I understand that you said 'if', and that is why I also said, 'that is
great IF someone knows specifically where...'. I agree that BillChaffey made a kind gesture, as did ATeam for providing the link to that specific article. I'm just saying it is
also a kind gesture when members ask newbies to read back for 2 or 3 years, whether it seems so or not, since it is in their own best interests to do so. Newbies may not necessarily understand how much it would help them.
When you initially said you 'guessed it was easier to have them peck and hunt' for information, I got the impression that i) you felt members were withholding post locations even if they might know exactly where they were located (which in most cases, I would hazard a guess that they don't unless they pecked and hunted for it themselves), and ii) you thought it was a less than helpful answer to suggest that newbies search through the archives on their own. My apologies if my impression was incorrect.
It may seem like a less than friendly response to some, but it is actually great advice given with good intentions. Most topics are located in multiple locations and have been 'talked' about more than once. For many issues, obtaining a definitive answer in one single post, thread, or article is usually not possible. In those cases, it may even be a disservice to point a newbie to one single location. Something about giving a fish vs teaching how to fish.
Carriers prey on the newcomer's lack of knowledge and experience. Newbies seriously considering entering this field will come out way ahead by putting in several hours of reading before they leap and they will have much less chance of becoming a statistic instead of a successful expediter. It isn't as simple as it seems on the surface.
And I just know that you saw the word "if" in my statement! I would gladly refer them, "if" I knew the post they were looking for. Certainly if they look for them, they will get more knowledge, but if I see someone requesting info on a post that I can find or have knowledge of, I will tell them where it is rather than tell them to go look for it. We were, or still are, newbies. It's not like I was trying to make it a requirement. All I was doing was complementing BillChaffey on what I thought was a kind gesture instead of the usual "go dig for yourself" answer.