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I've lurked on these boards a while and had a previous ID before that. This place is often a great resource.
But when a thread like this one appears some in the community stop being helpful and start making people feel like an outsider. In the thread I've referred to, a poster asked how you pronounce "Drow". Big deal. So the topic has come up a few times. Personally, I don't care how it's pronounced. But a member of this community felt it necessary to ask and I think he or she is entitled to answers of those who wish to respond.
If a new poster comes here and begins a thread like "Rangers are underpowered" or "The Magic system needs overhauling" they should be allowed to without being made to feel like they've broken some cardinal rule. It might be this person's first post or first time they ever began a thread. And even tho most of us might have participated or viewed a similar discussion 5, 10, or 100 times, don't we owe it to the person who may never have? They could be brand-new to RPGs and somehow located this site and their first real taste of ENWorld is a bunch of people saying "Oh no. not this again."
Before I typed this, there were 67 posts in the aforementioned thread. I count over 10 that basically say "Oh no. not this again." How is that helping anyone except to say, "Hey I've been here longer than you." So big deal - your gold star is in the mail.
Honestly, I'm not trying to start a problem. Just trying to show that we all can be more forgiving of new members. If a post has been done to death and you've said all you wanted to about the subject then don't post to it. Let those who haven't get their chance.
What's that phrase??? "Nothing new under the sun." It could be argued that every thread has been done before or something similiar.
Am I off base in feeling this way???
Last edited by Album Cover X; 31st May 2004 at 03:27 AM..
You're right -- in my opinion, the people who have seen a topic before should either point folks to a thread where an enlightening answer can be found, or participate in a positive manner, or else they should just butt out. "We've seen this before" isn't helpful to anyone.
If "search" were available to all I think we might be able to reasonably expect folks to do a smidge of research before asking a possibly common question, but since only community supporters have that privelege, it's inevitable that many of the same questions will get repeated over time.
I agree - it's not a nice way to greet someone new. Just because someone has seen a similar thread before doesn't mean that everyone has.
A good rule of thumb is this: if you see a thread which covers things you've been through before, and you have no interest in going through it again, then just ignore the thread. Going out of your way just to post "Oh no, not again" is pretty rude.
There will always be plenty of people who haven't had that particular discussion before, and who may well enjoy having it. Let them.
I forgot to address the "why" part of the question -- my theory is that some people would rather look "clever" than be "nice"; it's the geek's curse! Telling the world how worn out a topic is shows the world that the poster has been around a long time, I guess, and that somehow earns him some bragging rights.
I agree. It seems pointless and people seem to foget that just becasue I may have seen the thread a hundred times before does not mean that other people have as well. I see a lot of threads come by again and again. Sometimes I help when I can but othertime I just ignoire it becasue I do tire of some topics.
But I always love the Ranger got the Shaft threads!!
If a new poster comes here and begins a thread like "Rangers are underpowered" or "The Magic system needs overhauling" they should be allowed to without being made to feel like they've broken some cardinal rule.
I totally agree with you man.You'll notice I didn't post to that thread because three times is my limit. I figure--unless the topic is near and dear to my heart--After three times I just let the new blood decide for themselves whether a "Paladin can kill a baby orc" or whatever.
Quote:
It might be this person's first post or first time they ever began a thread. And even tho most of us might have participated or viewed a similar discussion 5, 10, or 100 times, don't we owe it to the person who may never have?
In my opinion, yes we do.
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They could be brand-new to RPGs and somehow located this site and their first real taste of ENWorld is a bunch of people saying "Oh no. not this again."
So big deal - your gold star is in the mail.
Whoa! free gold star!
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Honestly, I'm not trying to start a problem. Just trying to show that we all can be more forgiving of new members... Am I off base in feeling this way???
Nope, sounds like you have your head screwed on allright to me.
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Last edited by Teflon Billy; 31st May 2004 at 07:47 PM..
This is one that bugs me as well. If you are tired of seeing the thread topic, don't read and don't post. No big deal. You don't need to try to belittle the person for asking.
Hey Russ, maybe it would be a good reminder of etiquette in the Rules?
nah, you're not off base, and to be honest this kind of 'tude is one of the reasons I mostly lurk around here instead of posting much.
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I left an on-line community that was VERY near and dear to me because of rude behaviour being launched towards anyone who dared to ask a simple question that had been asked before.
rec.arts.bodyart became a refuge for old r.a.b.bits and curmudgeons who would rather flame newbies than be helpful.
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I've found that because I'm not interested in going over the same topics again and again, my rate of posting has decreased somewhat. But then, that's to be expected.
As hong says, when 4e gets released (whenever that may be, and I hope it's a good long way away) then we'll all have a new bunch of things to argue over.
I'm glad to see that "Monks are rubbish" threads seemed to have died off somewhat.
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In the thread I've referred to, a poster asked how you pronounce "Drow". Big deal. So the topic has come up a few times.
I agree, totally, but in the defense of ENworlders everywhere this type of replies happens very rarely compared to other boards. Honestly, I’ve been a member on one board where mention certain topics, from a game, where not open for debate and the moderators would close the thread.
If you want to see how this works I’ll drop a link and the subject line and you can watch the “fun” begin.
This board is one of the friendliest you will honestly ever find.
Last edited by Brother Shatterstone; 3rd June 2004 at 10:25 PM..
If a question has been asked and answered many, many times, it's generally possible to learn this through a search.
Obviously this principle doesn't apply as well to EN World, where searches are restricted to members, but on many boards people will show up and ask questions they could easily have answered with a quick scan. Complaining that the question has shown up before makes the person aware of this and rebukes them for not checking first.
Telling the world how worn out a topic is shows the world that the poster has been around a long time, I guess, and that somehow earns him some bragging rights.
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