I echo Capo's sentiments. Some people word things differently & it can affect the response they get. Folks who ask "is a week enough for Rome?" can get anything from, "No, you'll need at least 3!" to "it depends on how much you enjoy history". When people inquire about smaller towns & want to know "is it worth it?" obviously have a set amount of time alloted for their travel & in some cases have never spoken with anyone who's been there and/or have not been able to successfully research much about the locale. Capo's point is good--if the "inquirer" can furnish us with info on their time, interests, & budget, they're much more likely to get a comprehensive response which covers their needs & interests. <BR>BC

I would agree with the original poster's sentiments, although not the tone. When a new person asks such a broad question, appropriate responses (but not the only appropriate responses) would include going to the library, searching the Fodor's trip-guide section of this website, and/or do a search of this forum. I would note, though, some irony in that the original poster's criticizes people for failing to search. His points and this thread have, in fact, been discussed before. He, too, should have searched and topped, rather than starting this again.

Book Chick, Re: "Some people word things differently & it can affect the response they get." <BR> <BR>So true! Recall the infamous "Getting laid in Europe" thread. If that person had titled it something like "Meeting women in Europe" or "Finding 'romance' in Europe", I suspect he would not have been prompted the many angry visceral responses he got.

what IS all the fuss about? If you want to answer the question or give an opinion to help - do it.If you don't want to - don't. Not everyone's as perfect as others think they are!

So, after having read the above comments I have to ask--How many days should I spend in Scotland?

All I would say Roger, is, next time, get off the train!!

There are NO stupid questions....... <BR> <BR> <BR>Just a bunch of nasty people here who give stupid answers!!!! <BR> <BR>It's been said many times before, for Gosh sake if someones question annoys you then DON'T ANSWER IT!!!!!!!!!!!

fedup: <BR> <BR>That's the whole point in a nutshell. Ask a stupid question and you'll get a stupid answer. If you want an intelligent answer then... <BR>And if someone is too lazy or uninterested to do some of their own work, I'm too busy to help them. Sorry, find another sucker.

I found this website in January 2001, 3 months before my trip to Europe after not having been there in 8 years. I was not a novice traveler, I had been to Europe and Ireland several times in my life. What I was new at was deciphering all the information one has access to on the web. I was overwhelming to me so I found refuge (to a small extent) in this message board where I could ask specific questions and receive specific answers. I feel I "paid" for the valuable time of others by returning the favour, to the best of my ability, sharing my personal travel experience and answering questions as I could. <BR> I did not know my questions did not meet the standards of some of the so called regular pin-head fodorites

So, how about some of you "expert regulars" screen questions? We can all address our questions to you, and if acceptable (to your terms), we can then post. If our question is not worded in the way you deem the correct way, you could simply return our email as : Access Denied!!! Maybe accompanied with a URL on How to Word a Travel Question that Meets Our Standards, if that is not asking too much. <BR> <BR>I have read a post from Meg where she mentioned that she was looking for a Sunday dinner twice in the same post. Then she apologized for doing that, and mentioned how nervous she got when posting a question to this board. Claire must have been blasted, probably by Linda@Kleenex (you get the idea) about using the search engines, which work 50% (that may be high). Her posts now mention that she is sorry if this is a topic already metioned, she tried the search function, and will try again and again. <BR> <BR>Has the thought of consideration left our world???

A.M.: <BR>From the description you just gave, you qualify as a fodorite regular. Don't know that I would call you a pin head though. Which other regulars were you refering to? <BR>I, like you have already paid my dues. Now, I no longer feel the need to answer stupid questions or ones that I have already answered 10 times before. If the search funtion only worked 10%, they could still find the answer. <BR>I answer questions that I feel I may have a unique and helpful anwer too. For free and for fun. If its not fun or I don't like the question, I'm not obligated to answer anything whether I know the answer or not. <BR>The questioner is the one who's asking me the favor, not the other way around.

Everyone just ignore "the Pinheads" They feel so important because they have their pin. THis is Fodors sight, not theirs. They critisize someone's spelling someone'sknowledge of geography.They don't share, they intimidate. Most of them speak from reference books not experience. You new to this site, just ignore the unkind and don't respond to the trolls.

Hello What's, <BR> I think you have described the attitude of some of the people who frequent this board very well. No one is asking a favour of you! No one knows who you are! People throw out travel questions, hoping they will be answered. No, you are not obligated to answer. It is merely common decency not to trash questions asked in good faith, as self proclaimed regular answerers such as Sullivan, JCE, Elvira, and Rex have done on this thread. I have never received, nor to I wish to receive, a fodor's pin, so I am not a pinhead. My contrbution to this board is small so I do not consider myself a regular answerer. <BR>A.M.

Jeanie@homee -I've been reading these replys and I have to say your's is the most annoying. Go home and contine being BORED with yourself

Gracious! Did not know that one had to pay their dues to contribute or ask questions to this site! Pray tell me, is there a "rite to passage"???

Free site, no complaints, but engine working 50% time way too high estimation. 10% no help unlease lots of time to spare.

I should resist the urge, but I will offer this small reply to A.M. about "trashing" genuinely asked (even if simplistic) questions. I am not sure that either "sullivan" or JCE are self-proclaimed "regulars". If they have trashed any such questioners, it must have been with great rarity. <BR> <BR>Elvira writes some wild answers (but mostly not) - - her style is predominantly just informative, fun to read, useful and/or off-beat. <BR> <BR>And I indeed have been guilty of posting some zinging, sarcastic answers to those who have very nearly set themselves up - - but virtually never for many, monay months now. And for ever poke in the ribs I have offered up, I have answered literally hundreds of questions which ARE poorly phrased, but the jist still "comes through" - - like "I am going to Italy, and I want to know how you get from Rome to &lt;&lt;the tower&gt;&gt; (my emphasis), and what else is &lt;&lt;there&gt;&gt;." <BR> <BR>Best wishes - - and I think I have provided some useful answers to you, too (though I am not suggesting that you ever asked an ill-worded question)... <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Is reading all the posts in this thread worth it? Are there any must-read posts? What should I wear while reading them? Are sneakers okay?

A.M. I agree with you. And its not just the people who ask the questions. Sometimes you just try to give an answer or share an experience and then get called a liar, idiot or whatever by someone who doesn't like your answer or your experience. Tired of defending myself from this, I stopped using my real name and e-mail address(like you) unless I wanted them to e-mail me for further info. I'm not trying to sell anything. So why expose myself to abuse. <BR>Mainly I was commenting on the people who said that you are not obligated to answer a question you don't like. The same people, I might add, that get upset about all the unanswered posts. <BR>A.M. It was you who said " I feel I paid for the valuable time by returning the favour." I feel that if someone takes the time to answer a question from me that they have done me a favor. I too have returned it. Now I get to answer or not answer as I like, not out of a feeling of obligation. <BR>But you don't have to issult a new person to point him in the right direction. <BR>One more thing: Anyone who can find this board and figure out how to post a question, can figure out how to do a search.

Ok, why don't we do good old Public School tracking? <BR> <BR>Once you put your TRAVEL question, its geographic location and all the other "requirements" in the POST, then you state if you WANT TRAVEL experts, advanced, intermediate or beginners to respond! <BR> <BR>OR, you could choose to answer or not answer questions on these boards which is what most do any way. However, it is so easy to "kick the internet cat" when you feel like it... <BR> <BR>My Thoughts <BR>Oaktown