Same Old Stuff
- Thread starter TMHeimer
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The whole point of the forum is discussion ... social interaction. Telling a new diver to "do a search" is, to my concern, just downright rude ... and it stifles the conversation that most of us come here for. If you feel the topic's been covered sufficient that you have nothing to add, move on to another topic. Lord knows we have plenty to choose from. Or go spend time in The Pub ... it's never boring in there, although it too tends to get repetitious on certain topics.
New divers often don't know what to search for ... that's why they ask. I used to tell my students there's no such thing as a stupid question ... but there are sometimes stupid responses. "Do a search" is one of them, IMO ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
SeaHorse81
Contributor
I see several problems with "do a search" as a response to someone asking a question. It sounds too much like, "You're being a pain ... you're too dumb to have figured out by yourself to do a search ... you're bothering us with your inane questions when we have much more important things to discuss." Not a good way to maintain members or make new people feel welcome.
Next, I've done searches on here many times, in part to avoid getting the "do a search" scold myself, and I've often been unsuccessful. I get lots of results, just not results that seem relevant to what I'm looking for. Is the search function so sophisticated that it finds my issue inside threads that are named in some totally different way, and I need to just read through them and hope what I'm looking for is in there? I honestly don't know, and it's daunting to consider reading bunches of seemingly irrelevant threads on faith that my answer is actually in there somewhere.
Finally, some threads are really, really long. So, okay, I found a relevant thread, but now I might have to read through many dozens of posts to get an answer that someone currently online could have put out there in seconds. And if I'm a newbie, maybe the answer I find leaves me with follow-up questions, or I don't understand it. At what point have I done enough work on my own to have earned the right to ask a question on a public forum without getting snapped at?
I'd vote for helpfully answering questions, while also letting people know in a friendly way that there's a huge archive of info here on SB which is a nice resource as well.
Next, I've done searches on here many times, in part to avoid getting the "do a search" scold myself, and I've often been unsuccessful. I get lots of results, just not results that seem relevant to what I'm looking for. Is the search function so sophisticated that it finds my issue inside threads that are named in some totally different way, and I need to just read through them and hope what I'm looking for is in there? I honestly don't know, and it's daunting to consider reading bunches of seemingly irrelevant threads on faith that my answer is actually in there somewhere.
Finally, some threads are really, really long. So, okay, I found a relevant thread, but now I might have to read through many dozens of posts to get an answer that someone currently online could have put out there in seconds. And if I'm a newbie, maybe the answer I find leaves me with follow-up questions, or I don't understand it. At what point have I done enough work on my own to have earned the right to ask a question on a public forum without getting snapped at?
I'd vote for helpfully answering questions, while also letting people know in a friendly way that there's a huge archive of info here on SB which is a nice resource as well.
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Nice post, Elizabeth.
Like discussing a rescue course, how many times has that been done? Nothing new there.
Like discussing a rescue course, how many times has that been done? Nothing new there.
SeaHorse81
Contributor
Nice post, Elizabeth.
Like discussing a rescue course, how many times has that been done? Nothing new there.
Very good point. One of the reasons I come here is to keep the scuba part of my brain active during my many-months-long surface intervals. Casual discussion of stuff I know assures that it will continue to be stuff I know, rather than something I don't even realize I've stopped thinking about.
Also, I've found no better way to increase my understanding of any topic than to share information about it with others. There's something about that process that helps my own learning considerably.
Bob DBF
Contributor
The search on ScubaBoard is useless, I found a search on Google with ScubaBoard in the parameters will actually find an answer. Of course it took me a while to figure that out.
Anyway, I can understand an answer with advice to search more is approate, but just an admonishment to search is rude, counterproductive, and a waste of everyone's time.
Bob
urbaneve71
Contributor
i can understand your point of view on some things -- that being said, it becomes a catch 22 because of a couple of reasons
1. The thread is old and some of the information may be outdated and so on, or is not tailored quite specifically to my needs.
2. some new divers may not know what exactly to look for or how to word it. and
3. in my case where I looked up something the thread went from some great information into a horrible disagreement between a few people and I ended up learning nothing.
Not to mention some posts have several pages (and I mean over 20 pages) to read through, I honestly dont have time to sit and read through all that to find out that the information I am looking may or may not be in that particular thread.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having been a moderator and owner of a couple of forums before, that is basically the unfortunate part of the job... It is a sticky position to be in at times and I know how where mods are coming from, but, to give someone a blanket answer to search for or to google is a general way of doing things.. IMHO.
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KevinNM
Contributor
drrich2
Contributor
Following up a bit on kr2y5's observations in post # 19:
Yes, the new question may have a different nuance. 'Where are good places to eat in Cozumel' is a pretty generic question, and a search would turn up relevant threads. But what if you're staying at a particular resort, such as Hotel Cozumel, Hotel Barracuda, Villa Aldora, etc..., and won't have a rental car? Maybe it's your 1st trip and you don't know your way around (e.g.: whether restaurants local to Hotel Cozumel are also local to Hotel Barracuda). Some people aren't athletic, don't bike much and don't take readily to alien experiences like using a bus system in a foreign country (or even back home), so depending on where they're going, this is a big deal.
Some people prefer the proximity of Dive Flamingo to town in Bonaire. Having been several times, I don't see a problem with driving from Buddy Dive Resort (or similar) to Kralendijk, but someone planning a 1st trip might deem not needing to drive in the 'city' (in a foreign country where they don't understand the road signs) to be a good thing.
Not everybody reports on everything. I don't drink; neither of my 2 live-aboard trip reports will tell you what alcoholic beverages were included. I don't spend much time in hot tubs; I can't tell you what the hot tub on the Cayman Aggressor IV felt like, but someone else answering questions on those subjects might.
Over time, such things as businesses, their ownership & management, and the state of the competition, change. We hear of how general Caribbean reef diving isn't what it used to be a few decades back. I stayed at Eden Beach Resort in Bonaire my 1st 4 trips there; since then, it's come under new management, the grounds got remodeled a good deal, and my old trip reports on it would be a limited use.
Richard.
Yes, the new question may have a different nuance. 'Where are good places to eat in Cozumel' is a pretty generic question, and a search would turn up relevant threads. But what if you're staying at a particular resort, such as Hotel Cozumel, Hotel Barracuda, Villa Aldora, etc..., and won't have a rental car? Maybe it's your 1st trip and you don't know your way around (e.g.: whether restaurants local to Hotel Cozumel are also local to Hotel Barracuda). Some people aren't athletic, don't bike much and don't take readily to alien experiences like using a bus system in a foreign country (or even back home), so depending on where they're going, this is a big deal.
Some people prefer the proximity of Dive Flamingo to town in Bonaire. Having been several times, I don't see a problem with driving from Buddy Dive Resort (or similar) to Kralendijk, but someone planning a 1st trip might deem not needing to drive in the 'city' (in a foreign country where they don't understand the road signs) to be a good thing.
Not everybody reports on everything. I don't drink; neither of my 2 live-aboard trip reports will tell you what alcoholic beverages were included. I don't spend much time in hot tubs; I can't tell you what the hot tub on the Cayman Aggressor IV felt like, but someone else answering questions on those subjects might.
Over time, such things as businesses, their ownership & management, and the state of the competition, change. We hear of how general Caribbean reef diving isn't what it used to be a few decades back. I stayed at Eden Beach Resort in Bonaire my 1st 4 trips there; since then, it's come under new management, the grounds got remodeled a good deal, and my old trip reports on it would be a limited use.
Richard.
bt7csr
Registered
100% agree with this.
I come here to read, discuss, and relate. I enjoy the discussion, even if it was discussed 10 years before I joined the board. In the way it's mostly used on the board, "Search the forum" is equivalent to "shut the f up." Well, instead of saying that, how about you just not respond...at least then you won't negatively impact my judgement (and every other reader's judgment) of you. Lol.
Go ahead, do a search for Baltimore, you lazy noob. Yeah, check those discussions that are over three years old, and mostly about the aquarium. They're relevant. Especially since the first 19 threads range from 2003 to 2013. I'm sure the guy that posted in 2008 is still looking for a club to dive with.
It's super easy to come to a forum with an open mind...and leave with nothing but negativity. And it's just as easy to learn who the (insert your choice of profanity) are.
Thank you, to those of you who are like Bob (Grateful Diver). Your knowledge, wisdom, experience, and pleasant attitude are much appreciated.
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