RevRico wrote: I think part of what makes it better here is that the search function is a bit sketchy.
Even a good search function*, is useless if you don't know what terms to search for to begin with, you can know what you want, but you'll be stuck until you know what it's called.
*Using google's SITE: function is a good one BTW, e.g. "turbo miata site:grassrootsmotorsports.com".
spitfirebill wrote:Huckleberry wrote: Which oil do you guys use?No, what's the best oil to use? Or How do I change my oil?
You didn't answer my question.
So, it sounds like some of you are saying the reason is simply because it gets annoying answering the same question. Sounds like business to me.
If the content of a thread gets diluted because of several similar threads, that's all the more content to sell.
When a thread gets too old or too long, it's useless. New conversations are new content to sell.
New users with new variations of the same question are new eyeballs- more exposure to sell.
"Use the berkeleying search, n00B" does nothing but drive business away.
Yes, but...
For most people, answering questions/helping out people on a forum is a voluntary contribution of their time and effort, not a business.
It's a balancing act between keeping the existing mob happy and being welcoming to new members.
SVreX wrote: So, it sounds like some of you are saying the reason is simply because it gets annoying answering the same question. Sounds like business to me. If the content of a thread gets diluted because of several similar threads, that's all the more content to sell. When a thread gets too old or too long, it's useless. New conversations are new content to sell. New users with new variations of the same question are new eyeballs- more exposure to sell. "Use the berkeleying search, n00B" does nothing but drive business away.
How much do you get paid for your contributions here? And which oil do you use?
SVreX wrote: So, it sounds like some of you are saying the reason is simply because it gets annoying answering the same question. Sounds like business to me. If the content of a thread gets diluted because of several similar threads, that's all the more content to sell. When a thread gets too old or too long, it's useless. New conversations are new content to sell. New users with new variations of the same question are new eyeballs- more exposure to sell. "Use the berkeleying search, n00B" does nothing but drive business away.
Forums filled with unanswered questions because all of the people who were knowledgeable about the subject have gone elsewhere doesn't do much for business either. It's a balancing act.
I think the requirements for a minimum number of posts in order to post in classifieds is partly about trying to keep down the amount of fraud.
dculberson wrote:z31maniac wrote: Because it clogs up sections with the same repeated info.The internet is not actually a series of tubes; you can't "clog" it with info. Unless you're a mobster in control of a botnet, I suppose. But at that point you're probably not posting to car forums.
LIES!!
BoxheadTim wrote: Yes, but... For most people, answering questions/helping out people on a forum is a voluntary contribution of their time and effort, not a business.
Easy solution: don't "contribute" to the threads that are annoying you (hypothetical "you," the people that post "search n00b" posts). People harm not only the thread in question but the entire site by making hostile and useless posts like that. The question has been posted. Replying with BS not only bumps the thread to the top and makes it look active but drives away the original poster and any people that find the thread looking for answers.
I google questions a lot and some times it feels like 99% of the matches are forum posts where the initial post was a question I had and the follow ups are all "search" and links to posts with dead images and cyclical links to threads that end up linking back to the first one, no real answers or input for years.
My favorite is 'donate or gtfo'
SVreX wrote: So, it sounds like some of you are saying the reason is simply because it gets annoying answering the same question.
They obviously don't have any grandkids.
Huckleberry wrote:spitfirebill wrote:You didn't answer my question.Huckleberry wrote: Which oil do you guys use?No, what's the best oil to use? Or How do I change my oil?
Anybody who doesn't use AMSOIL is a stupidass stupidhead.
Huckleberry wrote: How much do you get paid for your contributions here? And which oil do you use?
I am paid much more than I would if this was a "Search, n00B" place, because I wouldn't be here at all.
I generally prefer extra, extra virgin oil for most of my activities.
spitfirebill wrote:SVreX wrote: So, it sounds like some of you are saying the reason is simply because it gets annoying answering the same question.They obviously don't have any grandkids.
...or grandparents!
Grtechguy wrote: Worse case I've seen of it, is from a small suzuki forum maximum-suzuki.com Great resource for Air/Oil cooled Suzuki bikes, but the forum owner refuses to accept Gmail address for registration and classifieds require something like 150+ posts.
+1 on the frustration with the maximum-suzuki forums. They don't accept gmail OR hotmail addresses for registration, and require a massive number of posts before getting ANY access to classifieds, not just posting, but you can't even view or buy!
In addition to my runners/projects, I have several DR350 parts bikes, and most of a Bandit parts bike sitting in my shop. I have items to sell, like good condition cylinder heads, but once I'd run out of pertinent posts, I got so frustrated trying to ressurect enough zombie threads with some sort of fluff that I gave up. 
10w30
I hate so much when someone replies "10w30... but you could have learned that in ten seconds of searching, you lazy ass motherberkeleyer". Because berkeley. It took you a lot more effort to say all that than it would have to just say "10w30", or not respond at all, thus causing the op to have to search, because no one replies.
SVreX wrote: It seems a lot of websites are absolute Nazis about avoiding repeated conversations. Cries of "Use the berkeleying search function, newbie" seem to be more common than any other subject. Thankfully, GRM doesn't do that. But I am curious, Why? Why would they want to limit discussion and participation, even if it is repeated information? Isn't generating traffic part of the point? Are they not understanding how it works? Or perhaps it is me... Is there any good reason for a website to want to shut down reasonable conversation and force people to use the search function to find old (usually outdated) threads?
OMG this topic has been covered like a billion times! USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION ALREADY!!! There is a limited amount of space on the Internet and you are using it all up...WHERE WILL THE CAT VIDEOS GO?!?!?
Baby oil. Nothing but pure baby oil.
Whale oil. The Japanese are onto something.
Each forum has its own culture. In some cases that is a good thing. In other cases it is not.
I used to frequent a certain classic mini site. Now I not only will not spend any money with the business, but I have no interest in even visiting their forum. The mods, through mismanagement and the liberal use of double standards have driven most of the knowledgeable folks away. I used to go there to learn from them, but the business chose to pander to idiot trolls over people with actual wisdom to impart.
SVreX wrote: It seems a lot of websites are absolute Nazis about avoiding repeated conversations. Cries of "Use the berkeleying search function, newbie" seem to be more common than any other subject. Thankfully, GRM doesn't do that. But I am curious, Why? Why would they want to limit discussion and participation, even if it is repeated information? Isn't generating traffic part of the point? Are they not understanding how it works? Or perhaps it is me... Is there any good reason for a website to want to shut down reasonable conversation and force people to use the search function to find old (usually outdated) threads?
You make the assumption that forums exist to generate traffic for/as a business. I am/have been a mod and admin on a handful of forums, and none of them were tied to, or existed as a business. Most, in my experience, do not.
For us, they served the purpose of being predominantly technical, with a limited social aspect. Why? Because that's what we wanted. What we didn't want was the same stupid questions asked day in and day out. We even made up stickies with most of the common and repeated questions. We did that for you. Do us a favour, and don't be stupid and lazy. Learn how to search, and serve yourself, because your question has been asked many, many, many times before. In our particular situation, there is an alternate forum where you're encouraged to ask the most basic, obvious, and simple questions. The tech is really lousy, and mostly wrong, and they spend a lot of time arguing about stupid E36 M3, but apparently that's what some people want. If that's what you want, please use that forum, and not ours. Forums are (as has been said here many times) not a democracy. If you don't like the forum, don't use the forum.
You're right, GRM does not do that. That's one of the reasons I'm rarely here anymore. It's the same topics, the same people making the same tired arguments. Every. Single. Day.
In reply to Zomby Woof:
Nice. So, you managed to come to the forum that does not do that, and still yell "Use the berkeleying search, douchebag!"
AngryCorvair may have had a point. 
You are right, that I begin with the assumption that there is a business component to most forums. Since every one I've ever been on had advertising, I kind of doubt your suggestion that most forums do not have a business component. But I am open to the possibility.
So, if forums do not exist for a business purpose, then what is the motivation for the owners? Just to have a place where they can pontificate? What happens when the owners decide they've had enough, or move on, or die or something? Does it just whither away? Or does some other guy come along who just can't wait to spend countless hours managing something for no money at all, just so he can have a place where he can spout off about whatever E36 M3 he wants to, and tell all the n00Bs to go berkeley themselves? Doesn't really sound that enticing to me.
SVreX wrote: Doesn't really sound that enticing to me.
That's why you don't run a forum, and have no idea how it works
One forum I mod has gone through 3 owners in the last 10 years. First guy moved on to other cars, the second guy didn't play well with others, and now the third guy wants to sell it but nobody thinks it's worth any more than the hosting fees... so it just exists. Why do we do it? Because we're passionate about our hobby, and in this case, we (most of us on the forum) are very tech oriented, and want a place for that info to exist without all the foo foo BS that exist on other forums. I have gladly paid the $100/yr so there's a place for weirdos like us to do our thing. In the lat five or six years Facebook has killed a number of them, which sucks, because FB is pretty much all the bad and none of the good.
In reply to Zomby Woof:
OK, but you just contradicted yourself. You said the owner wants to sell it. THAT would be a business motivation.
And who says I don't run a forum? You are making an assumption you know nothing about.
With all due respect, moderating a forum is not running a forum. Owning one is. If the moderators are forcing the value down to nothing more than the hosting fees, the owner needs to ditch the moderators.
You know what I do when I see someone ask the same question that has been asked a million times before? I usually link them to the thread that best answers their question. Why? So if a person does search, instead of finding fifteen posts with the only answer being "search noob" they'll hopefully be able to find that information.
Screaming search noob is being a douchebag.
You'll need to log in to post.
