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Topic: To reply or not to reply? (Read 2454 times)
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Arranroots
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~ Grand Aunt Jenny ~
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Have just looked at the Netiquette section and I am still unsure whether an unanswered posting should be answered, even if the reply is negative.
Fr'instance: sometimes you come across a message that has been posted and read by lots of people, but not replied to.
Now, does this mean - no-one can be bothered to reply because the answer is complicated or from a resource they don't have...
OR does it mean, we've all looked and there was nothing that matched the query?
A few times I have tried to answer and found nothing that matches (probably lots of others had already done this too!!) , but then had the dilemma that the enquirer may get terribly excited to see a reply and be crestfallen when it says "nothing found".
On the other hand, I have posted some msgs that have got no replies and I can't help wondering why?
What are YOUR preferences in this??
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS WIL: WEBB, SALTER RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY, BOYLE (DUNDALK) |
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casalguidi
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I, too, feel the same as Arranroots and must admit to (on occasion) not replying to postings where I have looked but not found the answer. I now tend to post a reply even if it is negative - perhaps with a suggestion or two to follow up or just to give some indication of why the answer can't be found.
However, Falkyrn, I agree with you too but sometimes tend to ignore postings that have already had an answer 
Casalguidi
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Biker
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I think a response to the negative (i.e. had a look and couldn't find anything) is best. The negative response can narrow down the search and eliminate certain options which can be useful for further broadening the search.
If I look, I generally post a negative if appropriate, though I admit if rushed I have not done so on occasion 
Cheers
Jonathan
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Kazza
Welsh Lass
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Looking into Holes
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With my moderator hat on: 
I think any answer, even a negative is worthwhile. I read every post in the boards I moderate, so even a posting with negative answers will be reviewed and I will add to it where I am able, or even just try to stimulate further interest.
There is nothing more off-putting for a newbie than recieving no answer to a question that has been read many times. No feed-back is no help at all. If it is a poorly put question by a newbie I try to point them in the right direction, we all have to start somewhere. 
Kazza.
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 Surname interests: Clementsten, Hobson, Hole, Marden, O'Clements, Pitten, Sharland, Vickery (Vicary), Williams. Area Interests: Cardiff, Bampton, Bideford, Crediton, Wollaston, Somerset, Tidenham, Norway, Australia to Bristol. |
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Kazza
Welsh Lass
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Looking into Holes
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Ted,
I agree, a negative answer can force you to have a re-think. The other thing I think is important is that new users are encouraged by finding people respond to them, and even a negative answer, if properly worded, is useful in this.
It is only after I asked for some lookups in a particular census, and recieved a negative answer that I discovered the date my branch of the family moved to Wales. It forced me to look further afield, and I found they had moved 50 years before family folk-lore had led me to believe.
Kazza.
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Surname interests: Clementsten, Hobson, Hole, Marden, O'Clements, Pitten, Sharland, Vickery (Vicary), Williams. Area Interests: Cardiff, Bampton, Bideford, Crediton, Wollaston, Somerset, Tidenham, Norway, Australia to Bristol.
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Hackstaple
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Posts: 2516
Family researcher
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I post "negative" replies whenever I feel they will assist the member. As has been pointed out it is sometimes necessary to rethink a problem. 
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Southern or Southan [Hereford , Monmouthshire & Glos], Jenkins, Meredith and Morgan [Monmouthshire and Glos.], Murrill, Damary, Damry, Ray, Lawrence [all Middx. & London], Nethway from Kenn or Yatton. Also Riley and Lyons in South Africa. Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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celia
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W.C.O.A
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How strange i should come across this topic as to whether to reply to an unanswered mail. A while back i was idly going through some posting. I noticed quiet a lot of 0's especially in Scotland. One of the reasons some post go unanswered is that the poster is looking for a particular person. But have no dates at all only the names so i think these get ignored. I answered one mail saying i couldn't help, but did give some suggestions. The next thing was the replies started coming in.I thought it was just coincidence but i did it again and the same thing happened. So now i go for the 0 and start the ball rolling. I agree it might put newbies off if a post gets no replies but then again a newbie wont know that we need dates or other input.so it is up to us to explain in simple terms what they need to do. After all thats what we are here for,to help others.
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celia
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I have just noticed a member named Arranroots is researching in Som,Hef Gls,Rad,Gla.& Mon. where is Hef,Rad, & Gla please 
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Kazza
Welsh Lass
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Looking into Holes
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Celia,
Well done, RootsChat relys on people like you homing in on the poor neglected ones.
As to Hef, Rad and Gla, my guess woulf be Herefordshire, Radnorshire and Glamorganshire.
Kazza.
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Surname interests: Clementsten, Hobson, Hole, Marden, O'Clements, Pitten, Sharland, Vickery (Vicary), Williams. Area Interests: Cardiff, Bampton, Bideford, Crediton, Wollaston, Somerset, Tidenham, Norway, Australia to Bristol.
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Hackstaple
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Hi Celia - the codes used by Arranroots are the Chapman County codes used by all family history societies and journals.
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Southern or Southan [Hereford , Monmouthshire & Glos], Jenkins, Meredith and Morgan [Monmouthshire and Glos.], Murrill, Damary, Damry, Ray, Lawrence [all Middx. & London], Nethway from Kenn or Yatton. Also Riley and Lyons in South Africa. Any census information included in this post is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk |
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Arranroots
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~ Grand Aunt Jenny ~
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Thanks for the replies, guys
I'm reassured that posting negative responses is not messing up the system, provided as Kazza says, they are carefully worded. I don't mind someone telling me that my enquiry cannot be answered without further info (for example). It may even be that I am asking for something that doesn't exist, in which case it is kinder to put me out of my misery!!
The other thing is trying to answer a query that many others have read, but not responded to, often results in my not finding anything either. It would save time if someone said "have looked for that and nothing found". Although occasionally I will look anyway, just to be perverse!
As for Chapman codes. I'm sorry Celia, I was too lazy to type out the whole thing and am just hoping now that I used them correctly. Could be embarrassing
This site has been a great discovery and may it go from strength to strength.
Arranroots
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SOM: BIRD, BURT aka BROWN HEF: BAUGH, LATHAM, CARTER, PRITCHARD GLS: WEBB, WORKMAN, LATHAM, MALPUS WIL: WEBB, SALTER RAD: PRITCHARD, WILLIAMS GLA: RYAN, KEARNEY, JONES, HARRY MON: WEBB, MORGAN, WILLIAMS, JONES, BIRD SCOTLAND: HASTINGS, CAMERON, KELSO, BUCHANAN, BETHUNE/ BEATON IRELAND: RYAN (WATERFORD), KEARNEY, BOYLE (DUNDALK) |
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