View Full Version : Repeats
I dont know if anyone have hought of or even noticed it but every once in a while we small flock of new members join the club while a similar amount of older names seem to fade away. I guess this is only natural but it does mean that old questions are re-asked over and over again - for example currently we have the basha question and the firesteel uses question being reasked.
Now I assume all theold threads are archived somewhere but couldnt there be an index or some such (similar to the members list) where newbies or anyone wanting to find old info can look - i.e click index and look under H for hootchie.
Might save the same old thing being discussed over and over again.
Well, it is the festive season, where would we be without repeats....? :wink:
Seriously though, good idea. Especially if you're not entirely sure what you're looking for, so don't know what to put in the search.
TheViking
23-12-2004, 20:46
It's best if people do a search on the subject before posting. A title search works well. :wink:
here you go http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/archive/index.php/f-3.html
TheViking
23-12-2004, 20:50
here you go http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/archive/index.php/f-3.html
That is just the different forums. :D
and if you go through them clever boy you`ll find old posts like this http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/archive/index.php/t-951.html ;) and this one from 2003 http://www.bushcraftuk.net/community/archive/index.php/t-41.html
Al thats what I had in mind but as a drop down screen - say next tot he members list in the tool bar.
its a good idea, its always good to look back at what others have said long ago, theres always that little gem lurcking around in the archives i find, and the archives of mankind too for that matter which is what we do i spose,i know i do,better stop before i go off on one :)
it would help if the search was a bit better... eg.. no too short/long/common words!
Guys believe it or not some of us are looking into some of these recurring threads, how to's tips and pointers to different things.
I daresay that somewhere there is a thread that says pretty much the same, as "Some things keep on being repeated", but researching things takes time (a lot of it if you want to get it right), so the enquiries are not unheard, but being developed in some, but not all cases. The other thing is down to terminology, one perosn may call it one thing others may call it something else, this is especially relevant when searches are made.
The other thing is that some of the threads that get repeated are down to personal preference and as such there is no definitive guide. That being the case they are extremely difficult to nail down and get good hard solid fact that can be worked with (some things work for some people, but not others).
I hope this goes some way toward explaining why we currently have things repeated in threads, but peop[le are trying to get it sorted, all the best for Crimbo',
Leon. :wave:
Great Pebble
24-12-2004, 01:54
I remember the day I joined it seemed that the entire forum was devoted to the manufacture of spoons. Hence my profile.
I swear there were questions like "What is the best brand of boot to wear while carving spoons?" although my memory may be playing tricks.
Nick you are probably right, there were also probably questions like "what underwear does RM wear when in the woods?" as well and "Does the itchiness of woolen undergarments interfere with carving ability?" :o):
Well, I have a bit of a different take on this topic. I'll start with a riddle. What's the difference between a forum and a database?
Over the long haul, great forums develop into a community of people/people interactions. If someone interested in making a friction fire is told to go search the database, we can scratch friction fires off our topic of conversation. Etc., etc., etc. IMO, this is a mistake. For one reason, through conversation, new light is often shed on old topics. I've seen this over and over again. Second, some of the newbies now will become old "old hands" later and many will want to share their knowledge with newbies. Third, databases are no fun. :wave:
I'm not saying don't develop a database. It's a great idea! What I am saying though is lets not discourage the art of conversation.
Good point that Hoodoo - I never considered it from that prospective. :biggthump
Although I would say I only hope the 'new old hands' who share info learnt from the forum share it because they've gone out and done it after learning it here - if not we will soon end up with the military survival manual scenerio where myths and misinformation are perpetuated.
I agree Hoodoo ... bushcraftUK is a community, not a database. Yes, a record of conversations is kept for others to search through, read and print out at a later date but that's just a small part of it. It would be a sad day if bushcraftUK turned into a place where "search the forum" became the answer to questions (and there are forums like that). It wasn't like that when I joined and I don't see why new member should get less than I did.
The natural ebb and flow of new and old members means that the type of information that someone gets changes over time, and techniques get refined, as does kit. It would be a shame for bushcraft information to become a snapshot in time like a book is or many courses are.
That's not to say that there isn't a place for an FAQ ... :o):
Totally agree guys.
This 'virtual' campsite we have, where we sit around, swap tales (tall and small), swap advice, show off our latest gizmo/disaster/blisters, is THE best forum I've EVER been fortunate to be a part of, and I've been in quite a few.:super: :You_Rock_ :ekt: :claping:
Ok, so we occasionally have the odd tiff going on, but in general this is a 'warm feely' place to be and the light hearted rib-taking just makes it a friendlier place to be.:grouphug:
Databases are dull, dull, :sleepgo_r .
A FAQ section would be a damn fine idea Adi. Well volunteered my friend:biggthump
TheViking
24-12-2004, 10:17
Totally agree guys.
This 'virtual' campsite we have, where we sit around, swap tales (tall and small), swap advice, show off our latest gizmo/disaster/blisters, is THE best forum I've EVER been fortunate to be a part of, and I've been in quite a few.:super: :You_Rock_ :ekt: :claping:
Couldn't agree more. :D Best forum for me too, the first page I open when getting home from school. :biggthump :pack: :chill:
One good thing could be if someone wrote an article about the most common questions. So the questions newbies would be asking are more advanced and interesting for all of us.
Tantalus
30-12-2004, 19:38
nice thing about this forum is that no question is too silly
ok so we cover some stuff over and over but new bits are added all the time too
if i know of a thread that covers the same topic i will try and look it up and post a link
sharing knowledge and info is one of the things that binds us all together IMHO
hehehe it is a bit like christmas really, all the pleasure is in being able to give
Tant
Paganwolf
31-12-2004, 07:27
Well said Tant, there is no such thing as a silly question as there is always someone out there who wants the answer too, and as we always say theres more than one way to skin a cat and the next time the question is asked some one may have a new twist to the answer :biggthump
Although its tiresome sometimes to see the same questions being asked we should not become elitist. i always try to do a search first before posting a question. There is no such thing as a dumb question. However being afraid to ask is a tragedy. I often learn something new from questions that have been asked before.
for every person who asks a question there are ten others who would also like to know the answer but havent asked.
also those who are new often ask questions that the old and wise have never thought of, how often has a child asked you a profound question which makes you think?
also those who are new often ask questions that the old and wise have never thought of, how often has a child asked you a profound question which makes you think?
Very true Stuart! Its amazing how new people/the young ask 'But why do you do it that way?' when the only asnwer you have is 'Well, because, erm. I just do it that way as everyone else always does...', and then either they come up with 'Well I tried it this way and it really works', or you think about it and come up with a new way/reason.
There's an old saying that I live by "The day I don't learn something new will be the day I'm dead". May I still have many days of learning.