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Search you n00b!


R22Master

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Hi all,

 

I am proposing a new forum rule here and this is how it goes.

 

People do from time to time pop up with a question that has been asked before, or even sometimes quite recently. As soon as it is posted, there are several of our more experienced members that pop up and tell them to search and it all gets a bit nasty.

 

So here's the deal. If it is so easy to find the topic by searching, provide a link or two with your "Please use the search feature" post. It proves that the feature works and provides some handy information at the same time. Just shouting "Search n00b!" isn't helping anyone, and often these are the only responses found when a new user does search.

 

Please try to help Arnie's become more user friendly toward our newer members. I was new once, as were all of you.

 

Cheers all ;)

 

 

 

Note: I reserve the right to delete abrupt "Search" demands on sight, from users who have not also posted a link to something relevant that they have found using that feature

 

 

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Additional:

 

I have created a couple of "Standard Responses" that you are free to copy and paste in to a thread. They set out how to use the Search features and point out useful information.

 

Response to a recently / commonly asked question where searching would have helped

 

Response to a "What gun should I get" thread with little information provided.

 

 

 

This is what the above links look like when pasted in to a post...

 

 

Recent / Common Question response (link to source)

 

The information you are looking for has been provided before on these forums and can be found by using the provided Search feature.

 

The Search feature trawls through existing threads looking for information that has already been posted.

 

Simply click the Search Button at the top right of every forum page, and enter the parameters for your search. You might have better luck on your first search if you select the "Search Titles Only" option as well.

 

Here is what I have found for you using the Search feature...

 

Example link you have found - number 1

Example link you have found - number 2

 

 

What Gun Should I Get response (link to source)

 

Asking what is the best gun to buy is the most commonly asked question we get here and it has no real response unless we have more information about what is required.

 

e.g. What do you want to use it for, is a large capacity magazine or battery important, which ones do you like the look of, do you want it to me metal or is a plastic body ok? Things like that.

 

Read through the following threads and get back to us with more specifics...

 

What AEG to buy

The best AEG for a newbie

The Essential Guide to Airsoft

 

You can also use the Search feature, which trawls through existing threads looking for information that has already been posted about your narrowed down list of guns.

 

Simply click the Search Button at the top right of every forum page, and enter the parameters for your search. You might have better luck on your first search if you select the "Search Titles Only" option as well.

 

Hopefully that will help you find the right gun.

 

 

 

You don't have to use them, but feel free to use as required.

 

Hope that helps ;)

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I also reserve the right to flame to a crisp anyone who asks what the differences between the Famas SV and F1 are. There is no excuse for n00bishness on that level.

Also, are we allowed to give the title of the thread that it occurs in? For example if someone was to post asking about the reputation could I tell them to search for my thread 'Airsoft Dynamics, Nothing Dynamic about them'?

I reckon that way we can get both the gratification of making n00bs search, plus be helpful.

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Yeah, but it is far better to post an actual link containing an answer to their question that you have found by doing a search, and politely inform them that you achieved this link using said search feature - it acts as proof that searching works. Posting an accurate title is better than nothing at all though.

 

If however, the same user keeps on asking basic searchable questions despite having been asked to search while being provided a relevant link several times, then it is clear that they are not trying, so use the "Report to a Moderator" link to allow one of us to have a friendly word in their ear. ;)

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:|

 

Its had to become a rule. Not the most wonderful thing in the world.

 

All these people reserving their rights etc. What rights? Last time I checked Arnie ran this site, and its your privilege to be on it.

 

In my bookmarks, I have links of stuff I link to frequently, saves going and finding the webpage.

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It didn't have to become a rule, but I for one have asked people to do this MANY times before, but only one or two users ever do. The rest just reach for the flame-thrower.

 

I still don't think of this as a hard and fast rule - think of it more as a pinned request for people to show that they are experienced and knowledgable users, rather than just flaming and name-calling those who couldn't find what they were looking for.

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I guess now isn't a good time to point out that I don't know the difference between a FA-MAS F1 and an SV! :)

 

IMO it is counter-productive telling people to search. Yes it can get bloody annoying having to answer the same questions over and over again but the search feature on here often returns completely irrelevant results (probably due to the nature of some of the Off-Topic threads!) so I can totally understand the frustrations of some users.

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And therein lies the reason for all this. Quite a few times I have seen an obvious question asked and searched for the answer so that I can post up a link, only to find that I am totally unable to find the info I want. In these cases, telling a newbie to SEARCH! is pointless because if I can't find it, I doubt he will be able to.

 

So, I duely provide the missing information, helping everyone out in the process.

 

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By the way, I have added some "Standard Responses" above that you are free to copy and paste in to your posts to save you time and effort. The bbCode compatible with these forums is linked to from the very first post in this thread above.

 

Hope that helps ;)

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n00b is only the title of this thread, and this thread is aimed at our more experienced members who undoubtedly know what the term means ;)

 

For those who don't know what it means, I'm guessing their inquisitive nature will guide them this way :D

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All these people reserving their rights etc. What rights? Last time I checked Arnie ran this site, and its your privilege to be on it.

 

I was using it more as a turn of phrase more than anythying.

 

Of course, there is always the alternative; to avoid the newbie forum completely.

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Thank god for this. I have been ashamed by how rude some of the more experienced users are to some people.

 

Also if you are unsure of the advice you are giving, say so. Dont tell a guy something you think thats right. If it turns out to be wrong hes gonna be well annoyed.

 

ALSO if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all.

 

Just my 2 cents.

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Of course, there is always the alternative; to avoid the newbie forum completely.

 

Just like to point out that this isn't a dig at u Duff - just an observation on that idea, as I'm sure others have had it.

 

Hopefuly this won't be the case though as "n00bs" wouldn't be able to get any support at all! Which would be a shame as everyone needs help sometimes.

 

And secondly they would then re-post the question in every other forum as they wern't getting a reply - downward spiral!

 

Matt

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Sometimes, some of the newbies who ask stupid questions are the ones that wouldn't bother to read an old thread if it's more than 2 pages long or any guide that has more than a few hundreds of words. I've seen instances where someone provided some useful links or guides, and then the newbie keeps on asking questions as if he/she didn't really read what was in those links. In situations like that, when I'm in a good mood, I just leave the thread and don't respond to them, but I reserve the right to flame them when I'm in a bad mood. ;)

 

And I hate those who even admit that they are too lazy to do any research, and ask others to do it for them. :waggle:

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