Searching

[joshtpa]

I guess it depends on whether you expect Autopia to be a reference source or a social outlet. I think it can be, should be, and is, both. Sometimes you want to go to the library, and sometimes you want to go to the club and talk to other people.



If I joined a car club and went to a meeting etc. and said "Hi guys, my name is Setec, where did you get those wheels on your car?" and the response I got was "All of your questions have been asked before. We've written all of the answers down in that book over there. In the future you will not ask, you will simply remain quiet and go to the book and read, lest you be castigated and removed.", that would probably be my last car club visit.



There used to be an "Autopia University" forum where new members had to post for their first 100 posts, so the general populus didn't have to be subjected to 100 (possibly) dumb posts, but it was generally ignored and was condescending to new members who were actually experienced detailers, and it went away a couple of years ago.



This time of year there are always a lot of new members and new detailers trying things out. And yes, it is a little tiresome to see the same questions over and over...perhaps that's the price of an "open" society.



The Google search is a great idea, not only for here but for other domain searches. I never thought/knew of doing it that way, even though I have seen Autopia threads come up many times in Google searches. Thanks veloboard! Hmm...if we weren't allowed free discussion and questioning here...this never would have come up!

I think that is exactly why people started posting a lot, to join the main forum. But this is a social outlet for many people. But also, keep in mind, that if you click on any link in Click & Brag, almost every post there is someone saying, "looks great".

 

[Setec Astronomy]

But also, keep in mind, that if you click on any link in Click & Brag, almost every post there is someone saying, "looks great".

But that's what C&B is, a mutual admiration society. You can't do anything other than be polite and say "looks great" or you are an ***. That forum is not asking for criticism, it's saying "look at me!" and asking for a pat on the back. It's a "run what you brung" car show, where everybody gets a prize. I got sick of that a long time ago, that's why I rarely look at C&B threads, you seen one shiny car, you seen 'em all.



This whole topic of pictures, searching, same stuff over and over comes up periodically (er...over and over?). I personally have been very frustrated lately at the simple volume of threads recently (seasonal phenomenon, IMO), as far as keeping up with the stuff I want to while wading through the sea of stuff I don't, but if the alternative is some sort of moderator or self-imposed censorship, I'll live with it the way it is.

 

[joshtpa]

I agree with you. There are a lot more threads now. There are a lot more members too. I like it. I think more people adds more conversation.

 

[Bunky]

I agree with you. There are a lot more threads now. There are a lot more members too. I like it. I think more people adds more conversation.

As a fairly new member, it took my some time to get use to the search engine and you always get a lot of false hits that you have to wade through since much as just back and forth side chats too. Also, you need a broadband connection due to the size of attachments. This encourages a quick post to ask a direct question rather than using the search. Try searching on MF towels, etc or just OTC products.



There is a lot of good info buried in posts (like How I wash my car) but the information is not easy to find.