Vlad,
I think your response to Eric Walstad's suggestion is a bit harsh. While it may be true that some of the threads in a search within a group are a bit dated, in this case it still has some recent info for people to consider. Personally, I think what Eric is saying is that there is a function that some in our group may not know about, and that it is a tool that may answer some questions. I don't see how what Eric suggests discourages people from participating in the Google group.
I do agree with you, however, that it is good to get more of the many people in this SFR group to participate, and, frankly, this group isn't nearly as active as it used to be. I'd like to see a more active SFR Google group.
My suggestion to all is to use the search function when you have a question to see if it has been addressed previously, as you may find answers more quickly, but, after doing so, if you seek more info, by all means, ask away! This group, in my experience, is very knowledgeable, and supportive of its participants. Frankly, it's one of the reasons I joined SFR, even though I don't live in the bay area.