Thread: The F-bomb (A rant unrelated to the title)

My 2 newbie cents...

If I just wanted a computer in my car, I could pay someone to put one in and I wouldn't have to ask any questions. But one of the intriguing things about a hobby like this is joining a group of people with similar interests, being a part of something, and hoping that you'll be welcomed with open arms, that while some of the people on the bus will turn their noses up at you and wave you on, there will be that one person that smiles, moves over, asks you to set down, and introduces themself. People like to receive personal attention, especially when entering new and unfamiliar territory. It's a comfort thing, and it's human nature.

I've been into saltwater reef aquariums for several years and the same things happen on those sites, newbies asking the same questions over and over. That's just the way it is. To beat people up for it will turn them away and make them afraid to ask questions, make them feel unwelcome, and possibly discourage them from jumping on the bandwagon, and as old_lou pointed out, some of those people could be computer geeks, fabricators, audio gurus, etc, and could eventually contribute something great to the hobby. We're all new to something at one point or another and we all become really good at something at one point or another. Being good at one thing doesn't make you smarter than someone who knows nothing about that thing. They may be able to run circles around you when it comes to something else.

An expert who has patience and is willing to help someone new will always be a bigger and more respected person than the one who says, "stfu and research before you ask a stupid question, newbie." It doesn't matter what the subject matter is. That's just egotistical and nothing is gained from it.