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  1. #1
    Senior Member Just Jeff's Avatar
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    Why HF likes newbies to ask "the same old questions"

    On a lot of forums, a newbie will pop in with a question and immediately get squashed with comments like "Use the search function" and "ANOTHER question on THIS," or just general ridicule for asking such a basic question. That doesn't happen very often here...and here's why.

    We actually encourage newbies to ask questions because it creates conversation...it forces experienced folks to look at old issues in new ways, possibly prompting new approaches. That's where innovation comes from.

    The search function is awesome (well, not the one vBulletin gives us, but adding site:hammockforums.net to a search engine's terms works well), but what's even better is NEW ideas...and the search function doesn't create those.

    Here's a quote from one of my mentors about fundamentally transforming a very successful organization to approach a new mission.

    During my military career, I led at many levels, from a young officer in charge of a platoon of 30 soldiers to a four-star general responsible for the 160,000-strong international coalition in Afghanistan. Since my retirement in 2010, I’ve spent significant time working with leaders in industry, and I’ve learned a great deal from their experiences facing equally complex challenges. This exposure across fields and disciplines has left me with the fundamental belief that a large organization is inherently biased to look for its own image within its competition. Organizations, especially successful ones, refine their methodology to such an art that they lose the ability to see the alternative methods and approaches being developed by the competition. Their success makes them prone to miss new solutions to the old questions.
    The same idea applies to what we do. Just because something has been working for experienced hammockers for years doesn't mean we're doing it the best way possible...just that we've conditioned ourselves to think so.

    And we don't know that if we don't try to look at old questions in new ways.

    And newbie questions help us do that.
    “Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

    - My site: http://www.tothewoods.net/
    - Designer, Jeff's Gear Hammock / Pack Cover by JRB

    IMPOSSIBLE JUST TAKES LONGER

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Interesting idea. I'm glad folks feel that way. OTOH the basic problem with all search tools is the shear volume of responses. It's easier to just ask. ;-)

  3. #3
    canoebie's Avatar
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    I like it Jeff. HF is about more than information. A critical part of its life blood comes from interaction. The culture of openness and support here is something that I value and appreciate. A newbie question reminds me of my beginnings and offers me opportunity to support just as I was supported. Placing value on that process as a group has been and will continue to be a great part of the success of HF. Thanks for the insights.
    “Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too?”
    ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

  4. #4
    Senior Member mountainhanger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Just Jeff View Post
    On a lot of forums, a newbie will pop in with a question and immediately get squashed with comments like "Use the search function" and "ANOTHER question on THIS," or just general ridicule for asking such a basic question. That doesn't happen very often here...and here's why.

    We actually encourage newbies to ask questions because it creates conversation...it forces experienced folks to look at old issues in new ways, possibly prompting new approaches. That's where innovation comes from.

    The search function is awesome (well, not the one vBulletin gives us, but adding site:hammockforums.net to a search engine's terms works well), but what's even better is NEW ideas...and the search function doesn't create those.

    Here's a quote from one of my mentors about fundamentally transforming a very successful organization to approach a new mission.

    The same idea applies to what we do. Just because something has been working for experienced hammockers for years doesn't mean we're doing it the best way possible...just that we've conditioned ourselves to think so.

    And we don't know that if we don't try to look at old questions in new ways.

    And newbie questions help us do that.
    Well put Jeff!!
    It's not the boulders that throw us off balance, it's the pebbles beneath our feet

  5. #5
    Senior Member outdooraddict's Avatar
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    That's what keeps me coming back. People really seem to like helping either out here.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Redpath's Avatar
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    I believe there is a thread on this already...
    BTW: I agree totally!
    You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows~Bob Dylan
    http://carnegies-restaurant.com

  7. #7
    Senior Member Chigger's Avatar
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    Good advice. Some of us need to be reminded of important stuff again, and again, and sometimes again.

  8. #8
    Senior Member old4hats's Avatar
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    A big surprise to me came at a hang, note, I have not been here that long, so at the hang someone who had been around longer than me saw the way I had done something, and was very impressed. The surprise? It was something which I took for granted that everyone knew, but turns out I had an opportunity to share my information. My point is that about everyone learns or picks up on something fairly frequently, so yes Just Jeff, keeping the new folks asking helps us all to stay sharp.

  9. #9
    Nighthauk's Avatar
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    Very well put Jeff. I completely agree with it all. It is like a marriage. If both of us were the exact same, only one would be needed. We need another point of view to help us work through things with a more complete viewpoint.
    Husband, Father, and Friend.
    Scout Master and Cub Master for Troop/Pack 705 of
    Chesterfield


  10. #10
    Senior Member inspectorguy's Avatar
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    Yep. Whenever I see a Noob post, and craft a carefully worded response to help illuminate, but not repudiate, I find that someone has usually beaten me to the draw with a better response than mine, so I have to use the word "ditto" a lot.

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