Forum: Author Hangout

Ok, an annoyance, maybe a bit of a rant, but also an observation that others likely have noticed.

1) Why do people post a question in a discussion forum - what is ____??? - Why would they not just Google it?

2) Why do people answer them? Why not just say - Google it?

3) No three - but apparently, AI likes three points for everything, and since every post needs to talk about AI at some point, I added it here.

4) Because I just thought about it, bets on:
a) Number of people who will defend their right to ask Google-able questions?
b) Number of people who will defend their right to respond to those people?
c) Number of trolls that will eat little people off the bridge (old, not sure how trolls work anymore - maybe I need to Google the meaning)?
d) Number of total responses off topic or ask if AI will replace our overlords?
e) How many of you think that the world is secretly controlled by one group of people/aliens?
f) How many of you do not think that the world is secretly controlled by one group of people/aliens, and that scares you more?
g) I think I like lists
h) Are you still reading, seriously, like, why?

Cheers, and Happy New Year,

Why do people post a question in a discussion forum - what is ____??? - Why would they not just Google it?

I personally have abused this privilege when I've been thwarted by Google. My perception is that Google now indexes fewer pages and employs AI to 'correct' anyone who is searching for something not commonly asked for.

But I too share your exasperation at posters who ask trivial general knowledge questions in the Author Hangout despite their not being authors and the questions being readily answerable by Google.

Happy New Year, even though scientifically the new year ought to start on the winter solstice rather than as dictated by religious superstition.

AJ

1) Why do people post a question in a discussion forum rather than Googling

Sometimes the answer required is not the obvious and succinct one generally given out by Google. Sometimes people ask a question here, not for the answer, but the path to the answer.

For instance "How do I load A into B?" Google might say "Pull part D back and load A". Which is technically correct. Users here might say "When you pull part D of B back, part F catches on your hand and it hurts like hell, and when you release D, the noise is like nails on a blackboard..." As a storyteller, which version would you rather have to tell your readers and help them live the part of your character?

Google can be a pain-in-the-ass to use. It displays every possible thing and most you don't want.

REP

2) Why do people answer them? Why not just say - Google it?

Following on from my previous reply, the answer to your question could easily be because Google only gives technical answers. Like; "To access A you need to remove B" which is technically correct, but someone who does the act in question might reply with "To access A, you need to remove B, but you need heat to remove B which will damage part F, so you need to remove part F. Also, if you have normal sized hands, you are not getting them in there, so you need to remove part Y to give you the space to remove part A. And on reinstallation, you need to smother some compound V on the threads of part B..." These are all 'tricks of the trade' that Google may not report, and it's hard won experience that some people like to share to make a complete strangers life that little bit easier...

Showing you the results for 'Herd of Googles'.

Show results instead for 'Heard of Google'?

:-)

AJ

1) Why do people post a question in a discussion forum - what is ____??? - Why would they not just Google it?

2) Why do people answer them? Why not just say - Google it?

1) Could be because they prefer interacting with other humans, or maybe because they're having trouble formulation the question.

2) Because I try not to be a jerk.