Reasonably Intelligent Maker

Recently, I wrote a blog post about certain n00b questions. I used the term "blurf" without 1. thinking that not everyone knew this term in the same way that did, and 2. Checking urban dictionary first to see if it had become some salacious innuendo :) Please accept my humble apology for my presumptuousness.  It really is nothing more than a generic placeholder. I picked up this word from one of the earliest woodworking forums from way back. At that time when you set up a forum, one of the main things put in place would be your FAQ or Frequently Asked Questions list. People were directed to read the FAQ as a requirement of entry to the forum. And, most veteran forum members would abuse you to no end if you dared to ask a question that was already answered in the FAQ. A nice response might be "That was already addressed in the FAQ." More often would be something more terse such as "Read the FAQ!" Sometimes that would come with an expletive at the end of a g...

It would seem that for each trade vertical, hobby, or even industry in general, when there is a forum for discussion amongst the devotees there is an early question that rises. It is always the same, though the form and syntax may differ slightly. Which "blurf" should I use, from whom shall I purchase it?  Many people, rather than asking for advice will phrase this query more as a request for permission. Can I use the "blurf" made by XYZ company, or sold at PQR site. (usually referring to the cheapest or most common one available) Since the time I first came onto the internet, some of these things have changed. I saw the beginnings of eBay, CraigsList, and Amazon. Not to mention Alibaba, Aliexpress, and Temu. I assume there will be more, so forgive me if I try to speak generically to attempt to remain timeless.  In this vein, I will refer to forums, and as such I refer to topical NNTP news groups, as well as freestanding web forums, and more lately places like Face...