Why the disdain?

JasBy · Feb 12, 2012

As you can see from my post count I'm new here and perhaps this has been answered a million times.....but why do people have to reply to honest questions with

"Type that question into Google and get X million answers kthxbai"

This forum is 'Ask the cuemaker' - presumably because you want an educated, experienced answer from someone who is willing to answer in an open forum. If I go to get tax advice, I don't expect the accountant to tell me to 'just Google a schedule D', even if I am not paying him for the advice.

I guess I would like to apologize in advance to all the brilliant people out there who can't waste their time answering what they consider 'stupid' questions - and also genuinely thank those of you that do.

scdiveteam · Feb 12, 2012

Hi,

There are some that are that way and there are many more people who are nice, polite and will share if they have the time to.

Most cue makers are nice people. There are a few rude ones here too.

Don't judge a book by the cover.

If you use the advanced search function, most questions have been asked and answered in depth.

Rick

manwon · Feb 12, 2012

Not everyone responds in that manner, some people have just become a little Jaded because the same questions get asked again and again. In addition sometimes you just catch someone on day when things in their personal lives may not be going in the direction they wish they were. So don't take things to heart, just go with the flow and do not respond in a similar manner. It serves no purpose in the long run, and the only person harmed is you because it ruins your day for no reason.

Take care

Blue Hog ridr · Feb 12, 2012

Many of the questions that are asked have been asked and answered many times over. Thats why one of the contributing makers might suggest that the use of the Search function would save both the cue makers and the person asking the question a lot of time in both answering and waiting patiently by the computer for the answers to roll in.

Sometimes it is nice to participate in a real time discussion so asking the same question isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Most of the cue makers that do participate in this Forum have busy daily schedules, yet they do take part of their day to check in and help out.

For example, if you were to ask: How do you make a Milk Dud. That one would be better off searched for here.

Also, a popular misconception is that this forum is the Baby Sit the new cue maker forum. Thats totally wrong. Most of the cue makers do expect, and rightly so, that the person asking the question to do a bit of the leg work themselves.

Use the Search function first, and then if you can't find your answer or
you need someone to expound on the answers that you did find, its fair to ask in a new thread.

No one is being mean, its just the way the world turns in a cue makers life.

Quite often, someone will ask a question and 10 minutes later, they bump their own thread, with a statement such as, "Well, I'm sitting here waiting, no one can answer me"?

Sometimes its like, take a number and wait in line, we'll get back to you. If you cop an attitude right away, its not conducive to getting your question answered. Believe it or not, that does happen quite frequently around here.

rhncue · Feb 12, 2012

I don't think very many people will tell to Google search for a cue maintenance or build question. They will tell you to do a search which consists of a search of this forum. The search button is right at the top of the page. There are some of the same questions asked as many as three or four times a month so there is a thread for each of these. One time someone asked a simple question while there was already a thread open at the same time dealing with the same issue. He just logged on and without even looking at the treads right in front of him he asked the same question again.

Over the years I have gave out a lot of real good information that sometimes took me years to develop. I used to readily give information to folks on here who are truly trying but I have no use for people who are to lazy to help themselves. Too many people are so used to getting anything they want for free and want to be spoon fed get no information as far as I'm concerned.

Dick

Blue Hog ridr · Feb 12, 2012

And sometimes its all in the attitude that the question is asked. Its not too much to ask that you pay respect to the person that put in a lot of years of mistakes in order to gain their knowledge. Its not fair in some cases to expect a maker to open up and divulge everything right away. Lets say that if you hang around here and participate, that the cue makers will see that you are genuinely putting in an effort to learn the trade. Once you have maybe sent a few private PMs etc, you may find that you have gained some respect from one of the makers and certain ones will volunteer to be somewhat of a mentor to you.

Some threads are just dripping with attitude right from the start and then the person asking wonders why they get blown off quickly.

The Golden Rule applies here more than ever.

rhncue · Feb 12, 2012

Great post! You get rewarded with some greenies.

Dick

pdcue · Feb 12, 2012

Apology accepted - now get your lazy a$$ over to Google and search on

"the psychology of why people wouldn't want to answer the same question
sixty times, or some questions even once"

Dale(who is in a hurry)

Agent17 · Feb 12, 2012

I am an active poster on other forums and am well aware of the 'tiresome' reappearance of the same questions.

However, I'm also of the opinion that if you have no time to reply, then why waste time telling someone to search?

It's easier, and more helpful, to briefly give an answer. Easier still, a direct link to something relevant. And the easiest of all, just get on with your busy day and ignore it.

The op has a valid point, and although some people are clearly too lazy to bother looking themselves, most people are genuine and would just appreciate a little (quick) guidance.

This is not a dig at anyone, just an observation that sometimes we can forget the time when we needed answers ourselves and appreciated any little advice we were given or could find.

All I'm saying is - be nice to people. You never know when the favour could be returned :smile:

macguy · Feb 12, 2012

They are giving you the best advice. You will get the best answer to a common question by research and finding complete cross section of opinions for you to consider. Some will copy and paste a link to a thread but you can do the best research on your own. I makes no sense to have three people answer you when there may be hundreds of answers on here already that may be more informative. No one is accusing you of being lazy they are trying to help you. I have to say, from the tone of your question you sound far more rude then the people you can complaining about.

bbb · Feb 12, 2012

i havent read any replies:embarrassed2:
but sometimes that suggestion to do a search on a common subject will give plenty to read about

snipershot · Feb 12, 2012

Sometimes, I will ask a question that has been asked before because maybe some new ideas or methods have been introduced since the last time it was asked. I've asked a lot of questions and I've had some snotty remarks made because some people thought it was dumb, but I don't care one bit about that. I learned so much from good guys who really guided me down the right path that those who acted like I was bothering them and gave me shit for asking a dumb question didn't bother me at all. If you really want to learn, try to figure it out and ask only after you fail. I fail a lot, lol, but I won't stop trying! Lol.

Joe

GBCues · Feb 13, 2012

There are usually multiple ways to solve any problem in cue building. Referring someone to use the search function will expose them to those multiple ways and they then have choices to make about how they would like to move forward.

If you depend on individual replies, especially to often-asked questions, you will only get a few of the possible "correct answers".

My 2 cents,

Gary

Blue Hog ridr · Feb 13, 2012

Thats the 100% truth Gary. And thats why the makers say just that. After you have the opportunity to read all you want on the subject and possibly gained a little knowledge, then you can start a new thread and have the makers expound on a particular question that may still be bugging you.

Everyone wants instant gratification.

One of the responses here included the word: Quick.

If you want Quick, you have to pay for it. Last time I checked, no one was getting paid for their time here. If you want free, stand in line.

When I knew that this was the hobby for me, I read everything that I could here for free. I copied and pasted everything available.
Then I bought the Bible and DVDs.

I still have to chuckle when someone asked a question not long ago. Murray Tucker posted a link to the Army where one could read all they wanted plus more of Murray's tech tips. Someone got all p issy because they had to take a few minutes and register at the other site and figured Murray should copy and paste all his work over here for them.
FK, that just blew me away to no end.

Lexicologist71 · Feb 14, 2012

They tell you to search because they are tired of seeing the same questions. Sometimes, asking the question shows that you don't have enough initiative to do any looking on your own. This site is full of people who do have initiative and have worked out bugs on their own without any help. They're under no obligation to tell you how they did it. Just be happy when they do.

Sometimes, you get questions so obvious that you say to yourself "If THIS guy doesn't know about _______, he has no business building cues." It's sad when you're as new as I am and the question hurts your head because it shows such a total lack of fundamental knowledge. Some things should be learned before you start asking questions.

olsonsview · Feb 14, 2012

There is an advantage of searching first

And reading all you can, then ask something in more detail than has been discussed before. You will learn more, and during the search you will find answers to issues you had not even thought of to ask ! Then maybe we all learn and share.

Bill Newhouse · Mar 1, 2012

About that disdain you noticed....

No doubt you noticed in many of the responses quite a bit of that disdain you were asking about. A casual review of the responses shows a few genuinely helpful, professional, courteous responses, and way too many that were just condescending garbage. Such is the reality of internet forums. You just have to take the good that you find and ignore the junk (and don't let it ruin your own attitude).

Some of the respondents seem to think you aren't entitled to a courteous answer to your question unless you have spent as much time as they did stumbling around in beginner's ignorance ruining wood and tools and possibly hurting yourself in the process. It seems to me that it hasn't occurred to them that continuing that mode of learning doesn't improve anything for anybody in our craft. Either that, or they want you to stay ignorant and inept so you won't become a serious competitor to them before they reach retirement age. The fact that you recognize your limitations and aren't too insecure to risk asking the 'dumb' question tells me you are already well on your way to eclipsing them. Keep having the courage to ask. And simply ignore those guys.

Others seem to think this forum is actually the 'self-declared-world-class-expert-who-is-too-important-and-busy-to-talk-to-mere-beginners-who-are-so-beneath-them' forum. Well, it isn't. Nothing in the forum title or posting rules declares it to be that. Apparently they have forgotten that they did not single-handedly invent all aspects of cue building by themselves in secret. A lot of what they know was taught to them by others back when they themselves were too-unimportant-for-accomplished-cuemakers-to-bother-with-talking-to-them beginners. But the established guys took the time to advise and instruct them anyway. These guys were perfectly willing to take all of that, but aren't willing to give anything back. That makes me wonder why they even bother to respond to beginners' questions on the forum.

Then there is the totally BS argument that the 'experts' are tired of answering the same question over and over and you are just being too lazy to look up the answer in the FAQs. Maybe you did try that but aren't particularly proficient at using the FAQ feature and couldn't find the answer you were looking for. Or maybe you just didn't realize that you should have tried the FAQs first crack out of the bag. That's the way it is when you are new to something. The self-appointed too-busy-to-bother-with-your-question experts don't seem to understand they are under absolutely NO obligation to respond to your question at all. If they don't have time to give you a real answer, then where did they come up with the time to give you a ration of snotty BS? They are simply attempting to justify their own crappy attitude and excuse their very bad manners. A simple little courteous response to the effect that your question has been thoroughly dealt with in the FAQs and you should check there first under subject XXXX takes little or no time, gets you a truly helpful answer, and points you toward developing the positive habit of using the FAQ goldmine. It also projects a positive image of the forum as a good place to interact and encourages you to stay with us over the long haul so you eventually become a valuable resource to future cuebuilders.

When someone displays a bad attitude toward you and your inquiry, try to brush it off and keep going forward. It is very doubtful that person knows anything worth knowing that you can't find out from someone with better manners and a larger vision of our craft. If they actually DO know such a secret technique, remind yourself that everybody else in the business is getting along without knowing that particular trick and doing just fine, so you can, too. Focus on the folks that give you a decent response, learn from them, and try to help raise the average quality of the forum discussions by following their positive approach.

Best regards,
Bill

Bill Newhouse · Mar 1, 2012

Using the FAQs

Very well said.

Blue Hog ridr · Mar 1, 2012

Well there you have it. Bill, I believe you have most of that wrong.

When I first got here, I would also PM certain cue makers questions.
I have had invitations to call and offers to help out from many well known
cue makers.

Why? Maybe I was polite and showed a bit of initiative first.
Lets take Rick G. Geez, you ask a question on here, he'll pretty much tell you exactly how to build a cue, or how he builds his.

Another cue maker, I don't want to mention his name but his cues are named after a tree. He will come within inches of telling you exactly what took him years of experimentation to find out.
I guess he feels that he has nothing to hide and isn't afraid of someone making a cue just like his.

These are just two, another is Leon, KJ, Dick. Leon and I have had many a midnight BS sessions.
There is lots more, in fact just about any maker that does hang out here and answers questions. All of them are very approachable.
And theres also Chris H. He will answer the phone just about any time of the working day, and or, answer an email.

Sorry Bill, I think you have these guys pegged totally wrong.

Agent17 · Mar 1, 2012

Where's the 'Like' button when you need it? :thumbup:

In fact, I enjoyed it so much I will quote a little bit again:

Well said sir. Exactly the point I made earlier.

Why the disdain?

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