Please don't answer questions with things like

[Jim]

Please don't answer questions with things like

This has been done to death
You're the 10th Person to ask this week
Use the search and you'll find loads of ...
Google is your friend.

The person who has plucked up the courage to ask the question, will feel like they have just wasted your time, they'll feel bad, and it certainly puts people off posting.

You shouldn't care if the question has been asked 500 times before, it should still be answered like it's the first time you've seen it. Some people take ages to pluck up the courage to post here and when they finally do, some of those go on to be prolific posters and can become virtual and real fiends. I count people as good friends now who certainly would never have joined this place if people were thoughtlessly rude to them on their first few days here.

If you can't be bothered to come up with a friendly welcoming answer, please don't bother responding at all, someone else will.

Hello, we have discussed this a lot recently, take a look here, That should answer your question, if it doesn't, pop back here and ask away.

 

[Janine]

Message received, Jim.

Can I just ask whether unsubscribed newbies have access to the search facility?

 

[Jim]

Message received, Jim.

Can I just ask whether unsubscribed newbies have access to the search facility?

Good point. No they don't

 

[Janine]

Good point. No they don't

That's not probably widely known. A lot of forum members may think that the question has been asked by someone who can't be bothered doing their own research.

 

[Tombola]

perfect timing, I had a similar response to one of my posts very recently.

negativity is just the first thought sometimes with some folk and Im sure most dont mean it

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Puddleduck]

I used to tell my students that the only daft question is the one you have not yet asked. Once asked it is no longer a daft question and there will be many others who wanted to ask but didn't for fear of looking stupid or because of shyness or other reasons.

So, no such thing as a daft question and if you don't know or can't find the answer then you need to ask and I hope there is a kind reply.

My favourite questions are always the hill assist buttons (Fiat automatics) and anything bathroom related

 

[Vanderek]

Good point. No they don't

Jim In the help / tips section does it show how you use the search facility, I could not find any search help, I often see from some members they are not au fait with searching.

 

[Jim]

perfect timing, I had a similar response to one of my posts very recently.

Recently we've had responses like this, just a simgle smiley

" "

Then, after a newbie asked a detailed question, a long standing member responding with

RTFM

Last week a response to a new members first question was

Not again!

Those responses are totally lacking in any empathy and certainly not the friendly helpfulness that the forum was founded upon.

 

[XxAnthxX]

Can I just ask whether unsubscribed newbies have access to the search facility?

This has been done to death and your the 10th Person to ask this week, why not use the search and you'll find loads of answers.

Google is your friend.



Sorry.....I couldn’t help it.

There definitely is an increase in the sort of answers mentioned tho, and it certainly would put me off posting again if it had been my first post.

 

[kevenh]

And avoid one liners written as if it is the only factual answer?

Hmm. Getting harder that one. Just concentrate on not writing "go away & search" for now.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Madmag]

Then, after a newbie asked a detailed question, a long standing member responding with

RTFM

The cold weather has stopped my brain working, but what does RTFM stand for please.

 

[Tombola]

RTFM.......Certainly doesnt fit the name FUNSTER does it

 

[Tombola]

The cold weather has stopped my brain working, but what does RTFM stand for please.

read the ***** manual

 

[Jim]

Read The eFfin Manual

 

[bellabee]

The cold weather has stopped my brain working, but what does RTFM stand for please.

I didn't know that, either. I was just trying to pluck up the courage to ask.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheBig1]

Some of us go above and beyond trying to help newbies, but it can be discouraging quite often as they never reply when their question is answered

 

[David and Sally]

Some of us go above and beyond trying to help newbies, but it can be discouraging quite often as they never reply when their question is answered

Get that a lot on motorcycle forums. Ask a question, solve the problem and never to be seen again. I suppose it serves a purpose in helping owners, but it is rude.

 

[Jim]

but it can be discouraging quite often as they never reply when their question is answered

Quite Often is the wrong term I think, sometimes is better.

Had a newbies first response to a genuine question the other day

Are you 596?

Could that get any ruder or sound any more cliquey?

 

[Tombola]

Get that a lot on motorcycle forums. Ask a question, solve the problem and never to be seen again. I suppose it serves a purpose in helping owners, but it is rude.

I think if we looked at the overall members on forums, youd probably find most forums get the same type of thing. Someone googles a question, the link leads them to the forum, question is answered and off they trot.
Never wanting to be a full member get the answer and go
Takes all sorts I spose

 

[phase3begins]

It might be worth remembering that it is not compulsory to respond to every post.
if there is nothing useful to add it is permitted to just move on.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Riverbankannie]

It might be worth remembering that it is not compulsory to respond to every post.
if there is nothing useful to add it is permitted to just move on.

I try and follow that philosophy. If I have the time and inclination, I will try and give as helpful a reply as possible, otherwise leave it for someone else. There seem to be enough Funster regulars for most questions to be answered.

 

[SpeedyDux]

[peers into crystal ball]

One day in the not too distant future the forum software will include an AI capable of providing all the right answers instantaneously.

 

[Janine]

It might be worth remembering that it is not compulsory to respond to every post.
if there is nothing useful to add it is permitted to just move on.

Sometimes it helps to 'bump' the post to keep it on the front page for others to see.

 

[tacr2man]

SpeedyDux But there will be those that totally disagree with it

 

[gpat]

I did it once but Jim told me off.

It was fair enough.

It was meant as a joke and it did have a smiley on it, but I understand a newbie might not have seen it that way.
As Jim says, it's best not to do it then there is no problem and no one offended.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[James-Alex]

Well said Jim like you said some may feel unwelcome. If you can’t say anything nice/helpful just scroll on by is my take

 

[gpat]

Well said Jim like you said some may feel unwelcome. If you can’t say anything nice/helpful just scroll on by is my take

Yeah that's right. Next time I am irritated that someone brings up something that's been covered a zillion times......I am ok to think it, but I don't have to say owt

 

[Stealaway]

Some of us go above and beyond trying to help newbies, but it can be discouraging quite often as they never reply when their question is answered

I'm in this gang - I wont answer any body now that has less than six post.

You feel that you are just wasting your time.

 

[Swifter]

I'm in this gang - I wont answer any body now that has less than six post.

You feel that you are just wasting your time.

It does come across rude when they do that I agree . The problem is if we don’t try and help the new members then some people won’t join up as they feel unwelcome .

 

[Littlewheels]

It might be worth remembering that it is not compulsory to respond to every post.
if there is nothing useful to add it is permitted to just move on.

It appears a good amount cannot resist responding and often not through experience but looking on Google for the answer and it’s often so obvious that this is what they have done.
A answer from experience often offers more confidence to the respondent.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}