Who Do We Keep?

[calia]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

LOL.

Seriously though, I think some people either don't search or don't know some key tips to searching

1. Ask yourself if the topic may have been discussed already (what's the likelihood that we never discussed our own free agents)

2. Enter in specific key words to help your search. If you just type in "free agents" it won't help. But if you know you're talking about our own free agents then you have to figure a name that isn't mentioned often otherwise is there, such as DeMulling

3. Remember to check past the first page of threads that are called up when you search

4. Consider when the topic may have been discussed. For example we probably weren't talking about DJ Hackett vs. Bryant Johnson back in July so filter your search (use the "advanced search" option)

Now some people will say "I don't have time to search. I'm not on the site all day, etc." To which I say that's bull. If you time to post, you have time to search. Sure the system isn't perfect and we all miss thing sometimes. But it sure seems like a lot of people don't put any effort into it at all.

Not to be too critical, but if you guys are trying to dissuade people from making posts, this is a good way to do it. This was my first post and I am obviously not as versitile with the search capabilities of this site as many other users (although I'll bet the majority of users don't know to to use those functions). Moreover, there were no such threads in the active list of threads. Given that folks often post all kinds of irrelevant nonsense having little to do with football or the Redskins (e.g., Jessica Simpson threads), it seems unfair to question the effort of people who wish to make a contribution but don't know about or use all of the site's features. If that is a pre-requisite to participating in this discussion, you'll be down to a pretty small number of users.

Having said all that, let me offer something constructive. It might make sense to see of there are ways to provide some structure to new threads (folders or something like that), as well as a thread archive (again, perhaps with a folder structure). So, for example, there might be folders about our coaching staff, FAs, certain positions, the schedule, NFC East, etc. That kind of structure is common in web-based systems like this, and I suspect we would all find some value in being able to go back and retrieve old threads (if for no other reason than to say "I told you so" about old predictions).

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by calia

Not to be too critical, but if you guys are trying to dissuade people from making posts, this is a good way to do it. This was my first post and I am obviously not as versitile with the search capabilities of this site as many other users (although I'll bet the majority of users don't know to to use those functions). Moreover, there were no such threads in the active list of threads. Given that folks often post all kinds of irrelevant nonsense having little to do with football or the Redskins (e.g., Jessica Simpson threads), it seems unfair to question the effort of people who wish to make a contribution but don't know about or use all of the site's features. If that is a pre-requisite to participating in this discussion, you'll be down to a pretty small number of users.

Having said all that, let me offer something constructive. It might make sense to see of there are ways to provide some structure to new threads (folders or something like that), as well as a thread archive (again, perhaps with a folder structure). So, for example, there might be folders about our coaching staff, FAs, certain positions, the schedule, NFC East, etc. That kind of structure is common in web-based systems like this, and I suspect we would all find some value in being able to go back and retrieve old threads (if for no other reason than to say "I told you so" about old predictions).

The search button could have avioded all this, and just check different pages on the threads page and the search button isnt hard at all.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by calia

Not to be too critical, but if you guys are trying to dissuade people from making posts, this is a good way to do it. This was my first post and I am obviously not as versitile with the search capabilities of this site as many other users (although I'll bet the majority of users don't know to to use those functions). Moreover, there were no such threads in the active list of threads. Given that folks often post all kinds of irrelevant nonsense having little to do with football or the Redskins (e.g., Jessica Simpson threads), it seems unfair to question the effort of people who wish to make a contribution but don't know about or use all of the site's features. If that is a pre-requisite to participating in this discussion, you'll be down to a pretty small number of users.

Having said all that, let me offer something constructive. It might make sense to see of there are ways to provide some structure to new threads (folders or something like that), as well as a thread archive (again, perhaps with a folder structure). So, for example, there might be folders about our coaching staff, FAs, certain positions, the schedule, NFC East, etc. That kind of structure is common in web-based systems like this, and I suspect we would all find some value in being able to go back and retrieve old threads (if for no other reason than to say "I told you so" about old predictions).

What do you mean this is your first post?

Anyhow, my post was not only directed at you. It was directed at everyone who has complained about searching or even refused to do it. It was intended to help. I thought I was providing some tips on making searching easier. Guess I was wrong.

We're not trying to discourage anyone from posting. We're trying to encourage people to use the search function and become smarter users of the function. That said, this isn't an awful thread because clearly there have been changes since the last similar thread. Still, my guess is that you weren't even aware of the previous threads on the same topic.

As for the folders, we do have forums (salary cap, nfl draft, other sports) but we can't get too specific because it gets too confusing with certain topics.