Stop being mean!!!

[Randal Cobb]

I'm not usually a complainer... but I have to let off some steam...

Why do people bother to even post on forums when all they post is something like "Well, I Googled it and found hundreds of hits" but don't include any of what they actually used as search terms or links to the results when responding to someone's quest for help. Personally, I always Google before asking a question somewhere... I do it because I'm not a computer or internet "newbie"; matter of fact, I happen to be an enterprise software architect for a large multi-national payroll firm... I think I know how to Google. However, there are many, many, many people who are NOT that up on what options are available to them to search for answers to their questions.

People that simply reply to forum posts and questions with "Just Google it and you'll get..." should be slapped with a large trout. If you have the "little round things" to actually post some response like "Just Google it and you'll..." or "I Googled it and found..." but nothing else, then you either need to get off the boards and go find yourself a "marital power tool" and go relieve some stress.

People are typically members of forums because they actually want to interact, help, and learn. If you're one of those people that know it all and know everything and are too busy or to help others, then go away and stop being so mean to people who aren't as perfect as you!

Rant-off.

[Bruce Page]

Randal, why not post some Goggling hints for the people that aren’t up to speed on it.
I think most responders that say something like "Well, I Googled it and found hundreds of hits" aren’t trying to be jerks, rather, they’re trying to encourage the poster to learn something that will benefit them in the future.

[Clifford Mescher]

I'm not usually a complainer... but I have to let off some steam...

People are typically members of forums because they actually want to interact, help, and learn. If you're one of those people that know it all and know everything and are too busy or to help others, then go away and stop being so mean to people who aren't as perfect as you!

Rant-off.
Mostly agree. "interact, help, and learn". People seek human responses rather then search engines? Clifford

[Tim Morton]

I think it depends on the question being asked and the manner of the response.

If someone asks "does delta make a bandsaw that is made in the usa", then yes that is something that can be found using google. And the person posting the question should search google before posting on a "forum".

But if the question is "what do you guys think of the american made delta bandsaws vs the chinese made delta bandsaws, then that should be posted here after a search of the smc has been made.

But at no time should a repsonse be rude, and especially not the first repsonse to a question no matter how many times it has been asked.

If I find myself thinking about posting a "smart a$$" answer, I will ussually just not respond.:D

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Well I googled your question and found a plethora of information that would precisely and exactly answer all your questions. ;)

[Dennis Peacock]

Well I googled your question and found a plethora of information that would precisely and exactly answer all your questions. ;)

LOL!!!!! I just knew that was coming. :D

[Bonnie Campbell]

I don't like them types of replies either. My asking a question others tell me I could google ticks me off! I HAVE googled. Usually what I'm asking is 'personal experience'. On another forum I asked what was a good camera for close ups..... I didn't get ONE reply posted. Apparently none of them used cameras? Of course I'm the 'resident idiot' since it's a 99.9% male forum.... All I wanted was some personal in-put. Oh well.. I don't post on that forum much at all anymore. That's what they prefer.

[Don Kondra]

Hi Bonnie,

I've been real interested in "camera's" for the past half year or so and can honestly say that on the half dozen wood forums I frequent there are only a handful of experienced and/or helpful members that have responded to my photography posts...

There may be some members that won't respond to a member of the finer sex but I would hope that is the exception and not the rule.

I do know there are a number of members Here that take great pictures and I would assume they would love to help you...

If you would care to start a new thread and post more information on what you wish to do perhaps I/we can point you in the right direction?

Cheers, Don

[Bonnie Campbell]

I'll put up a thread here on the question Don......;)

[Lee Koepke]

search features, esp on a site like SMC are unique. Sometimes the vernacular or phrasing doesnt appear obvious. I know I have asked questions here after trying the search feature. Its not that I dont know how to search, but sometimes the keyword that will return the most useful advice eludes me.

I get the "search for THIS " comment on occasions, and dont take it as an insult, just another way for people to help me. Helping someone is sometimes more useful by showing them how to find the answer they seek rather than giving the precise answer.

[Mitchell Andrus]

There are times I use the "just search Google" answer because I think some people use the forums a little too much. I usually include a Google link though just in case he has literally just recovered from a 20 year coma and has no idea how to get around "The Google".

"Anyone have pictures of screen doors they can show me?" BEGS to be hit with a "Seach Google first" response. "Has anyone every ordered a screen door from Company X?" is a valid call for help.

Half of the posts for help finding stuff are pretty silly and would have been answered a whole lot faster by searching rather than typing/posting. No harm in pointing that out.

[skip coyne]

There are times I use the "just search Google" answer because I think some people use the forums a little too much. I usually include a Google link though just in case he has literally just recovered from a 20 year coma and has no idea how to get around "The Google".

my feelings exactly ,answer one question now or teach a man to Google and you answer his questions for a lifetime ;)

[Mitchell Andrus]

I don't like them types of replies either. My asking a question others tell me I could google ticks me off! I HAVE googled. Usually what I'm asking is 'personal experience'. On another forum I asked what was a good camera for close ups..... I didn't get ONE reply posted. Apparently none of them used cameras? Of course I'm the 'resident idiot' since it's a 99.9% male forum.... All I wanted was some personal in-put. Oh well.. I don't post on that forum much at all anymore. That's what they prefer.

Bonnie, with all due respect that's a very broad question. How close? Faces or industrial/micro? I have a $2,900.00 camera/lens that takes GREAT close-ups. If you got "Buy a good camera like a Canon BE67-X with a 37-C lens" you'd be no further along if you can't afford it. Similarly, If you got 25 replies each promoting a different camera you'd be no further along because you already know that they're out there. Narrow your parameters to <$250.00 point and shoots and you could get 50 different recomendations if everyone reading your post responded. I'm of the opinion that you can't buy stuff by committee anyway, and I don't trust the judgement of strangers.

In all likelyhood, your question had been asked and answered 20 times that month or was too far OT, and everyone with an opinion just can't type a reply again. Did you search the forum's archives? Forum archives often come up on Google searches.

A quick Google search for "Camera reviews" brings up opinions from professionals. I've just narrowed my own point and shoot choice to the Canon 870 IS.

I once saw a post on a photographer's forum... the poster's brother had cancer and the guy wanted to get opinions of an herbal soup remedy. WT...? He got angry after 4 or 5 of us told him to seek professional guidance. DUH! If we had all told him it sounds yummy would he have skipped chemo?

[Bryan Berguson]

I agree with you Randall. Usually Google is can be a poor place to go because of the amount of information you get back and I'm exhausted from trying to find what I'm looking for in there. Had this issue with Stainless Steel hardware a few years back. The last thing I want to hear when I post a question on a forum is to "Just Google it". Duh!

But, if you really want to see rudeness at work, go to just about any of the unmoderated newsgroups. You'll get your fill in about 3 minutes of reading. SMC doesn't even hint at rude compared to those places.

Bryan

[Scott Shepherd]

What's Google? ;)

[glenn bradley]

Unfortunately we do have our share of trolls here at SMC. I have several folks on my blocked list as their responses are 99% rude, unrelated to the OP or just self serving. Fortunately we have the option to block posts from those we 'have issues' with.

IMHO Folks who give the response "go look it up" should not respond at all. It is not their job to help educate and broaden the OP's approach to information gathering. If the OP is asking the question here it is because they cannot find the answer themselves. To assume they are just stupid or lazy is not only inappropriate but foolish.

Now let's all go out and play like grown ups :D.

[Al Willits]

Broad general questions with no specific details are almost impossible to reply to, "whats the best band saw out there?" or questions like it are difficult as what is best to you probably isn't best to anybody else.

I have a $1000 to spend on a band saw, I do basic woodworking as a hobby, and would like to do some re-sawing with it and just general sawing also.
What brands/models would you suggest?

That at least narrows.

Also remarks/replies like you need a $6000 ultra deluxe professional saw and the $3000 worth of accessories, isn't a very good reply, and I see that a lot too.

A little thought on both sides would make it easier for all I think. imho

Al

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I don't like them types of replies either. My asking a question others tell me I could google ticks me off! I HAVE googled. Usually what I'm asking is 'personal experience'.

Oh I see
Well I have tons of personal experience at exactly that and I know just about everything there is about it too.

[Dave Lehnert]

I agree with the first post. If you can't be helpfull then don't respond. I run a retail garden center in my day job. I get asked 100 times a day. "does this plant take sun?" It's my job to answer and be helpful. What would you say if you walker into Lowes or the like and asked " how much paint do I need" and they said "Google it"?

[Dennis Peacock]

Ya know....this is one of those topics where many will do their best to help while there's other that would say..go look for it yourself. Among MANY fellow woodworkers? I've never EVER met a fellow woodworker that wasn't both helpful and friendly.

So..with that said...let's not get our knickers in a twist over something as simple as web searching. Not everyone is a computer geek and there are many woodworkers that don't even "like" a computer. Grace and kindness go a very long way. :D

[Wade Jacoby]

"

I'm not usually a complainer... but I have to let off some steam..."

I can relate to that. Google is great, especially if you like having everything you've done on it recorded and passed on for other purposes. That's no joke. They save EVERYTHING!

On the otherhand, google also turns up a bunch of trash, so unless you actually can tell the difference, it may not do you any good.

There's just no free lunch. Lots of info available on the net, but not all of it is true.

Teach a man to fish, and he'll be a fisherman. Teach a man to transplant a heart, and he'll be a heart surgeon.

Teach a man to take everything with a grain of salt, well, at least he will know what salt tastes like. :-)

[Randal Stevenson]

Google is your friend eh?

Depends on how you think, and your subject matter!

I have MUCH better luck finding things then my father. He thinks in terms, I don't get, and will "input" (best way to describe him sometimes is as a computer), a long SERIES of search parameters. I've seen him type in what seemed like a 15 word search parameter, only to either NOT find what was needed, or on page 5 of the results. I could go down and type on mom's pc about three or four words and find the results on the first page.

Now, that isn't always the case.
I have also not found things (and on a rare occassion, he does), or had issues with the searches and their terms. Common things like router, can bring up woodworking and computers. You really want to get ugly, try searching for the group, The Band! (without using an album title, song, member, dvd)

Some of this (in my experience), is self inflicted. I/we/you/others may google, prior to asking their question, and NOT get results. If/When we do that, we should state we have searched via "terms" and not found what we are looking for. Brain freeze, bad spelling, lack of sleep, etc. can affect our results.

but you never know, someone may just be having a bad day (searcher or Smart alec)

[Dennis Peacock]

I'm sorry, but I've closed this thread due to too many edits to try and keep the thread within the TOS. Let's move on to other things, ok?