What's with the abundance of fake users on the Genealogy forum?

Question:Anyone who has been around for a while knows that there are newbies who show up now and then to rack up quick and easy points. But recently we've had a slew of "best answers" being picked which are anything but...and they're coming with 4-5 votes on each. Example: Are Rosa Parks' brother and sister buried at Woodlawn Cemetery?

Now anyone in the US knows who Rosa Parks is and wouldn't have a hard time figuring out they asker meant Woodlawn in Detroit. The woman had a State funeral and was given full state honors. But the winning answer was, "Which state is Woodlawn in? There are many Woodlawn cemeteries in the US." We're really supposed to believe that 5 complete strangers took that over a complete answer that included a linke to the cemetery records?

I'm not the only one who is dubious about it. It's ramping up in the last month, though. I know people have been reporting it and sharing the bizarre "best answers" with each other. But why are people gaming on this board?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Anyone who has been around for a while knows that there are newbies who show up now and then to rack up quick and easy points. But recently we've had a slew of "best answers" being picked which are anything but...and they're coming with 4-5 votes on each. Example: Are Rosa Parks' brother and sister buried at Woodlawn Cemetery?

Now anyone in the US knows who Rosa Parks is and wouldn't have a hard time figuring out they asker meant Woodlawn in Detroit. The woman had a State funeral and was given full state honors. But the winning answer was, "Which state is Woodlawn in? There are many Woodlawn cemeteries in the US." We're really supposed to believe that 5 complete strangers took that over a complete answer that included a linke to the cemetery records?

I'm not the only one who is dubious about it. It's ramping up in the last month, though. I know people have been reporting it and sharing the bizarre "best answers" with each other. But why are people gaming on this board?

I have considered leaving due to the obvious garbage going on. And no, I don't agree that it is only someone voting for the first answer. The regulars here DO take time to think about the integrity of what is happening here. When I see 4 absolutely valid answers from different persons.. each answer based in a reputable and valid source, or they HAVE taken time to actually search for the right answer, and they get several thumbs down (for a correct answer!!??) then it isn't just voting.
HOW THE &%&^$ do people get thumbs down, when they have given a correct answer??
I think most of the persons who just vote for the first best answer, tend to hang out in other areas where no effort is needed.
Thumbs down is for BAD answers, not just for spite. Blocking someone because you don't LIKE their answer is ridiculous.
There are new people coming in, who are talented and have experience to share. Genealogy takes some knowledge and real effort, unlike polls and surveys where answers are simply meaningless, and you can get 10 points just by saying "I agree". Undermining a whole area, just to get points, harms everyone. Most of all.. gaming and sabatouge harm the person who does it.
I type every answer fresh. I read what people SAY. The only person I compete with, is myself. I actually get out there and try to find the solution, or EXPLAIN how to find it. One of the other regulars here, has a better reply, I am happy for them. I learn from others, new and regulars.
It can be a fun place if everyone works to make it that way.
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lyrical is absolutely speaking for himself. If I get best answer for something WRONG, I'd crawl with shame. And there is nothing 'superior' about taking time to know what you are talking about.

because some people dont have better things to do with their time

Hey there, Mind Bender here.

I've seen this too. But I've also seen another pattern. This seems to more often than not happen with the first answer to a question. It seems clear that people are just going to questions in voting then clicking on the first answer to get their 2 points. That's just the nature of the forum I guess. But this assuredly gets old after a while. I would suspect a lot of "newbies" do this to get from level 1 to level 2. Not very hard or time consuming. But then, they may notice that to get to level 3 is a much bigger step and level 4 even bigger. Realizing they would have to do this 500 times, well, not likely. So I bet there are a lot of people trying to get from L1 to L2 (maybe even L3 if the person is obscessive) but not beyond that.

I always thought it would be nicer if Yahoo would randomize the order answers were presented during the voting process.

But I think the much bigger problem is the fact that questions are actually going to vote. Most questions for that matter. What that means is that a person is submitting a question then abandoning it. THAT irritates me.

Obviously the standard bulk questions like "Where can I find my ancestry for free", "What NATIONALITY do I look like", "What is the meaning of my surname", "Where can I find my coat-of-arms (or crest :-} ) for free" can sometimes be excused. But there are a number of times when people ask a legitimate question that I actually do spend more than a minute or so generating a response - maybe even <gasp> doing a bit of research. Then a few days later - the question went to vote. Did the person even look at the responses?

I don't particularly care if my answer is picked as best (heck, there have been a number of times I've voted on YOUR or Ted's or Wendy's answer over my own because they were better). But at least it would be nice to know that the person actually considered your answer - or read it even.

If they did, and selected a best answer, there would be no problem with the voting structure as none would go to vote.

But hey, I only need 318 more points to get to level 5!!!! So maybe I'll spend tonight voting on 159 questions and make it. --- humm, on second thought, maybe I have something better to do with my life.

Hang in there. Those occasional back-door thank you's through the contact point, and sometimes thoughtful comments provided by people who actually PICK the best answer make it worth my while. Even if I don't get picked.

I agree with you and Mind Bender both; there are point gamers here, many people don't bother to pick an answer after they ask a Q and lots of people vote for answer #1.

The pattern that knots my shorts is "Does anyone know anyone named {surname}. I look up 3,000+ on RWWC and a couple of hundred on the LDS site, plus give a link to a web-based phone book. It takes a while. Sometimes I'll throw in a link to the appropriate GenForum page.

Answer #1 says " I think my cousin's 3rd-grade teacher was a {surname}". It gets 6 votes, mine 1 or 2.

I used to use the daily search feature in GenForum for the two words "please help"; in questions a month old. it would give me 30 - 90 possibilities, out of which I can sometimes help in 0 - 10 cases. It was more fun than crosswords.

Y!A came along and I got hooked. Those points are addictive. My 15 minutes of fame has come, at the expense of the GenForum users. At least a third of them would post a "Thank you!" follow-up.

When more than one of us warm, witty, wise and devilishly handsome regulars answer someone, I usually vote for the first stock reply, out of courtesy. If I see a stock reply I usually don't bother to paste mine.

What irritates me is that so called top contributors who should know better answer questions about "PERFUME" in the genealogy forum, and then have a go at other people because they got the best answer, would you complain so loudly if your " PERFUME" answer got the best answer, I think not, double standards come to mind here..
Another one that makes my blood boil is my yahoo mate got two best answers for "no" and "duh", both the questions I answered as well and really researched my answers for both I got 7 thumbs down for the first one and 3 for the second. I am guilty of voting for the first answer , or where there is only one answer and also for the shortest answer. I saw the question you refer to and I may have voted for the other person and I may not have. Yahoo users have the freedom to vote any way they like, get over it lady, it's only for fun after all.
Can you honestly say that you don't give thumbs down for answers such as the coat of arms questions I some how think that a lot of our American friends give those just because it makes them feel superior, lighten up people it's supposed to be for fun.

I agree. It's like we've been invaded by teeniebopers that have nothing to do but play with the computer and then send emails that make no fricking sense. I got one tonight from someone that made absolutely no sense at all. It's like they were stoned.

Well obviously the monitors of the board aren't doing anything about it. Maybe they are in on it.

It's not even worth coming to this site anymore and answering questions. I doubt there are many on here anymore that are truly doing any research. So why bother even answering?