Tampa Forum

[slscott93]

Originally Posted by CarawayDJ

No thank you. I've moved around a bit and have used these forums extensively to "supplement" my research. I'm not going to say there are never threads when someone would be wise to just use the search feature to get their questions answered, it's not as cut and dry as you think though.

1. Speaking only for myself, I like to read as many perspectives as possible. I like to read as many discussions as possible. Maybe 75% of a particular thread about schools might be the same as other threads about schools in an area but there is often a nugget or two that is different. Someone will chime in and offer some new perspective that isn't the same.

2. If you dig deeper how many truly identical threads are there? Take threads about schools. Elementary? Middle? High? Private? Charter? Public? Christian? Special Needs? IB Program? Athletics? There are a lot of flavors to school threads. Additionally, someone might read a very similar thread but not be satisfied with the depth of the answers or questions asked by the OP.

3. Things change over time. Things can change rapidly. At what point does a thread become stale and outdated? Should someone across the country be expected to know when a thread on a topic is no longer relevant and it's now ok to start a new thread? Should they be expected to know that school zoning changes made a school better or worse than it was only last year? Should they know about a private school hiring a new director and now the school is going downhill? Should they know that since the last thread about IB schools two years ago two more schools have added IB?

4. It's not like all threads on a topic say the same thing and offer the same perspectives. Who is to say that the first thread on any particular topic is the definitive, most accurate discussion? Think about this. I've seen plenty of people write stuff on CD for areas I've lived in that blow my mind. I have to check my location on my phone to see if I'm actually living in the same area. Some people have wildly differing perspectives of the same area. You get the best picture by reading multiple threads on a topic because no single thread is very telling on its own. You have to read numerous threads to get close to ground truth.

5. I suspect a lot of people are searching the threads, albeit on Google. These threads come up on most searches for relocation related advice.

In nearly every popular CD forum you have the area old timers who get annoyed by people asking the same ole questions. They forget what it is like to move to an area and want to know everything about it. They forget how nervous people can get. They forget how excited people can get. They forget that sometimes you want to have the conversation yourself and not just read what someone else asked three years ago.

Great points! I know I’ve posted questions that have been asked before. But, trust me, I use the search a lot! It’s just that sometimes I can’t find a thread that directly pertains to what I’m asking or it’s an old thread and things change. Also, I like to get recent opinions of people who have been on here for a long time AND new people who maybe just moved to Florida and could give some input on first experiences.

[Sunscape]

Originally Posted by MortonR

This is my major number one gripe. When I do suggest it, I get jumped on by the denizens of the forum for some bizarre reason. The relocation topic is like an oil thread in a car forum....

Here's something I've considered using as well:



RM

Love this visual! It could be used a lot more.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by MortonR

Not true.

I've run several forums for automotive enthusiasts over the last 20 years, and I've seen what happens when people are forced to use the search function *first* before starting a new thread.

The quality and depth of the information improves and the existing threads become more detailed and for lack of a better adjective, robust. There are fewer false leads when people do search as a result, too. It's a total win-win for both the existing members and new members who come looking for information.

You also nearly eliminate "zombie threads", as the threads that trend to the top of the forum are those with the best information.

It never ceases to amaze me that there are people who can use the Internet yet they can't bother to type some basic search terms into Google.

RM

City-Data is the only true active forum where you can literally check every 30 minutes and see lots of new posts. That's because they have the right recipe. NO need to change the recipe... you don't like a thread, then don't click on it, plain and simple.

[TBMorgan]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

City-Data is the only true active forum where you can literally check every 30 minutes and see lots of new posts. That's because they have the right recipe. NO need to change the recipe... you don't like a thread, then don't click on it, plain and simple.

Morton is the main contributor here answering questions for the newbies. If he ignores it, they'll never get answered. No reason they can't search first ask questions afterwards.