Sticky thread on "best"

Rob · Jun 11, 2005

Just a small idea which may or may not be of interest to people...

How about a quick note on using the word "best" or indeed any other superlative relating to equipment.

There are so many questions like "what's the best film", "which is the best digital camera", "is the Canon xxx better than the Nikon xxx", and perhaps some gentle guidance on including more information in the post to help the audience help.

For example "what's the best camera in the world?" could be replaced by "what's a good camera setup for $300 which I can use to get into wedding photography" - a question which has many answers - as opposed to the first question.

Just a thought.

Rob

Unimaxium · Jun 11, 2005

I'm with you on this one. I think it would be a good idea. All too often people will sign up for the forum and post as their first question something like "what is the best film?" or "what is a good camera?", without searching first to find the thread that answered the same question a month ago. Here is the most recent example of this kind of post that I could find. I really think it would be a good idea to make sure people know that there are no definite answers to these questions, and that it is necessary to be more specific in order to get a useful answer.

Chase · Jun 11, 2005

Maybe some mods would like to add it to some of the current guidelines and noob intro threads?

Mike Jordan · Jun 11, 2005

If someone doesn't search for the answer before they post the question, do you think t hey will read a sticky note before they post the question?

This is a topic I've seen hundreds of times. Usually someone will sign on a board for the first time and do a quick search of the first few pages of messages. If they don't see an answer to their question, or maybe the answers they see don't really answer their question, they will post a question in their own words. Maybe they will get the same answers as someone else got or maybe they will get a different answer or maybe just a re-phrased answer. It doesn't really matter as long as they get an answer that works for them.

Keep in mind that when someone posts the upteenth question about what is the best film, or what is the best camera, or what is the best flash, or what kind of lights to buy... etc., etc., that it's not just those that have seen the same question asked over and over... there are also new people seeing it that might have a different answer, or a different slant on what will work better in the situation that the person is asking about. And also, for every person that asks a question, there are probably 6 or more that want to ask the question but are afraid they will be told it's been asked a hundred times already and go look it up (how many times have you seen "go do a search" answer?). Or maybe weren't interested in that aspect of photography the last 30 times it was brought up but are now interested in learning something about it? And don't forget that there are always dozens of people that are just curious about all aspects of photography and like to see the different answers that people give.

When it really comes down to it, how hard is it to give an answer if you know one? It's certainly no harder or take much longer than telling someone to go do a search or at least giving them some basic information that will point them in a direction or two.

At least this is my opinon on the subject.

Now if it's someone that asks a question that has been answered in 12 threads on the very first page... then you can release the hounds on them.

Mike

Hertz van Rental · Jun 11, 2005

I'll go along with whatever people think is best.

ferny · Jun 12, 2005

How about rearranging some forums? Currently we have "General Photography and Camera Q&A" and "Advice and Reviews on Equipment, Services, etc.". My understanding is that the first is to talk about photography of any type and also to get help. The second is to get advice on equipment (shouldn't that be at the top of the forum as well?). How about they get jiggled a bit? So we'd have "General Photography Talk" and "Questions, Advice and Reviews". So you'd have one specific forum for talking about, I don't know laws, news that you've been published or accepted to a school and techniques and junk. And the other forum for new and old members to ask questions about film, cameras, filters, etc.

At the moment I think some people get confused as to the purpose of "General Photography and Camera Q&A" and think it's only for asking questions. They'll look for somewhere else and then post in off-topic. Poor little "Advice and Reviews on Equipment, Services, etc." is stuck down the bottom and often gets forgotten about. Right now, I think we've got a few forums which don't have their full purpose and intent outlined, they seem to merge and overlap and cause people to post in the wrong forums.

Just throwing out an idea which popped into my head whilst reading. And trying to get out of Mitica100's naughty spammer book. :mrgreen: