Is it me or...

[Steven Garland]

Have people just stopped using a search function ? Regardless if its here or Google or whatever may be ?

When I first got into the hobby 12 years ago,I did ALL the research I could,asked lfs's questions,people in stores or whom ever would listen to my questions. People gave me help on another for forum,helped me progress and overcome my problems and for the past few years I have been able to progress in the hobby to not need to ask questions or needing help with a situation (besides my near disaster I had a few weeks ago). I am just at my wits end with people these days..

It makes me not to even want to be part of forums. Every time I come on here or my other forum I just shake my head with the REPEATED threads that have been answered literally HUNDREDS of times.

 

[SchrutesReefs]

It does seem like it’s more often a “new member” as well. Even when the topic is heavily repeated, people still chime to to help out or ask for info and sometimes the OP doesn’t ever reply back. ;Facepalm

 

[NashobaTek]

Or ask the same question 120 times in the same thread lol

 

[Bribo12]

I did about 3 years worth of researching scouring threads and such while in college before even joining a forum and asking any questions. I don’t get it either

 

[snorklr]

hmmm nashoba i wonder who you might be referring to....

 

[blasterman]

The same questions might be being asked but the answers might not be correct and some concensus on topics is evolving. Wasn't long ago the solution to everything was to use lots of water changes and aim for zero nutrients.

I do agree cycling questions are annoying and redundant. I could write a VB script to answer 90% of cycling questions.

Other topics though get a lot of noise when googled.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

The same questions might be being asked but the answers might not be correct and some concensus on topics is evolving. Wasn't long ago the solution to everything was to use lots of water changes and aim for zero nutrients.

I do agree cycling questions are annoying and redundant. I could write a VB script to answer 90% of cycling questions.

Other topics though get a lot of noise when googled.

Well said.

 

[mermaid_life]

My two cents, if everyone went by the search method, there will no longer be any discussions in forums.... Or discussions in forums would only be left to the experts and top 1% who are doing things off mainstream. EVERYTHING can be answered on the web these days. Part of a forum is the community piece where is ok to ask "dumb" questions just to get feedback and engage!

Not only that, but even when you Google search, there's so much conflicting info. It's nice to get real time responses just to feel better about your final decision.

 

[malacoda]

Welcome to the world of the interweb and Google.

Why spend weeks, hours, or even minutes trying to find or learn something on your own when you can just spend 30 seconds typing a question in a new thread and wait for someone else to hand you the info?

For that matter, why punch in a seven-digit phone number and actually speak with a person when you can just send a text instead ... or step up to a door and ring a door bell when you can stay in the car and text someone that your there ... or even drive a car when the car can do the driving for you?

Humanity is doomed. Only it's not Skynet and its terminators that spell our end...

It's smartphones and A.I. ... and the instant gratification/need-to-know-now addictions and human laziness they feed.

Heck, back in my teens and 20s, when rotary phones were still in every home, I must've had the numbers of 20-30 family and friends memorized with ease.

Today, I'm lucky if I can remember my own mobile number when someone asks for it (maybe I should put myself in my contacts list) ... or even the name of my dog for that matter. No matter, I'll just have Alexa call out for the dog for me.

 

[Tiger Brown]

Ironically, griping about people not utilizing the Search function or asking the same questions over and over again has also been posted over and over again.

It's what people do.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Welcome to the world of the interweb and Google.

Why spend weeks, hours, or even minutes trying to find or learn something on your own when you can just spend 30 seconds typing a question in a new thread and wait for someone else to hand you the info?

For that matter, why punch in a seven-digit phone number and actually speak with a person when you can just send a text instead ... or step up to a door and ring a door bell when you can stay in the car and text someone that your there ... or even drive a car when the car can do the driving for you?

Humanity is doomed. Only it's not Skynet and its terminators that spell our end...

It's smartphones and A.I. ... and the instant gratification/need-to-know-now addictions and human laziness they feed.

Heck, back in my teens and 20s, when rotary phones were still in every home, I must've had the numbers of 20-30 family and friends memorized with ease.

Today, I'm lucky if I can remember my own mobile number when someone asks for it (maybe I should put myself in my contacts list) ... or even the name of my dog for that matter. No matter, I'll just have Alexa call out for the dog for me.

I assume you're accessing this forum from the pages of a telegraph?

Haha jerking your chain.

 

[malacoda]

My two cents, if everyone went by the search method, there will no longer be any discussions in forums.... Or discussions in forums would only be left to the experts and top 1% who are doing things off mainstream. EVERYTHING can be answered on the web these days. Part of a forum is the community piece where is ok to ask "dumb" questions just to get feedback and engage!

Not only that, but even when you Google search, there's so much conflicting info. It's nice to get real time responses just to feel better about your final decision.

I agree. To a point...

People responding simply for the sake of engagement, conversation, and to feel the 'juice' of being part of a community can be a double-edged sword.

Sharing experience can be helpful. But chatting or posting simply to be social can be harmful.

Here's an example...

"Sponges are nitrate factories."

Can't tell you how many times I've seen that parroted. Or how many newbies I've seen respond with 'Oh, then I better not get one," or "I better get rid of mine."

Easy to see why ... it's a catchy little phrase. But it's not true...

A sponge is no different than a sock or floss. Maintain them properly, they're absolutely fine. Neglect them and any will become a nitrate factory.

An experienced reefer would be able to tell you that in a heartbeat...

But someone who is merely repeating that catchy little phrase because they heard it an hour ago and want to share their newfound 'knowledge' simply to be social (and feel a little jolt of dopamine juice as a reward) is imprinting a newbie with an incorrect piece of advice.

In past 2 years I've noticed a LOT more people with 1,000+ post counts providing advice/feedback in a lot of threads ... only to see that they've only be on the forum for 12 month - 24 months. Some may have years of experience and just be new to R2R. But I'd bet most are new to R2R and new to reefing ... and are just trying to be 'socially helpful.'

It's great to be supportive. It's what R2R is for and about. But the increase in people responding simple to be helpful and social also creates the need for more scrutiny and vetting of the bits of advice you choose to accept or act on.

Like you said, "when you Google search, there's so much conflicting info."

That also applies to the info and responses here on R2R. The more advice and viewpoints there are, the deeper you have to dig to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[malacoda]

I assume you're accessing this forum from the pages of a telegraph?

Haha jerking your chain.

LOL, I wish. The Pony Express rider just rode out of town this morning. Should be getting my response in about 2 weeks.

 

[Auquanut]

Here's my take on it. Probably won't be too popular.

New people to the hobby see their particular situation as unique. As they should. They may also not be familiar with all of the recourses that R2R has to offer. I often refer people to the stickies or the search function.

When there is a question to be asked, there is always a helpful person willing to give advice (good or bad). If the question has been asked a thousand times, that's okay. It's the first time the OP has asked. Information changes all the time. Personal experience differs from tank to tank. And of course, getting direct advice from an experienced reefer trumps reading an old thread any day.

When a relatively new reefer can share their experiences dealing with a situation that they've been through with someone else that is just starting out, I consider that a good thing. The answers may not always be right, but they open up the lines of communication.

To me, the discourse between reefers, regardless of experience level is what puts R2R head and shoulders above any other forum. THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS!!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

LOL, I wish. The Pony Express rider just rode out of town this morning. Should be getting my response in about 2 weeks.

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