News2 mins ago
Googling
18 Answers
I think this site is great to push around some topics, especially tech ones. The answers are often hard to work out, and pushing them between people really gets the final answer out. I notice more and more people answer questions by going to google and cutting and pasting a result from there. Is there any way we could politely indicate not to do this? It stops questions dead.
I know this is supposed to be a 'question and answer' site, and is conceived originally as 'straight question, straight answer', but apart from 'what is 1kg in pounds' , information sought is mostly of the type that is reached by bouncing it off various people.
A rude way of saying this is to suggest 'I too know how to type 'www.google.co.uk' into the address bar, surf a couple of sites, and cut and paste an answer. I'm asking it so that a debated answer may rephrase the question as it should have been asked and flesh out the answer from various angles. To assume that there are only hard questions with hard answers misunderstands the nature of information.
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when I ask a question, I don't mind who or where the answer comes from. If you're sensitive about it, add 'Don't mention the websites' on the end of your own questions. If you're sensitive about it on somebody else's question, rephrase the question as it should have been asked and ask it yourself - adding the above rider on the end of it so nobody gets the wrong idea.
But Marge a lot of questioners purely want a quick straight answer without the debate and if they're led quickly to a source what's wrong with that? You didn't seem disappointed with the tinted photos I found by googling. Sometimes I know the answer and like to back it up with a google site and sometimes i think good question and look it up and then share it if I think the site is good.
Sometimes the question is so lazy that you can't help but say hello have you looked here?
Sometimes the question is so lazy that you can't help but say hello have you looked here?
Sorry me again Marge. My first question on this site was who was the first artist released on a CD and I got an immediate answer directing me to a BBC article about Billy Joel. Exactly what I needed quickly, not a lot of people debating what it was. I think both research and personal opinion make this site what it is.
I think the caveat mentioned is a good idea.
Graemer, I do remember the photo tinting, thanks for that one. For those types, yes, it's perfect, someone may even know how to google better for certain things.
I have a habit of hanging out on the 'tech' sections a lot, and they have put on some pretty intricate, debatable, and broad questions...then someone puts on a 'google cut and paste' and the whole thing dies...Happens quite a lot now.
if the cut and paste isn't sufficient, the poster can always add to the thread saying "thanks but"...or "thanks and how do I?" or "let me rephrase that"
I really like the website links and have been directed to some interesting sites that I would never have considered looking for.
But each to his or her own which is what makes AB so addictive!
It should really be called Opinionbank as most of the replies are, just that. I agree that the interaction is, in itself, part of the enjoyment and agree that the site wouldn't be the same if it were merely
Post a question
Receive an answer
end of discussion.
I'm glad Ed doesn't insist on one answer only.
netibiza - to cut and paste:
highlight the thing you want to cut. This usually means putting the arrow/cursor on the first word, holding the left mouse button down and moving it to the last word.
The text will now be highlighted - probably shown in white on black.
Hit the control and c keys simultaneously.
Move the cursor to where you want to move the text (you might be copying something from the internet to a Word document, or to an AB answer form, or to the address line on your screen).
Hit control and v. The text should reappear there.
Alternatively, if you click on edit at the top left hand of your screen you can click on Copy and Paste instead of the control+c/control+v manoeuvres.
Warning: can be a bngger trying to highlight things on an AB page, don't know why.
MargeB firstly,can I apologise for my remarks addressed to you last night. Secondly a lot of folk DO want straightforward answers to their questions and while some folk are confident using Go Ogle some aren't. I will post links to my answers when I can so they can be verified or to provide a starting point for further research.
Some folk like to ask for opinions on matters and others like posing technical questions which some on here can answer based solely on their own experience.
The main thing to consider is has the person asking the question been satisfied wi the response? If the answer is "No" then it's up to that person to encourage further responses, if the answer is "Yes" then what does it matter to anyone else?
http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puzzles/Question112191.html
In case you hadn't spotted this question and its answers. You probably wouldn't as it's in arguably the "wrong" section.
That wasn't meant rudely. And I know you don't like links an answers. I just thought you might like to see that thread.
PS - Some people ask questions on this post that could have been answered by google - and indeed are best answered by using google. Perhaps we get into bad habits with them, and don't pay enough attention to the more detailed questions that come up.
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