Bonehead said:I realize it is meant well, but I always kind of cringe when the first response a brand new member gets is being slightly chastised (in my opinion) for not properly completing their profile.
I too, cringe when given the impression that someone is being chastised for not including their location or when I perceive that they are being told in a not so kind or gentle way to go to their profile and add their location. Many are totally new to gardening and there are also those who may be totally new to chatting and asking questions on internet websites. It wasn't so long ago when I was an "older" newbie
and I found the DG site. It was the first time in my life that I'd ever visited an on line website and asked a question. I distinctly remember being a bit intimidated when someone told me that she was tired of newbies asking the same questions over and over again and that maybe if I read through older posts, I'd learn something! Wow, even at my age ... I was a bit taken aback and it deterred me from asking questions and chatting on forums for awhile. I think we should try to put ourselves in others shoes and use a welcoming approach by answering questions as best we possibly can and in a kind way.
I too think that Dave's addition of location to the Ask a Question forum is much more gentle and will likely encourage new members to add a general location to their profile.