'Smart' Responses

Worksforyou wrote: »

They could have given the same helpful advice i got off others but they choose not to. That would be okay if it was just isolated to one or two threads but if you've ever searched old threads here you'll find the same smart arse attitude in many threads and usually from people with more than 1,000 posts, sometimes far more.

There's probably a few reasons. The I'm better than you and need to point it out reason. Not very common I don't think. Then the your question is incredibly vague and I'm not going to give an in depth answer without more information so I'll ask a question. Then the I won't bother asking for more information cause it should have been provided I'm just going to give you a direct "smart" answer.

I think the main reason is the same stuff is coming up over and over in these forums. If people read the stickies 90% of their questions would be answered. And if not do a quick search on the forum. The answers to a lot of these kinds of questions are easily obtainable but the poster just wants others to do the work for them. And the people with higher post counts get this way more than the casual viewers (I'm assuming anyway).

I know my grammar sucks!

Oryx wrote: »

There will always be noise along with the signal. That is life. This place isnt 'work' for those who post here and should not be held to strict standards which stifle relaxed and chatty input. It is only when the noise is seen to drown out the signal that I see fit to act. This has to be taken case by case. If we impose hard rules on what goes here we will kill the forum.

This! Happened to the poker forum unfortunately.

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

Explain how the question being referred to is a stupid question. Is it just that "stupid questions" are ones asked by those inferior plebs who aren't as knowledgeable as you?

Brian? wrote: »

How about ignoring any question that you think is stupid. Or even better, tell the poster their question is difficult to answer because it's do vague. Call me crazy but I think we can all be polite and it won't kill us.

God help some of you if this is your attitude out in the real world.

To me it's a matter of respect. If they don't have the decency to phrase a respectable question they get a smart answer. As in the you'll get better at running 3.5k, it's right and fulfills all the requirements of the question as written. If the asker wanted more then they can easily give more. If you want the location of a gym near you then provide, at the very least your location. Budget and expectations too would be pertinent. Don't be shocked when the answers are equally vague.

It's not asking much to read back your question and ask it in a way that shows a bit of effort has been made.

As mentioned, people don't comment on forums because it is their job they do it because it interests them, part of that interest is being engaged. If new users are simply going to try and treat the forum as a service to answer their banal questions then they shouldn't be shocked when the real person who answers does so with the same level of respect.

And yes I do do this in real life. In fact I'm a he'll of a lot more tolerant on forums than I am in real life. If you act like a lazy idiot around me in person then ill usually call you up on in it and I have no qualms about embarrassing or insulting you in person. There are people both in this forum and the poker forum over the road who know me well enough to attest to that, so I have no problem making that claim.

In my top 5 of things that piss me off the most are willful ignorance and laziness. So if someone is so belligerent they cannot take 2 minutes to phrase the question in a way that it can be answered to their expectations instead forcing us to draw it out in dribs and drabs over 14 posts back and forth then imho they deserve to be given smart answers. If you want straight forward and succinct answers then ask straight forward and succinct questions, we are not Google and we are not here to do your leg work. If you ask vague and open ended questions then expect similar answers. Failing that, read the stickies.

Tldr what kevpants said.