Do you check for previous threads on the same subject as you are about to start a new thread on?

[gpat]

When you have a new question or point to make do you check if there has been a previous thread on the subject.

I have to confess I have asked this and I haven't checked whether there has been one on this subject, but I normally do, and therefore I would have to answer 'sometimes'

There are a number of recurring threads and it seems to me funsters are missing out of a raft of responses just because they haven't checked

Examples are

FIAT or Ford
How do I calculate Schengen days
Brittany Ferries new Ship
Which refillable system should I choose
Calor or refillable
Which Insurance is best
15" wheel to 16" Wheel
Should I carry a spare

 

[Spriddler]

Yep, happens so often. I put it down to folk only being sufficiently competent to send emails or use message boards rather than knowing how to use the internet or bothering to use Search facilities.
People even put the same question in two different places, splitting replies, or ask for general knowledge stuff that can easily be found faster via Google Search or Maps. E.g. 'What's the weather like in Almeria in February?' or 'Does the Ann Summers shop car park at Bolton have a height barrier?' or use vague titles such as 'Water tank', 'Battery', Satnav' or 'Camp sites'. Even in the same thread folk haven't read previous posts and post the same comments. That's when I find the 'Ignore' button handy.
As a colleague once said; Giving everyone access to the internet can be like feeding strawberries to donkeys".

 

[westhamman]

I have repeated threads in the past, but does it really matter. If you don't want to read it don't, but we are all newcomers once,looking for helpful advice, also advice changes, would you travel to the Ukraine last year, would you now.

 

[gpat]

I have repeated threads in the past, but does it really matter. If you don't want to read it don't, but we are all newcomers once,looking for helpful advice, also advice changes, would you travel to the Ukraine last year, would you now.

I think that having everything in one thread actually helps and doesn't hinder this

If I am looking to research something I put in the search the topic, lets say for example 'Morroco'. I then get a zillion results back.

Personally I think if there was just one thread on Morocco then I would find it easy to search that thread and because of the way this excellent forum works, the latest information is always at the end. If there are hundreds of threads then that information can go un found as it might only in one of the threads.

I was only asking because another forum I subscribe to (nothing to do with MHs) encourages posters to do this and it just made me wonder. The mods on the other sites lock duplicate threads and in doing so the 'Whats new' is much more concise

It would probably be too big a job here to do that

Its just for interest really. Wasn't looking to get anything changed. I just lurrve MH Fun

 

[daveandsan]

'Does the Ann Summers shop car park at Bolton have a height barrier?'

So what’s the answer?
Asking for a friend.

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[LesW]

The forum search function is a very useful function, a mine of useful infomation, but it seems that some (new?) forum members don't know about it or don't know how to use it.

Perhaps it could be made more prominent.

 

[chaser]

I think that having everything in one thread actually helps and doesn't hinder this

If I am looking to research something I put in the search the topic, lets say for example 'Morroco'. I then get a zillion results back.

Personally I think if there was just one thread on Morocco then I would find it easy to search that thread and because of the way this excellent forum works, the latest information is always at the end. If there are hundreds of threads then that information can go un found as it might only in one of the threads.

I was only asking because another forum I subscribe to (nothing to do with MHs) encourages posters to do this and it just made me wonder. The mods on the other sites lock duplicate threads and in doing so the 'Whats new' is much more concise

It would probably be too big a job here to do that

Its just for interest really. Wasn't looking to get anything changed. I just lurrve MH Fun

Not necessarily the best way, if you want to know if the ferry's are running in Morocco tomorrow it's not much good useing a search of two years ago.
Similar with loads of topics.

 

[gpat]

Not necessarily the best way, if you want to know if the ferry's are running in Morocco tomorrow it's not much good useing a search of two years ago.
Similar with loads of topics.

That's a fair point. But I think its different and not really what I was questioning. If you have an urgent question like that then I would suggest that you would indeed start a thread called just that.

"I want to know if the ferry's are running in Morocco tomorrow"

and not just call it "Morocco"

Then when I search for information on Morocco I wouldn't try that one.

 

[westhamman]

There is one moderator in the main on this site, so would seeing how busy it is, be difficult to lock posts, I'm not sure it's what the majority would want. I say in the main because I feel that the forum on the whole moderates itself with regards to content. There is always the hand of Lord Jim ready to admonish poor behaviour.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Voted "Sometimes...."

Then when you pick up on an old thread. people say, "this thread is 10 years old ..."

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[glenn2926]

Haven’t we had this before ?

 

[Steve and Denise]

Not sure how to, the search never seems to find anything I ask

 

[daveandsan]

Not sure how to, the search never seems to find anything I ask

That’s cos a Motorhome Fun search engine isn’t the right one to type Big Jugs into Steve.

 

[suavecarve]

The thought of starting a thread "Do you check if a thread covers your subject" was very tempting

 

[Nanniemate]

Yep, happens so often. I put it down to folk only being sufficiently competent to send emails or use message boards rather than knowing how to use the internet or bothering to use Search facilities.
People even put the same question in two different places, splitting replies, or ask for general knowledge stuff that can easily be found faster via Google Search or Maps. E.g. 'What's the weather like in Almeria in February?' or 'Does the Ann Summers shop car park at Bolton have a height barrier?' or use vague titles such as 'Water tank', 'Battery', Satnav' or 'Camp sites'. Even in the same thread folk haven't read previous posts and post the same comments. That's when I find the 'Ignore' button handy.
As a colleague once said; Giving everyone access to the internet can be like feeding strawberries to donkeys".

Well does the Anne summer's shop have a barrier

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[poppycamper]

Well does the Anne summer's shop have a barrier

Yes.... It's a length not height barrier.....
A friend told me.

 

[CamperJack]

I check, to see if the info I want is already there / sufficient. But I don't mind posts on repeated subjects because:

1. things change
2. new people may give new answers
3. it keeps places alive. If we never repeated topics things to talk about would surely dry up!

 

[gpat]

Yes.... It's a length not height barrier.....
A friend told me.

I was always told it was width that was most important feature.

 

[gpat]

I check, to see if the info I want is already there / sufficient. But I don't mind posts on repeated subjects because:

1. things change
2. new people may give new answers
3. it keeps places alive. If we never repeated topics things to talk about would surely dry up!

I think you would be surprised. On the other forum I subscribe to some threads become......mega threads. Lively as anything.

Like I have said though. I'm not suggesting it changes, it was just an observation.

It would be impossible for Jim to mod on his own anyway.

 

[gpat]

Haven’t we had this before ?

I did think that at the time. I didn't bother to check as it would have spoilt the fun

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[Minxy]

Voted "Sometimes...."

Then when you pick up on an old thread. people say, "this thread is 10 years old ..."

... usually after a few funsters have attempted to answer the OP's query!

 

[the1andonly]

I generally /probably always search before i start a new thread. It does annoy me when a simple google search provides the info. I like Spriddler responses " its all here on the AA or GOV web site". I have asked a question like " can i use my paper licience abroad" when the real question is what are the advantages /disadvantages of the different options. Confirmation on what is already thought or read is sometimes required. The real question is not necessarily the one the OP asked. In terms of preparation for a question i don't expect everyone to go to same lengths as me when i once read 20 threads. Piggy backing questions on a thread is this helpful or to be avoided? an example Googlebot thread.

Making the change from lead acid to lithium - a thread with pictures​

this has gone from one man apologizing for his jump leads (sorry) to a 10 page epic that may have been better split.
What is the cambelt manufacturer i should be using for a Ducato?

 

[Googlebot]

It took me 10 pages to get it done, and they looked like copper. :-(

 

[rb62]

Some people don't even read through the thread they're posting on let alone check for similar threads!

 

[TDub49]

I search, not always successfully, before posting and, just as importantly do try (again, not always successfully) to conclude a post that I have started. It's only proper . . . .

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[haganap]

when this forum was started, what seems like a long long time ago now, one of the reasons was because of the rudeness of a similar larger forum.
When using said forum, anyone who dared to start a thread and had not checked previously to see if something had previously been written was taken out by sniper fire whilst sleeping. It was one of the rudest things to be attacked in such a way. Hence when fun started there was a recognition for politeness around this subject as to not put people off who didn't know how to actually even search.

Personally, rarely I start a thread these days and often don't contribute to others that now there are so many members posting, my experience is irrelevant.

Popcorn threads are excellent and should be encouraged because these subjects like "is it alright to empty my waste" or "are A frames legal" are the bread and butter of tuning in for a good laugh of a subject and knowing the subject creator who may or may not have any idea of the grenade they have just thrown out.

What I have noticed, is the politeness of members in their attempts to point someone to information in another thread with phrases like "you might find some answers here to help" as opposed to "Oh Please! don't you use the search engine you complete newb"

 

[Speve]

Yep, happens so often. I put it down to folk only being sufficiently competent to send emails or use message boards rather than knowing how to use the internet or bothering to use Search facilities.
People even put the same question in two different places, splitting replies, or ask for general knowledge stuff that can easily be found faster via Google Search or Maps. E.g. 'What's the weather like in Almeria in February?' or 'Does the Ann Summers shop car park at Bolton have a height barrier?' or use vague titles such as 'Water tank', 'Battery', Satnav' or 'Camp sites'. Even in the same thread folk haven't read previous posts and post the same comments. That's when I find the 'Ignore' button handy.
As a colleague once said; Giving everyone access to the internet can be like feeding strawberries to donkeys".

I think you are being a bit harsh there as not everyone is computer savvy and should not be compared with donkeyswe all have to learn and we are not all able to take in the technology but that does not mean we shouldn’t try?

 

[Spriddler]

I think you are being a bit harsh there as not everyone is computer savvy and should not be compared with donkeys

Yes, you're quite right, the 'strawberries...donkeys' reference is an old habit acquired when I worked in the U.S. and is meant to be light-hearted ribbing. I should've added a
Often the title of a new post is vague, like 'Fridge' and it isn't until reading the post that it becomes clear that the OP is asking for recommendations for a fridge repair engineer - and without giving any clue as to the problem, the model, or in which geographic area.

we all have to learn and we are not all able to take in the technology but that does not mean we shouldn’t try?

Agreed. I do always try to refer to a source of info and give a link in order to provide a steer for people for how to use the same 'Search' process in future.

For 4 years I lead a team of professional European business information researchers/librarians at the Dep't for Trade and Industry so I guess I have a head start in how/where to find answers.

The real question is not necessarily the one the OP asked.

For twelve years twenty years (just realised it's 20 not 12 ) since retiring I've been giving technical help on a classic motorbike website and more often than not the most difficult part is not answering the question but determining what is the actual problem/question.
It's the Rumsfeld syndrome: Known knowns, unknown knowns, known unknowns........................so forth.

 

[maison]

I do check using the search function but, if you don’t use the correct key words, you don’t get results.

Usually it’s OK but, on the odd occasion, I ask the question only to find it has been asked in a slightly different way prev.

 

[StephandJohn]

when this forum was started, what seems like a long long time ago now, one of the reasons was because of the rudeness of a similar larger forum.
When using said forum, anyone who dared to start a thread and had not checked previously to see if something had previously been written was taken out by sniper fire whilst sleeping. It was one of the rudest things to be attacked in such a way. Hence when fun started there was a recognition for politeness around this subject as to not put people off who didn't know how to actually even search.

Personally, rarely I start a thread these days and often don't contribute to others that now there are so many members posting, my experience is irrelevant.

Popcorn threads are excellent and should be encouraged because these subjects like "is it alright to empty my waste" or "are A frames legal" are the bread and butter of tuning in for a good laugh of a subject and knowing the subject creator who may or may not have any idea of the grenade they have just thrown out.

What I have noticed, is the politeness of members in their attempts to point someone to information in another thread with phrases like "you might find some answers here to help" as opposed to "Oh Please! don't you use the search engine you complete newb"

Oh I remember those days. Feel quite nostalgic about it but there were times when rudeness, sarcasm, talking down to 'the little woman' who had the temerity to post and being picked up on grammar and spelling just got ridiculous. Glad that doesn't happen here..........

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