Use search : Need a reason?

[Ryan Jarosek]

Sorry Kevin I stole your quote. It was perfect ! I think this would be good to get in its own thread. Excellent point. I find myself reading questions all the time I don't want to answer again. Until I see someone giving incomplete or bad advise. SEARCH IS YOUR FRIEND>

I think there is confusion among people of forums. There are people who use the forum for research... those who use it as a place to cry to other people for help, rather than doing the work themselves.

You can ask all the questions you like, and people who think they know will reply. But people who do know for sure are probably sick of answering the same question 500 times. So by asking something over and over again rather than searching sorta dilutes the forum. Makes it hard to find the real answers.

How does this happen?

People who do know the answers and have answered the question before, don't chime in. Why? because they have had to answer that question a lot before.... so, someone else takes a stab at it... now... there are lots and lots of threads about the same question but because so many different people have asked and so many different people have answered, the person who DOES search gets conflicting answers. or just threads like this...

The best way to repost a question you're still not clear on, is to say 'I did a search and I found that people said this and that.... but I was looking for a bit more about this.......' and people will chime in to a more specific part of the original question.

it's kinda like playing Telephone.... but if you reword it in a more direct way it's like playing Telephone and getting to call 411!

 

[eisentrauti]

Haha ! Great !

 

[thealissa]

While I do agree, and I do think it would be better for someone to say (and do) something like, "I tried researching and I found .... and .... but, I still don't understand ...." or something along those lines, I also think that it's okay for people to ask a question that's already been answered before.

1. It defeats the purpose of a forum if no one is allowed to ask a question that's been asked before. If all any ever says is, "SEARCH FOR IT!" then all we end up with on here is people posting their 349th picture of their chameleon and saying how fast it ate breakfast this morning. This forum is here to help others, and if you don't want to help someone, what are you doing here?

2. You don't have to answer. I'm sure if someone really wants to know the answer to their question, they will eventually search for it.

3. New research and new conclusions are being made everyday. If you're always telling someone to search for an answer, how do they know it's the best and most up-to-date answer? Forcing people to always search can lead them to inaccurate and false info, and also, most importantly, closes the door to new suggestions/answers.

4. Everyone on here shares a common interest: that of their chameleons. We all want what is best for the chameleon(s). If you care that much, you should understand that if someone isn't bright enough to search for a basic question (e.g., "How much do I feed my chameleon?") you know that their chameleon is at a risk of some extent. You should want to answer them in best interest of their chameleon, not them.

That said, I think we should try to change a couple of things. One, do try searching for your answer. Even if it isn't out there, I assure you, you will find other helpful info that you probably didn't know before. Two, lighten up everyone! Today could be anyone's last day, and you don't want to remember it as the day your refused to help someone.

 

[tkilgour]

I say both sides here make excellent points. Sometimes questions do get redundant. Then again this is a forum so it is to be expected.

 

[renzo0684]

While I do agree, and I do think it would be better for someone to say (and do) something like, "I tried researching and I found .... and .... but, I still don't understand ...." or something along those lines, I also think that it's okay for people to ask a question that's already been answered before.

1. It defeats the purpose of a forum if no one is allowed to ask a question that's been asked before. If all any ever says is, "SEARCH FOR IT!" then all we end up with on here is people posting their 349th picture of their chameleon and saying how fast it ate breakfast this morning. This forum is here to help others, and if you don't want to help someone, what are you doing here?

2. You don't have to answer. I'm sure if someone really wants to know the answer to their question, they will eventually search for it.

3. New research and new conclusions are being made everyday. If you're always telling someone to search for an answer, how do they know it's the best and most up-to-date answer? Forcing people to always search can lead them to inaccurate and false info, and also, most importantly, closes the door to new suggestions/answers.

4. Everyone on here shares a common interest: that of their chameleons. We all want what is best for the chameleon(s). If you care that much, you should understand that if someone isn't bright enough to search for a basic question (e.g., "How much do I feed my chameleon?") you know that their chameleon is at a risk of some extent. You should want to answer them in best interest of their chameleon, not them.

That said, I think we should try to change a couple of things. One, do try searching for your answer. Even if it isn't out there, I assure you, you will find other helpful info that you probably didn't know before. Two, lighten up everyone! Today could be anyone's last day, and you don't want to remember it as the day your refused to help someone.

I agree with this 110%

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

LOOK AT MY REP , I am very helpful

My 1 and only point about this thread was to give a good reason for doing a search.

Everyone can carry on in this thread as they would like. I would like it to stay as a suggestion. Trying to explain to someone why they should search is not easy. Kevin did a great job explaining it.

Good Job Kevin.

To the rest who would like to turn this thread into another crying match go for it. It will be a shame. I think its a good point.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

I say both sides here make excellent points. Sometimes questions do get redundant. Then again this is a forum so it is to be expected.

Yes sir! I agree.

I am only trying to point out a good reason why search is good.

 

[tkilgour]

Yes sir! I agree.

I am only trying to point out a good reason why search is good.

Yes, the search tool is excellent. I completely understand your point. As so many questions are repeated over and over.

 

[hallenhe]

Not to take this in an altogether different direction, but I have one or two complaints about the search feature (which I have been known to use):

Google, or an engine, allows you to do a search on, say, vitamin A, or "vitamin a" or "silkworms 101". I find time and again that such searches here yield "The following term was left out because it was too short: A (or 101)", and then I get a helpful listing of every thread that has ever mentioned vitamins in any context. I don't know whether this is fixable within the context of the way these forums are set up or not, it just would be so marvelously more usable if it were.

I'll stop carping.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Not to take this in an altogether different direction, but I have one or two complaints about the search feature (which I have been known to use):

Google, or an engine, allows you to do a search on, say, vitamin A, or "vitamin a" or "silkworms 101". I find time and again that such searches here yield "The following term was left out because it was too short: A (or 101)", and then I get a helpful listing of every thread that has ever mentioned vitamins in any context. I don't know whether this is fixable within the context of the way these forums are set up or not, it just would be so marvelously more usable if it were.

I'll stop carping.

I know what you mean. It could be refined a little or *cough (a lot).

 

[haleybobl]

The search feature can also prevent you from looking like a twit, by asking stupid questions and posting threads that have already been answered a billion times. Public embarrassment in my book is not a bonus.

 

[Miss Lily]

Not to take this in an altogether different direction, but I have one or two complaints about the search feature (which I have been known to use):

Google, or an engine, allows you to do a search on, say, vitamin A, or "vitamin a" or "silkworms 101". I find time and again that such searches here yield "The following term was left out because it was too short: A (or 101)", and then I get a helpful listing of every thread that has ever mentioned vitamins in any context. I don't know whether this is fixable within the context of the way these forums are set up or not, it just would be so marvelously more usable if it were.

I'll stop carping.

I know what you mean. It could be refined a little or *cough (a lot).

I absolutely agree! I have used the search function many times and been frustrated with it. Sometimes you want a quick answer and it is easier (and often quicker) to ask and get a response than to read through countless threads only to find that not one contains the information that you require!

 

[nightcrawler]

I think it all comes down to the type of question you have. If you have a basic question that could be answered by a yes or no then you should search, but if you have a more complex question that actually has weight with debate then I think it should be asked. Its hard to compare topics about research or new conclusions with plant toxicity, different feeder options, or can I feed my cham dubias. A little while back I remember answering a few threads in yeses and nos. The same questions that could be searched, and answered with the first thread that was in the search list. We all have a common interest in chameleons yes, but that doesn't mean we neglect to do things ourselves. I think people just need to do a little digging themselves. Science is more rewarding when you figure out something yourself.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

I think it all comes down to the type of question you have. If you have a basic question that could be answered by a yes or no then you should search, but if you have a more complex question that actually has weight with debate then I think it should be asked. Its hard to compare topics about research or new conclusions with plant toxicity, different feeder options, or can I feed my cham dubias. A little while back I remember answering a few threads in yeses and nos. The same questions that could be searched, and answered with the first thread that was in the search list. We all have a common interest in chameleons yes, but that doesn't mean we neglect to do things ourselves. I think people just need to do a little digging themselves. Science is more rewarding when you figure out something yourself.

Thank you , another good post.

 

[draetish]

We are all just "keepers" of chameleons and with so many different species that have different needs it's not just black and white. Owners must do their due diligence if they are to be successful. You can not rely on just this forum and people on it to keep your chams healthy. Chameleons are a labor of love and with that goes the labor of doing research and sharing with others. You can also gather a lot of information from this forum without posting by just digging around.

 

[jojackson]

You have to be alot smarter than the search engine, in terms of search words or phrases. You only get out of it, what you put into it.
Heres a hint: People misspell/misstype words, the search engine dosent care.
Try typos and misspellings too.

The search engine would be much more helpful if people titled their threads more specifically. If your looking for 'impaction', one thousand three hundred and nintey six threads called 'help'....dont!

 

[hallenhe]

The search engine would be much more helpful if people titled their threads more specifically. If your looking for 'impaction', one thousand three hundred and nintey six threads called 'help'....dont!

Good point! (And I know I'm guilty of unhelpfully labeled threads...)

 

[Vegas Chad]

Im not sure if this is the right place for this... But my chameleon looks a little green; Jackaroosack is this normal?

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Im not sure if this is the right place for this... But my chameleon looks a little green; Jackaroosack is this normal?

You sir ! are out of line.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I ditto everything thealissa said in his/her 4 points. Especially the part about things change, new ideas are always possible.

Yes, the search function can be very helpful. It can also be painfully frustrating or confusing, especially if you are NEWBIE and dont yet know the commonly used terms or if the concept of a forum or a search function is new to you. Someone may be asking a question you've read 500 times, but assuredly its not the 500th time they have asked - it is New and Important to them.

Maybe we (those of us who feel they have read the same question over and over just a few too many times for it to be fun) could put our efforts into helping develop the existing (but inadequate) FAQs. Then we can start referring people to the FAQs instead of retyping answers to common questions. Granted, people will (and should) still ask without checking the FAQs or Search first, but it will save some keystrokes and might eventually get more widely used.
send your ideas here: https://www.chameleonforums.com/faq-development/