If the question could have been easily put into search, would that be considered stupidity or how the question is put? Or just lazy?

Still.....anyone replying really should either be polite or not post a reply.

...but that's the whole point of a semi-anonymous internet forum, for passive-aggressive releases to sooth one's superiority complexes.

LMGTFY!

I think noobs often make their first post(s) with a question because it is the easiest way to engage with the community. They may have already done a search, and they may even have an answer... and they may want to say something to the "worldly" EF members; so they start with a simple question that breaks the ice.

Then they get a rude welcome which is exactly what they were trying to avoid. Some of them leave and some of them don't. I think I have made at least one post per year since I started reading sometime around '07. So now I am down for my 2014 newbie appreciation post!

Most noobs pick up on correct behavior soon enough. So as long as a few people are nice to them, maybe send them a PM to not worry about their "welcome,"
then the EF will be fine.

Are there really? Some, sure, but plenty? I honestly don't see many comments that are truly not OK to questions that are indeed polite. Most so-so comments go to the one-time "where can I buy water"-posters.

And see my example on page 14, something might just come off snarky when it actually really isn't.

Nonsense, I use it to bitch at old timers here too, who are often just as guilty as newbiews of posting stupid stuff.

.... Yep, Old timers get as much abuse as noobs!

I'm all for equality!

I think it's become better. People seem a lot nicer to the "newbies" here now than before (and to each other in general).

One thing that I think most "newbies" probably don't understand, though, is that many of us here are regular posters and sometimes post a snarky response just to get a laugh from the other regulars (while perhaps failing to realize that the newbie might not pick up on the sarcasm).

When I first came on here, I wasn't really use to sarcasm (which I think is used a bit more by the Brits than by Americans). So it took me a little while to get use to it and to learn to not take offense to you sarcastic f**ks.

"Plenty" = Enough that I've noticed it in the short time I've been here. I do say later in that same post that the majority of posts are helpful.

it's just a training service we provide for americans.

Good points, particularly this last one. Sarcasm has been described as "the lowest for of wit" and suits us brits very well. We use it practically all the time, in conversation, in business emails even, and certainly in discussion forums such as this. Anyone receiving an apparent insult from a brit may in fact be receiving a compliment, as the writer has assumed a level of intelligence and understanding on the part of the reader.

Basically, it's not our fault if the rest if the world doesn't realise that we're just taking the piss and that this is perfectly normal, nay expected, behaviour.

This, combined with what, at the time I started really posting, was incredibly prevalent sentiment expressed over and over, "HTFU" really made forum "life" a bit difficult for softies like me.

However, even without hardening the f up, I stuck with it and stuck some of the worst to me on ignore, so I could no longer see even the blobs they were throwing my way, and it got better. Quite a bit less need to harden, if you can learn to be blind.

Yes, we colonials have evolved...

My Special thanks for this OP

Aye, there's the rub...

but you have 650+ posts, so there must be some attraction I left CH and still find it useful for a lot of things.

Yes indeed! Where we are there is no EF to help us get around. We should try to meet before we move back to ch.

I'm very new to posting on the forum, so I can give you my experience. First, I read the rules page on the forum - that was helpful. Before I ask any question, I make darn well sure someone else hasn't already asked it as that seems to be the primary and most objectionable action. Then, I make sure to state in my post that I've looked for the question, so that if I missed it, at least then the Legends will know that I'm just bad at searching (what I'm looking for is sometimes called something different in England or Switzerland) and not simply lazy.

It seems as though most questions I had were here somewhere, in perhaps a slightly different variation, but I could get it. Some are not, and then I look other places for answers. In times of true dead ends, I cautiously post and then, I always get answers and I find that helpful.

As a newbie both the forum and the country, I do appreciate nice posts, and I have had lots of them. They make the forum feel welcoming. Moving away from family and friends and in our case our "loud" animals was extremely hard and sad and finding a place where we can make new friends and find out about new experiences is very valuable to me. While most are people and posts are nice, some of the posts are snarky and I just assume that particular person has been living with Switzerland's rules and regulations too long or perhaps just got yelled at for recycling the wrong way and is taking it out via forum. I do see outright mean posts as well, but I come from a huge family and we just learned to shake it off, and then go put a snake under that persons pillow at night.

All in all, I find it helpful and I'm glad this is here.

Pride goes bef... Have a nice afternoon everybody, from the rubbish.

When I was still living in the States, I was planning to go visit an old friend in London. He warned me that his (British) friends would probably make fun of me but that I shouldn't take it personally. He said that's their way of showing that they like me... whereas, if they just ignored me, it meant that they didn't like me.

Sadly, though, the trip never happened so I didn't get the chance to find out, either way.

Definitely true. We're only polite to people we don't like

I totally agree with the OP.

I often have the impression that many of the comments are things that wouldn't have been said in person.

It is much easier to be nasty when hiding anonymously behind a computer screen.