Disturbing trend...

Emilio - that's not Jamie's point at all. Post what your experiences are, that's how we all learn. What he is trying to say is - don't post something as a definitive reply as if you've never had experience with said situation just because you've "read" it. There's a lot of information out there that anyone can read that is now out-dated information. So instead of saying "you should.... or you shouldn't....." without prefacing it with "I've not experienced that myself, but I've read that you should....."


Then someone who has experienced can either validate or give their experiences. If they post it as if they "know" the information, just because they've read it, but not experienced it, then when someone challenges that information - it looks like they're being picked on.

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Originally Posted by RockSolid

One thing I noticed from new owners is that most of their questions are the same, such as do I feed live of F/T? Is a 30 gallon tank too big for a baby? My baby won't eat? etc. etc. etc.


I think if the search function could be encouraged a little more to go along with the stickies and FAQ's, newbies like myself, will figure out who has the best advice to offer. I utilize the search function obsessively and have come to figure out who gives advice that should be trusted and who is just giving "regurgitated advice."

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i thin kthats a very valid point. and i believe the reason that Noobs ask the same questions over and over again is because as nooobs they arent aware of the search function capabilities (which are being tweaked with right now as show in another thread)

i think that if there was more "search function awareness" directed to noobs then it wouldnt be such a problem. maybe friendly email reminders for the first couple of weeks on the site ? just a suggestion.

the other thing is that everyone feels that thier situation is unique IMHO. and while this is true to a degree it still diesnt mean that they can't learn from other cases. i don't have a solution for this it's just a thought i had from when i was a noob myself.

Ack I hate that word "noobs" :(

Thinking back a little I have read some funny how to husbandry trick's that could of been bad info from some. Jamie I think your right it must of been a little difficult to start this thread though.So I say kudo's to you .

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Originally Posted by RockSolid

I think if the search function could be encouraged a little more

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I really disagree with this statement. There's nothing I dislike more than attempting to learn about a new critter, joining a forum and when I post getting the response "use the search function" and that's the end of their post!

I don't mind being reminded there IS a search function but in all honesty, most of the times I've searched and not found the info I'm looking for. Some members on other forums get into the habit of responding with that answer... use the search function and I think (just my opinion here) that it makes newcomers feel unwelcome. One of the things I loved about this forum when I was deciding what type of snake to get (ball or corn) - people talked to me :P they gave me suggestions and answers and made me feel sooooo welcome :colbert2: which in turn... assisted me to not only choose a ball as my first snake, but encouraged me to stay on as a member :pinkele:

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Originally Posted by jotay

Just my 2 cents but I have been on here for quite a while and I don't think we really have any what I would call "experts" on here. I would be careful throwing that title around.
To me and most folks experts are folks who are at the top of their field, who have done extensive studies, research etc. Someone who the pros call for advice.
We do have folks on here who have extensive experience and such, but for the benefit of newbies I would refrain from stating we have experts.

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Jotay,

I humbly disagree with you. I think we do have a lot of experts here... people who have that ever so valuable life experience which IMO does make them an expert. You don't have to go to school for 10 years to know something which is extremely valuable to other hobbiests!

As a homeschooling mom of three kids... I can tell you... the life experiences my kids get from homeschooling is just as valuable as the kids (if not more IMO) to the info the kids get sitting in a classroom staring at the blackboard! My seven year old can tell you what almost every fish we have is... and with 6 tanks which total over 500 gallons of water and fish... I'd say that's pretty darn impressive :D

:carouse: I looooove this forum and all it's experts!!! :pinkele:

:grouphug:

Sorry, life experiences makes not an expert.

Adam is very knowledgeable but I think he would be the first to say he is not an expert. When you use the term expert folks tend to live and die so to speak by what that person states.
Kinda like you have been sick alot and have alot of life experiences dealing with illness, that being said I would still rather get a doctors advice as I am sure most would.

I have no doubt your great at homeschooling your children but those life experiences do not make you an expert on education.

I feel calling our posters experts is misleading to newbies that's all. :)

Very interesting thread. As far as the search function I do think we should encourage it's use more. Not to avoid answers questions or be lazy in our responses but because to my mind, it encourages a proactive learning curve in newcomers. To offer information but also to encourage the use of the search engine in a balanced way makes for a nice balance I think. As far as what an "expert" is, that's so subjective I can't see why we are debating it. What makes an expert in one field does not make for an expert in another field, nor even inside one particular field. A medical degree for instance may make one legally a Doctor, it does not in my mind make one an expert Doctor nor automatically someone I want to listen to or take medical advice from necessarily.

Ahhhh.... I guess I didn't make my point well or it's just being lost.

On this forum I don't think anyone on here is advance enough to call themselves an expert in say herp or bp's. I think that is misleading to newbies especially considering what the first poster was saying terms of folks sometimes giving bad advice but making it seem like they are " experts"

99% of us on here give advice by "our life experiences"and it is good advice, but when a poster is really asking for do or die info most of us refer them to an "expert" ie a vet, a research book etc.
I just don't want to mislead anyone that's all.

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Originally Posted by jotay

Ahhhh.... I guess I didn't make my point well or it's just being lost.

On this forum I don't think anyone on here is advance enough to call themselves an expert in say herp or bp's. I think that is misleading to newbies especially considering what the first poster was saying terms of folks sometimes giving bad advice but making it seem like they are " experts"

99% of us on here give advice by "our life experiences"and it is good advice, but when a poster is really asking for do or die info most of us refer them to an "expert" ie a vet, a research book etc.
I just don't want to mislead anyone that's all.

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It seems as if you are hanging on the term "expert". The only time I referred to experts is the "instant experts" that seem to be popping up here. In my opinion, there are some people qualified to give advice and some not. Whether those qualified are experts is up for debate until the cows come home.

I think when you look at the situation you need to look at it in its totalitarianism (anyone...bueller?..movie reference?)

Seriously, this topic has turned out to be an excellent debate and far more constructive than I believe it would be. Now back to our scheduled ping pong match!

http://www.glassreptiles.com/pictures/catpong.gif

Personally if anyone takes the advice of an "instant expert" then they are at no fault but their own. Where is it written that being a keeper to what is considered an "exotic" requires one be spoonfed information that should in fact be your responsibility to not only gather but verify. What did these people do before snake forums existed?

That is something that does bother me. To offer help, a bit of advice is one thing...to be asked to lead another person by the hand through the format of a forum is quite another. I think at BPNet we do offer a very balanced, helpful forum and we do know our limits. Both for us as posters and for the person posting so that they do not become lazy about doing their own work in learning about the snakes they wish to keep and we don't offer more than we specifically have knowledge of. We aren't perfect, that's a given but it's a pretty good balance most days.

One side note on this whole "what is an expert" discussion. Actually some of the people that post on here would most probably easily pass the legal definition of "expert" which is defined by the courts as "a person whose special training, knowledge, skill or experience in an area relevant to resolution of a legal dispute which goes beyond the average person’s knowledge". Just an odd bit of info really.

For me, it still comes down to the fact that anyone reading a post should verify the information and not blindly follow anyone's advice without using some common sense and doing their own research either into the problem itself or the person giving them advice they wish to follow.