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Hows about using the forum search before posting a question?

half diminished

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Without wishing to moan (too much but probably doing so) .............

C'mon guys, we're increasingly going around the same old track time and time again, even recently seen two near identical questions posted at almost the same time and both could have been answered from a quick search.

How about before you post a question, check to see if it's been asked/answered before. :w00t: You know you want to. Then if you don't see what you need to know, ask away. Soapbox away now. Flame retardant undies donned............ over to you OG >:)
 
Not a flame, but sorry Ian, I don't really agree - forum searches rarely pull back what the questioner is looking for, unless he/she has read the original post and is able to recall how it was headed.

anothe issue is the amount of movement on the forum. If we make the assumtion that many of the questions have already been answered, then we can assume that traffic will drop and visitors will see a dead forum and look elsewhere...

and... there's always the peripheral chat whcih can bing a lot more into the discussion than the original question.
 
It's gettng toasty already.

Well, a quick search on synthetic reed produced 32 threads, a fair number clearly about the topic in question. This is just an example, not a dig at the recent synthetic reed question originator.

I guess what with getting less time on here than I used to and the large number of newbies it's a little frustrating to have to plough through dozens and dozens of new threads on old subjects. Increasingly I don't even bother opening them at all.

Anyway, it's just my opinion............... perhaps I should get my coat. :)
 
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I kind of agree with Kev. I don't vist as often as I used to so I generally look at 'New Posts' and just open those that I think might interest me or think I may be able to help offer an opinion. Each to their own is what makes for an interesting and varied life.

Love and peace to all
 
It happens on every forum I visit Ian, and I'm surprised this is the first post on the matter AFAIK.

You just get used to it and pass over the threads that don't interest you or those you cannot contribute to.
 
I wrote a whole rambling diatribe (actually it wasn't, I just wanted an excuse to use the word but after a quick search I realised it's already been used once before by Martin) Anyway...

...what would we talk about if we didn't ask the same questions over and over? How many sax related questions are there?

I think it's great that Pete's wonderful forum is attracting new members and they are asking questions, I might even pretend to know what I'm talking about and take a stab at answering a few, or I might just bash my head against Billie's Bounce for a few more years, I'm pretty good at the first three bars but it's in bar 4 where it starts to get a little tricky and bars 40 onwards are painful.
 
Ian, can you swear that when you first joined us, you searched before posting?
 
Ian's got a point, up to a point, so to speak. I think encouraging people to use the search function is helpful, but within limits. I'd never want to see things get like they do on SOTW. There, the long-time posters (who clearly regard that forum as 'their' place) frequently greet new or newish posters who ask a question which has been posed before with a response along the lines of 'Use the search function before asking any questions, you dumbass'.

This forum is a much more friendly place and letting people have the freedom to post whatever they want without any sort of venomous response is a large part of the reason it is so cheery here.

Jon
 
Not advocating we go down the same route as SOTW which I now rarely visit, mostly due to the vitriol and spite therein. But, there are some posts that get ignored here where a simple search would illicit the answer or within a few days two or more peeps ask pretty much the same question and again they may not get a full answer on both - or either.

Anyway, i ain't my forum and I seem to be in a minority of 1 (again) though in fairness it was merely a polite suggestion to use the search facility now and again. So I get my coat (again).
 
Hi Ian!

It's a very reasonable post, and makes sense. On reflection I think that it can be a little difficult to get into using the search function without feeling that you are in a reference library rather than on a forum, though it can lead to duplication of posts as you describe.

I do take it on board as clearly a polite suggestion, and can't see you as one of the SOTW Heavies (who also seem to feature on trombone and trumpet forums based in the US, and are equally obnoxious and self righteous!).

We love you, and I'll back you 100% in your making a polite suggestion. It is good to flag up the "Search Function", but you probably also need to get out more...;}

Kind regards
Tom:cool:
 
We love you, and I'll back you 100% in your making a polite suggestion. It is good to flag up the "Search Function", but you probably also need to get out more...;}

Kind regards
Tom:cool:

Thanks for your support but I'll keep the coat on just in case. As for going out - no chance! To much sax practice to get in.
 
Wonder if Pete could add a sub head to The Doorbell reading "Introduce yourself here but be sure to carry out a search before posting anything or we tell the CaSLM"

Wonder what we should charge as the going rate and would you accept the severed head as proof as the elimination of the offender?
 
Anyway, i ain't my forum and I seem to be in a minority of 1 (again) though in fairness it was merely a polite suggestion to use the search facility now and again. So I get my coat (again).

No coat-getting required, it was a perfectly reasonable and politely expressed suggestion. It's a testement to the nature of this forum that people can have a different slant on things without falling out or getting irritable.
 
Wonder if Pete could add a sub head to The Doorbell reading "Introduce yourself here but be sure to carry out a search before posting anything or we tell the CaSLM"

You mean do a search to see if, somehow, you posted an introduction before you joined?


On this whole subject, I agree with everyone. I do recommend doing a search before asking about something so thanks for bringing this up, but I don't think it's a big deal to not do that.

There are obviously some questions that might be better off all in one thread, and if anyone spots anything that is the same or similar to another very recent thread, please alert me as it can sometimes be worth merging the threads. Yes, I can do that thanks to modern technology.

But I agree, we don't want to get heavy and berate all newcomers (or oldies) for ignoring or forgetting about a search.

On one forum I use (the vBulletin tech support forum), I did a search, found a relevant thread and posted in it, only to be told off for digging up an old thread and that I should have started a new one.

But, while on the subject, how many people have noticed the extra search button :"site search"? This is different to the regular and "advanced" forum search on the right hand side of the navigation bar as it uses Google to serach this forum along with tamingthesaxophone.com, mediamusicforum.com and petethomas.co.uk
 
On some forums I use, when you start typing a new thread it brings up a list in 'real time' below where I am typing with previous threads that match what you are typing, this works a little like the new Google instant search. I've found this quite helpful a few times and it has stopped me from creating new posts, maybe this could be added?
Although I do agree it's not a big deal that new threads appear which are a repeat of old ones.
 
On some forums I use, when you start typing a new thread it brings up a list in 'real time' below where I am typing with previous threads that match what you are typing, this works a little like the new Google instant search.

I don't know about that one I am looking for it. Meanwhile I just installed a "button" style thread title searcher.

As you go to post a new thread you should now see a "check if already posted" button to thje right opf the title field.

Try it out in the test area.
 
On this whole subject, I agree with everyone. I do recommend doing a search before asking about something so thanks for bringing this up, but I don't think it's a big deal to not do that.

There are obviously some questions that might be better off all in one thread, and if anyone spots anything that is the same or similar to another very recent thread, please alert me as it can sometimes be worth merging the threads. Yes, I can do that thanks to modern technology.

But I agree, we don't want to get heavy and berate all newcomers (or oldies) for ignoring or forgetting about a search.

On one forum I use (the vBulletin tech support forum), I did a search, found a relevant thread and posted in it, only to be told off for digging up an old thread and that I should have started a new one.

But, while on the subject, how many people have noticed the extra search button :"site search"? This is different to the regular and "advanced" forum search on the right hand side of the navigation bar as it uses Google to serach this forum along with tamingthesaxophone.com, mediamusicforum.com and petethomas.co.uk

Pete
This was never meant as a dig at anyone, especially new members. Just a bit of common sense and I'm sure if I did a check I'd be guilt too. What prompted my original post was a spate of 'synthetic reed', 'embouchure' 'ligature', 'reeds' questions.

The danger is if there's too much of the 'same old same' that people will drift away. I must say I've been posting less of late because of it. Two things I aways admired about this forum was the friendliness/helpfulness to those of all levels and however longs they've been members and the lack of vitriol that seems to afflict almost every other forum our there. I only use the Cafe and one other photography forum regularly though the latter seems to be heading down the slippery slope these days.

Hope I didn't cause any offence to anyone and I'm wishing I hadn't raised this now at all. Wearing that damn coat is getting too warm!
 
There are perhaps two reasons for posting to a forum, one is to get information (which can be accomplished without any contact with others sometimes) the other is make contact with other sax players. What better way to make contact than to ask one of the questions we all ask at some time? The same questions do come up over and over again, but most of us asked these at some time and were given friendly help. I would be very disappointed if this forum became one of those that slapped down people who asked simple questions.
 
Ian, can you swear that when you first joined us, you searched before posting?

Ian,

When did you join them? The CaSLM I mean?

By the way Ian, here is a get out of jail free card: "I solemnly swear when I first joined i.e. the old forum I did search. But on Joining a second time i.e. the new forum, I may have slipped a bit!"

Where else would you find such a polite conversation about whether members should or shouldn't use the search function!

Oh well back to work,

Chris
 
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