General Chat

I Think that's a great Thing to do and I for one would find it very useful As you have said some of us are passed our sell by date, and not as quick as the young ones. Also if it comes from people that are using the sites it seems that you think well they must know what they are talking about . Does that make sense I am the worst never read instructions.

Some people try and help and 'do their best' others dont/wont or cant or dont have the resources (for whatever reason) I wish those that Dont/wont/cant wouldn't critisise those that, at the very least 'try'. I'm going to say no more, i dont think i am guilty very often. Alice, who is going to bog off back to tips/record s and try and help

I'm quite happy to create a 'Tips for newbies:' thread which can run on each board with suggestions on how to use the site to their best advantage. If people want to give examples of things they think need to be explained/ that they've encountered problems with please add and I'll work on something over the weekend I'll post a thread on each board asking for suggestions too Zoe p.s. can we keep it aimed at how to use genes and possibly recommended sites for first steps rather than an a-z of genealogy

Jane, Thank you, but as GR have failed to respond to any message I've sent them during the past year (all three of them!), I'm not going try and tell them how to run their show! LOL They appear to ignore many suggestions made by members as to how the site could be improved. CB >|<

Ginny, Good thread .... as others have said this is a perennial problem and I can remember when I first joined that I got slapped around a bit. Love CB's idea of a 'Newbie How To' pack ... maybe GenesRe should automatically send one when someone new registers? CB - is it worth sending a mail to the management about this ... it's a cracking idea. Meanwhile, there will always be those who either have an unfortunate turn of phrase/are new to PCs and those who are just looking for a free lunch. Don't rise to the bait, we're nice people. Regs Jane

Ive just seen the reply to which i think Ginny has taken as an example, as she has posted directly after it. it is a 'stock reply' , by a particular poster. Its is to the point and actually accurate, just sounds abrupt.

im glad i wasnt the only one to be upset by harsh replies,but sorry you suffered i was afraid to ask for a while after one very rude reply,like many every day being new and excited it certainly made me think twice before i asked advice. I totaly agree if you find a thread annoying why bother with a opinion ? rather than go on some of us could have learning difficulties IE; AUTISM,DYSLEXIA, and shouldn be made to feel ashamed of wanting to try and learn something as excitng as there family tree. no one has been given the job to be rude and your certainly not going to get paid for it so dont do it lorraine

Alice My Abbreviations thread dropped off the front page. A thread doesn't have to stay on the front page to be useful. Ive nudged it, you will see time and time again people have nudged it for others, rather than explain the whole caboodle. Seeing as it started in Nov 2004, its had more comebacks than the whole cast of CBB. I may start a thread, but I'm only popping in and out during today as im up the school for a class assembly, also my lunchtime stint, and helping out this afternoon. If people dont want to use it to help others, then its up to them, Elaine x

I agree with Elaine's suggestion. With so many TV shows, newspaper and magazine articles around now on the subject of ancestor-hunting, many more people are going to try their hand at it. Not all of them will be familiar with using a PC (many will be adults using a PC they've bought for their children but don't know much about), and not everyone who uses a PC is familiar with the terms used in IT or belongs to websites which require them to 'post' on 'threads' or use standardised posting rules. It can also be confusing to find different websites using different rules, site layouts and methods of posting. I think it would be best if GR made it compulsory for new members to find their way onto the Boards via an 'instruction manual' pathway. That would mean everyone could at least have the opportunity of reading 'how to'. I think Elaine's list of abbreviations and a glossary of genealogical terms would be valuable additions to a 'Greetings, Newbie!' package. I've never owned a mobile phone, so sometimes I need to refer to lists to find out what abbreviations and symbols mean. I can't be bothered learning too much of the intricacies of website usage, apart from the rules of the few genealogy ones to which I subscribe. It's not necessary to me and, unfortunately, I've other things to do with my time. Around 18 months ago, when Bendy Wendy and I joined this site for the first time, we were both shocked by how rude and unhelpful most people were when responding to our initial posts seeking guidance. We both found that put us off joining in the banter or posting on this Gen Board for quite some time. I find now, having gained some experience of researching, that many 'old hands' have very rigid attitudes and post scathing remarks or replies. Having learned at last year's SoG lectures that 'There's more than one way to skin a cat', I find the inflexibility of those people unhelpful and irritating. I also find it annoying, when I ask questions and say that I've already Googled and looked at websites on a specific subject, to receive replies on my thread which direct me to Google or to websites I've already seen. If I've said I've already done it, what's the point in telling me to do it again? If I post a specific question, I'd like to know if someone has the answer to that question and will kindly tell me, as I would' if the boot were on the other foot'. Obviously, 'it takes all sorts', but it doesn't do to be too sensitive in this game. Maybe GR should print that as a warning to newbies signing up too! CB >|<

because it would drop off the first page every five minutes, that is all. It is irksom (and only irksome) if a newby can find he relevant 'click' spots to post a message, that they seemingly cannot find the elevant one to reply with! I have patience , and lots of it, and DO enjoy helping people, find it quite satifying actually. BUT maybe you could do one Elaine and see how effective it is Alice

Why a waste of time ? They may be on tips and records, but not on General. I thought it a good idea, for those who are newbies and have no idea what the boards are all about Sometimes its easier to say 'Have a read of this thread' Rather than get all wound up trying to answer a question asked by the thread origionator. Elaine x

to do that on the Gen Board Elaine , is a waste of time. They are already on tips and records Umpteen times, and are explained 'on thread' where needs be .......

Just a thought Would it be worth posting a thread on here entitled 'HOW TO USE THE GR BOARDS' Adding info on What a thread is, what a post is, what the individial boards are for SHOUTING ...where appropriate and not. How to post on trying to find board. Nudging How to search for threads going beyond page 20 on a thread How to change text size how to remove lines from under posts and other tips revelent to posting. The thread can be nudged when ever it needs to and can be brought up in search box (like my abbrieviations thread) Elaine x

I'm still a relative newbie and ask questions that are probably dumb, but I agree that even I lose patience FOR you, reading requests like 'I've looked EVERYWHERE' and it turns out they have just looked at their hotmatches or something. If I need help I usually say 'I haven't looked anywhere BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW. could someone please direct me'. I don't expect people to do my work for me. I think that people are justified in getting impatient with some people obviously expecting all the work done for them....however, people can still be polite and in the main, I think the people here are fantastic! Claire xx

I think when starting to do family research its easy to get excited and rush ahead a little,,iv been researching for over 11 years now and i remember how in the begining i would eagerly jump on every bit of info available, relevent or not, One of things i enjoy most is the reward i get from helping others and especially newbies,

Hi Ginny Haven't seen you about for ages:) I agree with you totally. I've always felt there are some people who answer with weary and dutiful irritation and it's not just newbies who receive those sort of replies. I've never understood why people help unless they really want to try and help rather than to 'put someone right' or to complain about the way a question is worded and so on. Yes, it might be the umpteenth time someone more experienced has dealt with a thread where the person hasn't given all the info they could or hasn't tried the obvious but it might be the first time that person has used the boards or asked for help. We all have different levels of understanding and work at different speeds and I wish ther was a bit more tolerance from that. Equally, I don't like to see people told off because they ask for help 'too often' or because their grammar/ literacy or setting out of their question/ information isn't good enough for the person who chooses to help. If you don't feel like helping don't help!! Of course there are people who take advantage but if anyone feels like that why not just leave them alone and let someone else deal with them (or not). We're lucky on here that there are so many helpful and kind people who will go out of their way to help others but if even one person is put off from asking for help because of the attitudes of others I think that's a shame.

I have also noticed quite a few terse replies recently...and they do read as being unnecessarily harsh and quite off putting. I would be afraid to try again if I received such a put down. I am very slow on the computer and also sometimes not very quick witted. I didn't know what a 'thread' was or 'PM' and other such language. It takes time to learn these things. A little patience is all that is required. Most people on here are only too willing to help and with good grace it is only the few who appear abrupt. Beryl x

What I have found with some newbies is that they dont know how to add to the message boards, and there is no explanation to do it on the home page ie; dont know what thread is do not know how to post onto a thread how to find one of there threads and its not that easy to explain in text to someone if they dont know how to do this, that might be why she kept pm you, because she was clicking under your name and not add reply, How do we get round this only by patience I suppose Babs

Yes I agree Kim I did the same as you and think it was Grampa Jim who emailed me back no bother at all and the number of other mistakes - well! but if I had been snapped at I would'n t have come back on. I think a lot of people who come on here are older so not only are they having to work out tracing their family but having to cope with a computer, I know I did and still doing so and still making so many mistakes Norah

I think you just have to walk away sometimes. I just don't answer most of the 'lookups' queries anymore because all I'm going to do is direct them to ancestry indexes.