Author Topic: Do some dang research....  (Read 3536 times)

cowboy

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Do some dang research....
« on: April 27, 2023, 09:09:17 AM »
Just a little gripe, but it seems like people have forgotten how to do simple research for information. With the internet age - you can basically do anything by doing a Google search, then YouTube example videos, etc. Heck I've done a lot of work around the house figuring out appliances, cars, etc. using this method. But go to the Silver Dollar City Facebook pages - and some of those simple questions that show up are just mind blowing. I usually answer those by giving a link to the SDC website.

Some examples:
  • Can you buy tickets online before you get to the park? - um, yes, go to silverdollarcity.com, select tickets and passes
  • Do I get any discounts with my season pass? - um, yes, go to silverdollarcity.com, select tickets and passes - look at the benefits list
  • I hear you can't use BAF passes on Friday - um no, look at your BAF Passes, they list the restrictions on each individual pass

I see these kinds of questions on several different pages (not just SDC) and it makes me wonder if we've forgotten how to do simple research?

BTW, does anyone know when White Water opens for the year?? -  ;)

Jay

Duelist

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2023, 04:04:05 PM »
LOL I couldn't agree more.  My wife and I just had this conversation last week.  I know these people can work a computer because they're on Facebook.  I'm betting they can type in a search engine rectangle too.
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sanddunerider

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2023, 05:05:57 PM »
Agreed,   see posts everyday.. what time do they open, someplace to sleep, someplace to eat, discounts, more discounts...  LOL!!

Lampie

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2023, 06:56:08 PM »
Yep. On the more easily googled questions I like to post lmgtfy links(let me google that for you). On some things like restaurants and hotels I get asking because it’s nice to ask real people and these days online reviews on places like google and travel sites seem to be fake as often or more often than they are real, but I wish more people would use the search feature in the groups to see that the same question has been asked 5 times in the last two months. I’d also like people to be clear with things like affordable(everyone has a different idea of what is affordable).

I understand accessibility questions, questions about  kids/babies, or ride intensity… but again search the group first so you don’t ask the same thing that’s been asked a few times already this year.

I appreciate the groups that have started blocking some of the repetitive questions.


cowboy

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2023, 05:33:19 PM »
Oh my gosh…the boards are getting funny now.

Today someone asked if anyone knew what the weather was going to be like Thursday or Friday. All the responses were from weather apps and comments such as “Hey Siri, what’s the weather…” People are definitely starting to answer in sarcastic ways and being pretty short with the stupid questions. Makes me wonder if some of the questions are there just to get the responses…

Jay

Lampie

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2023, 06:38:58 AM »
I feel like it goes in a cycle. The dumb questions get bad, people start pointing it out, several sarcastic posts get made, post about how it’s rude to point out the obvious solution of googling those questions, then posts slow down for a while and gradually pick back up till the dumb questions get bad again.

It also seems like June, late September/early October, the second half of November are when the dumb questions peak, which makes sense as those are the times with lots of first time guests.

KevinLong

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2023, 09:25:02 AM »
We all need to remember that while everyone here is /should be a fan of SDC- not every one has the same computer skill level. Not everyone knows how to research well or find things on a giant forum like this. or even how to google and find what they are looking for.

A good example is I have no Idea if this site or forum has a FAQ section. I have never really looked for it. If it doesn't maybe we should help out and make one or maybe PIN one to the top if there is such a page.

Sometimes annoying things are not intentional, we should try to help those that need it, not yell at them.

my two cents..

Kevin 

shavethewhales

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2023, 10:29:41 AM »
There's a lot at play here. It is annoying when people just hop on FB to ask for stuff they could easily figure out or get for themselves. There's a lot of learned helplessness from people who have become far too attached to the internet, and especially social media. Weirdly enough, people aren't as tech/internet savy as they were a decade ago. There's less of a learning curve to use anything anymore and therefore people don't build basic skills to figure things out.

Also, FB sucks in general. Both as a platform and as a technology to display discussions and interact with people. When you comment on an FB thread, the order of comments is moved around based on likes and hidden parameters, so it's hard to follow any kind of flow for a conversation. They also hide a lot of comments based on how a given profile or comment is rated in the algorithm. Message boards like this one are still the best platform for actual discussion and posting information that will be easily accessible for years.

Lampie

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2023, 10:33:17 AM »
I believe everyone was talking about conversations on Facebook groups about SDC, not the SDCfan forums.

I do try to provide informative and helpful answers to questions on facebook(and here), but the super basic questions like what's the weather like in branson on specific date, how much does a ticket cost, or are they open on specific date... get old quick and they are questions that are quick and easy to find the answer to, when those get asked I try to point them to places to find the answer for themselves in the future. Many of these posts come from people that appear to be under 50 and should be able to perform basic google searches.

sdcfan88

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #9 on: June 21, 2023, 11:02:07 AM »
There's a lot at play here. It is annoying when people just hop on FB to ask for stuff they could easily figure out or get for themselves. There's a lot of learned helplessness from people who have become far too attached to the internet, and especially social media. Weirdly enough, people aren't as tech/internet savy as they were a decade ago. There's less of a learning curve to use anything anymore and therefore people don't build basic skills to figure things out.

Also, FB sucks in general. Both as a platform and as a technology to display discussions and interact with people. When you comment on an FB thread, the order of comments is moved around based on likes and hidden parameters, so it's hard to follow any kind of flow for a conversation. They also hide a lot of comments based on how a given profile or comment is rated in the algorithm. Message boards like this one are still the best platform for actual discussion and posting information that will be easily accessible for years.

Very much this. Facebook has become an evolution of the high school popularity contest. If you are not part of the "clique" (whatever FB determines it as) you get posts buried and treated as an outcast. Unless you pay to "promote" posts. Twitter has sadly followed this model after what's his face took over. Shadowbanning is a real thing. They can't afford to lose or remove users outright because they depend on them for ad revenue. Plus if it shows their user base is dropping it looks bad to shareholders. I've been using both less and less.

Dewayne

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2023, 05:37:08 PM »
Thank you, Cowboy (not sarcasm)! I'm glad to see I'm not alone here. More and more everyday, I see those types of posts and it REALLY pisses me off! I don't understand how googling something is so hard to do. People litterally go on Fakebook to ask these questions. If you can get on FB, you can definately Google something because getting on FB is actually harder to do.

Okiebenz

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Re: Do some dang research....
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2023, 07:06:37 PM »
What is SDC?

No seriously, these same people who can't seem to think for themselves and rely on Fakebook for everything also rely on Fakebook for their news and information when deciding on who or what to vote for, or believe in.  Scary.