When a member posts a question, there's the lovely little request above the window to "Please consider reading the FAQ's and Guides before posting" and the happy little smiley with his signage.

This obviously is not working.

Can we have something a bit more 'out there'? Could it be in RED? Could it also politely say "have you used the search function of this forum to find your answer?".

I can honestly say that today, I see soooooooooo many questions where the answer is EASILY obtainable just by scrolling down the first page of the forum. I know we don't want to be unfriendly to new members or someone with a legit question, but IMO something somewhere is broken.

I purposely have not answered any of those questions today.

I believe the little request above the window to "Please consider reading the [FAQ's, Guides, and utilize the Search function] before posting" should be bigger and bolder. With the guide that I created for the Manila Embassy. I have essentially stopped answering questions and referred them to the section of the guide that is applicable to their question. For me, it's generally easier for me to look up the answer then to ask a question. However, it appears that is not the average person's mentality. Folks join and ask questions like this is a service and we're all here to answer their questions. Hehehehe! I'm now charging $4.95 per question and $9.95 per question that I have to look up. Please make checks payable to Capt Ewok. Unfortunately, my contract is under negotiation. Hehehehe!!!

Seriously, you are absolutely correct in that folks do not take the time to review the vast amount of credible information that VJ has to offer before asking questions that have been answered one hundred times over. What can you do? It's the nature of the beast. Lord knows how many questions I asked…

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

Maybe newbies should be required to read the guides and then take a test over what they read before they can post for the first time?

One comment. I find the search function on here, as on most forums not very useful. I've tried searching for things on here and not find what I was looking for. Is there a way to find the most commonly asked question on here for say the past year and put them in to the FAQ's? Or is it everyones opinion that the FAQ's already answer these most commonly asked questions already?

New people usually aren't familar with all the features of the site, give them some time to get up to speed.

I agree... I'm a newbie and I don't ask questions simply because I have been lucky enough to browse around and find all that I've needed to know, thus far... however, I think that the frustration and the anxiety that some of the new people feel leads them to just want to ask because they want to get an answer quickly and don't even think to look for past posts... besides, truth be told... ALL of the answers can be found SOMEWHERE...

Jim, I agree.

BUT today I saw several questions with similar topics already posted on the front page of the forum they were asked in. I know that you and I both used to look around for our answers before we asked. It's almost like people are not even trying.

Maybe if there were a bigger bolder announcement at the top of posting window, they'd go back and look? I mean, sometimes people get confused by the guides but they aren't confused by reading the forum. I'd like to help find a way to encourage them to do that.

I can only speak for myself, but having something in RED makes it pretty much irrelevant to me, and to anyone else who is colorblind. All in all I'm more likely to ignore red and/or green text because it makes my head hurt trying to read it.

Ooooooooohhh, I never knew that!!

How about purple? What color works?

THAT'S A BOLD FACE LIE! THE REAL REASON IS BECAUSE YOU LIKE THINGS IN ALL CAPS!

To be honest, you can make it as big as you want and people still won't read it, or won't understand what they read. Maybe we need to rotate our vets on a daily schedule so they don't get burned out (plus, if no one jumps up to answer their questions, then maybe the newbies will read.)

If the vets are burned out, they should be aware of it. When I am burned out know I cant help anyone!

Who said anything about being 'burned out'?

Hey it was just a suggestion.

Really.

And I'm 'vet' enough to know if I am frustrated and that it is thus time to step away and not post. I'm sure Rj knows when she reaches that point, too.

What? Caladan suggested being burned out, it wasn't said to be a needle in the side of the original suggestion. C - correct me if I am wrong, but I believe she was commenting on that people won't read it regardless of the color, etc.

There's always people ready to jump and answer the question.

Dunno. Maybe it's not something that cannot be solved. There's almost an 'instantaneous' response time in this community.

It's probably just easier to ask than research.

Maybe if there was a confirmation pop-up when you click post, before you can post a new topic... like... "Have you tried to find your answer in the guides, are you sure you REALLY want to post this?" Or "Are you sure you really want to ask this stupid question before reading the guides and be exposed to all the ridicule of VJ?" hehe.. something like that

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Just to clarify - none of the posts I saw which prompted my thread were IMO 'stupid'.

Many were, however........well, lazy.

This strays away from the original question a little, but it does kind of cover the "cluttering" of many forums with similar/same questions. What I've been thinking about is more merging of topics. If in a couple of days, there have been a few topics asking the same question, then perhaps they could be merged more?

That way, all the answers would be in one thread and the OP, who asked the repeated question, might understand that had he/she looked a little harder the answer may have been right there in the first place. A PM explaining the action would also clarify it to the OP a little better, perhaps.

Just a thought.

The main issue is that people don't often seem to think too hard before posting. Also people seem to be unaware of Google etc. The amount of times I've seen stuff posted (not just here) that could be answered by deleting the words "What is a" and typing the rest into Google, I've lost count of.

Some people will research hard before asking questions, some will just fire away.

Sadly I doubt big red warning signs will change that much.

That's funny that you say that, Dr...I was thinking as I scrolled down, Google, Google! And there I saw that you'd said the same!

Also, wouldn't it be nice if people thought about whether their response addresses a legitimate question asked or whether it contributes to the endless bickering that is so frequent around here.

Can't count how many times I've seen legitimate, well-explained questions by newbies deteriorate into back and forth swipes. I wonder how many newbies have decided not to return because of this.

I agree there's no need for something to deteriorate. A little common courtesy goes a long way. Sadly that seems to be lacking as much as the use of the Search function.

as a relative n00b venturing in amongst you stalwarts -

the Search function IS quite hit and miss, I find; right from the start I've used it, but only occasionally found what I was after (even though I later found out that the information I wanted WAS out there)
is there any way to split the search into 'topic titles' and 'post content'? we have that on a board I moderate, and it helps immensely; I think it would work here very well if it were possible, as many of the good threads have clear, appropriate titles

or is there any way to build a semi-search into new posts? eg if I make a thread titled 'what is a touch?', when I go to publish it I get referred to where that word is mentioned in the FAQs? I know that sounds complex but I've seen similar things on other sites... I have no knowledge of code though so it could be very difficult to set up

otherwise I think MaRob's suggestion is great - it doesn't have to be rude, but it could be frank; just saying 'THINK FIRST!' or some subtle variant thereof

What is broken, is society. I own a message board and am admin at another. Mags is admin at 2 or 3 boards as well. No matter what the subject of the board is, this is a Universal Truth: People are lazy gits. This is an Instant society. I want it now. I don't want to research, I want someone to tell me. It's how we are raising our kids, and it's what we've learned ourselves over the last 20 years or so.

A million admins on a million boards have tried to find a way to keep newbies from asking obvious, redundant, or idiotic questions. None have succeeded. The only thing that seems to help at all is to blast each one as it's posted. And all that does really is give the older member a sense of happiness; it does nothing for the "do the work for me!" Newbie.

If any of y'all figure it out, let me know. I have a few boards I'd like to use the magic method on.

Agreed completely.

But hey, it's not a total loss...newbs are apparantly great fodder for conversation!

Hmmmm!!! Merging topics might not be a bad idea, but that's labor intensive for moderators/organizers that are already taxed with other things. Plus, it would be another long drawn out angry thread by some member who doesn't like it or their thread was merged which made them go on a rampage. Moderators/Organizers can do it when they can and if it they can but we're not expecting you guys to bust your buns on this particular effort. It's crazy enough trying to rearange all the threads posted in the wrong forums.

Yup, the other boards I admin at are to do with completely different subjects and STILL you get the gnubies asking the easiest of questions.

To be honest, the only thing I can think of is installing a buzzer that attaches to the keyboard. Inbuilt into this buzzer is a sensor that can detect easily answered questions. If you type one of these in, it makes a loud honking sound.

What's a touch?


I think this is like the dog chasing its tail. You can talk all you want about how to change this, but in the end, there will always be new members, and there will also always be those individuals who will ask questions that have been asked 1 million and 1 times. So...perhaps we just answer the questions, or those who feel they don't want to, don't. I think in the end, there are more important things to worry about in life than whether a question is being asked too many times or why people are not researching before asking a question.

Rebeccajo...

We should request that Capt Ewok add, "Please consider reading the FAQ's, Guides, and utilize the Search function before posting questions" to the Terms and Rules that new members must to agree to when registering an account with VJ.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

p.s. - I know that some folks may or may not read it there either, but it's better to get it out there somewhere than to leave it unwritten nowhere.

I think that's what i wrote in my original post...........................

That goes to show that great minds think a like... but I did not get that from your original post so I was attempting to chime in with my five cents. Now give me my change back.

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

The verdict is still forthcoming...

Someone said the search function isn't useful - I completely disagree. Yeah, there were times I couldn't find what I needed for one reason or anything, but at least I tried - but my husband adjusted from a B2 visa, so I searched "B2 visa" and found the answers to most of my questions.
RJ has a completley valid point though - most days, in the AOS forum, if the fourth or fifth person to post OMG I CAN'T FILE AOS BY DAY 90 WILL I BE DEPORTED!? just scrolled down and read the other three or four posts...it would declutter the board a lot. But people are people, and as my mother says, 99% of the people in this world are either stupid or lazy or a combination of the two, and the sooner you learn that the better off you'll be - well, I'm still learning that, but I doubt a big reminder would help any. They'll still post the crap that is two posts below their's.