That is because a lot of sites want people using the search feature before they post a thread. The moderators of some sites even post comments like "next time use the search feature or search button" to questions that have already been asked.
Both of those are detrimental to the community.
1. People should be able to ask any question they want, regardless if its been asked before.
2. If the only thing someone can say is - "next time use the search feature", they do not need to reply to the post.
When I see people post that "I dont know if this has been asked before, but..." Or the famous "if this is in the wrong section, then please move it...." That tells me those people have had bad experiences with other forums. Those are usually the people that have been driven out of other forums by over bearing moderators.
Negative - I want those questions asked again and again and again and again.
When the title of the thread has certain "key words" in it, then google, MSN, Yahoo, ask jeeves and all the other search engines pick it up. If we only have 1 or 2 threads on a topic, those search engines are less likely to pick up those "key words." When a topic is repeated, over and over on a site, the more likely the search engines are to pick it up and give it a good ranking in the search results page.
I would like to see 10,000 threads with the words "bug out bag" somewhere in the title. Because if you do a google search for
bug out bag we are not in the top 50 results. This means we need more bug out bag, kinda like we need more cowbell.
More Cowbell - Video
I will not tell anyone to use the search feature, mainly because I am too lazy to use it. If I want to ask a question that has been asked 5,000 times, then by golly I'am gonna ask it.
When you see those poor, abused people that say "I dont know if this has been asked ......", be kind to them. They are here because the last forum they were in made them leave. Lets not be harsh or rude, lets welcome them with open arms, more bug out bag and more cowbell.
:thumb:
