GonHuntin
Active Member
Lately I've noticed more and more that people are jumping into threads with posts that do not address the topic and are often completely out in left field.
I understand that topics drift, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the posts I'm talking about aren't just drifting. Someone asks a specific question about a specific subject and, almost without fail, we see responses that do not answer the question.
As a perfect example, I posted yesterday about some liquid fertilizer I bought at a fundraising auction and asked if anyone had ever used it........the first reply said "Give it to the wife to use on her flowers at home." this reply doesn't answer the question and doesn't add any useful information to the discussion. If that poster had said that he had tried it, or something like it, and it did or did not work........that would have been helpful.
Another example: I posted asking if anyone had lightly disced in broadcasted rye.......of the 12 responses, only 3 even came close to answering the question. Some told me they don't do it that way, some said to plant something else, some said to just throw it on bare dirt, one even suggested I move the plot!!!......and on and on.
This reminds me of some car building forums I read where you might see a question about a specific part for a big block chevy with responses from "big block chevys suck" to "I like mopars", to "my cousins neighbor owned a studebaker with a blown flathead" or "my ford is better than your chevy because it's painted blue, not orange"......
If I was a newbie plotter, this would be even more frustrating than it already is!
When responding to a thread, I try to answer the question that the poster asked!! I may ask questions to get a better idea of the situation so I can give a better answer, but I try not to go off into left field! I also try not to assume that the poster doesn't really know what question he needs to ask!!
In the discing in rye example, I have been here since this forum started and was a long time member on the QDMA forum......I know many of you broadcast rye on bare dirt with good results, I know many of you use the throw and mow technique with good results, I know some of you broadcast and cultipack or broadcast into standing crops......I know rye will practically grow in the bed of a truck.....I know plots need rain to grow....
I did NOT ask how you do it where you plot.......remember, we are all working with different conditions, equipment and resources.....what works for you may not work for someone else!! Don't assume that the "foolproof" method that works in your conditions is the answer to everyone else's situation. It isn't!
I asked a specific question for a specific reason and, out of 12 responses, only 3 were remotely helpful. I could have gone into great detail as to past experience in MY plots and why some of the suggested methods didn't, don't or won't work for me........but that info wasn't necessary to answer the simple question I asked which was, has lightly discing in rye worked for you.....
A good answer might have been:
Yes, I've done it and it worked......followed by more info as to how and why it worked
or
No, I've tried it and it didn't work.......followed by more info as to how and why it didn't work.
or
Yes, I've tried it and have found it works or doesn't work under these conditions.....
any of these responses answer the question AND add information to the discussion.
Is it too much to ask that, before we respond to a post, we actually READ the post and TRY to answer the question being asked BEFORE we assume that the poster really wants or needs different info than what was asked for?? If we did, I believe this would greatly improve the quality of the information shared on the board.
I'll shut up now.........
I understand that topics drift, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the posts I'm talking about aren't just drifting. Someone asks a specific question about a specific subject and, almost without fail, we see responses that do not answer the question.
As a perfect example, I posted yesterday about some liquid fertilizer I bought at a fundraising auction and asked if anyone had ever used it........the first reply said "Give it to the wife to use on her flowers at home." this reply doesn't answer the question and doesn't add any useful information to the discussion. If that poster had said that he had tried it, or something like it, and it did or did not work........that would have been helpful.
Another example: I posted asking if anyone had lightly disced in broadcasted rye.......of the 12 responses, only 3 even came close to answering the question. Some told me they don't do it that way, some said to plant something else, some said to just throw it on bare dirt, one even suggested I move the plot!!!......and on and on.
This reminds me of some car building forums I read where you might see a question about a specific part for a big block chevy with responses from "big block chevys suck" to "I like mopars", to "my cousins neighbor owned a studebaker with a blown flathead" or "my ford is better than your chevy because it's painted blue, not orange"......
If I was a newbie plotter, this would be even more frustrating than it already is!
When responding to a thread, I try to answer the question that the poster asked!! I may ask questions to get a better idea of the situation so I can give a better answer, but I try not to go off into left field! I also try not to assume that the poster doesn't really know what question he needs to ask!!
In the discing in rye example, I have been here since this forum started and was a long time member on the QDMA forum......I know many of you broadcast rye on bare dirt with good results, I know many of you use the throw and mow technique with good results, I know some of you broadcast and cultipack or broadcast into standing crops......I know rye will practically grow in the bed of a truck.....I know plots need rain to grow....
I did NOT ask how you do it where you plot.......remember, we are all working with different conditions, equipment and resources.....what works for you may not work for someone else!! Don't assume that the "foolproof" method that works in your conditions is the answer to everyone else's situation. It isn't!
I asked a specific question for a specific reason and, out of 12 responses, only 3 were remotely helpful. I could have gone into great detail as to past experience in MY plots and why some of the suggested methods didn't, don't or won't work for me........but that info wasn't necessary to answer the simple question I asked which was, has lightly discing in rye worked for you.....
A good answer might have been:
Yes, I've done it and it worked......followed by more info as to how and why it worked
or
No, I've tried it and it didn't work.......followed by more info as to how and why it didn't work.
or
Yes, I've tried it and have found it works or doesn't work under these conditions.....
any of these responses answer the question AND add information to the discussion.
Is it too much to ask that, before we respond to a post, we actually READ the post and TRY to answer the question being asked BEFORE we assume that the poster really wants or needs different info than what was asked for?? If we did, I believe this would greatly improve the quality of the information shared on the board.
I'll shut up now.........
