sfmaster

I realize I didn't put it in Georgia Forum - thanks to others who replied on general US board - Still soliciting some ideas from those who might search only the Georgia board

We moved late September and know the heat and bugs are going to be intense for us this summer so I am starting to think about late Spring and Summer getaways.

I know there are lots of lovely, cooler, lakes and river areas for spending Summer weekends. But I don't think I want to rent an individual home. I sort of imagine some of the "hotels" that I know in California that have maybe 8-12 cottages each with kitchenette and deck and maybe a sleeping loft.

No more than 3 hours - 2 hours would be ideal. We live in Decatur East of Downtown Atlanta.

I have 5 year old and 2 year old. But we don't want anything to "do" no TV, no amusement park, no fast food.... just some water to play in, sticks to collect.

I dont' want to cook every meal so something close enough for 1-2 meals during a 36 hour getaway. But not critical.

If we liked it we might want to go a couple of times during the summer so around $100 a night.

We would probably leave Saturday morning - so I don't know if there are places that allow 1 night.

Thanks for any ideas...........

starrsville

There is no "Georgia" forum. Posts show up in the same place. You have quite a few responses to your other post.

sfmaster

Is that really true? If I go to US forum and then scroll down list of states and select Georgia - only posts who have also classified themselves as Georgia will show up.

I know that I look at posts related to India and Croatia. I don't go to Europe forum and then scroll down looking for topics based on headlines that are related to Croatia. I go to Europe board/forum then select Croatia which then reveals only the posts where the poster is selecting Croatia. Similarly with India - I go to Asia board/ select India and see only India posts - not Thailand, Japan, Korea which I know nothing about. Then I am able to provide my experienced comments on Croatia or India easily.

If you go to US board then select Georgia you don't see my first post - so any Fodorites who are only intersted in reading or replying to Georgia posts - not California or Hawaii wouldn't see my original post -

I am so grateful for posts already but thought I might try a hand at the Georgia only folks.

I find the ins and outs of the Fodors searching and finding posts a little fickle so maybe others have a different way to skin this cat but this is the way I go at it.

starrsville

All US posts show up in the same place. As do Europe, etc.

Yes, if you choose "Georgia" when you post, you are later able to find the post by choosing Georgia.

But, with a title like "Planning for Atlanta Summer Escapes" you've already received recommendations for Alabama and North Carolina. Why limit it to only Georgia?

If you don't select "Georgia" when you originally post, you can still search for Georgia by typing the word in the search box.

kybourbon

All of your Georgia posts show in the US forum, there is no Georgia board so essentially you have posted the same question twice in the US forum. Selecting Georgia as the state is only for the search function. Click on your own name to locate your previous posts.

sfmaster

Fine but do you not acknowledge that folks seeking to only respond to certain areas might select ahead before they read a board?

Croatia experts might likely not scoll through the whole Europe board as would folks who are experts in getaways FROM ATLANTA might not read the whole US board.

You say it is only for searching but I can't be the only one who choses only to read the posts related to my area of interest. Thus for example on the Asia board I would NEVER see a post about India that didn't identify itself as for INDIA - I don't have any interest in reading through the whole Asia board.

I see people say "you don't need to post to particular region because it goes to the whole board" Yes it goes to the whole board but it absolutely WON'T be shown to anyone chosing to look at only their particular country/state of interest.

I should have posted correctly at first but I disagree that there is no need to specify when posting.

starrsville

If you just want to read about Georgia, then type "Georgia" in the search box.

Not sure what the confusion is about.

jlm_mi

sfmaster is right on this one - Some people do access the board and then choose to restrict posts by area, not by searching for text, but by choosing an area from the selection box. That's why it's always a good idea to choose a search location when making a post. Some people who could help won't see it otherwise. It's not necessary, just helpful.

That said, there is some confusion on the issue still. First, you can select multiple search topics, including "general interest" when posting. So if you want your post seen by those who, for example, only look at Georgia and/or Alabama posts, select both of them when posting, rather than posting twice - once with each subject selected.

In this case, though, it's clear that sfmaster forgot to pick the Georgia search topic when selecting, and s/he may get more replies by posting again with that topic selected, since some people accessing the board will immediately cull out all posts that do not have the Georgia search topic selected, and would then not see this one. Yeah, it would have been "best" to just choose it in the first place, but it was forgotten, so a new post was made. It's not the most efficient way of getting the information, but since the mistake was made (and who here hasn't made at least one of those), this does ensure the largest audience for the question. No harm done, really. And I bet sfmaster remembers to choose search topics the first time around next time posting a question.

jlm_mi

starrsville - I guess there is even a more streamlined explanation, really.

Yes, anyone can pull up any post containing the word "Georgia" by putting "Georgia" in the search box. But some posts on Georgia don't actually contain that word (might say Atlanta or Savannah, for example). In addition, it's not the only way to find posts about Georgia, so your suggestion wouldn't work. You can't count on everyone accessing this forum and looking for posts on Georgia to just search for it by text. Some won't, so this new post helps that.

I hope that's clearer than my first, longer-winded explanation.

sfmaster

It isn't confusion. My point is simply that it isn't irrelevant whether or not you select a state/country when making your post. And it isn't total duplication .

It is duplication for the US board. BUT if anyone were looking to see only posts DESIGNATED for a particular state/country then chosing a desigination would be important. Now I guess many may not be reading Fodors this way. But I argue that in fact many might and thus the designation is useful to get information from the experts of that particular state or country.

My comment - not confusion - is that it is not Irrelevant - to post with a designation.

In fact - my original post would not have shown up searching on Georgia - because I don't use the word George in the post. Just as if I were asking about a hotel in Pondicherry - India might not come up in a search. But the most efficient way to designate your post is to classify it as India. Thus it is shown to those reading the whole board OR those you would like to read only about a particular country or region.

starrsville

Geez. Sorry I offered input on both threads.

PS - Your first post shows up when you type "Georgia" in the search box. The second one doesn't. Such are the wonders of the Fodors search forum.

Hope you find the answers you are looking for. I'm signing off this topic.

tpatricco

There's only one forum for the US. The search box just allows you to SORT threads of particular interest (ie Georgia) to the top for convenience.

Two threads on the same topic in the same forum are still just that.

jlm_mi

Apparently no one realizes that sfmaster's not choosing the Georgia search topic on the first posting was a mistake. Rectifying it by posting again with the GA search topic could, indeed, garner more readers.

If the postings were done the other way around - first with the search topic selected, then without, it would make no sense.

starrsville - I don't understand your last post. You told sfmaster this post was redundant, and were corrected. It happens that you were wrong this time, but it's not a big deal. Why that type of response instead of just admitting that the explanations do make sense, or stating that they still don't and why? Or even leaving it completely and not responding?

starrsville

jlm, I do realize that the OP realized later that she did not assign her post a "Georgia" designation and reposted again so it could be found by searching by state. I think this is the mistake that you are referring to.

I also realize that the OP also posted the same post in the Europe forum. Also a mistake - with no comment from me.

I also realize the the OP has yet another post with the same title - with no responses. At times, Fodorites have been helpful to newbies to let them know how they can find earlier posts. I'm not sure if you consider that a mistake or not.

I responded more than once with suggestions regarding her question. Trying to be helpful.

I responded to the Georgia forum thread to let her know she had responses there. Tried to be helpful (as did others).

Also pointed out that one can search by "state" or "keyword".

In my opinion, this thread was getting just a bit too complex with references to India and Crotia and examples of this and that.

I don't need to be right - and quickly admit when I'm wrong on this forum. I don't need to fixate on whether someone has made a MISTAKE. Just trying to be helpful. Sometimes it is well received. Sometimes it is misunderstood. Sometimes it is better to just move on.

I would say that FOUR posts with the same title is redundant, but did not comment on that - just tried to be helpful. Obviously, I failed in that attempt.

mrsd2fan

OY!

GoTravel

jlm, I think you should note that starrsville is one of the few people that did give the OP practical advice on his/her first post.

jlm_mi

I know starrsville did give practical advice. I was just trying to explain the logic that would make it not "wrong" to have posted this particular thread, and it seemed to be falling on not just deaf, but unwilling to hear, ears.

As to the other threads, I don't find them relevant. I do think it's great to help new users to the forum understand how to use it better. I don't think it makes sense to tell them their logic in posting a new thread is wrong, when it is actually right.

With that, I don't really think I can explain it any further, so I'll stop trying. In any event, the OP has gotten much useful advice, so , in the end, the purpose of the forum has been served in some way or another.

starrsville

jlm, I just don't get it. WHERE did I ever criticize the OP and told her that she did anything wrong?

If I had wanted to, or had any intent to, I could have easily been sarcastic or demeaning. I freely admit that I have been to posters who take that approach with me or other posters I respect. But, where oh where in this series of threads was I ever mean/ condescending/ or told the OP that "their logic in posting a new thread is wrong, when it is actually right".

noe847

sfmaster, I noticed that you hadn't indexed your other post to Georgia, but since that was your third attempt to post the same question and you were getting some good information, I decided not to point it out to you. You are correct, as is jlm mi, that certain people who intend to give information about their area of "expertise" will only search the geographic "topic" box on the top right. You will find entirely different threads if you search using the word/phrase box on the top left (and I've heard there is some delay in indexing those).

Of course, starrsville gives accurate info about how the boards are structured. Personally, I think the setup of the forums is odd, and finding information is hit or miss. Relying on the 50 in the left column alone can lead you to miss lots of relevant information (although it can be very entertaining).

So, starrsville, where do you post for the Atlanta GTG's?

starrsville

i2 and OWJ and I are emailing discussing options. Should we start a new thread now - or wait until there's a bit more structure?