Controversial Topic #3: Replies to "Newbs"

Originally Posted by Roy Munson

, there will always be those whose skills won't be enough. It's just too bad. It sucks that I can't participate in an Iron-Man competition either, but I just don't have what it takes.

Nor me, in modeling!

And all this time I thought I was a super-model!

I think this is a related sub-topic. Sorry if it's not. I LOVE that people here ask others to to use proper grammar and spelling and to avoid overusing those inscrutable internet acronymns.
I appreciate that here, people hold up a standard of written communication and ask people to meet that standard. In general, that doesn't happen much anymore and I think people really suffer because of it. I like that people here are intelligent, thoughtful, and articulate and that they expect others to at least attempt to be thoughtful and articulate.

I will grant that it isn't always communicated in a nice way, but it certainly makes reading posts a lot easier when people actually try to make them make sense! And lots of people wouldn't bother with spellcheck if the culture on this site didn't value grammar so highly and make it known.

I agree and I also hate no punctuation and no caps. I know everyone can't wear a sign with thier abilities, just remarking to the question and agree it is a sub-topic. susan

Dean, would you just get out of here with these controversial topics ? Shaking the foundations of this great forum

I guess my opinion depends on whether you're referring to 1) how members reply to newbs or 2) how newbs respond to given advice.

I think in large part members do a great job of responding to new members. I can vaguely remember a period awhile back where there were a lot of "use the search function" responses to new member's questions. For the most part, I don't see that happening too much anymore. Plus, I think you can see a trend of more senior members 'retiring' from answering basic husbandry/health issues and other members who haven't been here quite as long (but have enough experience) take their places. Of course, you always have those experts who ask the question one day and turn around and are giving advice to someone else about the very same thing the next day.
The other big thing is the tone of new member's posts. I feel like the tone (grammar, spelling, maturity, etc...) of a post directly relates to how member's do or don't respond. Anyone who takes the time to put together a coherent question about a serious matter gets serious replies. Newbs who can't be bothered to 'speak' maturely sometimes aren't received as well.

If I see a thread from a newb that says "OMG!!! HELP!!! PLEEZ!!! sanke is sik" There's close to zero chance that I'm going to open it.


I can understand why some members turn to posting and give up on searching. Somethings just aren't easy to find through searching. This can be especially true when you're new and don't have the slightest clue what keywords to use. This, of course, doesn't apply to: Temps, Humidity, Water, Lighting...etc


I don't see how a "how to post on cs.com" sticky would do any good. It's a good idea in theory, but unless that is the first, and only, page a new member is greeted by, and they can't proceed until they have read the entire thing, I don't see how it would completely alleviate the re-hashing of old discussions and questions. We've got the FAQ's at the top of each forum,and while I appreciate Joe's efforts, (I've even used the FAQ's on more than one occasion) but how many times do questions still get asked about things covered in the FAQ's? People just don't take the time to read the stickies. I've seen it on more than one forum. They want to jump into the mix and interact, which I can't hold against them. Most of them are just eager to get established.



Now, if we're talking about how newbs respond to the advice given to them, it's really a case by case thing. Some people take the advice and implement it to a "T". Other people are only looking for an answer that satisfies them. Well, that's not what asking for advice is about. Is it? I think these are the people who frustrate members who try to offer support/help. When someone asks for help, you supply it to the best of your ability, and 2 minutes later they are starting a new thread dedicated to the same subject...it sort of turns you off to the idea of continuing to help other members who ask for help.


I've kind of lost my train of thought...so I'll stop there.

These are fun little things to read. It certainly breaks the monotony and drivel that I've encountered on the forum the past month or two.

Originally Posted by Joker

My opinion of the questions is the same as topic #2. Depends on their willingness to listen.

Originally Posted by Zwyatt

The other big thing is the tone of new member's posts. I feel like the tone (grammar, spelling, maturity, etc...) of a post directly relates to how member's do or don't respond. Anyone who takes the time to put together a coherent question about a serious matter gets serious replies. Newbs who can't be bothered to 'speak' maturely sometimes aren't received as well.

Agreed. My willingness to help them with questions depends on my perception of them with their posting style. If they can't take the time to ask questions in a reasonable manner, then I'm not going to take the time to help them. It may be rude, but they're going to have to learn sometime. And telling them in a friendly manner that their posting style (lack thereof) carries such weight is usually not well received. Some younger members just don't see the correlation. This is not a chat board, this is a discussion board. If you can't discuss so other people can help, that's your problem.

I am so fed up with a few new people and the "hlp my sankes m8'd, there bro and sis and 2 young and i didnt think they wuld do it, help!!1" questions I could spit. So frankly I've just avoided opening them if I can help it. Like someone else said on Topic #2, I wanted to tell that person to just flush the eggs. If you're that dumb to ignore the advice you were given last year on cohabitation of snakes and this happens, you don't deserve to allow those eggs to hatch.

Originally Posted by Samsung

WOW, I am a newbie. I have asked at least one silly question (0.0.0) and got rather slammed for it.

It was me who said in a friendly exasperated post about the question you asked "needing to be in a sticky", you were not slammed. I also believe I apologized if I came off as rude, because it was not and still is not my intention. People need to learn to read things from a more open perspective, rather than perceiving things as a personal attack. But in the end that thread did spark off a good discussion in the end.

Originally Posted by Shed'n

find it easy to see things from the point of view of someone new to the hobby that might not know how to search, asks a commonly asked question wanting to learn something and receives these 'jeez why isn't there a sticky about this?' or 'just do a search' kind of response.

I agree the same old questions can be a drag but today's newbie is hopefully tomorrow's knowledgeable person that can take up the torch and pass what he has learned on to others.

I agree to a certain degree. But where is this hobby going to be when we have 20 year olds who can't take the initiative and responsibility to research their own pets? I despise laziness in general, but when people blatantly state they're too lazy to research properly, then I'm going to be 'lazy' and not teach it to you.

I love learning about animals I have, new and old. Even now as I plunge into a new hobby of keeping tarantulas I am constantly reading and participating on a forum utilizing the search and the myriad of posts they have set aside for new members to find easily.

Originally Posted by Shed'n

Maybe there should be a tutorial 'how to post on CS' kind of etiquette thread when you first join informing you of the search function etc... just a thought.

I guess that's the one benefit of having moderators. People who are out in the action every day and know the types of things that would be well suited to being set aside in an easy to find location for the newer people to read. Here, you have to literally dig for the most basic and practical information if you were inclined to look for it yourself. So in a way I feel cornsnakes.com has shot themselves in the foot. Rich doesn't participate much and really isn't "in the loop" so to speak, so we kind of run things by ourselves much of the time.

The search button is not hard to find, and its not hard to use. The FAQ's need to be revamped and put in a place where they are easily accessible and seen.

I'll bet 90% of the people don't pay attention to the Stickies, myself included, because they don't normally catch my eye. So having the Feeding FAQ at the top of the Feeding section doesn't really help much.

I've found that most of the newer people congregate near the top of the forum, which is where most of the pertinent information should be placed. Like a "New Members Section" with subforums for FAQs, Rules, trouble shooting, comments/suggestions, etc. I guess what I am trying to say is that a little re-organizing of CS.com may help newer people find the information they need easily and with less chance of being snarked at for asking the 'zillionth question a millionth' time.

To sum up...a few reflections, observations, and wishes:

- I would like to see new members take as much interest and responsibility into their new hobby just as I did.

- Laziness doesn't get you anywhere.

- When older members give advice, please listen to it and consider it, don't just scoff at it because its not what you wanted to hear.

- Don't be afraid of asking questions, we all started somewhere at some point. Just try to make your posts as legible as possible. If you type like a 10 year old Mongolian, you're going to get treated like one.

- The Search button doesn't bite or pass on a disease. Trust me, I've used it lots and I'm still here to tell the tale.

In closing...there are a few good new members out there right now, I just wish there were more like them. You guys make it a pleasure to help new people with the same passion that has enraptured myself for a few years now.

"The other big thing is the tone of new member's posts. I feel like the tone (grammar, spelling, maturity, etc...) of a post directly relates to how member's do or don't respond. Anyone who takes the time to put together a coherent question about a serious matter gets serious replies. Newbs who can't be bothered to 'speak' maturely sometimes aren't received as well.

If I see a thread from a newb that says "OMG!!! HELP!!! PLEEZ!!! sanke is sik" There's close to zero chance that I'm going to open it." --Zwyatt


EXACTLY! I sometimes answer basic questions, depending on the season and whether I am in the mood or not. Actually, I find hanging out here and sometimes answering questions to be kind of a stress reducing aid during my busy season.

BUT - I am much more likely to answer if the question is readable. Anyone can make a mistake here and there, but I am not going to wade through really bad English just to spend my time to answer. (I will make an exception for those who are using English as a second language). There are plenty of questions, so why should I have to work so hard just to help out? And if the person posting seems to think it is too much trouble to use a spell check or to at least look at the posts on the same page from the last day or two for duplication, then I have to assume that they value their time much more than they value mine. That is not a great incentive to spend time and effort answering a post!

I guess it all goes to what Zwyatt said about the tone of the question. If it seems like the newbie has put a little effort into the post or finding the answer, I am more than happy to help. But if it sounds like they feel their time is too valuable to waste, but mine isn't, then I am likely to ignore them.

Seems like basic human nature to me.

Originally Posted by kathylove

And if the person posting seems to think it is too much trouble to use a spell check or to at least look at the posts on the same page from the last day or two for duplication, then I have to assume that they value their time much more than they value mine. That is not a great incentive to spend time and effort answering a post!

I guess it all goes to what Zwyatt said about the tone of the question. If it seems like the newbie has put a little effort into the post or finding the answer, I am more than happy to help. But if it sounds like they feel their time is too valuable to waste, but mine isn't, then I am likely to ignore them.

I did not really address this in my first post and I am glad someone like Kathy Love was able to perfectly capture it because I feel the exact same way.

Kudos to you Kathy, that was a really good post.

Hands up in air ready to I don't get the FAQ section.

We've got the FAQ's at the top of each forum,and while I appreciate Joe's efforts, (I've even used the FAQ's on more than one occasion) but how many times do questions still get asked about things covered in the FAQ's?

I really want to learn my way around this forum, to learn. What it is and, how do you use it? I'm being serious, not trying to hyjack thread. How do I use FAQ section???
And Taceas

Originally Posted by Samsung
WOW, I am a newbie. I have asked at least one silly question (0.0.0) and got rather slammed for it.

It's Susang, but Samsung would be OK too I'ld be rich. LOL susan

Originally Posted by susang

Hands up in air ready to I don't get the FAQ section.

I really want to learn my way around this forum, to learn. What it is and, how do you use it? I'm being serious, not trying to hyjack thread. How do I use FAQ section???

There's not much to get. HONEST. The FAQ's are just there to help with basic questions in each section of the forum. These are the questions that get asked over and over. For that reason they've been deemed "Frequently Asked".

There's no special way to "use" them. Think of them as a sort of search function. If you have a question that you're seeking an answer to, first do a search. If that doesn't yield anything, then head to the FAQ's.

Each sub-forum: Husbandry, Health Issues, etc... has the FAQ's stickied at the top of the page. So when you click on the Husbandry sub-forum from the cornsnakes.com main page, the FAQ thread will always be there right at the top. Just scroll through it and see if you're question has already been answered.

If you didn't find it with a search and it's not in the FAQ's, then it should be safe to start your own new thread to ask...BUT if you're still worried about being flamed just do what I always do/did and preface all new threads with the standard
"I did a search on this and couldn't find anything "

hi ppl teel me wut color my sanke is plz???///

well it looks lik an anery but could be a oketee or a crimson i cant tell the picutres bad but o my goshness i love it1!!111one