Genealogy Chat

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Hi Dee in sympathy with you and do understand but a lot of people who ask the questions maybe on a work computer and not able to get straight back or even some I have spoken to have to go to local library as they haven't got their own computer or they could be in Australia like me and have slightly different waking hours so please be patient
Cheers Lara Linga Longa

Well, I think there could be all sorts of explanations, we have to accept that everyone approaches this hobby in different ways. As said, not everyone knows how to use "the system" efficiently (and I am VERY guilty of forgetting myself). "Desperate" can mean they need an urgent reply or that they have tried so many times and failed.

We can't assume that everyone is sitting at their computers waiting for a reply - some people have unavoidable distractions. And I don't think many people realise that there are members out there willing to down tools and find an answer swiftly, so they log offf.

I think we have to just accept that we do our best and put up with it.

Best wishes

Meg

.... and it would help if people didn't use the Tips Board for Trying To Find and vice-versa - although it can be difficult to decide which one to use sometimes.

I think some people perhaps don't want lots of information, but just pointing in the right direction. Half the fascination of family history research is finding out for oneself. So someone may ask "where can I find my grandfather's war record?" They only want to know where to look, not have g'ather's complete service history seved up to them on a plate as it were. But it would be helpful if they made that clear. I did spot a thread the other day where the original poster said something like "please don't spend a lot of time searching."

Well...I thought "text talk" was also a "no-no"-it is like a foreign language to me !!

I understand what you are saying completely and have often wondered why some people just say 'thanks' after screeds of info has been found for them. I put my thinking cap on and came up with the following:


a) Perhaps the question they asked has been anwered and they don't want any more information (even if we know they will need it in the future if they really want to find things out about their family).

Hopefully, experience will teach them to make notes of everything given to them for use later on (I was slow on that one at first).


b) They are new to genealogy and are confused by what has been given to them (I remember that feeling well).

Looking at a census form for the first time can be pretty daunting; facts from IGI are bewildering and even bmds copied and pasted from freebmd seem to confuse some.

Again, hopefully experience and perseverence will help them to unravel what is going on. When I first came onsite I had never seen a census form, heard of IGI, freebmd etc.etc. let alone know how to search for things myself.


c) Maybe they simply don't know the answers to the questions asked of them or don't know how to phrase their answer so just don't bother unfortunately.

This 'family history stuff' may simply be a passing whim and, having satisfied that one question, they're really not interested anymore.


I know I always seem to be sticking up for these folks, but I do try and see where people are coming from and what makes them 'tick'. I remember being new on here and how confusing I found it at first - I have learned so much from those who were ahead of me so I now try and have patience with those who are following behind.

We can only do what we can and leave the result to them I guess.

EDIT There are also those who have opened my message but declined to reply......not a lot I can do about that. The proverbial ball is in their court!

Hi folks,

thanks for all your replies............ what I was really getting at is when the OR is coming back with Thanks but still not answering the questions you've posted to help the thread go further..........we can't help unless we have the full facts that the OP has.

For eg. Earlier this evening I was trying to help someone who was "desperate" to have more knowledge about her Grandfather, his parents had been married previously... so my questions were; who else did they marry and what were the childrens names for these previous marriages........... I got "Thanks for your help", still no answers though!!!

So I asked again, I got "possible children"......... but still no names for the previous partners............. see where I'm coming from??


Dee x

I spend ages pm'ing folk to tell them about the replies to their message.


99% without fail, had no idea how to return to their thread. Some just say thanks but many are apologetic and pleased to have been advised.


Mind you, I did get one last week who said he would return to his thread in the 'near future' !!!!!!!!!


The old moan about lack of GR guidelines surfaces again and again and again.

I appreciate that you find it irritating but please bear in mind that some people on here, and I am one, may suddenly find it necessary to lie down/take urgent meds due to health problems.

I put up a thread on this board today and answered as soon as I could but if it had been on one of my 'off' days I may not have got back to it for a few hours.

Thanks

Sue

Acknowledging too that you have read the replies would be nice, It would let us helpers know we havent wasted our time looking up info which can sometimes take time when mistranscribed etc, And PLEASE just dont read your replies and then delete the thread .
We arent paid or employed by Genes we are paying members too that like to help fellow researchers

just hanging around for five minutes would be good!!!!

Drives me nuts too!

Had one recently saying that she's going on her Holidays and put the date when she's back!!!!
That was it!...posted and ran!

Aaaggghhh!

Gerri

Frustrates me too, Denise but a lot of posters do not realise that they will get help and be asked questions almost as soon as they post and they expect to be notified when someone has posted to their thread (as happens on many message boards), so do not check their threads.

I'm sorry folks but this is driving me around the twist!!!

When you are looking for help you will get many questions fired at you regarding your search. PLEASE answer these promptly and fully..... this will give us a better chance of helping you.

Some questions you may not wish to answer.........if this is the case then please just state you do not wish to give this answer.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this.

Dee xx