DIY section

[UncleChester]

Brian, i understand where you are coming from, however, when someone is searching this forum for info and you tell them to just google it is kind of counter intuitive of this forum, wouldn't you agree?

Not really, no. For a few reasons:


- the built in search stinks (or I'm lousy at using it compared to google)
- Frog Forum pretty much 'wins' over other forums for listings in google. If the topic exists here and you google it, Frog Forum is generally in the top 3-5, if not the first listing.
- I wouldn't ignore the vast wealth of information out on the internet just because we like it here on Frog Forum.
- You'll notice I also gave a link to a thread on Frog Forum

That's no way to build the forum, or the hobby for that matter. I always felt the point of a forum like this is to inform, through personal experiences and to help grow the hobby.

Absolutely the forum is to share experiences. That's never going to stop me from looking for information wherever I can find it, and sharing whatever I find useful no matter where it came from. We can discuss stuff here, even if we found it somewhere else.

Articles, while extremely informative and helpful fall short when it comes to some things. Besides, if you were looking for articles alone, one would go to a dedicated website and not a forum, true?

No need to have one and not the other. Articles form starting points for discussions on recurring topics. I've referred people to John's Gray Tree Frog care article dozens of times AND at the same time tried to contribute to anything not covered in the article that the inquirer was interested in. Articles can form a valuable repository of useful data and draw people into discussion. I probably would never have even bothered registering on Frog Forum if it wasn't for John's care article.

And please don't forget, sometimes particular topics don't get a lot of activity due to lack of info. If there more diversity of the information alotted, maybe there would be more activity? I.e. lurkers becoming involved members? These are just observations i have picked up along the way in the many forums i belong to. Remember, the forum is only s strong as it's membership.

If you make the space, someone will fill it? I'm just of the opinion that the Do It Yourself stuff fits under the appropriate and already existing categories. I'm not the boss though

[deranged chipmunk]

all valid points. i guess my position on articles vs. forums is that if you don't understand something in an article, that's it. you are kind of screwed. i mean, yes, some articles allow you to comment, but if a question is asked, it rarely is ever answered, or you are directed to the forum (i've seen it even on this forum) now, put the same info into a post on a forum and people can ask questions that can be answered by not only the op, but other members as well. i always thought that open dialogue is the best way to obtain information.

oh, and i agree, John and Don's care sheets are top notch!! i have seen quite a few care sheets out there, and theirs simply blows the others away.

[steampunk]

Im up for seeing a Do It Yourself section as im currently writing a set of instructions on waterfall construction because there is simply not much information avaliable on it. If there was a Do It Yourself section it would be easy to post my info for people (as im a little confused on where to post the finished product?) lol.
Maybe make it general, as i've read loads of Do It Yourself forums on enclousres and you can often take ideas from different people, or maybe simply don't think of something if you are specifically looking for a certain species.

That's my two cents lol.