The Yeti replied:

Thanks Mike,

I am going to Karajini and places beyond in a couple of weeks for a while so I'll kep the dumb questions to myself

Yeti

Member - Matt M (ACT) replied:

Good advice Mike. Well done.

Can I add, "I am thinking of getting a camper trailer, which one should I get'? Perhaps the auto censor could recognise and bleep out the questions you have listed ;-)

Better than picking on oil companies I that rhyme with 'chooks' I suppose.

Matt.

Dizne replied:

Hi all,

I just wanted to add that as a newbie to this forum (but a regular at quite a few other online forums/discussion lists etc.), I am finding it quite difficult to follow the discussions. Most lists I follow place the post that has the latest reply at the top of the forum, but here the post stays 'down' the list?! Also, most forums have sub-sections. but here all posts are pooled together?!

There's lots of room for improvement ... just my 2.0 cents - cheers,
Diz

GaryInOz (Vic) replied:

Another classic "do not ask" question starts with: "What is the best...??", with no other information given about the items intended proposed usage. Suffix the question with tyre, 4WD, fridge, winch, tent, camper trailer, etc., and you get what I mean.

Generally it is better to ask for peoples experiences with items and make up your own mind from the feedback.

Muzzgit (WA) replied:

I know what you mean man!!!!

I worked in a shop selling work clothing for about 7 years and I quite often got the question "what are the best boots mate?"

My response was always....what kinda work do you do mate? and it would go from there.

Amazingly, lots of guys would come in with the wife/girlfriend and walk out with the absolutely wrong boots for the job cos she would usually say "your not going to buy those are you? What about these? these look nice! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Imagine going shoe shoping with your other half and saying "your not gonna buy those are you?"

HA. I recon most blokes would spend the night out with the dog!

Sand Man (SA) replied:

There is no such thing as a question that is too frequently asked. EVER.

The one thing on this forum that really p i z z e s me off, is the smart arzed comment from more experienced forumites, "why don't you use the search function".

For the new user, there can be nothing so off putting as having one's first post slammed by others as a stupid question. Even if it's been asked 156449967946 times. That just drives would be users and contibutors away. Not really bright at all.

People seem to quickly forget that it takes time for the newer visitor to the site to become familiar with all it's functions. In fact I can think of many long time users who suddenly "discover" something new they didn't know about.
Now, there is nothing wrong with the unique layout, or functionality of this forum, it just takes a little time to learn how to "drive" it to get the best out of it.

So, how about everybody giving others the respect they deserve when they ask a question about anything. If you can help with an appropriate answer, GIVE IT!
Even a brief answer plus a suggestion that the Poster may find further information, or discussion in the archives, which you can obtain by doing........such and such is a much cleverer approach, than giving little more than abuse. If you can't provide constructive input, you are better off not responding at all, because the comment you end up giving, may well be more stupid than the question originally asked.

We all like a laugh now and again and sometimes even at other's expense, but scaring off new visitors to the forum does nothing to promote ExplorOz for what it is really intended to be.

That's my opinion anyway.

Member - Brian (Gold Coast) replied:

I'm with sand man...... someone new finds the forum, thinks... "wow, these guys will know...." posts a question and gets the daylights bagged outta him for daring to ask something that has been asked before!

Remember people, there was a time when each of you DIDN'T know everything..... when you didn't know the diference between fridges, tyres, camper trailers, trucks, tracks & tricks........ so nowadays when you DO know..... why not take the time to pass on some of your hard earned knowledge..... or stay out of the thread!

You don't HAVE to read a post that has been asked 15789654853529724510 times before, do you.....

chump_boy replied:

Yeti,

Please don't get scared off! There is a lot of collective knowledge here, bit Bill S and his Feltches are a pet peeve of a lot of forum members. I guess for a first question, you struck out big time!....lol

As to those tools on here that instantly say "use the search tool", i rekon you should grow up a bit. If you are going to tell someone to use the search tool, at least point them in the right direction first...... It's a bit like saying "talk to the hand...".

Anyways, I think we need fresh people on here - knowledge does tend to go stale, and without fresh input, this forum would fall by the wayside.....

Cheers, and ask whatever you want - I for one won't bite!

Chump

Member - vivien C (VIC) replied:

To everyone who has replied along the lines of " just ask, don't be afraid and don't be put off that it may be called a "dumb question"

Thank you.

It's true sometimes we think that we'd like to ask but are a bit wary of being shot down. But the old saying is true "if you don't ask, you'll never learn". So better to look silly and learn what you need to know than to be afraid of looking silly and never ask.

This forum is great. Keep up the good work.

Viv