AussieAndy | 23 Dec 2015 7:33 p.m. PST |
Sorry if this question has been raised before, but I am curious as to your expectations of how much research a person will do themselves before posting a query on TMP. I assume that responses could range from "always happy to help even if the same question has been raised three times already this month on TMP and can be found in three seconds with a Google search" to "if he or she is not prepared to learn Russian and spend a month in the Moscow archives researching the answer, why should I help?". Personally, I think that you should be making at least some effort before asking, but not everyone has access to or can afford good source material. I should also add that I am always grateful for the kindness and generosity of those who respond to my queries. |
Winston Smith | 23 Dec 2015 7:54 p.m. PST |
I like to post first my enquiry on TMP because it almost always sparks a discussion. It brings to light all kinds of response, but almost always a critical response. You don't often get that with a Google search. Where there is controversy, the discussion helps the asker decide. |
hocklermp5 | 23 Dec 2015 7:58 p.m. PST |
I have no trouble answering a question even if I have seen it asked and answered here before. If I happen to have the answer helping someone out takes but a moment. Now if I notice this same person makes a bad habit of it then I opt out. |
Winston Smith | 23 Dec 2015 8:04 p.m. PST |
I agree that it doesn't matter how many times it has been asked. The question may have been started in a non obvious board without cross posting. And with an ambiguous title. As far as I am concerned, ask as many times as you want. I also consider it bad manners to post nothing but a "TMP link" with no commentary. |
Coyotepunc and Hatshepsuut | 23 Dec 2015 8:16 p.m. PST |
I always use the Search feature here on TMP before posting a question. Frequently, the Search function fails to function, and I ask the ame question someone else posted an hour ago, but that got glitched and did not show up on the front page. |
Tacitus | 23 Dec 2015 8:31 p.m. PST |
I don't mind seeing a question repeated. Also don't mind if not much research was done. As was just written by members wiser than me, searching the forum and doing at least a bit of research is both helpful and considerate. |
Martin Rapier | 24 Dec 2015 2:38 a.m. PST |
In the pantheon of internet archetypes, I am a responder. So I am very happy to respond to any and everything however little or much research has been done beforehand. Sometimes my response may just be "we did this last week" though. |
Winston Smith | 24 Dec 2015 11:31 a.m. PST |
I don't really care how many times the question is asked if Loyalist regiments carried colours. The TMP search engine needs to have the ashes cleared out. I enjoy answering that question. Some will chime in to say that nobody carried colours and I will retort that Loyalists were "more British than the British". Where's the harm in answering multiple times? Do we have to submit time slips to show that we spent at least a half hour on Google before we can ask on TMP? |
Weasel | 24 Dec 2015 7:36 p.m. PST |
As someone said, the discussion is the fun. |
Griefbringer | 25 Dec 2015 2:31 a.m. PST |
However, I would like to add that regardless of the level of previous research, it would be nice if the person making the question would bother to formulate his question clearly enough. I have seen in past some questions that were so ambiguous that I could interpret them in at least three different ways. |
Winston Smith | 25 Dec 2015 7:15 a.m. PST |
I agree. Ambiguity in thread titles can be an annoyance. "What do you think?" is not the proper title when asking about Loyalist uniforms, particularly when you post to Wargaming in General. |
Griefbringer | 25 Dec 2015 12:10 p.m. PST |
I must admit that ambiguous titles can be problematic. Especially combined with other TMP members who are so eager to answer that they only read the title before writing their answer, without bothering to read the rest of the message. |
AussieAndy | 01 Jan 2016 10:49 p.m. PST |
Thank you for the responses. I had assumed that there would be an expectation that posters make some effort themselves before asking questions on TMP, but it appears that folk are happy to share their knowledge regardless. That says a lot for the generosity of many folk on TMP. |
By John 54 | 07 Jan 2016 2:43 p.m. PST |
I hate to say this, but I agree with John, I like it when people ask seemingly trivial questions, as it often leads onto other pastures, i.e 'What colour jackets did British Napoleonic infantry wear?' Obvious question? the sort Gazzola, and his like would leap on, and say, 'read a book' 'insert snarky comment here' etc BUT, it then can go, like this 'Red' 'this company's Red is a good match' 'The 99th actually wore pink in egypt' 'That wasnt pink, it was just how the jackets faded' 'if you add this companies ink wash to the above, it looks great' 'Hey, i added Army Painter mid tone to the blood of a virgin, and it looked very campaign' 'dont forget, at Waterloo, the 21st foot officers wore striped waistcoats, made from the trousers of the French 21st line' 'This company does a paintset of British and French Waterloo colours, they are really watered down and bloody awful' 'That is true, but their French Artillery green is great' And so on, sooooooooooo, I say, ask away, anything and everything. And, there's always a tiny chance Brechal'some numbers' (I forget his actual moniker, sorry) head might explode, John |
Hafen von Schlockenberg | 07 Jan 2016 10:12 p.m. PST |
As a relative newbie here,I did the following : 1.Did A TMP search in every configuration I could think of.No results. 2.Went back to Google and got the same load of results as an earlier search, a lot of stuff,and not much to the point. Posted a question on the relevant board. No results.So it could be that: 1. I have "unaccountably infuriated passers-by". 2. Everybody rolled their eyes and groaned "not this again!". 3. I asked a difficult question about an obscure subject. I suspect it's 3,wonder if it's 2, hope it's not 1. Oh,yeah,the question was about costume of the Royal Swiss in the French Wars of Religion. Is that too broad or ambiguous? I notice traffic on the Renaissance board isn't exactly overwhelming. |
AussieAndy | 10 Jan 2016 9:54 p.m. PST |
It may just be that the few people that could help with you question aren't on TMP at the moment or that your question dropped off the front page quickly due to a lack of replies and was then missed by the knowledgable. I suggest that you give it another try. |
ochoin | 11 Jan 2016 5:26 p.m. PST |
@ Hafen link to the question? I searched the site to posts you'd made & except for an innocuous one on Headers, there were replies to everything. The strength of TMP is its large & active membership but this sometimes means, with so much traffic, the tree gets lost in the woods. The worst thing you can do on the internet is take things personally: particularly when no malice is meant. BTW Welcome! |
Hafen von Schlockenberg | 11 Jan 2016 5:57 p.m. PST |
Compare dates on my post here with ones on Renaissance painting board --you'll see why I was "whining". Just kidding,hope I didn't sound that way. One of the responders pointed out there's more traffic on the discussion board. Live and learn. I still think it's number 3… |
Weasel | 14 Jan 2016 10:37 p.m. PST |
To be fair, even if people do specify the question, the answers are often what people want to answer instead :-) "I am looking for some rules suitable for 15mm Roman vs Barbarian mass combat" "Spearhead and Laserburn!" |