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searching the cow…..small rant, then discussion suggested
I have been following the cow for a few years now, and one thing I see quite often is responses to questions that suggest to “do a search, it has been discussed many times”.
While this is a valid point, sometimes searching can be very frustrating, especially under a deadline.I even took slight offense the first time Shane threw his “stock answer #?” at me.
Don’t mean to throw you under the bus Shane, you have helped me out more times than I can remember. And when I called you on it, you were VERY gracious, and I no longer felt slighted.I have searched and solved MANY of my problems, but I am a regular user of the cow, as it is the best resource I know of!!!!!, this post is for those unfortunate enough to be new to this forum or Final Cut Pro.
Now we all know that it gets a bit annoying to answer the same questions ad nauseam, HOWEVER…..
I am an experienced editor (linear/avid/final cut – 12 years constant working, now in HD) and I sometimes have had trouble when I search the cow for answers.The trouble is that when you type in the key words that YOU THINK describe your problem, you either get nothing, or many things that don’t relate. I’ve spent many hours sifting through posts that don’t really relate to the problem I’m experiencing. MOST problems are generally at emergency status by the time the cow is consulted (deadlines a’ looming), this causes folks to not want to go through the sifting process and post the question directly.
I would like to start a dialog about a strategy to make this a better experience for both the newbies and the people answering these repeated questions.
I have very few suggestions that will solve this problem, but we need to think of the poor editor who, under a looming deadline, recently learned of the cow, posted their problem for the first time, only to have someone tell them that they’re doing it wrong, and get no answer because it has been answered before. I know the intent is not evil, to suggest a search, but posts (same as email) can be taken much differently then they are intended.
begin construction dialog…….
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28 Replies
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Cow-Wiki?
or would that be WikiCow?
Peter
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i just read one of Walter’s recent posts, and I think it was great. He suggested a search, and that questions has been asked a lot.
THEN, he answered the question.This is a great possible solution.
As are Shane’s stock answers (forgot to mention that).KUDOS to you both!
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“. MOST problems are generally at emergency status by the time the cow is consulted ”
Isn’t this the times when you are supposed to call your VAR,,, oops they are out of business….
And this is why we love our pasture…. Yep there are a lot of COW pies on the ground to avoid, but if you don’t wait to the “emergency situations” to visit the barn yard, you might know the answers to your problems before they appear on your machine. And I am sure that Ron L. and crew will appreciate all the more daily visitors to the farm..
It is a new world out there, and it ain’t perfect yet…
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[todd reid] ”
I even took slight offense the first time Shane threw his “stock answer #?” at me.
Don’t mean to throw you under the bus Shane, you have helped me out more times than I can remember. And when I called you on it, you were VERY gracious, and I no longer felt slighted.”Yeah…sorry. I don’t mean to offend with that, but the title has slighted more than one person. Like I’m too big or busy to be bothered with giving a personalized answer. That wasn’t the intention. The intention was to provide the answer without having to type it again and again and again. THAT is time consuming.
When it comes to ‘under the gun’ questions, I try to answer them. But if it is a “what drive array do you recommend” or “what capture card should I get,” then I tend to say “search please.” If the question is “how do I use the media manager to copy footage? Step by step please,” I then refer them to the manual.
Searching is a good way to find many different answers to your query. And can be faster than waiting for 4 guys to respond to you by typing and typing. The answer is already there.
BUT, what we can do, is suggest possible search terms.
Shane
GETTING ORGANIZED WITH FINAL CUT PRO DVD now for sale!
http://www.LFHD.net
Read my blog! -
I’m checking with the leaders of the herd to see how we can set up a FAQ like they have in the After Effects forum. I think that will go a long ways towards helping people in a hurry.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Biscardi Creative Media
HD and SD Production for Broadcast and Independent Productions.STOP STARING AND START GRADING WITH APPLE COLOR Apple Color Training DVD available now!
Read my Blog!
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[todd reid] “Now we all know that it gets a bit annoying to answer the same questions ad nauseam, HOWEVER…..
I am an experienced editor (linear/avid/final cut – 12 years constant working, now in HD) and I sometimes have had trouble when I search the cow for answers.”Todd,
If you take a second to state that you tried to search that’s a pretty good passport to full service, cuz no one answering questions here is a meanie.
Last evening, for the very first time ever, I told a fellow to do a search without answering, He came back in a minute and said he was sorry, the search was so easy.
So expect a little give and take…
David Roth Weiss
Director/Editor
David Weiss Productions, Inc.
Los AngelesPOST-PRODUCTION WITHOUT THE USUAL INSANITY ™
A forum host of Creative COW’s Apple Final Cut Pro, Business & Marketing, and Indie Film & Documentary forums.
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[todd reid] “While this is a valid point, sometimes searching can be very frustrating, especially under a deadline. “
Sorry but I cant agree with you on this one. If some one is under a deadline then a search is going to be the fastest way to find an answer.
If you have noticed that most of the times that people say to try a search is because it is a question that comes up all the time. Because the question comes up all the time a simple search will provide plenty of information MUCH faster then asking.
If you are under a deadline then obviously you want an answer as FAST as you can. And spending a few minutes searching is MUCH MUCH faster then just waiting for someone else to give you an answer.
I have seen times where someone on there post has said that they did not do a search because they didn’t have the time, but they also say that they are under a tight dead line and need to get the thing done in the next couple of hours. There question is answered but never within the time they needed. However if they spent a little bit of time searching they would have found the answer and therefor would have been able to finish there project on time.
So saying that you are under a deadline and don’t have time to search really is not a valid excuse. Because if you don’t have time to search then you don’t have time to just sit around and hope for someone else to answer the question.
That being said, I think that the reason that some on the cow may tell people to search, is because there are a lot of people on the Cow who have spent countless hours acquiring the knowledge that they have. Often thy are learning it when it is brand new and there is nobody else out there to ask questions to. They read manuals, they learned threw trial and error, etc. Because these people have learned from there own sweat and blood , it can be vary annoying when somebody posts a question and it is extremely obvious that thy have not dome a single thing to even try and find the answer on there own.
You may think that people who tell others to search are boing rude, but people who post a question without even trying to find it first, people who just expect to have the answer handed to them on a silver platter, need to learn to put in a little effort of there own first.
Personally I wish that when someone when to post a question on the Cow that it would ask the question have you tried a search of the forums.
There are no “technical solutions” to your “artistic problems”.
Don’t let technology get in the way of your creativity! -
I don’t recall anyone suggesting “search the forum” when someone had declared an actual emergency.
It is amazing how many people jump in to a computer program without examining all the pull down menus, or reading even the table of contents of the manual, or learning the proper nomenclature. I think these are the folks that could use a little homework and searching before posting.
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I do expect a little give and take.
As I mentioned I have been helped by searching MANY times, and I shout “long live the cow!” OFTEN to my friends.
I for one, tire of seeing the same questions asked, but equally tire of the answer “to do a search.” I like Walter’s constructive suggestion to start a FAQ.I’m merely trying to spark a discussion that makes the process easier, with less possibility of inadvertently demeaning someone who has (in their mind) a legitimate question.
“cuz no one answering questions here is a meanie. ”
this actually solidifies my point that posts are sometime taken differently than they are meant.
I know that no one is a meanie, but sometimes the coldness of a short, direct post can give that impression.Read Shane’s answer, as he has acknowledged that his answers have ruffled a few feathers.
Its all good!
Just wanted a lively discussion that moves toward results, and it appears to be shaping up that way.
Keep the comments coming. -
I appreciate your thoughts.
I think you missed the spirit in which my original post was intended. Thus furthering my thoughts that sometimes written word can be misinterpreted.
I never said that the posters were being rude, only that it may be perceived that way.
And judging by Shane’s response, it has.I love your suggestion…
“Personally I wish that when someone when to post a question on the Cow that it would ask the question have you tried a search of the forums.”
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