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So there's a lot of jargon and acronyms floating around this board, which is bizarre: it's not like typing stuff out in full and using the official nomenclature will kill you. I mean it's nice that people develop their cute in-slang to be funny and cool in front of their internet friends, but there's a problem with this and it has little to do with coming off like a complete tool: it renders the Search Function useless.

How many times has someone said "I tried to look something up, and I couldn't find it so I started a new thread..." and then clogging up the boards with yet another thread about Deff Rollas or whatever was the subject of last month's 32 page thread? It happens a fair bit and the reason I think it happens, my hypothesis, is that the Search function is impossible to use unless you know the established jargon, acronyms, or whatever people are using rather than taking a faction of a second to write out in full.

What I don't like, and presumably the rest of you don't like, and the moderators don't like, is people starting numerous threads on subjects that have been 'discussed' to the point of nausea in the past because they couldn't find the relevant threads in the Seach function thanks to people using impenetrable in-group codes.

I accept that some people will always be too stupid or lazy to write stuff out in full that they could otherwise short-hand, as there's lots of people out there with weak typing skills. That's cool. I hand-write slowly myself, so I know the value of a good short-hand that may otherwise be an unreadable cipher to people who aren't familiar with it. But the reason such a short-hand is useful is that I'm the only one who has to read my notes. I don't need to take the time and effort to write things out so other people can understand my hand-written notes, unless I'm taking notes for other people. That said, even then I try to print neatly and legibly so it's as easy to follow as possible when I refer to them in the future. It's working a little harder now so I can work a lot less later.

But don't think of writing in comprehensible English sentences as having to go out of your way for other people, like a chump, just think of it as a good selfish reason to facilitate your own convenience. Cool?

Whilst I am very happy with Dakka in general, the search function is already shot to hell.

I get better results using google with 'subject + dakka'.

My hand writing is appauling, so much so that rather than take several hours trying to neatly write a simple note I have resorted to either writing in capitals (which I have been told can come across as aggresive) or typing out a note and printing it. All of which is time consuming and a pain in the arse. However I also think that it is worthwhile. I have the mis-fortune to mannage 4 guys who at best are belligerent and obtuse, at worse they are as thick as two short planks and struggle to pronounce their own names let alone spell them. So the ability to communicate clearly, ledgibly and in simple non-jargon terms is invaluable.

For me this also applies to forum posting. Whilst I accept that some people will not know the correct terms, make the odd innocent spelling mistake or are just tired and not thinking straight, the vast majority know better.

I think as long as someone (possibly who wants to increase their post count) takes the time to cookie cut a response it shouldn't be a problem:

Dear X. Welcome to the forums. We have actually 'discussed' the above in great depth a few days ago. Here is a link to the forum:.... As you will find out, we failed to come to a consensus despite our finest minds working on the topic for several days and pages.

Thanks!

Hyperbole much?

Most of those 'impenetrable codes' are listed in the Dakka glossary, with the meanings displayed if you hold your mouse over them. They're not the unbreakable cyphers that you seem to be trying to make them out to be.


As for multiple threads, I can't speak for the other mods, but frankly it doesn't bother me at all.

The boards exist for people to discuss their hobby. If they miss a recent previous thread, you just post a link to it and move on. It's really not a big deal.

In other news, Deffrollas DO work on vehicles.

GW just did a spanish FAQ on it! So, no more of those threads.

insaniak:

Why should I have to go consult a glossary? Why can't people just use real words?

Wait, is your problem multiple threads, the broken search, or acronyms? Because only two of those are linked.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Whilst I am very happy with Dakka in general, the search function is already shot to hell.

I get better results using google with 'subject + dakka'.

True that. With the immense back catalogue of dakka content that grows constantly, the search function may as well not exist for this site.

There are terms I have searched that I know are here because I posted them, only to find the search engine refuses to acknowledge the term's existence.

Using the Google spider search is about the only way I can search dakka with any degree of precision. Its pretty much my only major grips about the dakka software as everything else runs like a well oiled machine for the most part.

Nurglitch wrote:insaniak:

Why should I have to go consult a glossary? Why can't people just use real words?

You don't have to 'go' anywhere. You just hold your mouse pointer over the acronym that's puzzling you, and the definition shows right there on the screen.

The simple fact is that people use acronyms because they're convenient. Most people don't have a problem with learning them or figuring out what they are referring to from context. And most of them are far too well entrenched for us to suddenly start telling people to not use them. That's just nailing jelly to a tree, at this point.

Nurglitch wrote:insaniak:

Why should I have to go consult a glossary? Why can't people just use real words?

Because people don't.

In every place I've worked, people use abbreviations and an insular terminology (the health service, social services, medical insurance, corporate compliance), in my other hobbbies like MMOs the same, in tropical fishkeeping the same, in wargaming the same and in the sub-categories of warhammer or infinity or warmachine they will condense and create their own slang.

It's in the nature of subcultures, it's inherent in a group of people who identify. I'm quite sure where ever you work, you and your coworkers will adopt slang words for things, I expect in the area you live in, there are use words for things that have a common name, yet they are called something different there.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:In other news, Deffrollas DO work on vehicles.

GW just did a spanish FAQ on it! So, no more of those threads.

r you srs?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Hey, he is! Hoorah!

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Whilst I am very happy with Dakka in general, the search function is already shot to hell.

I get better results using google with 'subject + dakka'.

This is a great idea! I've done it incidentally a few times, but never thought to specifically add "+ dakka"... I think I will do this from now on because I get some very random results with the dakka search...

Squilvo wrote:My hand writing is appauling, so much so that rather than take several hours trying to neatly write a simple note I have resorted to either writing in capitals (which I have been told can come across as aggresive)

Woah! I totally do that too! I write everything in capitals - I don't think I've written anything in lower-case in about 10 years. No-one hand-writes anything official these days anyway, so it's no big deal. It does look aggressive though.

WE NEED MILK. GO TO THE SHOP.

insaniak wrote: That's just nailing jelly to a tree, at this point.

Awesome aussie slang alert...

I agree with the fact that the search function on Dakka is already pretty messed up. The layout is what gets me... it's just so random.

I usually do the same as some others. Google + Dakka. It's not worth it to even try it here.

Piffle Paffle, I tried to get OAFV added to the glossary and yakface wouldn't do it! Who cares if I'm the only one who uses it?

I hesitate to ask, but what does it mean?

NTTAWWT

DMUKYA

'Not that there's anything wrong with what'? The point is that you have an issue. I agree with Dread because you aren't making sense.

DarkHound wrote:Not that there's anything wrong with what? The point is that you have an issue. I agree with Dread because you aren't making sense.

OMG! bff 4eva! ROFL LOL

Dawg, I thought you had an issue with stuff like MEQ or ATSKNF clogging up the Search Engine. I haven't seen regular 1337-speak as a problem on the board. Rarely do people use it, and those that do are the rubish 10-year-olds who spam a couple threads and are never seen again.

To be fair, I thought this was about the SEARCH function in general which, honestly, really doesn't 'work' that well at all...

I'm sure Lego's working on it though!

(But, as was mentioned, using Google with a "+ Dakka" in it works very well!)

Yup, it's not the use of acronyms that messes up the search. Whatever acronym is being used, most threads will include at least one mention of the complete name/power/whatever is being discussed, if only in the first post... so the search should still turn them up.

It's simply that the poor ol' search function isn't quite up to the demands of the huge, sprawling megalith that Dakka has become.

Nightwatch wrote:

insaniak wrote: That's just nailing jelly to a tree, at this point.

Awesome aussie slang alert...

for you non-aussies.

Change the 'y' in 'jelly' to an 'o'.

Same result.

Like nailing a gelatinous cube to a PC.

The Dreadnote wrote:I hesitate to ask, but what does it mean?

On All Fours Vomiting. Best acronym ever.

captain.gordino wrote:

The Dreadnote wrote:I hesitate to ask, but what does it mean?

On All Fours Vomiting. Best acronym ever.

A dubious award at best though, eh?

Nightwatch wrote:

insaniak wrote: That's just nailing jelly to a tree, at this point.

Awesome aussie slang alert...

Much as I'd love to claim it, it's not actually Aussie slang. It was in use in the IT world in the 80's, spawned by a book published in 1981 on the difficulties of designing software, but its earliest attribution is from a speech by one Theodore Roosevelt in 1915, talking about trying to reach an agreement with Columbia. Just, you know, FYI