Duplicate or connected posts

[CaroleW]

I have to agree with Jen's comments above.  Duplicate posts seem to be occurring much more often lately.

A month or so ago I spent nearly 2hrs trying to find somebody on the 1851 census - a grossly mis-transcribed entry but I had the bit between my teeth

Triumphant - I posted my findings.  Only to have the "Red warning" show a reply posting the links to 2 duplicate posts, one from a year ago and the other from only 2 days previously asking exactly the same question and by the same poster despite the fact the info had been found on the year old post.   

Whoever found the info a year ago - if it had been found on Ancestry -  had not notified the error

Yes - I like the thrill of the chase - but a big NO to having my time and efforts wasted

[Sinann]

I just checked a duplicate post from last night and a few days ago.
The Heading of each thread is almost exactly the same but neither come up as possibly similar topics to each other.
So I don't think that will work.

[roopat]

I'm a very inexperienced researcher still, and when I started, I knew next to nothing - Never heard of Ancestry, Find my Past and all the other fantastic free and subscription resources. Before signing up to RC I had been reading all the posts with great interest, picking up vague ideas of how genealogy research works - AND the etiquette/ethos of RootsChat.
When I took the plunge and became a member so I could ask for help, I was so impressed with the help I got from so many of you, and that's continued over the years, for which I'm very grateful.

I genuinely think that some newer members honestly think this is a 'look-ups' resource (hence the long lists of requirements) - which it is to a large extent but of course there are limits. I also think they don't appreciate that the vast majority of you are experienced and knowledgeable amateurs & enthusiasts (I think - no offence intended) who are doing this purely because this is a subject you are passionate about. They don't seem to realise that you want to point them in the right direction to start them off on their own journey of discovery. They think it's like Wiki or Google, instant info on demand.
And finally........I don't think they understand that the different boards are not separate entities, so they are worried that if they post in one board it will only be seen by a limited number of people.

As usual I've rambled on at length - I really hope I haven't offended anyone with anything I've said. I thoroughly enjoy Rootschat and all your knowledge simply makes me realise I know even less than I thought! I'm learning all the time. So thank goodness you're all here to put me right.   

Pat

[groom]

I also think they don't appreciate that the vast majority of you are experienced and knowledgeable amateurs & enthusiasts (I think - no offence intended) who are doing this purely because this is a subject you are passionate about. They don't seem to realise that you want to point them in the right direction to start them off on their own journey of discovery. They think it's like Wiki or Google, instant info on demand.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, Pat. I sometimes get the feeling that a few posters think there are a group of people sitting in an office somewhere, just waiting to answer their query.

[IgorStrav]

I also think they don't appreciate that the vast majority of you are experienced and knowledgeable amateurs & enthusiasts (I think - no offence intended) who are doing this purely because this is a subject you are passionate about. They don't seem to realise that you want to point them in the right direction to start them off on their own journey of discovery. They think it's like Wiki or Google, instant info on demand.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, Pat. I sometimes get the feeling that a few posters think there are a group of people sitting in an office somewhere, just waiting to answer their query.

there aren't? 

[nanny jan]

I also think they don't appreciate that the vast majority of you are experienced and knowledgeable amateurs & enthusiasts (I think - no offence intended) who are doing this purely because this is a subject you are passionate about. They don't seem to realise that you want to point them in the right direction to start them off on their own journey of discovery. They think it's like Wiki or Google, instant info on demand.

I think you may have hit the nail on the head there, Pat. I sometimes get the feeling that a few posters think there are a group of people sitting in an office somewhere, just waiting to answer their query.

With a huge pile of assorted BMD certificates and photos to hand.   

[josey]

According to the home page banner
226,174 members are ready to help you with your questions

 

[DavidG02]

According to the home page banner
226,174 members are ready to help you with your questions

 

You're at my desk.

[majm]

Some thoughts .....

I am not tech savvy, but I do like the option Ray submitted 

It does not need a tick box, BUT if ignored by the OP, then we as family history buffs do need to be gentle in reminding them when we find out they ignored it as we can all be guilty of failing to read notices, whether here at RChat or elsewhere in our daily lives:

System Design on back of fag-packet(1)?
Only need to run the search
* on the first post of a new topic
* on the posts already made by the OP starting the new topic
About as stressful as an "Unread Topics" request?

System Design on back of fag-packet (2)?
? However, what is wrong with putting a comment at the top of the "New Topic" (only) template,
something to the effect . . . . .

"DO NOT DUPLICATE REQUESTS
Please let Rootschatters know, at the beginning of your new topic, if you have or are intending to pose the question elsewhere. Rootschatters get very upset if their time is wasted or they duplicate work/effort/research already carried out by you /someone else"


Then the OP cannot be surpised at getting "ticked off" by those that they have upset. 


Ray

I am NSW centric so I am a frequent poster on the Australia Board.  What amazes me is the number of posters who seemingly fail to consider any of the live links on our Resources Boards (not just the Aussie Board, but all the various Resources Boards across RChat).   It seems to me that sometimes the OP anticipates that the regulars will be the ones to use our own time and energy to use the live links to 'find' the answers for the OP's enquiry.   Perhaps the OP thinks the Resources are on restricted access, available only to regulars, or perhaps there's a new approach needed to how the resources are displayed....   

Is it possible that people accessing RChat using a smart phone or similar device instead of a PC simply do  not recognise 'live links' in our posts, or cannot scroll far enough through a thread .... or perhaps cannot 'click' on those live links or perhaps cannot 'copy/paste'  'live links' to their existing threads, or cannot access the 'search' option here at RChat ?     

On the Aussie Board we have a "How To Request a Look Up" thread, stickied to the main board.  I suspect it is not even noticed by most of the posters.   Other Boards have similar stickied threads, and I wonder how often the OP reads through them. 

Here's the link to the How To from the Aussie Board :   Prepared back in 2009, and read just over 27,000 times so far.... including many times by me clicking on it to copy paste it into threads particularly if an OP gives names and other identifying info about people who could well be still living....    

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=368728.0

It includes the following

Just One More Thing


We all know how frustrating it can we to desperately require information that is not forthcoming. Duplicate Requests do cause problems.  Our volunteers can become grumpy when they realize that they have just used their time and resources on a problem which has been answered elsewhere. We also have those posting the queries becoming upset when somebody mentions the duplication. The last thing we want is anger and hurt feelings. We all want a smooth running board with queries being answered as quickly and efficiently as possible. Far better for the Poster's and for the Look up Volunteers alike.

If you do have other threads where you previously received help with this person, please be sure to add the link(s) your new thread.

What strikes me, on re-reading my words in this particular post .....   

a) Am I being too picky
b) Are my sentences too dis-jointed
c) Do we need to simply acknowledge that the pace of the living world is rapidly increasing and as family history buffs we need to adapt and accommodate at the fringes.   

I am not the only family history buff who has been dedicated to this hobby since my childhood, and as a Baby Boomer, I can assure you that I know the pain of waiting and the thrill of receiving snail mail letters from fellow family history buffs with transcriptions of parish registers, /confirming/validating/eliminating/
leaving up in the air / some response to a query to match up to an entry in say a family Bible or in a 19th century document among the private papers of a deceased ancestor.   

So here in the 21st century there are different tools available for family history research.  It is how we use those tools that is as important as the information we glean.  If we don't use the tools regularly we can forget how to use them to their best advantage, for our own benefit.    I think this can be a quality reason for so many of us wanting to help with look ups.   And so, I come back 'full circle' to the duplication of posts ..... hopefully with some discussion points to share.


Cheers,  JM