New kid on the block
 

Having been philosophically attracted to Linux for all the reasons every user of this site already appreciates, I have now the time to explore the OS and shake loose from Bill's clutches. Thanks for all help in advance.

The whole issue of users posting questions that have already been answered, but not found in existing threads on existing fora is certainly well known. The choice of appropriate forum is not always as obvious as one would like, specially for a newbie. Now having all the elegant search technology, what do all you about applying the search capabilities to any new posting, and bringing back to the user all related postings from any forum, to be reviewed buy the user and acknowledged before the new posting can be accepted? You can see I am an obligate field advocate to mold proper behavior.

These sort of policies just lead to folk going somewhere else.
At the mo, there is an option when a new thread is started to search this topic.
Such a thing compulsory would be a pain for those who searched/researched the topic before posting... punishes the people you want to encourage.

Welcome claudstephanie

Thanks Simon,

Amazingly rapid response. I guess my suggestion did not include some mention of the breadth or granularity of the realtime search. Clearly if the search produced 1500 postings to be reviewed, it would turn off the most dedicated user, but if the searches were limited to no more than 2-3 postings, that might not be too onerous to review. For those users who have meticulously researched their questions before posting, the search would bring back nothing and the posting accepted! But mind you, I wouldn't beat this issue any further.
BTW Claudestephane has 3 e's and no i. Its a gender thing.
I see you are virtually on the opposite side of the globe. Excellent, I've seen considerable IT activity from down under, specailly in medicine.