How to Teach Yourself, Using the Internet.

[fibinotchi]

I can't help but notice that many people have asked questions that they could easily find themselves on the internet. The saying goes something like, if you give a man a fish, he will not go hungry today, if you teach him to fish, he will never go hungry. I think learning to teach ourselves is valuable and people shouldn't always rely on others to do their homework. I thought I would set up a post with the steps a person could take before posting a thread on a forum.
Step 1- Go to a search engine (i.e. Google, Yahoo) and type the exact question you have in as few words as you can. Read the info for the top 10 or 20 results to see if they will actually answer your question. If they don't...
Step 2- Search for a forum that discusses the topic your interested in(i.e. Saltwaterfish.com message board) by typing forum, questions, answers..... after your topic. When you find the forum....
Step 3- locate the search tab somewhere on the forum home page and type in the topic that you have questions about, search 2 or 3 pages of results. Try typing the question in different ways, or just use key words that you have a question about. If you still can not find the answer to your question...
Step 4- Start a thread in the appropriate section of the forum for your question (i.e. what is this in my tank, under hitchhiker I.D. section)
I hope this has helped and not offended anyone because being a smart$%# wasn't my intention. It wasn't that long ago that I was unable to teach myself and relied on someone else to do my homework. I just wanted to pass this information on.

 

[florida joe]

Great great idea (although it does seem vagley familiar ). Now If you add to the list. Get a good book or go to the library for added research you may just be on to something

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3229478
Great great idea (although it does seem vagley familiar ). Now If you add to the list. Get a good book or go to the library for added research you may just be on to something
I actually do not recommend going to the library to get books. In my experience the books are outdated and the quality of the information is usually contradictory to what a new book can give you.
This hobby changes so quickly!
I would definitely recommend getting a new book but not all books are created equally.

 

[lovecoldair]

OK,
So Im new here and to the salt fish arena. I have asked a lot of questions and recieved alot of help, rather quickly. I have read books and online myself with the so called search engine, and i found this site. The Hedline for this are is New Hobbyist. I though that was me and people like me. So I guess ill leave this site< go read books and use goggle more. That way i dont offend people that already know everything.
Thanks to the people that did help in when i had questions and sorry to have bothered the others that already know everything

 

[srfisher17]

A decent library can usually get any book in print on an inter-library loan. You just need to do some research on the books you want and the edition date. I really prefer to borrow a book before I decide I need to buy it, they're not cheap. ( Amazon, used , is also a good source, if you know what you want) This site has several threads that suggest good reading, search for them!

 

[fibinotchi]

Originally Posted by lovecoldair
http:///forum/post/3229491
OK,
So Im new here and to the salt fish arena. I have asked a lot of questions and recieved alot of help, rather quickly. I have read books and online myself with the so called search engine, and i found this site. The Hedline for this are is New Hobbyist. I though that was me and people like me. So I guess ill leave this site< go read books and use goggle more. That way i dont offend people that already know everything.
Thanks to the people that did help in when i had questions and sorry to have bothered the others that already know everything
No one said you didn't ask legitimate questions, I was not picking on any one individual, just giving some advice I thought could be helpful. If you don't like it, don't use it, it makes no difference to me. If it helps you, great, that was my intention. And no one is offended by people asking questions.

 

[pezenfuego]

Originally Posted by lovecoldair
http:///forum/post/3229491
OK,
So Im new here and to the salt fish arena. I have asked a lot of questions and recieved alot of help, rather quickly. I have read books and online myself with the so called search engine, and i found this site. The Hedline for this are is New Hobbyist. I though that was me and people like me. So I guess ill leave this site< go read books and use goggle more. That way i dont offend people that already know everything.
Thanks to the people that did help in when i had questions and sorry to have bothered the others that already know everything
I don't mind answering questions one hundred times over. The questions you have presented so far are fairly unique and hard to search for. Continue to ask questions on here as you see fit. If people don't want to answer them, then that's their problem, not yours. Nobody knows everything about this hobby. That's impossible. The notion that everything can be found by googling it is complete bull spit in my opinion. Besides, there is no better source for information than experienced hobbyists that are experiencing the hobby at the exact moment that you ask your question. Take Joe for example. I would take his experience-based advice over a book or the internet any day simply due to the fact that he isn't outdated and he has a lot of experience.
Stick with us! Just research on your own and when in doubt, type it out...but in the form of a question...on the forum.

 

[florida joe]

I don’t think the op was saying DON’T ask questions. I think he was presenting a route that can be taken by a hobbyist with a question where they do not have to wait for responses. They will most likely find that all the pros and cons have been addressed already and can make an appropriate decision based on numerous posts

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by lovecoldair
http:///forum/post/3229491
OK,
So Im new here and to the salt fish arena. I have asked a lot of questions and recieved alot of help, rather quickly. I have read books and online myself with the so called search engine, and i found this site. The Hedline for this are is New Hobbyist. I though that was me and people like me. So I guess ill leave this site< go read books and use goggle more. That way i dont offend people that already know everything.
Thanks to the people that did help in when i had questions and sorry to have bothered the others that already know everything
I don’t think the op was saying DON’T ask questions. I think he was presenting a route that can be taken by a hobbyist with a question where they do not have to wait for responses. They will most likely find that all the pros and cons have been addressed already and can make an appropriate decision based on numerous posts

 

[spanko]

Thin skinned noobs.

 

[jstdv8]

Lol, when I first read the original post I thought joe had a new screen name.
I don't understand why some are so peristant in guiding others away from using the forums as a place to get info.
If you don't want to answer the questions posted by newbies then don't answer.
The more fresh posts there are, the more info there is to search for if you want. The higher up the website rankings this site gets driving more people to come here and participate. It seems to benefit everyone that the same questions get answered over and over.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by lovecoldair
http:///forum/post/3229491
OK,
So Im new here and to the salt fish arena. I have asked a lot of questions and recieved alot of help, rather quickly. I have read books and online myself with the so called search engine, and i found this site. The Hedline for this are is New Hobbyist. I though that was me and people like me. So I guess ill leave this site< go read books and use goggle more. That way i dont offend people that already know everything.
Thanks to the people that did help in when i had questions and sorry to have bothered the others that already know everything
One of the first things I learned about this great forum (and, I assume, forums in general) is that every post is the opinion of an individual. Individuals all have different personalities and I doubt that anyone would bother posting a reply unless he/ she thought it useful. Or maybe, just fun. thank God most of us still have a sense of humor. Anyone who is offended by your questions or anyone who can't handle a little criticism or sarcasm, needs a thicker skin---IMO.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3229478
Great great idea (although it does seem vagley familiar ). Now If you add to the list. Get a good book or go to the library for added research you may just be on to something
As soon as I saw the title of this thread on the menu; I knew Joe would be the first to reply, and rightfully so. This topic is his baby!

 

[fibinotchi]

This was not about my own "pet peave" so to say, or about me being bothered, it was more helping people help themselves, and helping the person who posts a thread asking why "live rock" is called "live rock" or "what is aptasia" ,save a little face. The information is usually still on the forum, and the web site still gets its hits, but the guy who asked a legit question yesterday, or the day before, didn't get his post moved back 3 pages due to the other posts that may not have needed to have been there. I am leaving that to the poster to decide if his post belongs on the thread or not, I am just suggesting some steps to be taken before that decision is made.

 

[florida joe]

Thin skinned noobs
Yes I am one
It seems to benefit everyone that the same questions get answered over and over
Not to self .pm all redundant questions to Jstdv8

One of my fears about an entry level hobbyist not doing research is simply this. There are many good willed people on the board that in fact post wrong information. Some of it detrimental to the entire tank system and its inhabitants I worry many of our new members will take the first post they see as gospel and run with it and this friends is not a good idea

 

[u mike]

To the person who posted this.
I for one am very happy that there are people out there to answer any & all questions that we who do not have all the smarts about fish & rock & lights & so on to answer for us. I for one just wanted a fish tank, then you get the urge to move forward add something then something else,BAM something just went wrong.Now what to do? Rely on someone.There are plenty of good people on this site. you just need to remember not everyone reads all sites all the time. check back one or twice, move to another section.Use your head put all the advice together then move on it.

 

[fibinotchi]

any translaters here? I think you missed the point of this post.

 

[fibinotchi]

"Smarts" is not something you are born with, people who know about this stuff, learned about it by reading and researching, and yes, by asking fellow enthusiasts. I am just suggesting a course of action, take it or don't, like it or don't.

 

[xcali1985]

I do think that people are researching more, there is a lot less topics per day here in this section then their was last May when I started. That or less people starting.

 

[mrdc]

At first I thought the OP was being a smartbutt but I see what he saying. He is NOT saying to not post your questions but instead is giving A process to how to get the best results for your answer. Of course, his process isn't going to work for every question but it's a good place to start. Here is my approach:
Books
Internet: will take me to fish sites, forums, ...
Saltwaterfish.com (pose my first question)
Wait for responses
Follow up with books and internet again
Post another question if I have one
Compile all the info and hopefully make the right decision.
At least that is my approach.