Thoughts about the board

[hltenterprises]

As I sit here and read through the messages, I see some trends that keep happening over and over.<br /><br /> With that said here are some thoughts<br /><br />There are a lot of post for year and model this is a typical first post ( It was mine) the knowledgeable folks on the board are quick to reply. However sometimes the orginal poster forgets to say thank you.<br /><br />There are numerious post that ask for help and the poster gives very little information. ( Doctor I am sick) The more information that is provided the better chance that someone can help you. Once the problem is fixed again the orginal poster forgets to say thank you to the ones that help.<br /><br />New members do not know about the search feature. <br />If more people would use the search feature the answer maybe found without having to reinvent the wheel.<br /><br />Impatience this seem to be be a big problem. I have notice some one will ask for help and when they do not get an answer they get mad and start slamming the board. We must all remember that this is a free board,the marine professionals that are here are not being paid for the knowledge. I know am grateful to recceive the FREE Advice. <br /><br />There seem to be a lot of post from folks thas ask for help but they do not have a manual.Getting and using the service manual should be the first step before asking for help.<br /><br />I did not intend to irrate anyone if I did sorry. <br />I think this is a great source of information and we all share vast amounts of knowledge.

 

[hltenterprises]

Re: Thoughts about the board

^

 

[Brysinsky]

Re: Thoughts about the board

I have seen the impatience and indignation from posters on this board and find my self amazed by this attitude. I am new to this board and am amazed at the amount of time the capts and admirals dedicate to helping people they have never even met. I salute you guys! its people like you who give human kind a good name!!

 

[Buckster]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Today was the first day for me to post a question...and of course it was the usual...what year is my boat motor? The reply was rapid and very appreciated...I purchased this boat motor yesterday for my father in law...I was at an estate auction and this motor had never been used....(took the cover off checked it all out...was amazed..) so I bought it as his motor is pretty shot. Needless to say the manual didn't come with the motor and me not knowing a bunch about boat motors turned to your posting service to find the year so I could buy him the manual. I am very appreciative of all of you and your help....the look on my father in laws face as he started the motor last night with only one pull was great. We lost my mother in law on May 20, 2002 after a short battle with cancer...I am doing what I can to keep my father in law going and happy....<br /><br />Thanks a million!<br />Diana Buckmaster Fallon, NV

 

[12Footer]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Hi, Hugh.<br />Most of what you are seeing is common on any board you go to,regardless of it's forte'.<br />It kind of reminds me of the "CB radio era".<br />We had a cross-section of americana (and other national influences), all bunched-up in a tiny slice a radio spectrum. Some had fun with it.Some were obsessed with competition,and being the strongest signal. Still others broke-up thier lonliness,made friends, kept tabs on smokey, and got into the working-end of radio,and went-on to become ham radi operators.<br />Regardless of thier motivations, they for the most part, tolerated everyone else's. But every once in a while, we got some deck-weed,who just came there to "agrivate and agitate"..We call them trolls here, but it's the same guys,no doubt.<br />Most of what you addressed,has been addressed here before, and ADMIN5 tried to repair,re-direct, but you can't please everyone. I think the guy(s) you talk about who seem to troll,are just that. Some,of course, may be "seminar posters" (to borrow a phrase from Rush Linbaugh),and thier goal is to destroy a good thing by subverting it.<br />So far, they haven't done much harm. And the general droup,along with ADMINN5 kinda keep it fairly-well policed,and troll-free.<br />Then again, sometimes, you just gotta let them run out of gas (which they do,if they don't get any nibbles).<br />All that to say this..Do a search for board improvement,and you find a post the addresses this. I'll go look for it too, and put it here if i find it...Very informative.

 

[hltenterprises]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Diana <br />Today was the first day for me to post a question...and of course it was the usual...what year is my boat motor?<br /><br />But you took the time to say thank you and now you are look for the manual. This is what everyone should do.<br /><br /> I commend you for helping your father in law see a bright side again.<br /><br />12Footer<br /><br />Most of what you are seeing is common on any board you go to,regardless of it's forte'<br /><br />I agree fully there are a few in any thing that will spoil something.<br />Yes I too remember the CB radio era, I left that behind the day I turned the radio on all I heard was hate and obsene lanague.<br /><br />Most of what you addressed,has been addressed here before, and ADMIN5 tried to repair,re-direct, but you can't please everyone.<br /><br />I appreciate what adnin5 does for us, but some time it helps to hear it from a different source.<br /><br />What made me decide to post this was the message" Help- Read the post Stupid"

 

[JB]

Re: Thoughts about the board

This is probably one of the two most civilized sites I visit.<br /><br />There are several others that are constant bickering, bashing and derailing of threads.<br /><br />No other site I have seen is as dedicated to helping boaters. . .experts and novices. . .solve whatever problem they are having.<br /><br />We have a problem with the amount of traffic.<br />I have probably answered the same six or seven questions over a hundred times each, And I am sure several others have done the same , but with a different set of six or seven. <br /><br />It gets old, and I get unjustly annoyed when I see the same question four or five times in one day, with not enough data to make recommendations on without writing an article. This would be the same article several times a day.<br /><br />If I have been on site for a couple of hours, reading and occasionally offering ideas, I get really annoyed If I run into someone demanding more attention than the next guy and/or getting angry with "lack of service".<br /><br />I am thinking about writing articles on what to do if your engine wont start, what to do if your engine loses power under load, and maybe two or three others. I would then plant them in another site and respond to those questions with a url.<br /><br />Hugh, Diana, "SKI", people like you is why we come here and spend the time trying to help. Your feedback is very much appreciated.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Hugh.... I think I saw a huge "Stop Sign" posted just recently which I believe was inserted by you. I've been searching for a way to do that on this forum. Occasionally it would help if I could insert a small copy/diagram out of a service/parts manual, but I can not find how to do that. Is that a general no no, or have I overlooked something? (ReevesJ32@aol.com)

 

[hltenterprises]

Re: Thoughts about the board

JB<br />Thanks for the comments. I agreee about the amount of traffic, what is sad is when people do their research ( manual, search function etc) and really need help and the post gets buried with other post before anyone can see it. Perhaps we need some type of process to ensure that all the research has been done. Maybe a seris of question that must be answered before the post is allowed.<br />Possible questions<br />Is this your first post?<br />Is this a year/model question?<br />What year?<br />HP?<br />Make?<br />Model?<br />What manual do you have?<br />Did you perform a search? <br /><br /> I found the soulation<br />I am a member of IATN.Net and automotive technical board.This board is set up for Professions but I think it would work here. They have astatements page that you must read ad agree to prior to posting.

 

[hltenterprises]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Joe<br /><br />I did not see the large stop sign. I would be glad to share how to post something like that if I knew. I have seen others (Trent I think) add diagrams. My guess would to copy the image and paste into reply or post. Maybe someone who does know will helps us out.

 

[Joe Reeves]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Hugh.... My error. That large "Stop Sign" was entered by 12Footer in reply to a "Jimmyp" post entitled... 12FOOTER=JB=MRM=WAY577[READ] . Pretty nice graphic.<br /><br />Now, 12Footer.... I'd like to know how to do that. ReevesJ32@aol.com

 

[V156]

Re: Thoughts about the board

I know being new to this board is can be somewhat intimidating with all the experience a lot of you folks have. I have searched the board and found answers to numerous questions,some I had never thought about before. Knowledge is power and when it's shared we all benefit. I'll always drop in to learn a new thing or two.<br /><br />Dutch

 

[Admin5]

Re: Thoughts about the board

Hugh,<br />Thanks for the thoughts. Very poignant. JB, Please allow us to host your articles when you get them written. It would be our honor and we would be able to get quite a few people to read them. No rush but we would love to help you help others!

 

[kev_alaska]

Re: Thoughts about the board

I am a new member here at the forum. I registered and asked some basic questions about a powerplant that I was not familiar with. Within a short time (faster than I was able to respond) I had several pieces of information that helped me decide on this boat purchase (OMC 115 Turbojet). <br /><br />I hold an officer position at a large recreational organization completely opposite of the boating venue. I would love to be able to support a forum addressing issues and questions involving our sport that worked as well as this one. The problem is that we do not have nearly as many participants and certainly no professionals dedicated to this type of support. Thank you for the help you gave me. I will be a frequent supporter of this forum (especially in the winter here, when I am shoveling 6' of snow from the boat cover) and enjoy sitting and listening.

 

[Walter]

Re: Thoughts about the board

It's funny how this board's significant increase in popularity has become somewhat of a curse. However, I'm sure we'd rather deal with too many posts rather than too few. Yes...many, many of the questions posted are repeats...some almost <br />word for word. Encouraging "newbies" to utilized the SEARCH feature is a good idea..but I recall when I first logged on, it was important to me that someone took the time to address my question personally. I still look back for previous posts where no one has yet to respond to see if I can offer any help at all. No one like to feel ignored. I realize, of course, that no one is truly being ignored...but the person (especially a newbie) who hasn't received a reply might feel that way. <br /><br />MHO<br /><br />Walt<br /><br />PS:<br /><br />I'd be the first to read JB's informative articles. I say go for it JB...and the sooner the better!

 

[Down South]

Re: Thoughts about the board

I was thinking along the same line as JB. There are several members here that are experts. Maybe some of these guys could write up procedures for trouble shooting certain problems. Diagrams and pics could be added to. Then have this info categorized with topic headings. I see Admin5 has already offered to host JBs articles.

 

[hltenterprises]

Re: Thoughts about the board

I think if we all work together we will make this board even greater than it already is.As I am still new to boating I can only offer limited help, but I try to help when I can<br />Hugh<br /><br />p.s Thanks to everyone who added input