"How Far Do You Go To Help On TMP?" Topic

Depends.

I`ve been known to dig through books, and other at-hand references or do a quick Google or even answer questions off the top of my head. It really depends on the subject and my knowledge of it.

Helping with answers is part of the deal here on TMP – if you don't then how will you ever get answers to your own queries.

I know I should check my facts more often when I answer but don't always have the time (or inclination) to do it as well as I should.

It can get a bit annoying when questions are asked that could be solved by a quick Google though.

Ditto what Richard said.

also agree with Richard

I usually answer off the top of my head, often do a bit of googling and sometimes look in books.

Like Richard, but maybe a different order.

I`m not as clever as you Martin, I have to look lots of things up :-)

I`ve been known to dig through books, and other at-hand references or do a quick Google or even answer questions off the top of my head. It really depends on the subject and my knowledge of it.

Same here.

What Richard said……

All of the above?

As others, I do a little bit of everything depending on the question and whether I'm at home or not.

Jim

Where was the option for the people that sigh and then tell those who pose questions to use Google themselves, or search the other boards first, or go sign up for some different forum and ask there?

You go through at-hand references and then post answers

You instigate a web search and check at-home references

Those.

Much good it does me, most of TMP still thinks I'm an unhelpful

I start off the top of my head. I usually warn that it is off the top of my head and might be (meaning probably is) imperfect.

I sometimes check my facts with at hand or at home references and report back with more detail and/corrections.

I have a range of responses. Sometimes, if a question sparks my own curiosity, I'll go home and dig through my reference library and later post a carefully considered answer. More commonly,I'll poke around Google and see what I can come up with. Often, I'll just wing it and post the first words that pop into my head. It depends on what mood you catch me in.

Frankly I save my help for serious wargaming forums TMP is for Laughs & possible poll prizes only & only slightly less annoying than frothers! which is the Focrchan of wargaming.

I wish EvilGinger wasn't right

I help when I can, but opinions seem of higher value than facts ….

Phil

I have posted people hard-copy data & OOP figures I didn't need.

What CooperSteve said. But that's my maximum, most favorable response. It depends a lot on my mood, how busy I am, sometimes on how I perceive the OP.

I'm also in the "it depends" group. I'm passionate about the settling of the West & the Plains Indian Wars & will help where I can with one exception: Little Big Horn. If it is obvious that the OP is only interested in Custer & the LBH & shows no interest for the rest of what was happening on the plains… then I let others help him or her out.

Always like to be helpful.

Depending on the issue, it could be any of the top 4

Karma.

People help me here; I help them.

More of an "All of the Above"

Just me and one other guy who spend our time belittling the OP?

I try to be as helpful as possible. Particularly if I can post a link to a website or a book on Amazon that gives more than I can post easily.

Some folks have posted really amazing stuff that I have found useful even though I didn't ask the question.

As Derek H eloquently put it: Depends

Much good it does me, most of TMP still thinks I'm an unhelpful

Connard I've never found you unhelpful…

Depends

What? was somebody asking about adult undergarments? I prefer Serenity myself.

The last time I asked somebody to help me out, they led me to the door…

@ CS: I think you under rate your popularity.

Indeed, I'm shortly going to host The Connard Sage Popularity Club….if I can book a phone booth for a venue.

(never fear: the posters who count like you)

If I feel the Poster deserves the effort I try hard – I once wrote a potted praesce of the rules for Marriage governing Roman Legionaries that covered from the early Republic to the Late Empire. Another poster would have got silence, or a snarky comment.

So, as Derek wrote – 'depends'

Pat

I give as much help as I can without resenting the effort; which boils down to off-the-top-of-my-head and what's in arm's reach of the computer.

Indeed, I'm shortly going to host The Connard Sage Popularity Club….if I can book a phone booth for a venue.

Will there be a bar? :)

Will there be a bar? :)

Yes – people from the West Midlands will be barred.

Pat

B Hugger

Other – mixture of all six answers – I'm no saint, sometimes I'll help, sometimes I'll amuse myself mocking the poster (depends on the poster !).

It depends. I will likely post a top-of-the-head and suggest references. Depending on how hard refs are to get to, I might use them first, or I might post a follow up. I have been known to take a picture of a figure, terrain piece, or some miscelanea I already have to demonstrate a point.

Mockery is not really related to whether I actually know what I am talking about.

Depends – if I have the references and it is a period I know anything about, I often will look it up – especially when the question is a good one (i.e. one that is hard to find an answer for) – for example, if you want to know the colour of a French infantryman's uniform coat during the Seven Years War, there are easier ways to find out than to ask on TMP (not to mention the abuse you might get!) – as opposed to the shield colour for Legio VI Ferrata (which is a lot harder to find out!)

I generally try to do at least #1. If I remember and I ahve my sources to hand, I'll try to do #2.