A Little Venting...

[JonSea]

It seems many posters here desire the the service pictured below...and really dislike (and ignore) any attempt to explain the theory so they have the knowledge to understand whatever they're asking about.

Efforts to help these people are the most unrewarding, usually making me regret trying.

 

[Pommie]

The most annoying thing is when you spend a week or so explaining something and you think the poster understands only to be asked exactly the same question 6 months later. No names required.

Mike.

 

[JonSea]

I wasn't even referring to he who shall remain nameless but indeed you can see a pattern to his questions and a remarkable lack of learning anything.

There's another poster in the microcontroller section at the moment who sounds a lot like he who shall remain nameless but with a foreign accent.

 

[tronitech]

Name the "many".

If it's one or two individual members then why let it bother you? You can try to help, then try again but there comes a point where you give up and move on, it's not worth worrying about in my opinion.

That's the nature of forums on any site and if you tighten the rules and winge about posts you loose new members and especially those that are new, with little knowledge, who genuinely want to learn but perhaps phrase their posts wrongly?

 

[JoeJester]

That's the nature of forums on any site and if you tighten the rules and winge about posts you loose new members and especially those that are new, with little knowledge, who genuinely want to learn but perhaps phrase their posts wrongly?

The command of the language isn't a deal breaker for most who help. There are reasons some ask for schematics, a photo of the original question, and other such items to assist in their helpfulness.

As far as "tightening" the rules and "losing" members, you'd be lucky if you retained 1 percent of those that are here to "get the answers" to their electronic related problems. Even forums that have "rules" and the membership that attempts to abide by them ... by not answering questions until certain requisites are met ... are laxed in their enforcement. Some forums are better than others at that game, and yes, that can turn someone away from that forum, but, in my opinion, the membership didn't lose anything because their efforts were not wasted on that individual.

If the forum is building a nurturing relationship with the newbies, and sometimes it takes the members to explain the Socratic method as the forum's way of learning and that answers are not served on that silver platter. Some do receive the silver platter treatment, but that is not typically a long time member providing the service. When the other members provide such a service, it's time to give them a gentle reminder of the Socratic method.

Research internet culture and you'll have a better understanding. http://www.forumdr.com/ is a website dedicated to helping one run an online forum. You can find ideas to convert visitors to members, members to participants, and the 90-10-1 rules of the internet culture.

One could argue against the Socratic method, and that is certainly a good debate to have. The debate usually manifests itself during the creation, review, or modification of the forum rules. I don't believe anyone used the words Socratic Method during the rules modifications, but the end result was closer to the method without mentioning it by name.

The acquisition and retention of participating members is a four letter word .... W-O-R-K. This isn't a field of dreams where "if you build it they will come." They need the "want to" to be a member, a participating member, or however you describe one that's providing online tutoring services within the forum structures.

 

[Ian Rogers]

JonSea I am assuming a certain individual ( not naming names) That really gets your goat!!

We are not equal in the technical sense... Some folk cannot, no matter how they try, absorb information... I have watched you until you are red with rage............................. Nothing!!

Here come's the thing.. Why beat yourself up about it...

I had an Indian gentleman that I wanted to educate.... We all knew how that went... I persevered for quite some time, I got PM after PM from senior members telling me not to pursue the matter, to let it go. But honestly I wasn't thinking of the troubled Indian gentleman... I just see a really good topic and thousands of "views"... This told me that hundreds of others were learning from this..... The language barrier on my crusade was an issue... You don't have a language barrier, but consider it as the same.... Try not to think of it as spoon feeding, think of it as personal achievement... I think your posts are extremely useful to others... I wish you would copy and paste some of your posts and make a cracking article for all to see..

I really value everyone's input... You just need to know when to forget the OP and concentrate on the other viewers... All of which are following your every word....

 

[Pommie]

Well said Ian, I'd not thought of it that way. A very useful way to view a very frustrating position.

Mike.

 

[killivolt]

JonSea All of which are following your every word....

I remember all those posts from both of those individuals who shall remain nameless......LOL (Pages of healthy reading)

I am a forum member who was reading and learning from their process. Go ahead let them walk into the abyss; they don't matter. There is other students in the room as you work un-aware. The benefit for me is I don't have to ask those dumb questions.

Your very knowledgeable and your efforts will not be waisted.

Thank you very much for your valuable contributions.

In addition "Thanks to all the other Members" contributing elsewhere in the (Forum) it has become a wealth of information that will remain here long after your gone.

kv

 

[JonSea]

Ian, thank you for your remarks and the complement.

Believe it or not, my post was not inspired by the frequent poster who asks the same thing time after time.

This was inspired by a post that's been kicking around the microcontroller forum for a couple weeks but the particular post isn't too important. I'm referring to people who are probably working on a school project, looking for an easy way out, and still don't want to learn anything....because if they had been learning anything, they wouldn't be baffled by simple explanations given.

 

[JonSea]

And killivolt, that's exactly why I've put up with some of the BS from he who will remain nameless – I figure others are benefitting from the discussion. Trying to help him has resulted in many articles at Digital-DIY. I pity anyone who's searching for answers and are certain they've found the Holy Grail when the come across a forum topic on the subject with pages and pages of posts. There are usually a few gems of information, but you have to sift through tons of sand to find them.

 

[DerStrom8]

JonSea I am assuming a certain individual ( not naming names) That really gets your goat!!

We are not equal in the technical sense... Some folk cannot, no matter how they try, absorb information... I have watched you until you are red with rage............................. Nothing!!

Here come's the thing.. Why beat yourself up about it...

I had an Indian gentleman that I wanted to educate.... We all knew how that went... I persevered for quite some time, I got PM after PM from senior members telling me not to pursue the matter, to let it go. But honestly I wasn't thinking of the troubled Indian gentleman... I just see a really good topic and thousands of "views"... This told me that hundreds of others were learning from this..... The language barrier on my crusade was an issue... You don't have a language barrier, but consider it as the same.... Try not to think of it as spoon feeding, think of it as personal achievement... I think your posts are extremely useful to others... I wish you would copy and paste some of your posts and make a cracking article for all to see..

I really value everyone's input... You just need to know when to forget the OP and concentrate on the other viewers... All of which are following your every word....

You hit the nail on the head, Ian.

When you're answering questions on a forum, it's important to remember that you're not only helping the OP, but also everyone else who is viewing the thread. It took me a while for that to really sink in for me (I think I may have been one of the ones PMing you, Ian), but it has become more and more obvious as other members also contribute to the threads.

Regards,
Matt

 

[tvtech]

I am also gobsmacked by Ian's reply. I also never thought about thing's that way....not that I give much advise here.

Ian see's the bigger picture.....thank God someone can. I would never have seen it

Regards,
tvtech

 

[JoeJester]

I like JonSea's comment about the byproduct of the postings can be an article. He did mention one venue, but I was thinking it could be a local blog as well. With that, the blog could be included as a resource when answering inquiries.

 

[JonSea]

I have frequently referenced articles I've written and posted on Digital-DIY here when answering questions. Unfortunately, this has caused much tension with ElectroMaster, who has felt my only purpose in posting the links is to advertise Digital-DIY. I figure, why toss off a quick answer that may not cover the question fully when I can link to a detailed article that may answer both the question at hand but provide far more detail.

This is in part why I don't post here so often any more.

 

[JoeJester]

There are forums that disallow hotlinking. I can see both arguments, but I generally side on allowing the hotlink. A google search should have produced your article, maybe not in front page, but high enough to garner attention.

I'm sure you're aware that ETO is under new ownership, but I don't know how they feel about hotlinking. I haven't visited EDABoard in quite some time to see if that is allowable.

on edit ...

there are numerous posters here who post on other electronics related sites. I'm sure if the hotlinking was congruent with the topic being discussed, I personally don't see anything wrong with it.

This becomes a matter of efficiency. You have OPs who ask the same question across multiple forums ... probably playing a game on which one answers first, and most forums have members equally capable of answering the inquiry.

It could be a matter or luck on which forum answers first. I am not in favor of typing or even copy and pasting a response I made to the same OP in multiple forums. If I do respond, it would be to tell the OP I already addressed their issue on that topic in the other forum.