Links

[dave_c]

Do links spoil the AB fun? Although I'm appreciative of all the answers I get, well most of them, I feel links are always (how do I put it) less personal and doesn't give rise to further discussion. Is simply giving (or dumping) a link to Wiki or IMDB (etc) the easy way out?

[Gill 05]

I kind of agree with you dave_c. They're a great source of information but a bit of a conversation killer.

[shaneystar]

Some answers require an awful lot of information. Far too much to type into a post.For example someone wanted to know about the Great Depression recently..obviously for course work or something so a link to wikepedia is the obvious solution.If there are discussions on News a link is often helpful for facts.So that you know the facts before you join a thread and don't make a complete ass of yourself !! I don't think it's an easy way out but in some cases it's nice to point people in the right direction for information.People will discuss if they want to..it all depends on how you read their question.And....there is always Chatterbank.!

[lynneuk74]

I think a bit of both is best - to give some info yourself and then to end with a link.

Just finding a link is a bit impersonal - although it is useful if it includes the info you need.

Guess it depends on what the subject is really - if it is a very 'cut and dried' subject - such as 'where can I buy' - then it makes sense.

[shaneystar]

Quite.. and even if you are giving a link it doesn't hurt just to add a few words such as "Hi ..found this for you" or something.Just a link in a post is impersonal I have to say.

[jno]

'easy way out'? For who? Anyone who posts a link has already put in a good deal of work the questioner could have done himself and more than likely will get no thanks for it at all. And the questioner wants a nice chat too? dave_c, how many requests for information have you answered?

[Quizmonster]

If a linked website - which the answerer already knows of or has taken the trouble to find - provides the perfect answer to a question, what conceivable point is there in adding to that?
As already suggested above, if you want to 'chat', there's ChatterBank here or any one of some millions of other such sites on the Internet. AnswerBank is a 'Q & A' site, not a 'Q, A and Natter' site.
Of course, if the answerer wants to add something chatty of his/her own that's perfectly fine but not at all necessary.

[woofgang]

hear hear jno and QM. No it is not the easy way out sometimes links are easy to find, often not and you need to hunt through the googled pages to find percisely what the questioner is asking for. Now I like doing this, enjoy the randomness of the learning, but if it was the easy way, then why didn't the questioner do it???

[woofgang]

...sorry, hear hear shaneystar too!

[VINNY100_2]

No, its not the EASY way out.We google and post a link to Help not Hinder.And most users are very gratefull...!!..Why users dont google themselfs..well I always assume they cant or dont know how to find a link.And yes I always add a few words,especially if the user needs a few kind words.(:)

[january_bug]

I agree with all the posts in defence of using links. Sometimes the only words I would want to add are something along the lines of "so doesn't google work on your computer then?". Snide I know, but there are a LOT of google-able questions on here, and jn o is totally right - answers often go TOTALLY ignored. So when you don't expect to be thanked, a simple link is absolutely fair enough. Although I might put simply "see here".

That's not a link! Teehee!

[forgetfultel]

Buggy - I wonder how many people (like me ) tried to click on that, thinking it was a link. LOL

[january_bug]

To be honest, even I nearly did! LOL

[AB Editor]

Hi

It is ultimately up to the Answer-er how they would like to formulate a post - a teaspoon of sugar and all that.

Discussion plus a link to further information is ideal I suppose, but I wouldn't want to knock anyone's style.

AB ED

[dave_c]

jno Heh! I''m more of a question person than an answerer....none the less I'm giving my opinion only of course.

[THECORBYLOON]

ABE do you not mean "a spoonful of sugar" a la Mary Poppins?

[dorothywilso]

I think people go to a lot of trouble to find links for others and I don't mind if it's a one -word answer or a link only but I must admit a word here or there is appreciated .Thanks to all who answer questions for people like me (getting on a bit LOL).