[Althornin]

Originally Posted by IMOG

@Althorin: If they don't follow my lead when I give them a start on the research, then they aren't going to do work on their own when you tell them to search.

Lol, and you accused others of logical fallacies? (strawman??)
Doesnt follow.
And it isnt right anyways.
you give them not a start on the research, but an answer to the immediate concern. There is a difference. I'd rather them get told to research for the easy stuff, BECAUSE it is easy, and it gets them good results, quick, with little effort. Then they are much more likely to try that first next time rather than immediately spout off a new question in a thread so that you can answer it for them. you arent "starting them off", you are solving their problem, answering their questions, etc.

chances are that someone will see the information I posted and find it useful and they will pursue it for their own reasons.

No, humans are lazy.
chances are, they will ask you again!

I don't feel it is my duty to bonk them to make them do what they "should".

Nope, you seem to think its your duty to coddle them constantly, which only leads to a dependency.
And who said "bonk" anyways? An approach which forces them to work for their answer so that you are not forced into self-inflicted slavery for noobs is now "bonking" them? An approach which allows them to gather more information without becoming dependent on a single (fallible) source is "bonking" them? I beg to differ - it is you who is doing the "bonking", you just dont seem to realize it.
Please, answer the point of my previous post - How does your approach NOT train them into dependencies?

Criticize our approach if you like, that is your right. What does the ProC approach offer? And what does it accomplish. I'd like to hear what you have to say about it, and how what is done here has a larger positive benefit?

I already have made my views quite clear, and my reasons for said approach clear as well - but I'll outline them again:

Your way = trained "giving of fish" - creates dependencies, forces additional workload on you, increases the likelyhood of propogation of misinformation, and the person is more likely to become a "contributing" member of your forums as really only a parrot, because he/she doesnt really research and innovate, he just feeds the cycle.

Our way = "teaching them to fish" - no dependencies, broad base of sources gives protection against single point of misinformation, person is more likely to become a REAL contributing (innovating!, not just parroting) member of the forum.

Or course this is mostly just BS anyways - just an attempted analysis of trends - giving more insight to my thought processes than insight towards the plight of noobs in either environment.

What it really boils down to is ProCooling is about the "how" , "why" and "results", while OCers is more about the "results" - an approach which i think yeilds a less educated )\(on the given subject) populace.\, since fewer posts state "why" and "how". "Net Clue" thus rises only with specific information (which may be wrong, but no one knows how or why and so cannot verify).

whatever, I'm a bit sick of talking about it honestly. go do a search on google if you want more. - specifically, look for teaching - and here is one such link for further edification:
http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/021898.htm

I'll quote a relevant chunk:

Foundations For Successful Homeschooling:

This Works:
Help your children develop knowledge and skills in many areas and learn how to learn.

This Doesn't:
Focus on discrete skills in primarily academic areas.

Perfect (imo) analysis of the differences in philosophy.