A lot of new SOPWs are being rebuked with "This is a FAQ -- why are you asking before you search?" or simply being considered and eaten.
But for people who don't have the big perl brain on, some questions seem legitimate. It took me some time to get used to the network of resources, and time perusing the various docs that come with perl to understand how to use them. In the interest of treating new people with the velvet glove, rather than the iron fist, I suggest the following :
Other suggestions?
  • Comment on Cut down on the FAQs, Jack, by searching for code before you post that node. BR(Serious Title : Searching for matching node titles reduces redundancy)

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Re: Cut down on the FAQ (Adam: Have you tried these nodes?)
by Adam (Vicar) on Feb 10, 2001 at 02:10 UTC
    It would be really cool if the title of a post to SOPW were run through search, and if any other nodes where found, a window poped up saying, "Have you tried these nodes?" Of course, some kind of filter would be needed (don't include common words like "the" in the search, duh!)

    As with most features, users should be able to disable this from their user settings.

[reply]
        As with most features, users should be able to disable this from their user settings.

      If this is added, I'd like to see the disabling be a "level power," e.g. you can disable the preliminary search once you reach a level where you should know better, say Level 3.

      --f
[reply]
      That's what I mean : when you preview the question, if you post the same title as a previously submitted node, it instead prompts you with something like :

      Your suggested node title : 'CGI Question' matched the following existing nodes. Maybe one of the monks has already answered a question just like yours!

      • CGI Question by koacamper(type: perlquestion)
      • CGI question by Gibble(type: perlquestion)
      • CGI Question by kelcey(type: perlquestion)
      if it doesn't, click preview again to really preview your question.
      see? or you could do some twiddling to match "cgi.pm Question" or subtypes of the question
[reply]
Re: Cut down on the FAQs, Jack, by searching for code before you post that node. BR(Serious Title : Searching for matching node titles reduces redundancy)
by Lexicon (Chaplain) on Feb 13, 2001 at 13:17 UTC
    Might I suggest the search not be through the title, but for keywords/common words in the body as well. New users tend to post non-descriptive titles afterall.

    -Lexicon

[reply]

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