I don't know if this discussion is a result of my question about an acronym yesterday or not, but... WOW! I had no idea a spur of the moment query like that would cause the whole damn community to get into a street brawl. If it's my fault, my apologies to those of you who were offended that I didn't take the time to go search for the answer myself. There were scores of acronyms used in threads I have read in the last few days. I figgered I had time to to learn what they meant, so I never asked. But one seemed like it deserved a question.
I've been managing forums (not about photography) for 20+ years and I am a member of probably hundreds. I participate regularly on about 10 different forums - not every day, but at least once a week. There are half a dozen I participate on every day, half of which are part of my job as a webmaster. This forum is one I have visited a couple times a day for a few days now and I have mostly enjoyed every minute. No one here has caused me to question my participation here, until this thread.
This is what I tell the members of my own forum: If someone asks a question, NEVER tell them to go search for the answer. That's why they are here. You are not required to answer anyone's questions, if you don't want to. I don't care if the same question has been asked a million times and they have been replied to with good answers every one of those times. You can post a link to the right answer, you can copy & paste the right answer, you can even post the right answer backwards and upside down. But never ever think the right answer includes the phrase, "go search Google (or anywhere else)." In that case, what you should do instead is... shut the hell up. Let others do what you find so reprehensible.
One other thing that just occurred, and it is actually pretty ironic. If a guy does get on and posts the question, "What is DOF" if I understand the board's proposed function as described the abbreviation DOF as it appears in his question would then be highlighted/underlined and if he were to mouse over it he would answer his own question - which would pretty much make that the ultimate self help guide right there. Which of course, is a rather fun little bit of irony when you stop and think about it.
Also when you stop an think about it were talking about a fairly innocuous feature that really wouldn't have much affect at all on those who don't have an interest in it's use. So, what do you folks say - maybe we can all retract the claws a bit? I think we are scaring the new cat!
In the 3 or so days I've been here, I have only seen this once:
This is the feature some have mentioned. It is a plugin used on some vBulletin forums - the software used on this site. I use the same forum software (different version) and the same plugin. I am adding acronym definitions to it all the time, but sometimes it's a PITA. But it works and it has reduced the number of questions like mine.
Reduced, not eliminated. The flooring industry uses a lot of acronyms too. Photography has nothing on any other hobby or profession. The acronym feature does its job well and it's great for SEO (there it is again - hover over that acronym to see what it means). This is a big site though and the admin(s) may already be overworked. My hope is that this discussion will encourage them to add a few more definitions once in a while so guys like me don't go around pissing off some of you who have their whole days ruined when we ask questions you think we shouldn't.
But I owe a bunch of you my gratitude for taking a few of those other asshats to task for whining about questions like this. I also want to encourage the other n00b who got slammed because you didn't hold a couple of the elite here to the standards they have become accustom. Don't let them scare you away. I've seen this happen on forums I manage and it's shameful how a few long-time members think they can intimidate a new member into thinking they have to pass some secret initiation in order to be a member.
I thank all the members here at TPF who have treated me and other newbies well, offered their insight, criticism and encouragement. That's what makes this site great to me. This place is big enough that those who don't appreciate my presence here, don't have to engage me in conversation. No loss for either of us. There's plenty other stuff to do and people to talk with.
Lucky for some of you I'm short of oxygen to my brain too. I won't remember who the jerks were in this thread tomorrow.
Jim
Anyway, I agree with most of terri's post.
