[ijusluvit]

I've said it before and I'll suggest it again.

How about a TOTV courtesy rule that members refrain from criticizing posters who write new threads about previously discussed topics.

First, this is America's Friendliest Hometown. Remember!? It's not nice to ask a question, maybe your first one, and get your doors blown off.

Second, our search engine is pretty good but it's not google. I've tried several times to find things and was not successful until I used the a precise word or words.

Now, before I wrote this, I did not go looking. We might already have this courtesy rule. Dozens of folks may have suggested it previously. But I just wanted to get it off my chest.

[tankdvr1950]

IJUSTLUVIT....you certainly have my vote...i could not agree more with your words...i remember getting my "doors blow off" by asking a searchable question when i was a "newbie"....we were all here "for the first time", once......some need to remember those days and take a more helpful approach rather than making the new TOTV'er, unwelcome

[Russ_Boston]

I hear what you are saying but for the past 12 years I've been responsible for web sites and you can't always just make new threads without pointing out that the content has a long history that can be found. For example the latest question about the $8 tee time found this thread with 118 replies: GOLFERS..what about the new 8 dollar charge?

Just by searching for "tee time fee".

Yes you can nicely inform people that it has already been discussed by giving the link (such as above). But it doesn't hurt to let them know how you found it so they can be educated about how to find info they may need on TOTV. Some newbies may not even realize that there is a Search feature.

[Talk Host]

As administrator of this forum it is my position that people may feel free to discuss topics as often as they wish. Just because it was discussed before, doesn't mean it can't be discussed again.

Can you imagine a situation where, every time, anybody, posted anything, they were expected to search first?

People feel good if they initiate a topic and others take the time to respond. They feel bad (I know I do) if I'm told that "it's already been discussed, go here and read what we already said"

There may be new information, there may be a new angle, there may be a change in the old information. I feel it would be a boring existence if, just because, somebody talks about something once, they can't talk about it again.

If a person arrives at your party later than the others and they ask a question, would you ever say to them, "that's already been talked about, you'll have to read the transcript of the conversation?"

Members (particularly new ones) are encouraged to post any topic they wish to discuss. It doesn't matter if it was discussed previously.

Additionally, the search functions on forums is woefully poor.

[starflyte1]

The other day, I posted to a year old thread. A member of TOTV wrote "for some unknown reason, Starflyte has chosen to revive a year old thread rather than open a new one." Or something like that. She added that was just her 2 cents worth, what ever that's worth. Not exact quotes, but close. It is like politics- everyone will not agree with everyone else.

I personally prefer for threads to be revived because it keeps all the posts in one group, but if a new thread is opened, I can search myself for the older ones.

[zcaveman]

The search engine on this site is not the best. I have had times when I know that I have read something and I want to find that thread and it might take six to seven searches and wading through many posts to find what I am looking for.

My personal rule on a new post that has been hashed over is to read it and skip it unless I have something to add. Badgering a poster because the post has already been discussed does no good for the poster and the others reading the post.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by starflyte1

The other day, I posted to a year old thread. A member of TOTV wrote "for some unknown reason, Starflyte has chosen to revive a year old thread rather than open a new one." Or something like that. She added that was just her 2 cents worth, what ever that's worth. Not exact quotes, but close. It is like politics- everyone will not agree with everyone else.

I personally prefer for threads to be revived because it keeps all the posts in one group, but if a new thread is opened, I can search myself for the older ones.

You just can't please everyone.

Yoda