New Members
"Why don't newbies just search?!" It's a question I hear on all the forums I am on and the answer is simple, they do.
There are literally thousands of "guests" who search the forum for information, find it, and go on their way without ever posting. What you see posted are those who have personal reasons for doing so.
We have a wide ranging group of people here from all countries, walks of life, age groups, and education levels. Some may not have the time or knowledge to search through threads. Others may simply want the human interaction and feel more comfortable with a back and forth exchange than reading old posts. Some realize that information in the hobby is changing and they want the most current knowledge. Likely most just want to join a community of people interested in the same hobby and their post is a simple first step into that community.
There are just plenty of reasons some newbies post and I try not to judge what those reasons are and just keep in mind that to the poster they are valid and important reasons.
I think Chad summed it up here so bloomin well that it ought to be pinned somewhere!
I do see what you mean, but a forum is a community, yes? And all members of a community have a responsibility to maintain that community as a pleasant space.
If anyone is offended by a post, then they need to report it. If no-one reports a post, then presumably no-one is offended so the post can do no harm?
JenJ, I agree to an extent, members have to be taught and learn to take responsibility for the community they join and with new members joining in their droves every day, it takes a team to keep up
And everyone's perception of a 'pleasant space' being different makes it very difficult for a community to control when one person calls something as 'wrong' when others don't think it a problem. For example, look at the cuss words that are banned! (without trying them out
) we have words here banned that might make no sense at all to an American when its an every day tern of phrase... when what they don't realise is that it is an offensive work in the UK or Europe etc. and vice versa... it takes a multicultural team to create a list of words that shouldn't be used, we can hardly just list them.. but people learn in time what words they can and cant use, if they struggle then they can ask... if they refuse to acknowledge the restrictions of a forum that has members from all over the world... well.. then they can leave!
I don't think we are judging. There's nothing wrong with someone asking a question they don't know.
But it seems it's like a circle. You are new, you ask questions, you get answered promptly and efficiently. Then you gain experience, you start answering questions yourself in the same manner, you become good in the hobby via the forum, reading side information and your own growing experience. You enjoy helping people, but being one step ahead of most "current" members isn't beneficial to you, because you learn nothing, so you end up eventually on another forum one way or another to get helped yourself. You used to love reading new posts, not necessarily to help, but to learn yourself, but how do you do that when there's nothing new to learn?
Very enlightened post Snazy and one I guess a lot of people have felt at least on occasion and I guess the answer to that is to stop relying on this forum for help and start doing more to help out those who are needing more help or approaching a similar level? For some of us, especially those like myself without a targeted area of knowledge.. I did my best to help everyone and maybe mediate a little without seeming a bit stuck up... and I accepted the role as a moderator because though it might be less appreciated by most, *I* know what I do helps to keep this place running...
Aside from that, there is so much more this forum needs to not just... stay where we are.. but to move forwards, we do need people with specific knowledge and ways of targeting those, we need our current members to step up... if you have any interesting or unusual exeriences with certain species or breeding or anything really, why not write an article? If a bit of writing is well done and well informed, it will have a place here... and is a great project to keep the mind busy of those who find themselves reading 'newbie' posts less (by contributing to adding knowledgeable content for 'newbies' to read!)
Chad, re your comments, I think you missed one type of Newbie, those who don't know what they're doing, can't be bothered to search and have leapt in feet first without any consideration to the fish they're keeping. I think it's the growing number like this that I'm getting most frustrated with.
Lunar, if you think the people that join these forums are real 'newbies'.. you ***seriously*** need to work in the trade
by the time people join this forum, most have already passed the first few stages of 'newbie-ism'
I, for one, don't think you are spending too much time here, you have a lot of experience and knowledge under your belt and the potential to be one of those members that people flock to asking questions because they respect your answers. That in itself has got to be an achievement? Doesn't mean there isn't much more you can learn! As soon as anyone in this hobby claims themselves to be 'an expert'.. they are generally worth dismissing unless they are an expert in their targeted area... because NOBODY knows everything about anything
Experts know there is *always* more to learn, in a way... that is what makes them more receptive to learning about new experiences!
Sorry, English isn't my first language. It's my third so I keep using the wrong words to express myself
Snazy, firstly.. out of curiousity... what is your first and second language? You don't have location in your profile....
That aside, you don't have anything to apologise, you didn't get anything wrong
circle and cycle can mean pretty much the same thing in some cases but not others. In this case, it could have been either depending on what you were getting at, but mainly... your way works too!
That's because people are lazy and scared of repercussions. But when reporting an offensive post involves anonymously clicking a button, then people have no excuse. If people can't be bothered to click a button about something they find offensive, I don't believe they have any right to be offended
JenJ, in a sense I agree... but we cant expect everyone to see and understand the report function right away! We all agree it needs to be used more often and people will learn to, it was never really openly pushed (as far as I recall) by the last Mod Team but things have and are changing. We respect the help we get from members and acknowledge everyone who does so! As the members now learn to use the report function more frequently (it honestly isn't for emergencies! it is for something you want to bring to our attention, whatever it is as the report function leads us directly to the post that is reported than having to chase links about!) they can begin to mention it and use it and encourage new members to use the function, eventually we will reach a place or a cycle (circle?!) that means we always have people who understand using the report function same as we (hopefully!) always have new members!
@JenJ the psychology is really the same though. Anonymity and convenience are a factor for some people but not all. Police take calls anonymously as well. The "right" to be offended...well...that's a discussion for another day.
Chad, don't you go dragging my nightmare of a course into my 'fun'
Sociology is going to be the death of me!!
