I don’t know much about Googling but I rarely don’t find an answer to a simple factual question by just typing the question into Google and checking out the first few links. I know there are additional features of google I could use (I just learned how to search by site recently, very handy) but I have never had the need.
So, I think in my case, if I can find it, they can and should. If you teach a man to fish and all that.
Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day…
We let people know that a little work is expected on their parts. If you didn’t try to investigate on your own first…shame on you.
Now, if a person asks a question and includes ‘I tried googling but couldn’t find my answer…’, well that’s another matter entirely.
There have been times when I’ve not posted a question because of this. While it was a question where I could indeed find the factual answer, in the strictest sense - I was really looking for more background, examples, anecdotes and related comments, rather than the simple answer. Things like - "X happened because of Y; however, before that, Z was used which had this impact . . . . . " Then I thought that, well, maybe I should rephrase the question to explain that, while I found the strict answer, I’m hoping for . . . . . . ooooh, shiny . . . . .
I think a lot of it has to do with the OP too. If it’s a post from user who has been around for a while, than I assume that they’re really looking for more than the strict, factual answer. However, if it’s a new user who just signed up - then I’m more forgiving of a GIYF or similar response - as long as they’re not too snarky.
That article is ludicrous, and contrary to common sense. You can’t say that a search engine is more “accurate” because it results in more click-throughs.
How many times a day to do you use Google without clicking through to a site? It works well enough that the information you’re looking for is either right there in the return, and unlike Bing or Yahoo you can preview the page without clicking through. If I “peek” at six pages without navigating away from the results page before clicking through to something that looks about right, it isn’t because Google is less accurate - using Bing or (shudder) Yahoo, I would have clicked through and back before determining that was where I wanted to go.
Hell, with Google I often don’t even have to finish typing my query before the information I’m looking for is there. I don’t think that counts against it.
Ahh, yes, the golden age of cinema.
mmm
Who else knew who the OP of that thread would be before even clicking on it?
Maybe so, but properly applied it’s better than the asshole question that’s wasting everyone’s time and bytes.
What is proper application? When the first few Google results contain the exact and complete answer; when the question is in effect asking for someone to GIFY.
Repeatedly posting it as a joke, of course, is also a waste of everyone’s time.
Rephrasing the question to make this clear is a good idea. If you know the simple factual answer, say that, then say how this strikes you or what aspect it’s leading you to wonder about. Give the community some kind of pointer about which way to start jaunting.
If it’s of so little interest to you that you can’t manage to do that without getting distracted, that’s probably a sign that it’s not worth anyone else’s time either.
The exact wording isn’t important enough for me to quibble over. Use of the website lmgtfy.com to “answer” a question is condescending, assholish, and insulting. Just be direct and say, “Google it, dumbass.”
I have often looked things up on a search engine and found conflicting information. I don’t want to see 96,200 results from Google on “how do you get skunk smell out of your dog”; I want to hear personal experiences from people I respect.
I disagree with you, and I think that’s the whole point of Quasi’s OP. Look at the difference between:
and
The first is rude, dismissive, and uninformative. The second helps the OP solve the problem and gives some tips on how to search next time around. Oftentimes, people just can’t figure out how to phrase a search, or what words to use. I really don’t mind giving them some help.
Thank YOU!
I sometimes have questions that are basically “what’s that thingie that does the whatchmahoogie when you use it for somethingornother”???
And I only come here after several fruitless tries on Google. Yes, Mr. (or Ms.) Smarty pants, if I’d known HOW to phrase the question correctly in the first place I wouldn’t have come here for help.
Oh Jesus! You guys are so very precious to me!
Yeah, I said what I said in total seriousness, but shit, we all know I’m batshit, right, so I have enjoyed all the responses I have gotten with this thread, but know for damn sure y’all aren’t gonna stop doin’ it.
No, I wasn’t trolling. Y’all know me better than that, right?
It does bother me when that is written, but I also know it’s a bit of a losing battle, so I don’t lose any sleep over it. Hell, it’s almost a Dope staple quote, innit? 
Sometimes you win and most times I lose, but that’s what so great about being here.
The Dope (and all of you) rocketh!
Q