It's good to talk ... isn't it?

[Chris T]

Right, this thread in response to a recent spate of postings in the general vein of 'Google is your friend'.

Yes, I know Gooooooooogle very often finds you something approximating an answer to any question you could ask, but isn't it nicer and more natural to want to ask your friends for help, or to find out what they think?

Should people be expected to Google for the answer to anything before, say, posting their need here at CF, or is the chance of a conversation and an interesting exchange of views sufficient reason in itself to just post away and see what other people think?

Your opinions, please. And no suggesting I go Gooogling for them.

[Jon M]

Personally, I'd say yes they should google first.
Because that (googling), is what the "friend" will most likely have to do to answer your question unless they know the answer off the top of their head.. therefore in effect doing the work for you.

I'd ask a knowledgable friend if I'd used the normal options and come up blank.

See the etiquette guide in my signature for more reasons why this is the case.

Obviously, if a question was posed in a way that invited discussion or encouraged debate.. then the scenario would be very different.

*EDIT
Also, I find it hard to make the comparison between "talking" and typing a forum post. For me at least it takes far more time and effort to do the latter.
If it's my time and effort that might be needlessly wasted (yes, I know a lot of my posting might be that but you get the point) then I'm not so inclined to take the more long winded route.

[TheBlueRaja]

How about a its good to talk but google should be checked first option.

[Bifta]

There is absolutely no harm in checking Google to see if it answers your question first instead of wasting other members time.

[punky]

To save reposting...

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...&postcount=313

[Russ B]

Often I'd rather leave someone ask something here that doing a google as it encourages people to discuss things and this is a discussion forum

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Russ D

Often I'd rather leave someone ask something here that doing a google as it encourages people to discuss things and this is a discussion forum

Exactly... Was gonna say it but you beat me to it Russ.

[Paul]

Google first, check it through the forum etc if any doubt still lingers and that way someone else may come up with a viable easier/ different alrternative solution.
If you get into the habit of just asking others for the answer then you run the risk of never learning to solve problems yourself.

[Jon M]

Imagine we were in a pub, and someone asked one of the sort of questions we tend to get on here....

Bloke1: hi guys, do you know what size cam belt my car takes?
Group: don't you have a manual?
Bloke1: yeah, but I couldn't be bothered to read it
Group: buy us a round and we'll have a look

In that hypothetical situation... there may have been someone that knew the answer, there may have been people that wanted to help without any sort of reward... but "bloke1" shot himself in the foot, because he just made himself look lazy and no-one responds well to that.

[MadGamer]

I find Google helpful but i sometimes need help on here for a better explanation. Whenever i type something into Google it doesnt always display the results i want, so thats when i come here.

[Jon M]

As Punky points out... stupid questions are annoying, but what is a stupid question.. its subjective.
Google should be used when the question posed is not condusive to discussion... compare these two for example:

• Hi, how do I turn active desktop off?
• Hi, active desktop is playing up, I can't get my webpage to display properly.. do any of you use a webpage on your desktop?

One of those questions is a candidate for google.. the other is more suited to a forum.. i'll leave it to you to sort out which is which.

[Paul M]

Google first, and then check the answer you get on the forum. The fact that google finds something doesn't make it correct.

[Salu]

Anyone ever find themselves just about to ask a friend in the pub, a question and then momentarily pausing to try and find their keyboard....too much forum, if so...

[punky]

Originally Posted by s1lv3r

As Punky points out... stupid questions are annoying, but what is a stupid question.. its subjective.

Well stupid in that quote wasn't the best word to use, but that's how the graphic was made (I didn't to it). This forum is great because it helps people with real problems, which in turn can help others, but sometimes can be a bit tiresome to keep going over the same simple things.

Although saying that, the phrase: "It is better to look stupid, than to open your mouth and remove the doubt" comes into my mind

[Chris T]

Originally Posted by Mick

Exactly... Was gonna say it but you beat me to it Russ.

Pretty much sums up what I think too, in part at least. It's ironic that sometimes, when someone posts the 'Google is your friend' line, accompanied by a link to a search, the top result is from a forum posting somewhere. (This actually happened earlier today when Wayne had a question about the Photos menu option on his iPod). But if that posting had not been made, it would not have been there for Google to find. By asking and answering questions for each other, based on our own needs and our own expertise, we contribute to the Internet instead of merely exploiting it.

The other side of it, for me, is that I enjoy conversation as a social activity. For me, simply asking a question is, sometimes, almost an end in itself, because it gets people talking and sometimes the conversation gan unfold in a way that uncovers information you never thought to ask about in the first place.