In recent times (well not really, I've noticed this a lot for quite a while) I've noticed that folks are rather vague and bashful when it comes to asking for advice, particularly when they are looking for a specific (and sometimes even non-specific) item, like a kit. Now you'll have to forgive me if this sounds like a bit of a rant, but in truth it actually is just a little rant.
Using a fictional example Pat McGrath (hope you don't mind, Pat, it is just a great example) used in a recent thread, we often see queries such follows:
Quoted Text
.... poster asks a question about for instance where he can get a kit of an armoured car.
Someone replies and tells him about the Italeri Staghound.
No, he says, I meant Armoured cars from the twenties.
Another poster tells him about the Roden Rolls Royce A/C.
No, he says, I meant in 1/72scale.
Someone tells him about a 1/72 scale Rolls Royce.
No he says I want a Polish Armoured car in 1/72 scale.
Someone knows where he can get an Austin-Putilov armoured car in 1/72 scale.
No, I don't mean that Polish armoured car I mean the Polish Samochod pancerny wz.28 (model 1928) armoured car in 1/72.
.......
Btw I made this question up so if you asked about Polish Armoured cars this is not about you
Now as you can see from the the above example, the original poster could have got a much quicker and precise response very early had s/he merely posed the question with a little bit of thought. Now typically a thread such as this would also have been titled (literally) "Looking for...". Also rather vague - looking for what?
As more appropriate way to have structured a query such as the above example would have been:
Quoted Text
Thread title/subject: Samochod pancerny wz.28 (1/72) or LF: Samochod pancerny wz.28 ("LF:" means "looking for")
Thread content/query:
Dear Possums,
Does anyone know if a Polish Samochod pancerny wz.28 (model 1928) armoured car is manufactured in 1/72? If so, who makes it and where can I get one?
Hugs and kisses
Snuggles
As you can see, the second response informs the readers exactly what the post is about right from the outset: by means of a more precise title. Fair enough, sometimes the subject/title block length can be limiting, but it's sure better than "Looking for...". The post body then does on to state exactly what the poster is looking for (afterall, you probably have a better idea of what you're looking for than we do) and how the readers can help them, instead of dragging the conversation out over days or weeks - by that time the kit could have been bought, built and painted.
A similar point could be raised about posting in the correct discussion group, but we'll save that conversation for the next time I have to sit through a 4 hour meeting with no outcome except that I'm thirsty and without lunch and need to have a small rant.
Hugs and Kisses
Snuggles
ACK... I mean...
(in a manly voice) Cheers!
Rudi
