The Oxen-Folk

[Quizmonster]

Is it just my imagination or is it really becoming more and more common for people on AnswerBank to post replies without bothering to read answers already there?
Obviously, we are all actually sitting at widely-distributed keyboards, but I tend to think of the people in a thread as if we were a conversational group. In these latter circumstances, if you repeat something someone else has just said, without acknowledging that they've said it, the rest of the company will assume you are
a. deaf
b. stupid OR
c. an oaf.
Surely, it is no more than common courtesy to read what others have posted - including any link-material provided - before submitting any reply of your own. Or am I just being old-fashioned and it is now quite acceptable to treat your fellows with the consideration of an ox?

[burnhal]

I tend to agree there are some that do not appear to read what has gone before. And yes- if you expa nd on something gone before then it is reasonable to acknowledge the person who wrote it. The obvious exception is the one we all come across- where several people write the same amswer at the same time!!

[burnhal]

..... and one day I will check what I have written for spelling errors before submitting!!!..............

[jno]

it's odd, but a couple of times recently I've posted an answer and then been startled to see a similar comment posted earlier. Not just synchronous ones but ones that have been there several minutes or more without my seeing them. Either my eyes are getting worse (which is possible) or perhaps some posts take a while to show up on the thread? Anyway, I do try not to be unduly bovine.

[Quizmonster]

I noted that you, Burnhal, Jno and myself all posted replies within about a minute of each other about Little Venice! I wasn't talking about that sort of thing, but rather the answer that might appear hours later saying precisely the same thing.
I've noticed the seemingly "unnoticed" response, too, J. It usually happens, though, when one goes off to find an answer in a dictionary or wherever, leaving the answer-page open. On return, it's easy just to enter your response, though something virtually identical had already been posted whilst you were researching.
That's not what I am talking about either. I'm referring to sheer bad manners rather than synchrography or delayed responses.

[kazza12345]

lol i find it amusing when people dont actually read the questions before answering, for example here http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Adverts/Questio n261903.html and here http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Adverts/Questio n262547.html

[jno]

well... just as the odd typo doesn't necessarily demonstrate illiteracy, so the occasional misread post doesn't always imply rudeness; I do sometimes miss things when browsing through a long thread. If I find I've misread the original question, I apologise to the person who asked it for wasting his time and producing a pointless email in his inbox. But if I've merely repeated another user's answer, I don't bother - after all, getting an identical answer from two people does say something.

One other thing - about the provision of links. I don't feel bad about repeating something that was in a link another user provided. I'm not sure why... but I know some people who ask questions much prefer a brief answer in another user's own words to a weblink, however full and scholarly. I don't know if there's anything in netiquette about this or if it's just a matter of personal preference. So I provide links often enough, but don't take offence if someone else simply repeats, or even just cuts-and-pastes, what was in them.

[sense4all]

I have been caught out like this once. I swear on the 'good book 'there was no previous answer that gave the information. Yet a couple of hours later, lo and behold, the same advice was the second answer in. I did wonder if this can happen if a reported answer is found to be fault free and replaced by 'er indoors in the appropriate time slot!

With regards to links, I include them in case other issues occur to the questioner that can be covered by the webpage you got the original info. from.

[Cobra.]

I tend to agree there are some that do not appear to read what has gone before. And yes- if you expa nd on something gone before then it is reasonable to acknowledge the person who wrote it. The obvious exception is the one we all come across- where several people write the same amswer at the same time!!

[heathfield]

I think John Wayne was in it.

[shaneystar2]

I find this in Q&P a lot. You give a one word answer which you know to be 100% correct and hours or even longer afterwards someone will give the same answer .....why ? We often have lots of people answering at the same time for a clue ..but why waste someones time and inbox space giving the same answer a day later ? Why waste your own time come to that !
Different if it's a discussion about cryptic clues or a quiz where you get varyious replies or you need several people to confirm ....that's fair enough.
The people who most annoy me are those that answer with the short sharp " Yes or No " and then when I bother to research or give what I hope is some helpful info they pop up behind me and repeat practically word for word what I have just said .

[Dom Tuk]

QM i cannot recall any instance where you have shown dismay at other posts (even under extreme provocation, mea culpa too). Get out of the sun and into the shade.....

[$~Jeep~$]

Ok cobra, I spotted it!! lol :o)

[Quizmonster]

Perhaps you're right, Dom, and I should just stay indoors with a wet towel wrapped around my head until this heat-wave passes. It's clear from some of the responses that I didn't make my point clearly enough anyway...nevertheless, my thanks to all of you for these responses.
The kind of thing I was on about was when someone asks where the word 'posh' came from...a hardy annual of a question. So, you provide a link to the web-pages of an expert etymologist and lexicographer such as Michael Quinion. He will point out that there is no way in which it is from an acronym of 'port out, starboard home'. However, you can almost guarantee that after that and a few other replies, some ox-person will appear with the pithy answer: "It's from 'port out starboard home'." Why did Quinion bother? Why did I bother?
I'll go and lie in a darkened room now!

[Dom Tuk]

QM Is this your first question on AB?. Would you please clarify. I have not in my 2 years in AB seen a question from you!!!

[Quizmonster]

Dom, if you click here, you will find a question of mine that you yourself were actually first to answer! (One from the bad old days, I'm afraid.)
It seems that I've asked 31 questions in toto, though lots of these were not really 'questions' as such but rather attempts to draw people's attention to something or other, such as a vital misprint in a crossword clue.
Cheers...and forgive the question-reminder!

[Dom Tuk]

Ahhhh....those were the days.

[maxximus]

well done lads that old link was a good healthy debate!