I am looking for some help doing A with B

[Sbrinz]

Question:
I am looking for some help with starting A with a view to B, and I don't seem to be able to find anything.

Answer:
Searching the forum for item A brings up 100 results, and searching for B narrows this search down to 35 results.

Result:
The OP is disappointed and annoyed with the answer. I suspect the OP wants to be spoon fed, but the OP and their followers need to understand that over the years the EF has built up a large data base of half useful links to genuine leads.

Why do original posters think we are going to search http://www.ch.ch again to find the answers to their usually ill defined requests?

The search function is there, please use it, and please don't get upset about the "unfriendly" "EF expat" answers.

If you need the answers to questions about something please, please define the question correctly, and state what you know already. Which books you have read, what advice have you received, and we will be glad to help. But I am not going to write everything out that was published here 2 years ago and is still very valid.

Questions such as "How do I post a letter" etc. etc. will always be met with derision!

[magnum_pi]

I have to say the search function on EF actually works really well (unlike on many other forums) it usually returns useful results.

[jrspet]

I use the Google powered option of the search, which is helpful in helping others.

Try it with keywords: eg kündigung+abnahme etc.

I just tried it finding one of your recent threads, a social event.

Your list might only be 40% relevant and can be overwhelming. Filtering it with better keywords might be more useful, as well cutting some slack for newbies, the inexperienced etc. Sometimes it can be difficult striking a balance.

There are some at one extreme of the spectrum who drip feed and pose a vague question, almost as if the forum members ought to be doing a personalised kinda service. I stay away from such posts. OTOH, if the person has demonstrated some effort, that is when teaching how to fish is better than giving away a fish ( or more ).

[dannyt986]

	Quote:	Sbrinz
	Question: I am looking for some help with starting A with a view to B, and I don't seem to be able to find anything. Answer: Searching the forum for item A brings up 100 results, and searching for B narrows this search down to 35 results. Result: The OP is disappointed and annoyed with the answer. I suspect the OP wants to be spoon fed, but the OP and their followers need to understand that over the years the EF has built up a large data base of half useful links to genuine leads. Why do original posters think we are going to search http://www.ch.ch again to find the answers to their usually ill defined requests? The search function is there, please use it, and please don't get upset about the "unfriendly" "EF expat" answers. If you need the answers to questions about something please, please define the question correctly, and state what you know already. Which books you have read, what advice have you received, and we will be glad to help. But I am not going to write everything out that was published here 2 years ago and is still very valid. Questions such as "How do I post a letter" etc. etc. will always be met with derision!

Maybe it's time for some brave person to do convert some of the stuff into an englishforum wiki.

I do agree, that being more regular again after 4 years break, there are a lot of very basic questions being asked. Particularly now given the evolution of eg google maps etc.

[Wallabies]

	Quote:	dannyt986
	Maybe it's time for some brave person to do convert some of the stuff into an englishforum wiki. I do agree, that being more regular again after 4 years break, there are a lot of very basic questions being asked. Particularly now given the evolution of eg google maps etc.

The number of very basic questions reflects the number of people who expect to be spoonfed an answer that are to lazy to even bother to use google or search functions to find things. How some of these people ever graduated from school or arrived in Switzerland is a mystery

[RetiredInNH]

	Quote:	dannyt986
	Maybe it's time for some brave person to do convert some of the stuff into an englishforum wiki.

Longbyte's extremely useful stickies are a huge first step in that direction.

[dannyt986]

	Quote:	Wallabies
	How some of these people ever graduated from school or arrived in Switzerland is a mystery

Because of their ability to get some other schmuck to do their work for them?

I actually now try and take the approach, if you aint got something constructive to say dont say anything. Move onto the next thread.

[cran]

Putting 'I did a search but didn't find the answer' usually lets you get away with asking questions without doing a search...

Not that I would ever do that...

Also there surely comes a point where every question will have been answered and there will be no posts, which wouldn't make for a great forum...

If you can make a funny or sarcastic reply then that's good, but just replying 'do a search' isn't really imaginative enough to be worth replying and is as annoying as the original question sometimes.

Btw... Anyone know where I can get an AH-64A/D Apache Attack Helicopter and 2kg of brown sugar in Basel?

[JBZ86]

How do i C for a means for a D, particularly when I have taken an E, or do you not give an F because you are some sort of forum G?

[kngavl]

While rather annoying at times on overly simplistic questions, a lot of people asking questions, that have already been answered, are usually asking them with their own twist. How does situation A effect me because I am from B and I have done C? Where all the other posters were from D and had done E instead of C. This is common on Visa/immigration questions. I remember when I first joined for information on visa issues I search through the forum multiple times but I wanted information on my specific situation, not someone elses.

As for saying that people are asking to be spoonfed, c'mon! If your annoyed by the question, then ignore it. You have no obligation to go about helping people and no one will think of you less for doing so. So someone wants to know where to shop in Switzerland because in their hometown they ate a certain special diet, or are looking for specific foods. Is it really that much of a pain in your Arsch to say that Migros carries Mexican food, or that Coop stocks Canadian Maple Syrup, or Aldi sources it's kiwis from Israel? It may seem obvious to you, but for someone who's already drowning from the culture-shock it's quite a different story.

The two things that do piss me off on this matter, are those that enter the forum without an introduction, and those who do not thank by post/pm or button. If I get the inclination that the poster has no intention of sticking around then I don't bother. But those posts/posters are quite clear and easy to avoid.