CP and I have disagreed on another forum - B & BC - but on this point we are agreed: check the forum archives to see if the topic has been previously discussed.
I do this as a matter of course (this might have something to do with the fact that as features writer and analyst, I am used to searching for
information; I also like conducting research...). It is more or less a habit developed over a long period of time.
It isn't for everyone, though. On one other site's forum, I brought this to the attention of the members, and suggested that they first conduct a search of the archives before posting etc, to prevent reinvention of the wheel, rescusitating a question answered many times before. Well, you know, they're writers, and research is one of the major components of the job, so to speak. Correct?
Well,I was greeted with an eventual outcry,and some of the members got stuck into me alright! There were some quite telling comments though. One said that the archives search engine was antiquated, and difficult to use. It was. And one or two admitted that they were lazy. Others said that the interaction was the thing, not research, as it wasn't an academic site (or some such; this is quite sometime ago now).
The point here is that it would be 'nice' or 'good' if the members did do a forum archives search first. But, given the nature of the general freelance community, as well as here, I wouldn't count on it...
Just my... 0.5 minus 0.3 cents worth
ATP