When I found the site, I was at the stage of "okay, I know about +1 -1 and that, but what do I actually DO with the count". Rather than posting a question I knew was either: a) extremely basic or b) extremely secret, I read through the rest of the board. Needless to say, my questions were answered, and I was left with knowledge and some real questions.
Not everyone is going to do this. The reasons are many-- aren't good at digging for information, not used to forums, impatient, ill informed, etc, etc, etc.
So they ask. The users have made themselves available to be asked questions, with the caveat that they aren't obligated in any way to answer. It's a discussion group, not a service.
Most of the questions asked can be answered by the asked themselves. The information is there, they just need to put in the effort to find it. A forum, after all, is not a good place for long-term storage and organization of data. There are steps that can be taken to make the basic information more easily accessible-- but is that desirable?
People put up FAQs, wikis, documents, and how-tos all the time, for information people are commonly looking for. Baking, car repair, computer maintenance, and so forth. All skilled knowledge in one way or the other, but knowledge so common and desired that people would rather put it out there than having to be available to be asked.
Do APs want that? APing seems to have a-- hrm-- layer of semi-transparent secrecy about it. Let's admit it, card counting is no secret. Everyone's heard of it. Many know the details of it. Some know how to do it. Given the amount of new users who ask questions, there's an ongoing desire to learn about it. And given the number of helpful APs here, there's a desire to teach about it.
Where's the balance. At one end, you have a fully open forum with APs freely giving out answers to any questions asked of any user, new or old. On the other end of the continuum, you have a locked, invite only forum where only vetted proteges are allowed, and information isn't shared outside of the community. Where on that line would the community like to fall?
I understand the need for some discretion. HiLo isn't a secret. The casinos know about it. Everyone knows about it. To a lesser extent, so is holecard strategy (play deviations, sloppy dealers), and card tracking (deck estimation, neat dealers). As for the "secret" stuff-- well, any technique sufficiently advance to garner a huge advantage with minimal effort probably should be kept a secret until such point as the casinos diminish the gains-- at which point it should be thrown into the public knowledge pool so others can get what they can from it-- or improve it to secrecy again.
Keep in mind, though, security through obscurity doesn't work. If you can think it and do it, it can be discovered again-- by another AP, or by the casino security team reviewing their tapes. Just not talking about it isn't a foolproof way to stay hidden.
Personally, I think the site should have a wiki on it that covers (at least) the basics. Articles about card counting, Thorpe, primers on the different systems, reviews on the books (good and bad), definitions of advanced plays, and so forth. This information has already been discussed ad nausium over and over. Rather than post it again for the next noob, put it together from forum postings and user input, and have a permanent, managed reference.
) then ask questions. For me the best is people who want to learn KO but REFUSE to buy the $13 book.
