Google google google google

[Deb London]

I think it really depends on how you suggest that they learn for themselves. It's best that people feel that they can ask further questions. Surely there must be few things that will put a newbie off asking further questions (i.e. trying to learn) than a curt reply suggesting that someone's "precious" time has been wasted.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by Deb London

I think it really depends on how you suggest that they learn for themselves. It's best that people feel that they can ask further questions. Surely there must be few things that will put a newbie off asking further questions (i.e. trying to learn) than a curt reply suggesting that someone's "precious" time has been wasted.

I wouldn't disagree with any of that.

The problem is that sometimes people take suggestions about how it might be good to try and get an ID themselves the wrong way - more often than not it is meant to encourage the poster.

...and anyone who decides to post a curt reply just because they feel that the question is a waste of their time should save themselves the time that it takes to type and post that reply!


A signature line is a little different, because most posters should be able to work out that whatever the comment says it is not specifically aimed at them.

[stevecurtis]

For me this is a fantastic site which is very well run. In the past I have labelled a fair few post I'd please not that I could not be bothered but because I was so pleased to find a web site like this that I could not wait to get started and never read the rules properly, I am crateful to be corrected.

all the best Steve

[Paul mabbott]

Agree absolutely with Roy. If someone has randomly taken a photo and just wants a label to put on it, I'm not all that inclined to help. If, however, someone has worked out that the beast they have photographed might be a member of the beetle family Cantharidae (for instance) then I'm more than happy to help with the diagnosis and put the particular species in a wider beetle context. That way, I hope, the enquirer will broaden their knowledge and perhaps study beetles in greater detail! What more could we want?

Originally Posted by RoyW

I'd have to say that I see nothing wrong with suggesting that people first try and find an answer by means other than asking (whether search engines, field guides, or something else).
This doesn't mean that they should spend 'hours' before asking for help - and it can always be useful to ask for confirmation after you think you've found an answer. If you really want to learn I think that it does help to try and at least start to find an ID yourself (as well as checking features after an ID has been given by others).


Personally I'm more likely to give more detailed explanations if it seems like a poster has at least tried to get the ID/information themselves, I think that it suggests that they are more interested in learning.