The response to my concern about the forum

Good lord, are people really so easily offended that they feel insulted because someone asks them to do a search?

I have yet to see a question posted by a new member that has not been answered in full, normally with links to relevant threads and/or the FAQ. A polite request to use the search next time isn't being snippy or exclusive, that's just... Basic common sense.

I've been asked to search on other game forums when I ask questions, often by far less polite communities than this one and it's not insulting in the slightest.

EDIT: just read kayonsmit's reply, and I can't think of a single time I've witnessed a regular forum member not 'being nice' to a new poster. I repeat, how is 'please do a search before posting' not a polite and appropriate comment?

That's one of the things I don't get.

Why is everyone so upset when they're asked to abide by the forum rules and search?

And everyone seems to forget that whenever people ask duplicate questions, we don't just say "search!" and then leave. We answer their questions! Some of the responses have been hella long

Other forums will even temporarily ban people for duplicate posts.