Just Google It!

I admit it. I do it too. When someone asks me a question about my field that I don't have the time or the inclination to answer, I'll often tell them to "just Google it." I mean what could be easier? Go to the one site everyone knows, type in your search, click a button, get the information you're looking for. Simple. Right?

Everyday, newbies to every field are redirected to Google by well-meaning folks who know that the information they need is out there, just a quick search away. In fact there is a rapidly emerging cultural norm that there are certain questions that should be Googled rather than bothering a human to answer it. For those who ignore this norm, say on a support-oriented forum, the response can range from gentle (a helpful link that contains the Google search in question) to belligerent ("try using Google dumbass").