for many people not born in the 80’s or later who wouldn’t really understand what a discussion forum is for.

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Follow-up question: Why do the same people keep answering the same questions over and over again? It is to make themselves look like experts? Are they insecure?[/quote]

I know this won’t make sense to more selfish people… but some people like to try to give back when they have been given something they value.

At the same time, some people don’t get a perverse pleasure in leaving people ignorant when they are just starting out on the path towards becoming acquainted with useful information.

Blah blah blah, fucking kumba-ya.

[quote]rainjack wrote:
PGreen711 wrote:
Regarding your generation, yes, that probably has something to do with it. Old people are generally crotchety, and you may also be in the early stages of dementia. That is probably why you are complaining.

Regarding trust, again yes, intellectually dishonest posts coupled with the dementia have probably given you trust issues.

Regarding respect, it is probably that the posters respect the opinions of others on these forums, whereas you do not. This lack of respect probably arises out of your senility.

I think the bottom line is you care too much, take yourself too seriously, and are old and crazy.

This post right here should answer the question why people post: It’s all just a bunch of pointless yammering.

I mean did the little punk-ass even come close to answering? I’d say nope.

Do most of the posters that upload pics of their less-than-post-worthy physiques really want an honest critique? I’d say nope again.

Do most of the folks that post inane, bullshit questions like, “Can I take HOT-ROX with protein powder” really care if their question is answered? For a third time - nope.

What do they want? They want the satisfaction of seeing their screen name posted on the internet.

When I was a kid, when we found wet concrete we would write our names in it.

Same difference.[/quote]

forum intended to promote dialouge, juvenile vandalism… sounds to me like another generational misunderstanding.

people don’t converse on the net because they think it is neat to see their name on the computer screen. hahahaha.

ridiculous post of the day award goes to you.

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Follow-up question: Why do the same people keep answering the same questions over and over again? It is to make themselves look like experts? Are they insecure?[/quote]

d-i-s-c-u-s-s-i-o-n

Main Entry: dis?cus?sion
Pronunciation: di-'sk&-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate
2 : a formal treatment of a topic in speech or writing

Why does a thread like this keep popping up?

It’s like the OP didn’t even try doing a search first.

[quote]vroom wrote:
rainjack wrote:
When I was a kid, when we found wet concrete we would write our names in it.

Same difference.

Does that mean I should stop writing my name in wet concrete?

I thought that was one of life’s little mystery bonuses ripe for the taking.[/quote]

I thought you wrote your name in the snow in front of your igloo.

[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
I thought you wrote your name in the snow in front of your igloo.[/quote]

During the few days a year that it isn’t frozen outside, we pour a lot of concrete…

Everyone loves a self-righteous message board evangelist.

Ok ok.

I’ll be the first to somewhat agree with CLaw. I think it is important for people to do their own research prior to posting questions. However- my reasoning is simply that I think it’s important for people to learn for themselves rather than having to be taught. I don’t think it’s a generation thing, a respect thing, or anything like that. It’s a lazy thing.

There have been some recent questions that are basically asking us to give the poster a complete education on nutrition as our answer. Is that really the point of this forum? For those of you pushing the “discussion” angle, is it really a discussion when it’s so one-sided?

I also agree with Rainjack on some of his points, but won’t specifically say which ones.

[quote]texasguy wrote:
forum intended to promote dialouge, juvenile vandalism… sounds to me like another generational misunderstanding.

people don’t converse on the net because they think it is neat to see their name on the computer screen. hahahaha.

ridiculous post of the day award goes to you. [/quote]

Yet you prove my point. If my post was ridiculous, what does that make yours?

[quote]rainjack wrote:
texasguy wrote:
forum intended to promote dialouge, juvenile vandalism… sounds to me like another generational misunderstanding.

people don’t converse on the net because they think it is neat to see their name on the computer screen. hahahaha.

ridiculous post of the day award goes to you.

Yet you prove my point. If my post was ridiculous, what does that make yours?

[/quote]

what does your point have to do with the price of eggs in egypt?

[quote]texasguy wrote:
what does your point have to do with the price of eggs in egypt?[/quote]

Maybe you should ask that question to those that have agreed with me.

I’d do the same thing - but oddly enough - you have no one agreeing with you.

Oh well…at least you can look at your screen name three times in this thread.

[quote]bushidobadboy wrote:
texasguy wrote:

people don’t converse on the net because they think it is neat to see their name on the computer screen. hahahaha.

I don’t converse on the net because I think it’s neat to see my username on the screen, just like I don’t talk with people in ‘real life’ because I like the sound of my own voice. However, I will admit that I do think it’s kinda neat to see my username up on screen, hahahaha![/quote]

You guys are taking Rainjack’s comment too literally. The point is that people only converse because they want to either feel like they belong to something or they are participating. I’m sure there are some who literally do it just to see their name pop-up. To assume there aren’t types like that is ignorant. The term “trolls” was coined for people like that on message boards for a reason…

[quote]eengrms76 wrote:
bushidobadboy wrote:
texasguy wrote:

people don’t converse on the net because they think it is neat to see their name on the computer screen. hahahaha.

I don’t converse on the net because I think it’s neat to see my username on the screen, just like I don’t talk with people in ‘real life’ because I like the sound of my own voice. However, I will admit that I do think it’s kinda neat to see my username up on screen, hahahaha!

You guys are taking Rainjack’s comment too literally. The point is that people only converse because they want to either feel like they belong to something or they are participating. [/quote]

But do you think there is a motivation for every action? Personally, I feel like that most things I do in my free time are done without any motivation.

I think the way the web site is set up doesn’t make research a priority (if one doesn’t know how to use the search function or fails to understand that a search can be done).

I am thinking one doesn’t understand the library as “Archives” or to use “Search” as it’s not highly visible as something one must click on. People miss the fact that there is a vast amount of information as it is not noted in neon when one views the site and they are able to immediately “jump” onto a forum.

I believe if Search and Archive were renamed such as Catalog or Catalog Search in a larger font, and more disclaimers were posted on using these functions before asking questions before one enters a forum, then we might see people using these tools.

So when one clicks on building a better body, they are sent first to a disclaimer page that has a direct link to Search and Archives. Another route would be for other links to be removed to make use of the archive and search the main interfaces when one first enters the site. So for all options, the site must lead users to search.

(Although I would just leave it the same, this is just my 2 cents.)

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
It’s like not paying attention in class or in a meeting, and then asking everyone to repeat what was just said.

Thoughts?[/quote]

In the corporate world, I use to despise people at meetings that would ask questions just to be noticed. But I soon realized that these people often got ahead as they became known to different bosses and basically whored themselves for attention and played the game. This forum is much different as it is based on knowledge vs identity…self-marketing is only advantageous here if the knowledge is to par.

[quote]Imen de Naars wrote:
But do you think there is a motivation for every action? Personally, I feel like that most things I do in my free time are done without any motivation.[/quote]

That’s kind of a sad thought. I would personally commit suicide if I ever found myself doing things with no motivation. Not all motivations are centered on improving or having any great thought process behind it, but I think every thing you do needs to have a purpose.

[quote]vroom wrote:
rainjack wrote:
When I was a kid, when we found wet concrete we would write our names in it.

Same difference.

Does that mean I should stop writing my name in wet concrete?

I thought that was one of life’s little mystery bonuses ripe for the taking.[/quote]

It is pretty cool to come back to where you wrote your name (maybe 10-20 years later) and find it’s still there, though.

I think it’s fair some questions can be asked regularly as there are always new members logging on who have opinions that may/may not have been heard before.

On a car forum I visit, a particular few questions come up, ‘which fuel should I use for xyz engine’. Although it’s a basic question, the answer constantly changes over time. Comparing it to training would be,‘which protein should I use?’ etc. New products are always coming on the market, and the answer will always vary.

But when someone posts a question within five minutes of joining a forum, when the same question and answer is on the same page, that’s just plain spoon-fed.

It’s a ‘give me now’ attitude. Give me my free songs off l*mewire, give me my movies off torrent site, give me big biceps. Give me give me.

I know if it were a class-room environment, I’d give that person a punch in the nose.