I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

[oshunluvr]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

He became a Penguin.

Love that description. Hey, what's the MicroSlob mascot? A large blue rectangle?

[GreyGeek]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Yup, with strings of hexadecimal characters running down the left side...

[Snowhog]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

It's fair to say, that a lot of personal computer users just aren't all that interested in knowing how their computer works. They just want it to work. With that mindset, having or developing the skills to know what and how to ask for help is just not on the list of priorities. But we do what we can with what we are provided, and those with the temperment (most of us here have that) attempt to develop those skills in the way we follow-up with less than informative posts. Hopefully, the poster can learn from the experience.

[oshunluvr]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Especially since the FAA has allowed the radar and computer networks you folks used to lag behind and create the mess we are in today.

I worked through a lot of changes in those 25 years. When I left, we had been using Fedora on Traffic Management tools but still used MS for daily business.

I once attended a "Security" briefing (IN-Security would have been more correct nomenclature) on using the internet with government pc's. Of course the government used XP and required IE. I asked the person giving the briefing if they were so worried about security, why did they require the most insecure browser in the world? He was not happy with me

[ardvark71]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

We had 6 MSCE running their butts ragged trying to keep 500 Windows workstations running. Their mantra was "reboot, rebuild or reinstall". Most of the time they bypassed investigation and diagnosis and went straight to reinstalling Win.

Wow

[oshunluvr]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

It's fair to say, that a lot of personal computer users just aren't all that interested in knowing how their computer works. They just want it to work. With that mindset, having or developing the skills to know what and how to ask for help is just not on the list of priorities. But we do what we can with what we are provided, and those with the temperment (most of us here have that) attempt to develop those skills in the way we follow-up with less than informative posts. Hopefully, the poster can learn from the experience.

All true. I also blame our elementary school system being designed in the 40's to get workers out of the fields and into the factories - but that's a whole 'nother thread.

[sithlord48]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Yup, with strings of hexadecimal characters running down the left side...

they are naturally in white text.

.... these are A+ cert. w/ their MSCE (some of them) And they don't even know what samba is.

The MSCE certification program is a revenue stream for Microsoft "partners", but the main content of the training program is to relate problems to specific GUI's and what buttons to click on that GUI to solve those problems.

This is why i refused to take such classes. even my computer science courses in college were all windows related some how, even a class on operating systems design was mostly about windows and how it works w/ hardware.we did have C++ classes yes, but they were all Visual C++ projects, Visual Basic was required and so was the use of Access, and SQL. and we had ONE linux class(not course) and it was like this, this is a linux prompt , here is the cd , ls, and ps command, now you know linux too.I was dumb founded since i was a linux mandrake user then and already knew more then that. to tell the truth its a pita learning things the MS way and then using something like Qt-creator, i had to learn an all new API but it was well worth it!

Warning - while you were typing 3 new replies have been posted. You may wish to review your post.

active topic

[woodsmoke]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Hi
this is a nice thread and is necessary on a continuing basis for the smooth functioning of a forum.

I often have thought that what forums "really" need is "formal or informal or designated or something " ....gatekeepers. ....

To define that.......there are MANY people that frequent a forum who would really WANT to volunteer to "do something" but that do not think that they have the necessary knowledge to provide information in:

a) a COMPLETELY knowledgeable manner.
b) an EFFICIENT manner.

BUT those very people DO have enough knowledge to know "when" they do not have sufficient knowledge and enough knowledge to know that "someone" really can probably answer the question.

I have several times suggested at different forums that there should be an active recruitment for "gatekeepers" who can actively say that they could be present during "such and such time"....

NO REQUIREMENTs... in other words.... if they can make it one day or whatever there is no problem, but

If enough people could actively say that yes, they would be around from 3 to 6 most days....then they could be relied upon to provide

a) a friendly greeting
b) a friendly request for more information and particularly what KIND of information

so that the more knowledgeable people could then "pounce" and answer the question and this also provides a learning experience for the "gatekeeper"...

If a forum was lucky and got maybe ten or fifteen of such people they could provide somewhat around the clock formal greetings to people.

However, I have not, as of yet, seen any forum "powers that be" that has the guts to actually request that such people volunteer.

With the result that:

as the forum grows...

a) they luck out and get "enough" knowledgeable people and muddle through
b) they do not luck out and turn sour.
c) they do not luck out and the forum begins to fill with unanswered posts

The DOWN side of such "structure" is the fear that there will be someone that turns into a whip carrying leather wearing taksmaster that turns everybody off....

Most forum admins opt for the path of least resistance "now" and just "hope for the best" with one of the above three results.

Just my observations over the years and of little worth. If anyone would like to "oppose" "add" "subtract" i would be most interested to read such.

woodsmoke

[oshunluvr]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Here's what you get when you try to nudge someone...

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3116668.0

To be fair, I posted the exact same response four times today and this guy is the only one with a poor attitude.

Obviously, I won't be retorting any further

[Telengard]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

The issue of how to write a proper help request has already been done to death.

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3080379.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=4216.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3111093.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3110357.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...8407#msg208407
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GettingAnswers

[MoonRise]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Here's what you get when you try to nudge someone...

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3116668.0

To be fair, I posted the exact same response four times today and this guy is the only one with a poor attitude.

Obviously, I won't be retorting any further

His loss. Saw that earlier today. Saw nothing wrong with your post actually. Arochester replied for you if you didn't see that.

[claydoh]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

Here's what you get when you try to nudge someone...

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3116668.0

To be fair, I posted the exact same response four times today and this guy is the only one with a poor attitude.

Obviously, I won't be retorting any further

But I would bet if you were more 'polite' about it, and asked questions as well, I bet the response would have been different..........

unfortunately, just responding with the 3 links can come across as smart-**sed or condescending. The "RTFM" sort of response

I personally would find your response to be quite rude, actually

We don't have to hand-hold, but do we want to push people away?

[oshunluvr]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

I tried to walk the line between smart-a$$ed and informative. Seriously, how can you ask for help with that beginning? IMO on other forums a post like that would be flame bait.

The first two links are required forum reading if one follows the rules (not mine) and obviously weren't read and the last is my own post which clearly states (again, if read) how to get help.

Frankly, if this:

Please review and consider the information contained in these posts:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3080379.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=4216.0
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/index.php?topic=3110357

I look forward to helping find a solution to your issue.

offends you, I actually don't want to spend my time helping you. So I guess I discerned what I wanted to know. I just don't believe I am my brothers keeper. I am only willing to help those who are willing to help themselves, but that's just me.

And yes, Moonrise - I saw the supportive comment, thank you. I decided silence was the best response to the attack. Odd thing is - I helped him on an earlier issue he had. I guess "thanks" isn't in his vocabulary. Oh well - more time to help others

[Telengard]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

. I decided silence was the best response to the attack. Odd thing is - I helped him on an earlier issue he had. I guess "thanks" isn't in his vocabulary. Oh well - more time to help others

Exactly. People with problems sometimes have a tendency to lash out. If you respond in kind then then emotions continue to rise and things escalate. As a volunteer, your time would be better spent helping someone more receptive to your approach.

[Detonate]

Re: I see an unsettling trend... poor initial postings becoming commonplace

My only comment is, that I get tired of answering the same questions over and over when the answer can be found by doing a quick search.