lil's answer is pretty much how I feel.
I am always extremely grateful for the help I receive from members here - I've learnt an enormous amount too and I often spend time deliberately searching for posts to which there have been no replies - particularly in those areas I too am researching - in the hope that I can perhaps repay the kindness shown to me.
However .. in the last few minutes I've looked at 5 unanswered queries in 'The Common Room' alone and have quickly concluded that my knowledge just isn't sufficient to even begin to answer. Personally, I don't see any point in posting something along the lines of 'I have looked at your query but can't answer it' - that surely is of no help at all? At the same time, whilst no replies may have been posted, I notice that one query has been viewed 107 times, which suggests to me that people (probably far more experienced than I) have obviously tried to help.
I often dip in to other sites where I've left posts (I'm mentioning no names here) but from one in particular, I'm still waiting for a single viewing of something I posted in 2003! I may have to wait occasionally for an answer from kind souls here, but in those rare instances it usually means that the right person just hasn't come along yet - or that everyone is equally stumped!
As to whether people 'expect' a reply, well I can only speak for myself - Roots is so full of knowledgeable people that when I'm hitting a brickwall I am guilty of thinking 'I expect a Rootchatter' will know', but I never expect someone to spend hours searching on my behalf .. the fact that they seem to do so is often overwhelming and I thank each and every one of them.
