Mike C

I agree, and this is where the main strength of the research section could be. I'd never post a question here such as "Why is the sky blue" because I have google, plus encyclopaedias (yes, I still use paper books for reference too; my most prized posession is a set of 1950's encyclopaedias, which are woefully out of date, but give an interesting perspective that can spark story ideas) for that.

However, I would ask something like "How would you feel if you caught me in bed with your mother" because that needs personal opinion and feelings, which people have here in abundance.

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Joe Moore

I compiled a list of useful research links for a recent SleuthFest technology panel. They include a few little known Google search tips. The link is: http://joe-moore.com/research/

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red lantern

There are countless research sources out there that we as writers and aspirant writers can explotit, both paper and electronic. I feel that this forum is a bonus source that can be used to seek opinions or advice from people with specific experiences or knowledge. I always try to google or stumble (stumble.com) before I ask here , doing this has let me find countless other sources (I love wikpedia) and allows me to maintain the facade of average wisdom instead of appearing as the the blundering manually inept dolt I can sometimes be.

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Selorian

The forum is titled 'Research", not 'Do the Work For Me', which is exactly what most posts that get a 'Google it' as a reply seem to be wanting done.

I answered a research question yesterday that at the bottom the poster included 'and don't tell me to google it'. I answered the question, then just for the hell of it googled it myself. You know where the info turned up? The very first search result at the top of the page. The information was neither confusing nor misleading and it said the exact same thing that I had just answered. That screams 'I didn't Google it, I just wanted someone else to do it for me".

Information is at our fingertips in todays world, yet we still have people who would rather ask someone else to put in the effort doing something rather than them doing it themselves. Doing all the work for them isn't doing them any favors, as they won't always have someone else around to figure out such simple things so they won't have to. I think forcing them to do it themselves is not only the right thing to do, but also a very mature thing to do.

That said, I would, however, be more than happy to delve into any subject that needs a personal opinion rather than a simple straight forward answer. Like Mike C. stated, that is where the main strength of the Research section could be. And the same applies to the 'Areas of Expertise' thread. That type of information can't be easily found using Google or any other search engine and is the type of thing I am more than willing to share with those who ask.

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WritingForum

Hold up, I just Googled it and it turns out that telling people to Google it is a good idea.

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Mike C

I just googled "tell people to google it".

Only 9 results - and all forums, threads spookily like this one. It was a deja vu moment, like I'd just taken a peek into an alternate universe.

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Mallignamius

I don't challenge that people will post questions that are easier to get by googling. That's going to happen more often than not, I think. And we don't seem to be in disagreement, really. Force them to do it themselves. Sure. Absolutely. I'll bet they are lying through their teeth when they write that they googled it.

But again, I have to say that ignoring those questions is much politer. Mostly because, and I've had it happen to me already, it sets a bad example and becomes a de facto response among those with an attitude.

Sigh. I guess I'll follow my own advice by ignoring those who respond with "Google it."

PS: Google is my home page. Loads fast.

Rob

You can tell people to Google it politely. And besides, ignoring them and telling them to Google it are not equivalent.

Cheers,
Rob

Selorian

Rob, what are you thinking?

Of course it's more polite to ignore a person and their questions than it is to give them an actual bit of advice that could be useful more than once. Having a post go unanswered and being ignored by the community is way better than getting 'Google it' as a reply.

* end sarcasm *

Good for you. That was my entire point. It is just as easy for you to ignore unwanted replies as it is for us to put up with questions easily answered with a simple search. Telling us to quit is as rude as what you claim the 'Google it' replies are when we are actually answering a question with a simple solution a person can use time after time when they have research or a question needing answered. After they try it, and if they still need help, then I doubt anyone here would have a problem helping with it.

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Beardedtroll

Just for fun, I googled that question. Here's a representative set of quotes from the found pages:

"Because you will be living on your bed, your comforter needs to be washable."

"but trust me your lifestyle does not determine if you have acne or not."

"Until you prove to me that you can go one week without wetting the bed you will wear diapers every night."

"It made me feel great. I must have bowed about two hundred times."

"You had better go to bed now, and to-morrow give me your decision."

"You caught me. I was just picking you some flowers."


Did any of those answer your question?

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valeca

Beardedtroll, that was the point of Mike's example. He said he would ask that type of opinion-based question rather than something fact-based like, "Why is the sky blue?" The opinion-based ones are the type best suited for the Research Forum. Fact-finding questions gets you a 'google it'.

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Mike C

Hmm... too close to the truth for comfort. That's what your mother said.

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Mallignamius

As for the point you give in the sarcasm, I already explained why it's better to ignore them.

After they try it, and if they still need help, then I doubt anyone here would have a problem helping with it.
-Sans my experience here? It was especially because of the response I got to my posted question that prompted my position on this matter. That's why I'm saying, "Please stop telling people to Google it." If I had observed more politeness, then I might have conceded on this. That didn't happen, thus my request to the community here.

Selorian

Except for the last few lines, the initial reply you got was a helpful one. Sadly, seeing the list of things and the way it was presented, I would have to agree with what lin said. Never once in your original post did you mention the fact you had already tried Google for the answers. And each one of the questions are the exact type you would expect to easily find in a search.

You haven't even been a member for a month. If you were to take the time to look at the number of questions asked that are simple to answer with a search, maybe you could understand why so many times the initial reply is 'Google it'.

If you had gotten no responses at all to your questions, would you feel any better by that than the way you feel with the reply you did get?

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Mallignamius

"Never once in your original post did you mention the fact you had already tried Google for the answers."
I guess I should have put it in bold. I'll do that from now on.

I haven't been a member for a month. But I've been lurking for more than a few.