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Don't reply "just Google it" (lemmy.zip)

submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by sith@lemmy.zip to c/fediverse@lemmy.world

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It is clear that the signal to noise ratio of the WWW is getting worse. It's much harder to find good content when using a good old search engine. And if it's good it is usually hosted on Reddit or Stackexchange.

So remember, even if it's easy too Google something (well, it isn't nowadays), we want to create a fediverse of good content that helps people (I hope). So, it's always better to write a real answer if you have the time and energy. Please help boost the SNR and reverse the AI fueled information degradation loop.

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[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Jesus thank you. And also dont post screenshots of web pages. We've gotten much worse since the reddit exodus.

[-] fishbone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 days ago

If it's for textual information, I'm personally a fan of covering all bases. Screenshot, link to site, and quoted relevant text.

Webpages can change, but screenshots can stop being hosted with no warning and any text in screenshot form can't easily be copy and pasted. Quoted text is essentially the longterm accessible failsafe. Text in comments tends to last much longer than images or links.

[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl -1 points 4 days ago

Yes, its only a problem when folks include an image of text without copying the text and linking to the source.

I'm not anti-image. I'm anti-ablism and anti-misinformation

[-] fishbone@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 days ago

Great point honestly. I was only writing that comment from the perspective of answering troubleshooting centric questions. Not everyone who browses the internet has the same ability to see though, and while I imagine screen readers have some ability to process images (I've never used one so I don't know specifically), I can only assume that actual text is much easier.

I know that text for me is much easier than screenshots, cause I've adjusted the font size and type in my browser to suit my preferences. Can't do that for an image.

[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl 2 points 4 days ago

Its surprisingly rare to have someone as level headed and empathetic as you are on Lemmy.

Thank you for reminding me that we're not all 12-year-old, snot-nosed reddiors here.

[-] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

I will occasionally post a screenshot of an excerpt of a web site, specifically for the purpose of showing it to whoever I'm responding to who is continuing to bleat rather than visit the link I provided and use their eyes, or is attempting to argue with me about the presence of content that is, in fact, right there as plain as the nose on your face. Extra bonus points if whatever they need to click on to get what they want is right there in the header or sidebar menu, without even having to scroll or anything.

I maintain that this method of saying, "look, dumbass" is perfectly valid.

[-] jagged_circle@feddit.nl -4 points 4 days ago

Ableism

[-] ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net 2 points 4 days ago

Only if they include the link.

I prefer the screenshot to a webpage because

If it's a shit site, I don't want to give it clicks and revenue
News sites have a history of manipulating the title over and more to maximize views
Images are easy to scan within the Lemmy app. Versus kicking me to a browser that has to fetch data somewhere.