RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted June 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2012 Don't propose to repeat what's already been said, although personally if I know the answer to a query, even if I know it to be a carbon copy of someone else's recent query, I don't mind answering it, (or at least pointing the OP to the thread in question). Unless I know otherwise, I would tend to give the new OP the benefit of the doubt and assume that he/she's not taking the p*ss. However (and at the risk of raising an issue that might have been raised before! ), does the forum software allow the development of some kind of 'Wikipedia' type function for certain popular topics, where individuals could contribute to the overall knowledge of a subject or product? A kind of 'FAQ' for the more popular subjects, if you will (whilst appreciating that this may become a fair body of work for Andy, so ignore suggestion if it's not practical!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave777 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 That's the 'library' idea essentially Capt K - we tried this in the past, but the problem was finding suitable/relevant threads to be included which could often take ages to wade through threads to find relevant info. The other problem is trying to decide what's a valid viewpoint and what isn't. Not all subjects fall into facts & figures, sometimes it's viewpoints and opinions, which unfortunately raises the issue of which ones are more valid than others. And that's before we decide what constitutes an 'expert' on a subject... I think the info is out there (or 'on here'), it's just finding a way to collate it. That's why I lean more towards the idea of simply saying to someone 'Views on Peco track? Try this list of threads here' and leaving them to make up their own mind as to which are valid views and which aren't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 However I made the effort and started the thread - this should be the correct method of posting any query when asking for help? Yes it should - for the simple reason in that it avoids an answer which the requestor already knows (but may not have communicated as such) and that the person who made the effort doen't waste his own precious time. Before the Internet and search engines, people were reliant on encylopedia, the local library and whatever sources of information were accessible. The only difference that technology adds is that it speeds up finding (or sometimes not the desired answer) - and, don't expect to find the answer straight away and expect to make several cross-references where you'll find some nugget of info that opens up another route... dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted June 19, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 19, 2012 I'd like to underscore Ian's point here. An advanced search on a British railway modelling website that won't permit someone to search for "GWR", "LNER" or "LMS" needs to be plan B. There's no reason to disable it, but it should only be used with the knowledge that you have to work around serious limitations. Why would anyone want to do a search purely on the terms "GWR", "LNER" or "LMS", etc? Even if it was a valid search, you'd end up with so many results, it would take half a lifetime to go through them. In fact probably more would get added, quicker than you could read them!. A search for LMS, would also bring up "Films" for instance. Searching through a database where a common used term or word is being looked for, needs a bit of care, which takes practice. Kevin Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Why would anyone want to do a search purely on the terms "GWR", "LNER" or "LMS", etc? Even if it was a valid search, you'd end up with so many results, it would take half a lifetime to go through them. In fact probably more would get added, quicker than you could read them!. A search for LMS, would also bring up "Films" for instance. Searching through a database where a common used term or word is being looked for, needs a bit of care, which takes practice. Kevin Martin Sure, if you searched the whole forum with say "GWR", then yes. But you can restrict the search to a topic, or a specific forum then it becomes much more meaningful. The fundamental problem with the built in search is that if you looked for say "GWR 72xx" (which I think you'll agree is a meaningful topic), neither 'word' is longer than five characters and the search will not be completed. Google search on the other hand will find results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crompton 33 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 what i hate. is when members ask a question and when somebody reply's they don't even thank them or reply to the post. some think we are here just for them. they will not try to find things out for there self. it's more easy to ask and let somebody else do the work for them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark 37 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I've got to say that a three page moan, sorry discussion about searching for information must be totally off puting to any new member. I have to also add that the search engine is somewhat rubbish in my experience of use and toping that off is that my phone only shows two results and refuses to scrole through more. Any attempt to scrole results in opening whichever topic I touched to start the scrole. Very frustrating! Anyway have you no modelling to be getting on with! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Ruston and Cromptonnut, you seem to be letting your imaginations run riot and read all sorts of things into the OP and subsequent discussion that aren't there. If you say so but... We Mods are generally a tolerant lot, but one phrase that is more likely to get our hackles up (or scales in my case) is the opening line "I don't know if this has been posted before, but ..." Future instances of "I don't know if ..." may, at our discretion, get locked or binned. From someone who admits he or she was... We get like that sometimes - I was probably in a more grumpy mood about this when I posted the OP! As the discretion part seems to depend on what mood a moderator happens to be in at the time I wouldn't say that my imagination is running riot. If a moderator is in a grumpy mood then they shouldn't log themselves in as a moderator. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquireBev Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I've got to say that a three page moan, sorry discussion about searching for information must be totally off puting to any new member. I can only agree. That said, I have no complaints about the moderation on this forum, unlike a certain other railway modelling forum which I no longer frequent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted June 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2012 I am sure I've read about this subject before.................... I'll get me coat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod3 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I think all points have been made and as we are now getting comments about moderation style I am closing this thread. If anyone wants to read it in the future they can use the search function Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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