Getting people to search for threads before posting in other forums

[Dan the Man]

Hey all,

I didn't know where to post this so i have stuck it in here..

I was just about to reply to a post in one fo the other forums with a reply I have written about 3 times on here already. I have spotted that other forums get around this by making the search form perhaps easier to find. (more links ot it or just different text and things, could even make it big and red for a certain member group, like less than 5 posts or guest).

Just thought I would mention it, perhaps the reason why there are soooo many members with only 1 or 2 posts. (and a very large database archive)

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[bbcamp]

Dan, we do sometimes ask folks to do a search, but most of the time, we'd rather listen to their story fresh, so our advice is tailored to the individual. Yes, it is tedious to respond to the same questions over and over (John once estimated that there were only 20 or so basic questions), but there is always the issue of comprehension: did we understand the question, and did the poster understand the answer. Does the poster have the background to understand the reply if given in technical jargon, or does layman's terms work better, if not more precise? If we thought that everyone who came here could simply read a list of FAQs and then go tile their house, then we'd post such a list, and watch more television in our spare time. Other sites are like that. Their databases may be smaller, but I don't believe you'll find a better way of doing what we do than the way we do it.

We think our members like our style, so we're stickin' to it. :D

[Dan the Man]

What an excellent reply, I take your point fully. (and may even adapt it a little for my own forums, perhaps)

[New2Tile]

Hi guys,

Mind if I chime in? I've been using this board a ton lately and been doing lots of research and asking my own questions. I like the fact that you all tailor your answers to the specific situations. All of our projects are unique. You know one difficulty I've had with the search function of the board is being able to string words together like you would on an internet search using +'s or "" 's. For example, say I want to look up >felkner tile saw<. I've tried felkner+tile+saw and I've tried "felkner tile saw" and neither function weeds out everything with those three words together. I tried the advanced function, but that didn't seem to help either. Suggestions?

Anyway, maybe it's cuz I'm a newbie. You guys have a ton of patience and that is so cool. You all do really great work and make tiling more approachable. This board is a great service. And, you know what else I like about this board? You are all so positive about all of this. What an encouragement! -- Okay, I'm done gushing now. I have to go get tile :) .

[John Bridge]

Hi Dan, Kathy, All . . . :)

Bob (bbcamp) summed it up perfectly, and I can't improve on his explanation. Way back in the early days we did talk about getting up a FAQ and asking people to go there for their answers. Fortunately, it didn't get much beyond the talk stage.

It does get tedious at times to answer the same questions over and over, but as has been mentioned, the questions always come from a different direction, from a different perspective. Sometimes is just a matter of changing a couple words, but it makes all the difference in the world.

Our search sucks; we know it, but we don't have the time nor the funds to have someone come in and rework it. It is sophisticated enough; it's just a matter of not having the time and resources. Our systems guy, Dave M., is fully occupied just keeping the forum machinery oiled and running. :)

As Bob said, we like to think we are doing something right. There may come a day when we simply can't keep up with it anymore, but right now it seems to work. The proof is everywhere on the Internet. Go to any other tile related site and try to get the depth of information available here. Won't happen.

I am grateful for the people who hang out here and help make the place unique and interesting. That's really what this site is about. It's about people treating others as people and not just usernames. ;)

[oma]

It's the same on gardening and beekeeping forums, both of which I frequent. You get the same questions repeatedly, but I think that human nature is such that people generally want to feel like they have a personal rapport with others on the forums and like personal attention. I think it has to do with the need to be a part of the pack. I certainly can't answer questions on masonry or tile setting, but the need for human connection is the same everywhere.

[Bill Vincent]

I don't know about the part of the pack theory, but I DO know that it has to do with people wanting to personally connect with the pros, and get advice tailored to their situation, whether or not the same situation has been brought up before or not. The same question comes up all the time on the "other side" and I've answered it the same every time. It may be repetition to us, but to the people posting the question, it's most likely their FIRST time being in that particular situation. They come into the forums to get our advice to THEM-- not to someone else, and as I've told the ones who complain, there's nothing saying that they have to answer if they don't want to-- the rest of us who don't mind'll take care of them. :)

[John Bridge]

Also, we've found there ARE a lot of people who lurk around and get their information that way. You'll always see more people on the site than who are actually participating. We've been hosting on average 50 to 60 visitors at a time. Only a fraction of them post questions and only about a third are registered users. We'll host hundreds of visitors in a 24-hour period. Answering the same questions frequently makes sense when you think of it in those terms. :)

[Bugman]

Hi Dan, Kathy, All . . . :)
Our search sucks; we know it, but we don't have the time nor the funds to have someone come in and rework it. It is sophisticated enough; it's just a matter of not having the time and resources. Our systems guy, Dave M., is fully occupied just keeping the forum machinery oiled and running. :)


This is the only compaint I have with this forum. I've had a devil of a time trying to come up with information I know I have seen not too many days before. Sometimes I luck out and other times I simply end up asking the question again.

I really appreciate the willingness all of you have to repeatedly answer some of the same questions. Of course, I think some of you are hooked on the forum, just like I am. :yeah:

[davem]

The vBulletin folks were working on better search software when I last checked (a while ago). When I get some time I'll peek in on them and see if they have it done. :)

[tileguytodd]

Dealing with folks one on one (or 4 on 1 if we gang up on you;) ) has always been the best part about this site.Sure, we answer the same questions over and over.We also get unique situations.After a month or 2 of alot of repitition the guys(myself included) will step back for a little break and others take up the slack.after a little break from the advice forum,we are good to go for another few months.
The most frustrating thing to deal with is a visitor who wants desperatly to have somebody,(anybody) tell them that the shortcut they want to take will work.They jump from one board to the next to the next etc until they finally get someone less knowledgable or another DIY er to tell them sure go ahead.
Sadly we see this all too often.
DIYers are not the only ones who benefit from this site either.As a pro i have found this site to be very helpful and we have helped many young tilesetters get started along the right path.
Many heads are beter than few(or 1) and the combined tile knowledge here is astounding.I learn something ecery week if not every day.

Ive been hangin with this crowd for well over 2 years and think the folks we get here are the best,both Pro's and DIY ers alike.I would thank everyone of them personally right here but the list is far too long.You all know who you are though so consider yourselves the recipints of a sincere Thank You.
Addicted?? cant vouch for anyone other than myself, but yes I AM!! :D