Just rant - tired of shooting stars.
vaclav_sal
Posts: 451
I am getting tired of answering threads only to find out later that the originator is no longer participating in the discussion.
Why bother to post if you do not have the courtesy to reply?
Feels like I am wasting my time here.
Is is ADS or just plain disrespect for getting ( free ) help?
Cheers Vaclav
Why bother to post if you do not have the courtesy to reply?
Feels like I am wasting my time here.
Is is ADS or just plain disrespect for getting ( free ) help?
Cheers Vaclav
Comments
I'm sure a lot of us know exactly how you feel. I would estimate that about 35% of answers never get the courtesy of a "thank you" or follow-up from the original poster. I think it just comes with the territory. But, cheer up: thanks to the internet, many people are going to find your answers through search engines, etc. and so the human race, over time, will benefit from your insights - whether you get a "thank you" or not. In any case, you're not wasting your time.
I really apperciate your effort here.
thank you again
But here is a thought.
I believe this happens most of the time with a newbie. The etiquette of a forum takes a while to learn.
In any event, it's always best to keep the OP involved in finding a solution to his problem, rather than just handing him one. The more they participate in solving their own problem, the more feedback you'll get from helping them, because they'll feel like they've got something invested in the process. This usually begins by asking the OP questions to help clarify the problem. That way, they become part of the conversation, rather than just being a passive observer who can simply walk away without comment.
-Phil
OBC
I frequent another forum where the “management” posted “how to ask questions and how to reply”.
I am not sure if Parallax would appreciate such “intervention” here.
For example posts of this nature are discouraged:
Subject : Help
Subject : Urgent!
And similar non descriptive titles.
Cheers Vaclav
Another case in point: Me.
The wealth of knowledge you, as a group, bring to the Forums is amazing. So here it is, my publicly posted...
!!! THANK YOU !!!
I've lurked (and learned) since 1998, and have only recently began to interact *visibly* (of course Ken's cattle-prod is a powerful influence too...ow!)
So, whom amongst you wants to start a "Forum Tips, Tricks, and Etiquette" thread repository? Maybe we could sift it down, put it in concrete, and make it *required reading* for our new friends and forum-istas.
-Matt
Hey, back to work Gilliland - poke, poke!
Ken Gracey
Vaclav
A solution would be to ask questions before finding a solution to see if the user is interested in hanging around. Another solution would be to show the user a schematic or few lines of code that they could use once they are willing to learn. If they reply, "I don't understand that" then you can probably go ahead and give them the answer.
Make them work for it. People don't figure out the answer by being spoon fed all of the time.
Ah ha! Another Old-school BBSer!!
No, in fact, unless you have our background in messaging types of communication, this type of system is new. Trust me. A good example is Gramps (my dad) who I suspect really learned about forum messaging from these forums. (Granted, he's polite enough to say thank you.
He had used a computer for email, etc for a long time, but never really used a forum.
Glad to have you aboard!
OBC
"Required reading" only works when it is read.
We've all blown passed error messages, warnings and even clicked the "I Agree" check-box without fully reading the material.
Numerous times in my classes I have directed students to a particular section of a manual with the admonition "...read this - IT WILL HELP YOU" (note the emphasis), and the student ignores me. Then they go blithy down another trail, pushing buttons, changing code, and all the time emoting copious amounts of frustration about how the product/program doesn't work.
(semi rant/off)
In some instances of a fellow Forum member disapperaing after assistance from me, I've resurrected the thread or sent a PM asking if they werre successful. Usually the answer has been "had to drop the project/sorry for not responding".
A little follow-through by those giving the assistance might be beneficial in causing those that asked for help to realize there is a level of courtesy and comittment invovled in participating here.
Just a suggestion.
(...shuffling back to the cave...)
DJ
OT (former teacher: can't resist): This sounds like learning to me..
OBC
DJ
how I do it
need ur help
due next week
Sure if your going to give a detailed reply to Bob regarding how you used the answer that is great and results in good conversation all can
share in and maybe learn from but the reason I hold off on just the "Thank's Bob" type of messages goes back to some of the rules of early
message boards I was involved with where there was a rule to not do that. In the days of much more expensive and smaller storage space for
the message database it just fills the database with to many of those little Thank you messages. Storage space is not as much of an issue
now however.
I wonder what percentage of storage is taken up now if every answer is followed with a short Thank You Bob message.
I am not saying do not answer back but if all your going to say is Thank You I always veiw no reply as Thank You.
Sometimes I am hoping for a detailed answer to start a discussion and if I do not get it I assume the answer was good enough.
Or I guess they think I am an idiot and that is ok too LOL.
Tom
Have jug of water, a propeller chip, lots of spare wire and batteries.
Any help appreciated...TIA
LoL :-)
I would agree it's annoying not to get confirmation of your reply, but people do read it. I did....... lots. About 75% of a person's questions are answered here SOMEWHERE..... it's just a matter of the correct search terms.
Probably the most valuable information I got from lurking here: Pull an input low through a resistor..... else it'll float and give some very strange states
It obvously does not always apply here. Let'st work on it and let folks from Parallax decide on final format.
I think we could have it wrapped up in a week or so. I would suggest to concentrate on subject "How to ask... " and stay away from "use pull up resitor" " use fresh battery" detailed suggestions.
Maybe later if this goes well.
For clarity add your suggested text and do not quote or delete the original.
Here ir is:
For those new to message boards please try to follow a few simple rules when posting your question.
1.Choose the correct forum for your message. Posting a VB.NET question in the C++ forum will end in tears.
2.Be specific! Don't ask "can someone send me the code to create an application that does 'X'. Pinpoint exactly what it is you need help with.
3.Keep the subject line brief, but descriptive. eg "File Serialization problem"
4.Keep the question as brief as possible. If you have to include code, include the smallest snippet of code you can.
5.Be careful when including code that you haven't made a typo. Typing mistakes can become the focal point instead of the actual question you asked.
6.Do not remove or empty a message if others have replied. Keep the thread intact and available for others to search and read. If your problem was answered then edit your message and add "[Solved]" to the subject line of the original post, and cast an approval vote to the one or several answers that really helped you.
7.If you are posting source code with your question, place it inside <pre></pre> tags. We advise you also check the "Encode HTML tags when pasting" checkbox before pasting anything inside the PRE block, and make sure "Ignore HTML tags in this message" check box is unchecked.
8.Be courteous and DON'T SHOUT. Everyone here helps because they enjoy helping others, not because it's their job.
9.Please do not post links to your question in one forum from another, unrelated forum (such as the lounge). It will be deleted.
10.Do not be abusive, offensive, inappropriate or harass anyone on the boards. Doing so will get you kicked off and banned. Play nice.
11.If you have a school or university assignment, assume that your teacher or lecturer is also reading these forums.
12.No advertising or soliciting.
13.We reserve the right to move your posts to a more appropriate forum or to delete anything deemed inappropriate or illegal.
-Phil
BBS... OMG! I ran a BBS for nearly 5 years... back in the day... started with a top of the line 300 baud modem, and by the time it was all said and done, 9600 was the top speed! Thoes were the good old days.
KK
I can't tell if you're joking or serious.
Holly,
you might want to contact Pamela Mosier-Boss at the US Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, where research in this field has been picking up.
http://www.newenergytimes.com/v2/library/2009/2009SPAWAR-ET-AL-UM.pdf
BTW, you'll get better hits on Google if you search for LENR, not cold fusion.
Do as I say, and not as I do!
She is... but.. You are not going to be able to keep up.. no one can. Tinker Fairies are like that.
Especially Holly....I beleive that even the speed of light can make her impatient at times..
Before you jump on me, read the whole thread to find out what it is all about.
You may get a different opinion, or not.
Here are my contributions, based on your and others reactions to the idea so far.
14. Do not change the thread subject. It is called "hijacking the thread" and besides being impolite it distracts from the original issue / question.
15.When you feel it would be beneficial - indicate that your native language is not English. However, it is not necessary to be apologetic about it.
16.Carpenters rule – measure twice, cut once.
Spell check does not uncover technical errors and they can be worse than typos.
Compare “ I see 48 V on transistor Q1” with “ I measured 4.8 volts across resistor R3 (see attached schematic)...”
.
Any other "rules"? Let' s get going on this.
Vaclav