Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

It's only annoying when you get the 'I want to move to Dubai, how much money should I be asking for and what is the cost of living' type queries. Very specific queries are easier to cope with. It at least shows they've done a modicum of research first.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

I regularly chat to people away from the board whether it be about salaries, career opportunites, putting them in touch with relevant contacts and so on. if you don’t want to help a newbie you don’t have to – just ignore the thread. I just read about 30-40% of the posts on here. Shift Delete summed it up – some people just want that personal touch. some just want to chat to someone in the same industry and know what it is like and so on. I have met up with a few very nice people from here and have only ever felt that one in particular took advantage of my knowledge base

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

As a newbie I would like to thank all of you very much for all the input and I'm sorry at times a bit boring but the information for us personally as a family has be extremely helpful....and to all the "newbies" out there I agree use your pleases and thanks as no one earns a dollar for for putting the useful information on, also "newbies" I have put the information that I have learnt to the 'wiki' as some of the headings had no information ie Abu Dhabi Schools....Dean I promise I won't add to your articles as they are always so complete and a great read being they are a wealth of information and a good laugh!

PS When do you graduate from being a Newbie...?

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

I don't think people mind helping people out, but it does get annoying when someone is planning a life changing move and can't even be arsed to search the forum for some basic info first, especially when you don't even have to go past page one for a lot of the queries.

If someone then wants to know something a bit more specific or whatever that has been posted, it goes a long way to show they've bothered, because why should someone else bother help when the person asking questions couldn't in the first place?

It's why there was a faq, which became the wiki and why so much of the info has been put together for people.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

I'm new and my impression is that people who have been on a while are not grateful if I offer information and don't think that their attitude is always helpful either. Sometimes it can appear arrogant and rude and could repel people who as was said earlier are seeking one to one assistance - not rejection.

And of course there are people who do help!

Just what I see!!

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

can anyone help with these two threads? please let me know if the questions are;
- too stupid
- too specific
- too obscure

am really keen on getting some answers to them

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=536177
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=535037

thx,

still.unsure

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

Why can't we have a sticky as the top topic in the ME forum which answers all those annoying questions. The wiki, although good is a little obscure. As most forums of this format work with "Stickys" it would just make sense to work in the same way.

Example:
Sticky is titled "FAQ's about moving to the UAE"
Inside you can have a link to the Wiki, and any other relevant and informative threads or articles.

There is a wealth of information here, and most people really don't bother with the search function.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

Because we did that, and the site was filled with stickies.

It's what the wiki is for, but no one else has really bothered to maintain or add information to it and I'm a little to busy, I've done my best with it so far though.

Problems with linking to threads, they get out of date and irrelevant, in a wiki, they can be updated and easier to search.

And people not bothering with the search function pisses a lot of people off, why bother help someone out who can't be arsed to take the initiative and all that. It's not like it's hard to find some of the info, it's not even pages deep for a lot of the basics.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

ok - have updated the cost of living link.......

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

people come on and ask, they don't search, they like the personal touch, thats what I did and got LOADS of help, and in fact still do, it's the only way to do it I believe, I understand some of the same questions are asked again and again and some very stupid questions are asked - I'm guilty of all of this, but you either help people or don't, or as the mods have mentioned and just point them in the direction of wiki.

Whatever that is...

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

good answr and good attitude too

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

I think I love you...

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

The wiki, it's the thing that's link at the front of the ME forum, also at the top of the forum, that has bundles of info.

People wanting a personal touch is fair enough, but it does go a long way when some one does a bit of reading first to get the gist of things and then wants clarification on their personal situation.

It's common courtesy and net etiquette after all to read the site faq's and have a search on a forum before posting, not just on here, but in forums in general.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

See if you'll be saying the same thing if you've had to answer the same question day in, day out, for years on end, when the same very question is answered a couple of posts before hand...

That's all people are saying.

Re: This is getting bloody ridiculous........
 

you can say that, but when I came on I did a search for ex pats forum, thought I may be on here for 10 mins, asked a few questions and left, and waited for replies, which duly came and I got stacks of info, 6 months on I'm still here (just) and still asking but more importantly answering questions.