Running through the "View New Posts", I found two threads started by first post newbs. Its quite possible that the question posed will be the only one the guy ever posts on CP. In that case, if we answered his question, we did a good thing. Its equally possible that he'll take the positive response and become a contributor to the community. In both, he was referred to make an intro and in neither was his question answered.
Now, had either used his first post to sell Opus for $50, or posts something like "I'm new and wonder where I can get me some Cubans", he's today's chew toy. Please, buffer your responses to newbs with a little common sense. If you have an answer, help the guy out. THEN suggest an intro.
I 1,000% fully agree with you.
This is the thing which bothers me most about cigar boards in general. The pile on of new people with what seems like basic questions to us, but can be quite baffling to the uninitiated. They are invariably told to go post an introduction thread and burn up the search function of
all things cigar before coming at the community with a question.
Of the various hobby boards I peruse, I only see this phenomenon on cigar boards. Sometimes I have a question on coffee or home theater boards and I am able to search out my answer in past threads. But, being a simpleton in their hobbies, I sometimes don't know what I'm supposed to search out to answer my own question and end up posting what I consider a dumb--- question. If it's my first post within that board, I'll prefix my question with a cursory introduction, but I really try to limit those. Most boards are vBulletin and I know many people skim over the thread title to see what the beginning text of the first post it - and promptly move on if the initial post starts out boring, regardless of what the thread title suggests the topic/question may be. Never do I see the demand for introductions and searching or becoming active in a community before asking questions like I do on all the cigar boards I am registered on.
I may have one simple question on a home theater board. A simple question, to them. Such as: "
What settings are suggested for this television model?" That is likely to be my one and only participation on that board, and their responses will have measurably improved my enjoyment of home cinema. Likewise, I think a number of cigar board "newbies" are likely to be members of other hobby boards and have this one burning question for them and they sought out a cigar board in search of that information. "
Can I store my cigars next to each other?" is a big deal to one who knows lots about TV's, but nothing about cigars.
I think of answering the simple questions from the one post wonders as helping the internet hobby board community in whole.
I've gotta go search out watch enthusiast boards now. The other half wants me to gather up "real people" information about a particular model watch.
