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This may start a fire storm, but I get really tired of people railing on someone who has asked a common question by blasting them with "USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION"!!
First off, the search function on here pretty much sucks. It is a real hit and miss kind of thing when actually coming up with something specifically pertinent to your question. This often leads to a long tedious quest.
If you try and narrow down your search by adding more words, it comes back with nothing. About half the time I try an run a search using more than two words, and it crashes on me or comes back with 'nothing found'.
Yes... a search can be used to occasionally find threads dealing with something that you have a question about, but the threads that are listed are rarely directly on topic (never stay on topic) and you often have to dig through pages and pages of irrelevant posts trying to find the one or two posts that actually deal with the question at hand.
Plus, I have been on here sometimes when the search button just does not work at all.
One additional problem about relying upon old posts and threads to answer questions is that things and information change. Particularly with gun law. Also, if all you reply only on previous threads, then you miss out on any input from newer members or senior members with new experiences.
A search is always a good idea, but it's quite often MUCH faster to just post a question then spend an hour (or more) digging through old posts hoping to find an answer. (been there done that and it sucks)
Often,when someone asks an often asked question, someone will respond with a link to an earlier thread. This is helpful. However, just because they were able to find the thread easily, does not mean that the person asking the question could have found it as easily (using just the search function). For those people whose only response is "USE THE SEARCH BOTTOM"... if you can't say something nice, or you can't be helpful... just don't replay.
This all goes back to the polls that pop up once in a while about how new members are treated. If someone is just getting into firearms, the number of technical and legal questions is mind numbing. Regarding the type of firearms I personally deal with, I consider myself relatively well informed and educated (at least I haven't found myself in jail yet) BUT if I were to start getting into something like black-powered shooting, belt fed guns or C&R, there would be plenty I didn't know and I am sure the first volley of questions I would be asking would be obvious and simple... for those people who have spent years dealing with those types of firearms and those laws.
Anyway, I guess what I am saying is, the next time someone asks 'is an AR legal in CA', count to 10 before answering, or just let someone else answer it. Chances are, the guy who just learned that ARs are legal (if you follow the rules), is going to be more than glad to share his new found knowledge and do in a much more friendly and inviting way.
First off, the search function on here pretty much sucks. It is a real hit and miss kind of thing when actually coming up with something specifically pertinent to your question. This often leads to a long tedious quest.
If you try and narrow down your search by adding more words, it comes back with nothing. About half the time I try an run a search using more than two words, and it crashes on me or comes back with 'nothing found'.
Yes... a search can be used to occasionally find threads dealing with something that you have a question about, but the threads that are listed are rarely directly on topic (never stay on topic) and you often have to dig through pages and pages of irrelevant posts trying to find the one or two posts that actually deal with the question at hand.
Plus, I have been on here sometimes when the search button just does not work at all.
One additional problem about relying upon old posts and threads to answer questions is that things and information change. Particularly with gun law. Also, if all you reply only on previous threads, then you miss out on any input from newer members or senior members with new experiences.
A search is always a good idea, but it's quite often MUCH faster to just post a question then spend an hour (or more) digging through old posts hoping to find an answer. (been there done that and it sucks)
Often,when someone asks an often asked question, someone will respond with a link to an earlier thread. This is helpful. However, just because they were able to find the thread easily, does not mean that the person asking the question could have found it as easily (using just the search function). For those people whose only response is "USE THE SEARCH BOTTOM"... if you can't say something nice, or you can't be helpful... just don't replay.
This all goes back to the polls that pop up once in a while about how new members are treated. If someone is just getting into firearms, the number of technical and legal questions is mind numbing. Regarding the type of firearms I personally deal with, I consider myself relatively well informed and educated (at least I haven't found myself in jail yet) BUT if I were to start getting into something like black-powered shooting, belt fed guns or C&R, there would be plenty I didn't know and I am sure the first volley of questions I would be asking would be obvious and simple... for those people who have spent years dealing with those types of firearms and those laws.
Anyway, I guess what I am saying is, the next time someone asks 'is an AR legal in CA', count to 10 before answering, or just let someone else answer it. Chances are, the guy who just learned that ARs are legal (if you follow the rules), is going to be more than glad to share his new found knowledge and do in a much more friendly and inviting way.
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