Silly Questions on Hubpages

1. 81

   Rik Ravadoposted 14 years ago

   The new Feed Facility (that I quite like) means I become aware of loads of really silly questions that new 'hubbers' are asking.  Unfortunately I find myself replying with equally silly answers (I know its childish!). 
   
   There is a facilty to flag questions and I guess that it what I should do rather than encouraging them with answers.
   
   Here are some examples:
   
   How & where I will check my mail Inbox?
   how to get rid of files you deleted completey off your computer?
   
   My favorite: do they have extener straps for the upper straps?
   
   Do other hubbers a) provide silly answers b) flag them or c) ignore them.

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   1. 85

      Marisa Wrightposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I assume you mean in the "Questions" section, not on the forums.
      
      If they're just naive, I ignore them.  If they're really stupid, I flag them.  Posting silly answers just prevents them being buried, so I never yield to that temptation.
      
      It's inevitable there will be odd questions because the function of the Question and Answer section isn't really clear, especially to newbies.  It's something that's been a problem ever since I joined HubPages.

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   2. 68

      relacheposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      B

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2. 60

   Elven Hottieposted 14 years ago

   WOW! Those are funny!
   
   Personally, I think I would write a silly response back, wait a day or so and then flag them if they haven't been already... of course that could be a HUGE waste of time!

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3. 81

   Rik Ravadoposted 14 years ago

   But lots of fun!

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4. 72

   maven101posted 14 years ago

   He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever.

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   1. 92

      Urbane Chaosposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ...I think I'd rather remain a fool forever than to ask some of those questions.
      
      Ok, I'm ready to send this, now where do I put the postage stamp?

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   2. 60

      tobey100posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hey, I like that.  I don't care what they ask.  I only care about what they write.

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5. 83

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   Isn't it just possible though, that someone could have signed up with Hubpages who really really doesn't have a clue?
   Someone who is experiencing computers and the internet for the first time?
   I guess it is possible...and I would hate a complete newbie to go away feeling an even bigger fool than they feel,not grasping the basics of computers like teeny kids do.

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   1. 80

      TamCorposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree...

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   2. 92

      Urbane Chaosposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It's possible, but someone who asks, "do they have extener straps for the upper straps?
      
      er...

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6. 96

   Glenn Stokposted 14 years ago

   I see those questions too and I ignore them. They degrade our community and don't fit in in any way. Some of them are so off the wall that it seems those people are asking about other sites, not realizing they signed up on HubPages or what HubPages is all about.

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   1. 74

      Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I disagree that it degrades anything ,surely if anything does, its near naked girls on some hubs, which any 13 yr old boy can find elsewhere on the web anyway.
      
      Sounds rather pompous saying it degrades our community.
      I like Hubpages ,but its not my community ,its a good website

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7. 83

   IzzyMposted 14 years ago

   People are daft.
   Honestly, there are times when you think people ought to pass an IQ test before they are allowed near a computer, but remember their question is just as important to them as a more sensible question might seem to the rest of us.
   I used to spend hours answering newbies questions on a help forum, and I would do it all again, and repeat myself again and again, until the time comes when all the world has 'caught up'.
   Computers have only been around in general use for the past 20 years or so. That equates to a huge generation gap who have never learned and who would like to, but maybe never will, sadly.

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8. 60

   Alessia Amnesiaposted 14 years ago

   Wow, I remember when I was new to computers. I'm glad I didn't ask some of the hubbers on this thread any of my "silly" questions. I may have actually tried doing some of those "silly" answers and ruined everything!
   
   Sometimes you need to think about how the other person probably feels, being new and not understanding. If you were thrown into a situation where you had no clue, I'm sure you'd be grateful if someone actually took your "silly" questions seriously.

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9. 60

   TLMinutposted 14 years ago

   My favorite: do they have extener straps for the upper straps?
   
   I don't even know what the question means!

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   1. 60

      tobey100posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      think it has something to do with bras

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      1. 74

         Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ..or their contents 

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10. 60

    fits4lifeposted 14 years ago

    Please don't think that those questions are silly. When you have been frustrated for so long, the forums are the only way to get help. Some of us know very little about hubpages and computers. What may be silly to one person may be the answer to anothers prayers. Please respond with the best answer you have or point people in the right direction to get help. Most people really need those questions answered. Thanks.

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11. 82

    Whitney05posted 14 years ago

    How about the near surplus questions asking how to pay bills online and how to activate a card, by hubbers with no hubtivity.
    
    
    In a lot of cases the questions are asked by new users who see the ask box on the hub and mistake it for the comment section. It's quite irritating. It'd be nice to have that box moved so that appropriate questions are asked on the appropriate hub in case someone else has the same question and finds the hub. Plus the users who sign up just to ask one question clutters the stats.
    
    
    I answer some, but flag most, especially those that seem to be intended for a particular person.
    
    I also wish that HP would change the rules back to opinions and questions related to HubPages could not be asked in the question section. I'm tired of seeing opinion questions and questions that should be asked in the forums NOT the question section in the question section. Can't flag them bc they changed the rules to accept them. I'd also like to see questions with yes/no answers against the question rules.

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12. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 14 years ago

    The questions that annoy me are the ones that are clearly an attempt for someone to get a little promotion, for example a question asked by someone with no activity here and then someone else with about 6 or 7 spammy hubs chimes in with the perfect response and then mysteriously you never see them again but all of the activity gives them attention and ultimately some traffic at least.

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13. 74

    Eaglekiwiposted 14 years ago

    Well someone must be allowing entry in the first place ,but listen people if Q' really bother you , whats stopping you from ignoring it( HP obviously do) or better still browsing to something else?

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    1. 0

       wordscribe41posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       True dat, EK.

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       1. 60

          tobey100posted 14 years agoin reply to this

          I knew there was an easy answer.

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       2. 74

          Eaglekiwiposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Hey there bubblicious sexy rexy ......good to see ya and Id just like you to know my masticating habit is well under way thanks you you 

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    2. 82

       Whitney05posted 14 years agoin reply to this

       When I get personal requests that are plain stupid. Half questions that don't make any sense. Most of the time though questions I'd rather be on my hubs, but a user found my site, saw the ask box, signed up just to ask that one question, and never comes back. It's hard to ignore the questions when they're personal requests. Not all are, but some of them are.
       
       What if someone else has the same question? To prevent answering the same question twice, it'd be nice to have the question and reply on the hub it was intended to go. Although, it won't eliminate duplicate questions bc I sure get the same question over and over again a lot. But it may potentially help.
       
       Part, of me wouldn't mind the request section going away altogether. People are treating it like Yahoo Answers, which is fine there but not here where the request section wasn't meant to be Yahoo Answers. Opinions, HP questions, yes/no question, etc should not be there.

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14. 61

    iumerposted 14 years ago

    Anyone who is new to hubpages will ask silly questions. The thing is that we should provide them relevant answers instead making fun of it.
    Am I right guys?

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15. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 14 years ago

    lol, the rule of "there are no stupid questions" does not apply here. go to the hubtivity and select questions, read through some of what has been asked and then come back and see if you still have the same view 

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16. 56

    Shadow Manposted 14 years ago

    I'm fairly new here and I have noticed there are some strange questions being asked in both the question & answer section but in the forum area as well, and not always from new hubbers. I have also noticed at times a newer hubber will ask a pretty good question or one that provokes thought and it will get little response or go unresponded to. At the same time I have seen long time hubbers ask off the wall things and get hundreds of responses. It's like there is some kind of clique type thing going on and one person can ask anything and people will fall all over themselves to answer. Also it would appear many of the hubbers take this place far to seriously and think they are better than others due to education or writing ability and are sometimes very rude in what they say to others. Heres an example.
    
    Pearldiver posted this to a new hubber
    Yeah Well.... 27 Hours New.... 2 Posts on Masturbation.. Hubber Score of 23.......... Who Could Take You Seriously?????
    
    Write a Hub on your Fantasy.... It Might Bring Your Personal Score Up To 69... A far more interesting position to approach your subject with perhaps.
    
    And here is a question from a long time hubber that got over 11,000 replies.
    (Say anything in three words). 11,000 +
    
    So you see it's not just new people doing odd things.
    All the people getting upset over someone posting a stupid question or hub: Get over it! There are far more important things in the world than this! This is not a by invitation only site and you are going to get people from all over the world and I hate so say it...many just won't live up to your lofty standards.
    All that being said, can't we all just be nice to one another and put petty crap aside?

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17. 63

    Has_aWayWithWordsposted 14 years ago

    well in respnse to the one that got over 11000 replies, that was a forum game meant to get people involved and make everyone feel welcome and invited to participate. That is much different than asking a question on the ask question page. As for the masturbation question I didn't see it but I have seen many like it and they are 99% of the time someone who is marketing sexual items which are not allowed here by Hubpages or by AdSense

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