First and foremost, if this does not deserve a thread, or even isn't an issue at all, please close it.

Anyway, I've seen a lot of posts lately, mainly in the "Ask a Question, Get an Answer" thread in which a (usually) newer user will ask a question that belongs somewhere else, and someone else will ignore the question and simply tell the member that "this belongs in the ______ thread." While they are directing the member to the correct thread, the member is left to then go and post the question in the correct topic, which doesn't even always happen. This is all fine and dandy, but I think it should be encouraged that, while you should direct members to the correct thread, answering their question would only be beneficial, would it not? It saves the extra posts that are simply duplicates in the correct topic as oppose to the incorrect one, and it then saves the other members from answering the question once it is asked in the correct place.

All I'm saying is that I believe it should be encouraged that, when a member sees a question in the incorrect thread, to not only direct the member to the correct thread, but to also answer the question. Along with pointing the member to the correct thread and answering their question, it also conveys a friendlier attitude which is essential to a stable community. If a member cannot answer the question, or cannot direct the question to the proper thread, then they simply do not have to answer.

Again, please excuse me if I've blow this out of proportion, or if it isn't even an issue at all. If that is the case, then please close this thread. If not, what are everyone's thoughts about this?

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“In the course of twenty crowded years, one parts with many illusions. I did not wish to lose the early ones. Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen again.” -Jim Burden (My Ántonia)

Well, it depends. If you answer the questions anyway, then the Members might continue creating new threads for questions regardless because they know they will get answers anyway. What I prefer to do is to politely tell them that their question belongs in one of our existing topics, and that experts will be happy to answer their questions there.

Ah, I get what you mean. I was more referring to not so much the creation if new threads, but posts in current threads. Perhaps answer them the first time, then the second time tell them that this really isn't the place to post it, and to put it in _____ thread?

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“In the course of twenty crowded years, one parts with many illusions. I did not wish to lose the early ones. Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen again.” -Jim Burden (My Ántonia)

Ah, I get what you mean. I was more referring to not so much the creation if new threads, but posts in current threads. Perhaps answer them the first time, then the second time tell them that this really isn't the place to post it, and to put it in _____ thread?

That is if it is the same person replying both times, which is rare on an eighty-five-thousand-members message board ...

Well I mean in the case that the user follows up the first question with another one, which can happen a lot sometimes.

But I see what you're saying, feel free to close this then.

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“In the course of twenty crowded years, one parts with many illusions. I did not wish to lose the early ones. Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen again.” -Jim Burden (My Ántonia)