Duplicate postings

[beenthere]

I would be interested in learning how the moderators feel about the duplicate postings, where the same question (or information) is presented in more than one forum. Seems to be happening regularly, and causes two (or more) threads to be created with responses.

If one has a response to help (if it is a question), should the response be placed in both threads, or just one.

How should we, as members, respond to the duplicate postings?

* Notify the moderators, and they may do something?
* Respond to the member, in hopes they take it as a good suggestion and drop one of the threads?
* Do nothing?

Maybe others don't see this as any problem, of which I can certainly live with as well. Just interested.

 

[Gatorboy]

I believe duplicate postings are frowned upon by the moderators ... and most users.

 

[MadReferee]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I believe duplicate postings are frowned upon by the moderators ... and most users. )</font>

They may be frowned upon by the moderators, but they don't seem to do anything about it.

Since some moderators have stated that they don't regularly monitor all forums I can see how duplicate postings are to allowed to continue.
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue">...but they don't seem to do anything about it. </font>
And you know this how? You do not see the duplicate posts that are handled, since there's no announcement made about it.

The vast majority of moderting tasks I (and most of the other moderators I presume) perform fall into 1 of 2 categories;

1. Duplicate posts
2. Specific brand questions posted in one of the General Forums. Despite the Sticky Post at the top of the Buying/Pricing/Comparisons forum entitled Do not post brand-specific threads in this forum!, people still do it.

To answer the original question;

People should not be posting duplicate messages. If you see a duplicate post, click on the notify Moderator icon.

 

[RobS]

I just re-checked the TOS and FAQ and find nothing specifically prohibiting duplicate posting although it is a minor offense in common netiquette. Moderators will eliminate duplicates if there aren't replies but can't catch them all. Blatant duplicates (usually errors) are easier to see and are usually eliminated quickly. And yes, feel free to use the "notify moderator" button anytime you see anything needing attention /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

And Mike types much faster than I do /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Golfgar4]

Regardless of what others might think, the moderators do make attempts to minimize duplicate postings.

My experience is pretty much the same as Mike's when it comes to dealing with duplicate posts. When I find them, I first determine which one is generating the most interest. Then I'll remove the less active duplicate post. I always send a private message to the poster (and to any posters of replies to the original posting if there aren't too many) explaining why the duplicate post was removed, and why posting duplicates is generally not a good idea.

 

[beenthere]

Thanks Mike, for the info and the update.

Keep up the good work, and will notify moderators, as requested.

 

[hazmat]

<font color="blue">will notify moderators, as requested.</font>

Be sure to notify on both threads so we can find it's other half

 

[Bird]

Now I generally agree with, and do the same as, the other guys, but occasionally I'll leave a duplicate, as I did the one I just got notified about. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif Sometimes, when a person needs help with finding a part, selecting a machine, operating an implement, etc., he/she may have a hard time deciding which forum it would belong in; the parts forum, owning/operating forum, or the brand specific forum. And since we have so many posts, I doubt that many people find time to read all of them, so I can understand posting in more than one forum in hopes the right person will see it. So I occasionally ignore a duplicate, but not too often. Am I right or wrong? I don't know. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[hazmat]

<font color="blue">So I occasionally ignore a duplicate, but not too often. Am I right or wrong? I don't know.</font>

Ocassionally I disagree with bird /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif - so I actually deleted said duplicate post...