To Many Replies saying nothing but to do a search :(

[Diablo2k]

With all do respect.

I am fairly new here but I have seen a trend of when a new person asks a quistion the first response is almost always "Do a search" or words to that effect. Some users even have fancy graphics and pre scripted responses.

One thread I was just looking at the responder told him to do searches for a couple differant terms, the first suggestion returns no results at all, the second returns so many results that the results are useless.

The more experienced users here have to remember that the search function is very important but its also useless if someone doesn't know the proper terms to search for or the terms he is using result in to many options that the user just gets lost in them.

Please assume that the person asking the quistion has done a little research first and instead of telling them to do a search give them a quality response and direct them in the proper direction or at least make sure your search term suggestion is actually gonna help.

 

[ZRTMWA]

Yeh it is kind of getting out of hand. But the search function does know more than all the members of LPF combined (or should I say equal :crackup.

I think some vets are just getting tired of all the n00bs who ask questions that they have answered many, many times before.

Everyone who joined this forum was a laser n00b at one point in time however. I still think I am but I've come a long way since my first thread lol:

http://laserpointerforums.com/f38/ebay-150-mw-blu-ray-laser-41051.html

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Diablo ---

When I joined years ago, I just read the threads, red, green etc to see what I could learn in general. I read for a couple weeks before I ever posted. I don't remember if there was a search back then.
If you are interested in building a RED, go to the red part of the forum.... Simple !!!

HMike

 

[photonaholic]

I know who is referenced in the "Some users even have fancy graphics and pre scripted responses."

I put some work into that

In reply to your original post, whenever I can help out, I do (ask around)

However, when it comes to basic simple questions, all anyone here asks is read up on the basics first.

Time after time, people will ask why is green brighter than red?

That information is readily available, all the person has to do is click the links and read.

To put it into a context that may be easier to understand, I have 2 kids that still live at home, one is 10 and the other is 14.

I help them with their homework every day, but I simply will not do it for them, They will never learn anything.

So when my son asks me why the civil war war happened, I will point to the chapter in his history book and say "read this"

I'm not sure what more anyone can do here, unless you want us all to get web cams, microphones and sign up for skype and read the information out loud to you??

What did we do before forums?? I'll tell you, we read books & magazine articles.

A good teacher will ALWAYS assign homework, and if that homework does not get done, your grade for it is a ZERO.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

When I built my first CO2 laser 40 years ago, Scientific American, scientific magazines and university profs were the only source of info. You asked questions and if lucky, you were allowed to actually see the real toys light up. We didn't have a search button then. It's so easy now.

HMike

 

[daguin]

What many NooBs do not understand is that these responses take quite a bit of time to type up. Once a person has taken 15 minutes to put together a well fleshed out response to a question, he expects that answer to be used more than once.

After the person has re-typed the same answer (taking the same amount of time) for the third or fourth time, they get a little tired of answering a question to which the answer is already available.

Then when someone whines that they couldn't find it with their first two searches, or worse yet complains that people aren't being "nice" to them, we get a bit testy.

Before a Noob has read a significant amount of the info here, they don't even know how to ask the question they want.

It should be a requirement that a Noob read ALL of the stickys at a minimum before they can post.

You get better at research the more you do it. Giving up after only one or two tries is a waste of your time. I already know the answer. I have no need to type it again. YOU need the answer. YOU do the work to find it.

This "simple" response took me 13 minutes to type, proofread, and re-write. I make $80 an hour. You owe me $17.33

Peace,
dave

 

[pseudolobster]

Give a man a fish...

Seriously, noobs do need to learn how to find the info they need rather than expecting it be handed to them on a silver platter all the time. There are only a couple thousand people on this forum who know how a laser works, but there are a few billion out there who do not. If we all sat here and answered every simple laser question ever asked, we'd be doing so all day long every day. The fact is, we all have answered these questions, many, many times. The answers are all here, they're just hard to find. I know at times I've spent at least an hour each day answering silly basic questions, every day for months... It gets tiring to have to write out the same answer to the same question five times a day every day when all it takes is to click a few threads rather than posting a new one, and the answer is already there.

On the other hand, yeah, I agree, the search function is pretty useless. I've been trying to say "read" rather than "search" lately.

 

[daguin]

Give a man a fish...

Seriously, noobs do need to learn how to find the info they need rather than expecting it be handed to them on a silver platter all the time. There are only a couple thousand people on this forum who know how a laser works, but there are a few billion out there who do not. If we all sat here and answered every simple laser question ever asked, we'd be doing so all day long every day. The fact is, we all have answered these questions, many, many times. The answers are all here, they're just hard to find. I know at times I've spent at least an hour each day answering silly basic questions, every day for months... It gets tiring to have to write out the same answer to the same question five times a day every day when all it takes is to click a few threads rather than posting a new one, and the answer is already there.

On the other hand, yeah, I agree, the search function is pretty useless. I've been trying to say "read" rather than "search" lately.

They need to learn how to use the "advanced" search as well.

Peace,
dave

**EDIT** OP's been a member for 9 days and already experienced enough to offer advice :tinfoil:

 

[pseudolobster]

They need to learn how to use the "advanced" search as well.

I still don't find that very helpful when I'm trying to search for things... The 3 character limit means I can't search for co2, 8x br, diy, led, 16x lg dvd loc red, 9mm 808 fac, ktp, ddl lm 317, faq, dx 200 mw, etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum. I frequently have a hard time finding specific threads I'm looking for. If I have these troubles finding threads I specifically know the keywords for, the search function really is broken.

I think more prominent placement of the FAQ section (maybe in a bold, 24pt font), better maintenance of the FAQ section, and possibly big messages during and after registration to view the FAQ section might help cut down on basic questions getting asked over and over. Telling people to search isn't that helpful, especially considering how most people asking these questions don't know what they're asking or how to word it in the first place.

 

[daguin]

I still don't find that very helpful when I'm trying to search for things... The 3 character limit means I can't search for co2, 8x br, diy, led, 16x lg dvd loc red, 9mm 808 fac, ktp, ddl lm 317, faq, dx 200 mw, etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum. I frequently have a hard time finding specific threads I'm looking for. If I have these troubles finding threads I specifically know the keywords for, the search function really is broken.

I think more prominent placement of the FAQ section (maybe in a bold, 24pt font), better maintenance of the FAQ section, and possibly big messages during and after registration to view the FAQ section might help cut down on basic questions getting asked over and over. Telling people to search isn't that helpful, especially considering how most people asking these questions don't know what they're asking or how to word it in the first place.

Problem is, those things would not help. One of my most pressing problems at the college level is getting people to read. My students WANT to be there AND paid for the privledge and still they want me to just tell them the answers.

Besides, how many NooBs do you think are going to be searching things like CO2 or 808?

Peace,
dave

 

[photonaholic]

With many thanks to MFO, Electrofreak and others, most answers are right there in the links I post when I greet everyone who joins.

Several members here have dedicated much time compiling data just for noobs, and the OP wants to find fault with our methods.

Like I said, the only next step is to read it out loud to them, and that is just not going to happen.

 

[derangboy]

This "simple" response took me 13 minutes to type, proofread, and re-write. I make $80 an hour. You owe me $17.33

Peace,
dave

aypal:

 

[lasersbee]

With all do respect.

I am fairly new here but I have seen a trend of when a new person asks a quistion the first response is almost always "Do a search" or words to that effect. Some users even have fancy graphics and pre scripted responses.

One thread I was just looking at the responder told him to do searches for a couple differant terms, the first suggestion returns no results at all, the second returns so many results that the results are useless.

The more experienced users here have to remember that the search function is very important but its also useless if someone doesn't know the proper terms to search for or the terms he is using result in to many options that the user just gets lost in them.

Please assume that the person asking the quistion has done a little research first and instead of telling them to do a search give them a quality response and direct them in the proper direction or at least make sure your search term suggestion is actually gonna help.

Before I registerd on this Forum I spent 3 months reading through the
tons of Laser Related info here so that I wouldn't ask questions that
were already answered and make me look like a Noob...

I read in the Laser sections that interested me... rather than the Off Topic
and irrelevant (to me at the time) Threads.
Why should I take the time to educate myself and then Spoon Feed it
to you or any other new member...
You are as capable of finding what you need just as I am...
I have no special tools that allowed be to find that information...

I agree... the Forum Search function is not as good as it could be...
But using different search criteria and cross referencing will help...

In the Rules and stickies that you were aimed at... there is this...

http://laserpointerforums.com/f36/looking-build-laser-read-me-47684.html

Doing a simple Google Search for "What is a Laser Test Load" netted
me this....

Laser Diode Driver Test Load KIT *MUST HAVE* [Stonetek_RKCSTR_TL] - $10.99 : StoneTek Electronics, Your Laser Parts Store

and this....

It can be done - Laser driver

and this.....

LaseRad86: Laser diode test load & R/V Lasers

and this....

Test Load KIT (AKA Dummy load, unassembled) - $5.75 : rkcstr.com, Micro-Drive and laser diode electronics

Etc... Etc...


That's all the research I will do... I don't need this information...
I already know it...
There is a lot more info on the Forum...

As Daguin stated... out time is valuable to us... The time I spent
hunting down these few links and posting took 30 minutes...
Where do I send my $150.00 research/consultation bill...


Jerry

 

[hakzaw1]

aypal:

LOL- -Dave --- here is how I see it--do you remember the first time you entered a big library? SO many shelves and So many books--but the have a card catalogue--that is the equilavent of the search except so much easier.--If you want to find how to spell a word by looking thru a dictionary is can be hard sometimes because you ae not sure how to spell it in the first place-so you may have to look in several places- there was no spellchecker back then. Think of the membership here like librarians and people quietly studing in the library--first-timers are not well liked too much if they just walk in and expect to find what they are looking for without doing some of the searching on their own. Trust me-- it gets easier with practice and more fun too. welcome to LPF- you have gotten some great guidlines from the posters on this thread.--Len----------------------------------------------------------------------------------as Dave says---
You get better at research the more you do it. Giving up after only one or two tries is a waste of your time. I already know the answer. I have no need to type it again. YOU need the answer. YOU do the work to find it.

quote___This "simple" response took me 13 minutes to type, proofread, and re-write. I make $80 an hour. You owe me $17.33

Peace,
dave -end quote---well said daguin--

 

[photonaholic]

Dave and Jerry...

I will pay part of your bills for you, but only if you allow me to donate it to Ave on your behalf

 

[lasersbee]

Sounds like a plan...

Jerry