Has a thread ever been moved TO GQ?

[bucketybuck]

@Munch

If providing answers isn’t “helpful” maybe you should just shut down General Questions.

According to your “fucking” logic, they should just shut down GQ now and tell everybody to google their questions instead.

[Munch]

@bucketybuck

According to your “fucking” logic, they should just shut down GQ now and tell everybody to google their questions instead.

True - but only if my answer had been “just fucking google it”. But that’s not what my answer was. It was “here’s the answer, which includes a link to 310 google results. The majority of the front page of those results of which directly answer the OP’s question.” Note: that number is decreasing as a direct result of this thread - but the point stands.

[Shot_From_Guns]

@Colibri

You didn’t really “help” anybody.

1.) He answered the OP’s question as posted.
2.) He demonstrated to the OP how to find the answer to similar questions in the future.

How is that not being helpful?

For anyone who doesn’t want to click over to the LMGTFY thread, here’s a selection of relevant comments from staff and posters (including you, Colibri):

@xash

I think LMGTFY is acceptable. Whenever I use it, I use it in jest. It also makes a point, that your answer could easily have been googled. It’s along the same lines as Google is your friend.

@Colibri

Let’s put it this way. It’s not the sort of thing that would garner a official warning (unless someone started doing it persistently), [snip] A certain degree of snark is acceptable in GQ.

@Serenata67

If it only takes me a minute or two to Google something for another poster, I might put in the couple minutes to “clear the land” for “better” questions. If they have further questions or if their question is more complex than they let on, they can continue the thread asking more questions. If not, I’ve answered the question and that thread can fall off the face of the board.

@Gukumatz

If it popped up in the Game Room, I’d OK it, barring extraneous snark. For instance, a single LMGTFY link in the post would go through but a “LMGTFY link, dumbass” wouldn’t.

@Chronos

Personally, I think that the priorities are getting the answer for the OP, and educating the OP on how to get the answer (not necessarily in that order). LMGTFY does both. Yeah, it does it in a snarky way, but we’re all in the shadow of Cecil here, so I think a certain level of snark comes with the territory.

@C_K_Dexter_Haven

So, I don’t think it’s necessarily snarky to tell people where to find an answer. Sometimes, I think it’s satisfactory to say, “You can look that up in any reasonable dictionary” thus telling people how to find an answer.

@zut

I think a certain level of snark is acceptable as long as the poster correctly answers the question.

@Troy_McClure_SF

I think it’s worth keeping in mind that our dear leader Cecil is a bit of a smartass, and that LMGTFY is pretty mild compared to some of his columns over the decades.

As you can see, the consensus, including from mods and administrators, is that there’s no problem with isolated uses of LMGTFY as long as the search link is relevant and answers the question posed.

[Frank]

@Shot_From_Guns

2.) He demonstrated to the OP how to find the answer to similar questions in the future.

Without, alas, the scintillating conversation we get in threads like this.

[RaftPeople]

@Munch

@bucketybuck

According to your “fucking” logic, they should just shut down GQ now and tell everybody to google their questions instead.

True - but only if my answer had been “just fucking google it”. But that’s not what my answer was. It was “here’s the answer, which includes a link to 310 google results. The majority of the front page of those results of which directly answer the OP’s question.” Note: that number is decreasing as a direct result of this thread - but the point stands.

The problem is that it’s not obvious to everyone that “moved to general questions” is a search phrase that will return the result. I’ve been here a long time but I never would have thought of that because I just don’t pay much attention to moderator notes and messages etc. unless they are directed at me. I didn’t realize until after I clicked your link that the mods type that in (of course once I saw it I remembered seeing it in the past, but it wasn’t something I would have remembered).

You make the assumption that what you are aware of, everyone should be aware of, and so you delivered the answer in a manner that reflects your annoyance. But your assumption about all of us having the same information that you have is not accurate.

[Munch]

@RaftPeople

The problem is that it’s not obvious to everyone that “moved to general questions” is a search phrase that will return the result. I’ve been here a long time but I never would have thought of that because I just don’t pay much attention to moderator notes and messages etc. unless they are directed at me. I didn’t realize until after I clicked your link that the mods type that in (of course once I saw it I remembered seeing it in the past, but it wasn’t something I would have remembered).

You make the assumption that what you are aware of, everyone should be aware of, and so you delivered the answer in a manner that reflects your annoyance. But your assumption about all of us having the same information that you have is not accurate.

Incorrect - I made the opposite assumption. I knew that “moved to General Questions” **wouldn’t **be an obvious search term, because most people can’t google to save their lives. And here’s the important bit, so pay attention - that’s why I provided the search terms. I put it into a LMGTFY link not to convey annoyance at people not realizing what search term to use, but for not realizing to search in the first place.

[RaftPeople]

@Munch

Incorrect - I made the opposite assumption. I knew that “moved to General Questions” **wouldn’t **be an obvious search term, because most people can’t google to save their lives. And here’s the important bit, so pay attention - that’s why I provided the search terms. I put it into a LMGTFY link not to convey annoyance at people not realizing what search term to use, but for not realizing to search in the first place.

But if you don’t know that there is a search term that will answer the question, then what should the person key in when they search?

It’s only if you have an idea that a search term will answer the question that search makes sense, right?

[Munch]

Fair enough. Though I don’t think I’m asking for the moon when I think people should at least attempt a google search. And using a phrase taken directly from the thread title wouldn’t be a terrible place to start.