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RTFB # 2 Attention Newbites
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old timer
Joined: May '07
Posts: 978offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 8:46:19
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Please understand that I mean this in the kindest way with no disrespect, and this is not directed at anyone in particular. In the world of computers there exists a concept of RTFM which applies to those who ask many questions before doing some leg work research or reference checking themselves. The phrase is known as RTFM and stands for Read The Fracking Manual. You have before you a web site rich with information perhaps you might consider searching around a bit first. Or please RTFB (blog) before asking repeated questions. The same holds true about reaching out to knowledgeable experts who give much of their time answering the same questions many of whose answers can freely be found on this site. It's not that you are not important it's just that there is a limit on the amount of time we can spend. Several folks I know have been forced into screening their calls and have had to create new e addresses because they were bombarded. Obviously there are times to ask for help which is graciously given but please do some research first. Obviously I do not speak for the blog but do express the sentiments of several "knowledgeable folks" from the science, entomology and pest control fields.
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oldtimer
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 6,819offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 10:29:49
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Hi,
I have to agree with this post 100%.
I know I am guilty of reading the first few lines of a post and if its something that was posted a few days or a week before or that I know is in the FAQ's I simply move on to the next one.
I am happy to answer detailed questions and sometimes spend a few hours thinking about it before I reply but as I am many others don't get paid to post responses we are less likely to sit and repost the same information time after rime.
Bed Bugs is a difficult problem to deal with and come to terms with but step one needs to be sit down, get educated and be grateful that you are experiencing it now rather than 3 or 4 years ago when there was little or no information on the subject.
David
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 14,066offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 11:05:58
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Thanks Winston and David!
Just to remind everyone, the FAQs are here:
http://bedbugger.com/faqs/There's a link at the bottom of every forum post and to the right of the main forums page.
Another idea is to click on the "tags" at the top of forum posts. It can be hit or miss, but if people tag posts with single words that others are likely to have used, and you click on those tags, you bring up other conversations on the same topic. (The forums search box also helps.)
Finally, I want to thank our bed bug professionals as well as long-time bedbuggers who are taking the time to hang out here and answer questions for free. The best gift you can give in return is to read the FAQs and get the basics before asking more specific questions.
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itchnscratch
newbite
Joined: Jun '08
Posts: 16offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 15:00:15
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I agree and understand where you are coming from. It's a good reminder and something to remember. I am sure it is difficult wanting to help everyone and it just not being possible. If my questions don't get answered it's fine with me. I know a lot of questions I myself have asked are in the FAQs and no disrespect is meant when asking on the forum and I apologize if I have bothered or exasperated anyone. However as a newbite myself I have to say that a real person is more comforting than a page on a computer screen. The forum is such an amazing resource. I feel a lot of people just want to hear someone who has been through it. I think it is more for support and dialogue sometimes than about the questions themselves. It seems forums will always have these kinds of issues as people are people are people. Thanks so much for all your help!
Peace.
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lieutenantdan
oldtimer
Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 1,222offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 15:20:24
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If you are new than you are lucky that this site exist. When I went through what you are now going through I had very limited resources and much less was known as of how to battle. This site is also a way to help people by giving them the freedom to speak which makes them pro-active which helps save their sanity. Some of us have tried to help and we have answered the same questions 1,000 times over and that is OK but at times it does take away your energy and becomes frustrating. I think that one should explore the site a little and educate yourself and then we can help at a more higher level.
We are at War with Bed bugs and it will take much research on your part along with patience and much hard work. One good thing is that now you have a wealth of experience
from people who have been fighting the war for a couple of years or more and it would be in your best interest to tap into that wealth of information which is this site.
Looking back on some of our posts and comments can be entertaining and soothing to say the least. -
lil_bit_obsessed
senior member
Joined: Dec '07
Posts: 493offline
Posted 5 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 15:31:18
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looking back, i think this forum saved my sanity when i was dealing with an infestation. i agree that talking to a real person can make you feel less isolated. hopefully someday the resources will be made available (by government? pfft, doubtful but who knows) to provide bedbug hotlines with paid employees to help people who are experiencing distress in dealing with bedbugs, so that so much of the load will not have to be carried by volunteers alone. but until that day, we all have each other, and we do the best we can with the time we are able to. we're lucky to have so many professionals volunteer their expertise, and so many experienced bedbuggees volunteer their emotional support as well.
thanks nbom so much for this website, and thanks to the rest of you as well who have answered my many many questions. this place is an amazing grass-roots resource, and it's something to be proud of.
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junior member
Joined: May '08
Posts: 88offline
Posted 4 years ago
Thu Jun 19 2008 18:25:14
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Hehe I kind of like introducing / hazing the new people. It's like "Hey welcome to the worst club in the world". Actually each new person who comes on here and has a crazy attack makes me feel less like a complete nutter for sleeping under my desk at work and refusing to go home
On the other hand you're right about the FAQs, except - and I love this site don't get me wrong and I'd die without it - but the FAQs aren't very pretty / easy to read / well organised for newcomers. Sorry!
The only new posts that get on my nerves are these:
- I have bites but I haven't been able to find any bugs in my bed and I had a PCO
- come and he couldn't find anything. But I read your site and I went on holiday
- a few years ago and I was at this hotel and I might have brought them back with
- me. HEEEELP. PS: Please provide a lawyer's contact details.No offence to anyone that posted one of those (it's actually a composite of what I've read here) and I don't want to laugh at your pain but I reserve my sympathy for those of us who actually have a confirmed problem (ie: have FOUND the bug shells, and/or BUGS, and/or EXCREMENT, etc).
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 14,066offline
Posted 4 years ago
Fri Jun 20 2008 3:56:59
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bedbugvictimperthaustralia,
I compiled/wrote almost all of the FAQs and designed the layout of the FAQs pages. I actually want them to be useful and always welcome suggestions on making them prettier / easier to read / better organized for newcomers. Maybe you have some more specific constructive suggestions you can pass on, rather than just those vague complaints?
itchnscratch,
I think nothing replaces a human response if what you need is support and to feel less alone. However, people can get the information they need from the FAQs and then come here and say "I need support" or vent about stress, difficulties, etc. It would still make life easier for those who are answering questions.
lil_bit_obsessed,
Thanks for your kind words -- that's why we're here. When I needed this information, all that existed was the Bedbugger yahoo group. Discussion groups are good on support but very bad on information sharing. Everyone asks every question over and over and gets a fresh answer each time. Not only is it not efficient, but the quality of the answers varies. (The quality of the answers on the forums varies, too, and this is another reason the FAQS are a good place to start.)
One thing missing from this conversation: the FAQs were based on considerable thought and lots of input from a variety of sources, including suggestions from readers in the comments. Many brains went into each one, and collectively they took hundreds of hours to write. While they are far from perfect, you can't replicate that kind of information as an individual answering questions on a forum. Even experts will be able to provide only a partial answer to most questions, due to time constraints.
And the forum architecture does not lend itself to searches, so the same answers are given over and over...
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