As a relatively new member myself, I wanted to chime in here.
Let me FIRST say that this forum ROCKS as do the people on it--- it has (from what I can tell) some of the MOST KNOWLEDGABLE and SEASONED slant 6 folks around giving advice -- for free!
Even with the vast expanse of the interweb these days, there isn't a lot of GREAT advice out there sometimes. It is hard to know who is really an expert. ANYONE can have an opinion, but the GENUINE experts are tough to really know for sure. After spending some time here, its clear we have true experts here.
I have been participating on various online automotive, motorcycle and other topic BBSs and forums for almost 30 years. I have seen more than my share of "flame wars" (that the nice way to say it) The WRITTEN word is a very difficult thing to master and how written word is interpretted is ALWAYS causing issues on the web these days as in the past.
That said, I too have noticed snarky replies --- but not just from newbies like me.
Unless posts have been removed in the thread above and the duplicate on by the OP, all the OP did was restate what he was trying to do equipment wise. I didn't see that as disregarding anyone's advice -- he is simply restating what he THINKS he wants at this stage, in answer to someone else's question about what he was thinking he wants to do.
Saying to someone "Which part of 'Define what you want the car to do and how, and your budget in money, effort, and time, before you even start to think about picking out parts' is not making sense to you?" comes across as ...well...snarky and condescending.
It probably wasn't MEANT that way...but that is how *I* read it too.....and had someone else on this forum long ago not told me offline that "some folks here can seem abrasive sometimes but they don't mean it", I probably would have reacted just like the OP here did. We lash out when we feel like we have been lashed out upon. Human nature.
Publicly lashing a new guy..."setting him straight" as it were.... for feeling that way seems a bit harsh too. Would have been better reserved for a PM maybe.
We are ALL enthusiasts of the same critter here....the "leaning tahr of pahr"(in my worst Pittsburgh accent)...LOL.....some of us are much greener than others here......and while I am sure its frustrating for the experts here to keep answering the same questions over and over, it's new blood that keeps places like this forum worth visiting because it brings up new case studies to think about. Otherwise, what would all the been there, done that experts here talk about, right?
Many of us have visions of what we think we want to do...some are better visions than others from a practical standpoint.
It doesn't do anyone any good to come across as ridiculing or being "mightier than thee" even if that is not intended....remember that many of us have never met in person each other so we cannot temper our reading someone's posts with that knowledge.....the written word is all we have to go by.
Just because someone on a forum says they are an expert doesn't mean they are --- to a new member here, everyone is equal until that person can see the patterns of who seems to have genuine knowledge and who is just blowing smoke. I am sure we can all relate to that.
To be frank, I have noticed that some of my posts have now seemingly gone unanswered by certain experts after getting replies from that person for every question prior ---- Is it all in my head? Maybe. I hope so.
Or is it because I pissed them off somehow? If so, I wish they would PM me and we could work it out.
Is it because they are tired of answering a question they believe they have answered and I am not worth the reply? Well, maybe I haven't UNDERSTOOD your previous explanation.
Is it because I offered a counter-opinion or counter-question to theirs? What good is a forum if we cannot bounce ideas and concepts off each other.
NO ONE here is the BE ALL END ALL EXPERT that knows EVERYTHING.......Certain folks here are CERTAINLY eons more knowledgable about the slant 6 than someone like me, for instance...but that doesn't mean I or those like me are complete idiots who can't have an independent mechanical thought. We just need help.
No one should have to feel like they have to walk on egg shells to get help.
Someone being on the forum for just 16 days doesn't mean they have no background in engine building....that person may be an expert on building big blocks but they have never TOUCHED a slant 6, so they are asking questions here. Or maybe they are a complete newbie to engines. No one should assume EITHER.
Questioning stuff is how I learn...it is not meant to offend. I rarely take ONE person's advice at face value , at least until I know them well and until their advice has proven valid in the past.
The times I have made the exception, I have been burned so now I "question everything from everyone". Cynicism I guess.
I wish we could all just remember that we are all working toward a common goal here---working on a slant 6...those with great experience are looked up to as such but we are ALL human here and we all want treated politely and not talked down to.
Hope no one is ticked off at my writing down my thoughts on this...I have seen many good forums be decimated by this sort of thing. And I am open to any and all thoughtful replies.
