Jill, I understand that mose of the writing was done before the internet took hold. But you miss the point! With the internet capabilities today, Cecil (and his staff) has the “a b i l i t y t o e x p a n d.”
I’ll bet you that such sources, that Cecil used to research questions before the internet, have expanded on the internet. It’ll just take a little time to find them. I’m not asking Cecil to drop his pen, keyboard, or what not and to look for them immediately; I’m asking him to take 5 minutes extra on an article by finding a good link that would provide his readers with additional information. It’s not much, but it would be a meaningful gesture.
(Considering he’s profiting immensely from his books and cups…etc. BECAUSE YOU AND I read them and drink from them.)
Jill, I understand that mose of the writing was done before the internet took hold. But you miss the point! With the internet capabilities today, Cecil (and his staff) has the “a b i l i t y t o e x p a n d.” To explore new worlds, and new civili.z…a…t…oh, that’s Star Trek.
I’ll bet you that such sources, that Cecil used to research questions before the internet, have expanded on the internet. It’ll just take a little time to find them. I’m not asking Cecil to drop his pen, keyboard, or what not and to look for them immediately; I’m asking him to take 5 minutes extra per an article to find one good link that would provide his readers with additional information. It’s not much, but it would be a meaningful gesture.
(Considering he’s profiting immensely from his books and cups…etc. BECAUSE YOU AND I read them and drink from them.)
Okay, you know what. I’m getting sick and tired of saying this. I only used the VP question as an example (example [example]). If that was unclear the first time and the second time that I said it, make it clear now. The VP question was only an example. I could have chosen ANY of the questions. Why, you ask? Because none of them had links.
(The VP question was only an “EXAMPLE.”)
I’ve asked one of you once to stop “reading between the lines.” Now I’m directing that at all of you. Don’t assume things that aren’t typed.
Another point, upstatic is that URL’s change often. In my mind, there’s nothing more annoying than going to a site with a bunch of links, and most of the links are dead. In that case, I would prefer no links at all.
If links were included with answers, then in two years there will probably be twenty people saying “Why do you have a bad link in your column?”
But, uppie, where does this stop? Say it takes 5 minutes to find and link the info you think important (in this example, what the VP’s house looks like). Then the next person gets upset because the column doesn’t link to some other related subject and the next and the next, until each column ends up having 20 links (total 100 minutes/column), maybe more.
Also, say this happens: It’s decided that each column and Mailbag answer will have one link. Are you going to rant and rave if the link that’s used isn’t the link you think should have been used?
It is impossible for either Cecil or the SDSAB to know all the related information that each person will want to know. If there is space and time, some additional information is going to be there, but perhaps not always the information that uppie in particular thinks should be there.
If there’s information related to a column or mailbag answer, ask it in the appropriate Comments forum, that’s what they are there for. If you find it too much trouble to ask or to look up yourself, perhaps you don’t want to find it out as much as you thought.
Yes and I thought that you of all the people who’s read this topic would realize that I too was using an example. I would’ve used another one but that would only make it more confusing. So please just read what it says and figure it out for yourself.
No one is forcing you to click on a link, working or not. But it would be nice gesture if they were there. It would show that Straight Dope cares a little more than others.
Two identicle cars
Selling for the same price
The only different: one has a leather interior.
Crimony, this is ridiculous. Upper, not only was the question that was specifically asked answered, there was enough additional background trivia and historical information to choke an elephant.
A Google search yielded this website with a picture of the VP’s house.
Enjoy your fucking picture. Don’t trip on the link on the way out.
Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you. Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.
Understand, uppie, that that answer already contains more information than was requested.
You don’t seem to have read any of my posts. Where does it stop? Why do you expect Cecil and the SDSAB to know all the related questions that every reader will have and answer them, too? Or is it just your questions they must anticipate and answer for each column? If they do provide one link for each question, are you going to complain that it’s not the link that answers your related question? Or are they required to provide links to every possible related question they can think of?
[[Understand Kat-a-rama, one good link that Cecil adds will answer more than ONE unanwered questions from his column. Ever think about that?]]
You can surf the net, or you can read Cecil. I surf the net for info. plenty, but I like reading Cecil’s take on things, too. It would be a bummer to pick up the newspaper in a coffee shop and find a Straight Dope column full of internet links.
RM - the point of this thread is really independent of the specific example cited.
Upstatic, the reason people are testy with you is that you are dense and rude.
You asked why there aren’t links posted for each column, to address all the peripheral questions that could be spawned by that question. People have answered you
Cecil’s column is originally a newspaper column, where internet links are pointless.
Most of the archived columns are from prior to the internet.
Links die. It would really suck to pull up a column that has a handy link to a website talking all about the subject, only to find the handy link is broken.
There is NO way for Cecil or the SDSTAFF to guess all potential questions sparked by the original question. Mostly they answer the question that was chosen. Frequently they answer a related question or two. If that’s not enough to answer your question, use the message board, use a search engine, or send your own question to Cecil and maybe he’ll get around to answering it for you.
You remain dissatisfied with that answer. Fine. We all agree to let you remain dissatisfied.
upstatic said:
No, whitetho wasn’t referring to a book he’d written, but to Cecil’s books. He was saying Cecil could have just said “Read the book.” You know, RTFB. Instead we get all the old columns FREE online. And we get a forum to ask our own followups.
You want a link at the bottom of the column? Cecil (and Mailbag) does provide one. It’s that green link called “Comment on this answer”. Happy now?
I expect Cecil and the SDStaff would feel the same way. You seem to expect them to “read between the lines” of each question in an attempt to find an appropriate link. They’d get a lot of mail from people like you, asking why they’d chosen a link that failed to answer your personal side questions.
Personally, I think the best we can hope for is that the answers be accurate and entertaining (which they always are). Completeness just isn’t possible in a world of unending information.