suggestion

[lazy gardener]

I think it would be a good thing if general location were a required field on every profile. This would save SO much time. When a member posts a question, a lot of typing time is wasted, sorting through the details of what climate and sometimes even what hemisphere the OP lives in before we can even begin to give appropriate advice. The second reason why this would be helpful is this: I may be able to give appropriate advice regarding frost bite in the north. But, my advice would not bear as much weight when talking to someone in the deep south regarding stick tight fleas and chiggars, or how to manage snakes in the coop.

 

[casportpony]

following

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I agree @lazy gardener that location should be a required field.

 

[Blooie]

10-4, Good Buddy!!!!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I think it would be a good thing if general location were a required field on every profile. This would save SO much time. When a member posts a question, a lot of typing time is wasted, sorting through the details of what climate and sometimes even what hemisphere the OP lives in before we can even begin to give appropriate advice. The second reason why this would be helpful is this: I may be able to give appropriate advice regarding frost bite in the north. But, my advice would not bear as much weight when talking to someone in the deep south regarding stick tight fleas and chiggars, or how to manage snakes in the coop.

I am of two thoughts on this:

1) Yes, I completely agree that having location as a mandatory field would help save some time and effort.

2) But I don't agree it should be a requirement and feel we have to respect members' right of having the freedom to not fill that in.

I don't believe that as a community website, that we have the authority to force people to fill that part of the profile, nor should we expect it to be filled. We can encourage it, but it should not be forced.

If we wish to help others, then we do so as is.
It may take extra time, but we can still get the job done.

 

[casportpony]

Creepy hypothetical...

A teenage girl joins and enters the name of the city she lives in, then posts a bunch of pictures taken in her yard. What if in that background there is a landmark, like a water tower? Creepy guy happens to take a liking to her and using google maps and/or google earth finds out where she lives.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I think it would be a good thing if general location were a required field on every profile. This would save SO much time. When a member posts a question, a lot of typing time is wasted, sorting through the details of what climate and sometimes even what hemisphere the OP lives in before we can even begin to give appropriate advice. The second reason why this would be helpful is this: I may be able to give appropriate advice regarding frost bite in the north. But, my advice would not bear as much weight when talking to someone in the deep south regarding stick tight fleas and chiggars, or how to manage snakes in the coop.

I personally have asked politely for the many Opie's to go to their personal preferences and add an approximate geographical location to help other members aid them more efficiently w/diagnosing the problem without duplicating over and over and over again where are you? where do you live?how cold is it there? whereabouts are you? it is a vicious cycle so I agree with you 100%.
So..
X2

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I am of two thoughts on this:

1) Yes, I completely agree that having location as a mandatory field would help save some time and effort.

2) But I don't agree it should be a requirement and feel we have to respect members' right of having the freedom to not fill that in.

I don't believe that as a community website, that we have the authority to force people to fill that part of the profile, nor should we expect it to be filled. We can encourage it, but it should not be forced.

If we wish to help others, then we do so as is.
It may take extra time, but we can still get the job done.

How about just the state or Providence?

 

[casportpony]

If you know one knew the approximate location of this picture they could find it's exact location very easily:

 

[Abriana]

I think it should be an option, but not required. I would not have joined BYC if I was required to add my location. @casportpony made an excellent point above. Not everyone is going to use that location to help you with chicken related problems, and you never know who is looking at that and trying to figure out where you live for bad reasons. A better idea would be to when you are posting problems you could have an option to fill out a kind of “form” that helps people put the right info (age weight laying or not problem discription breed general location etc) if you are new and don’t know what to put down. It would be an option, and you could post regularly or use the form to help you and other members have organized info, and if you needed to, add general location there.