# Double posting



## skulipeg (Mar 23, 2006)

Earlier today I found a question had been posted on the BBS that was similar to one I also wanted answers for.  But I found it under the Mexico board, and felt it would receive more response on the Travel Info board - that's where I would have posted it were I the originator of the question.  So I posted my own question on the Travel Info board.  I made reference to the other post, and included a link to it in order to show people that it was also a question that had been asked in another location.  I just discovered that it was subsequently deleted for "doubleposting"

I have read the BBS rules, and I do realize there is not supposed to be any double posting.  However, I thought double posting referred to the same originator posting the same message on multiple boards.  I have to admit, seeing my post had been deleted was tantamount to someone giving me a slap on my hand because I had been bad!

Was that slap truly deserved?  If so, then I'll tuck my tail between my legs and consider it a lesson learned.  But if not, can it please be reposted?

Thanks,
Sandra


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## Dave M (Mar 23, 2006)

I saw your post and, although I didn't delete it, I came close to doing so. Apparently another moderator decided to do so. 

The primary purpose of avoiding double posts is so that responses will be focused. For example, why should I spend five minutes composing a response to a post if someone else has just given the same response to the same question in another forum? Expecting me to do so is not fair to me or my use of time. 

Also, by having a single thread on a topic, someone else (such as you) with an interest in the topic can see all of the varied responses in one place. Having the same question asked in multiple places is unfair to everyone. Responses would be fragmented and those viewing such threads would have to muddle their way through two (or three or more) threads on various forums. Imagine the chaos if we allowed everyone who had a question to say, “I have the same question, so I’ll go post it on a different forum to see if I get better responses.”

Thus, we often delete multiple identical or similar questions or take similar or identical questions in separate threads and "merge" them (with responses) into a single thread to make it easier for all to follow the topic. In this case, a moderator decided to delete the duplicate posting so that there is only one thread on the topic.

Very importantly, the moderators, all of who are experienced at what seems to be answered best in which forums, look carefully to determine if a question is posted in the wrong forum. If it is, the moderator has a tool to transfer the question and any responses to a more appropriate forum.

Did you do anything terribly wrong? No. But managing the forums for all is something the moderators take very seriously. I believe the moderator’s action was appropriate in these circumstances.

As a comment, I believe you'll get better responses on the Mexico forum to the questions you asked and that have already been asked (i.e., re travel between Mexico City and Acapulco) by the other poster on the Mexico forum. The travel forum works better for questions that involve travel in multiple countries or that don't otherwise relate to a single geographic area covered by one of the forums. 

Follow that existing thread and if you have a follow-up question, post it to that thread.


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## skulipeg (Mar 23, 2006)

Thanks for clearing things up Dave - lesson learned


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