Homework Help?

Yes, I know. Someone else asking for help with their homework. I can hear the groans already. But, hopefully, this will be an easy one (grin).

There are always those couple of required classes in college that you dread and keep putting off. For me it was a Public Speaking class and a Composition/Writing class. I took Public Speaking last fall and it was fantastic. The knowledge helped me get a 100% grade for a 5-minute Informative speech in my Materials Engineering course last semester. And so I thought I should probably take the Composition/Writing class this spring semester. Which brings us to my request for help...

My first composition is an observation/analysis essay on community. I'd like to use a forum as the community and I would like to ask your reasons for being a member of this community. I'd like to be able to quote some of you in my essay, if that's alright. Also, I'd like to ask if you categorize members of the forum, and if so, what categories? I imagine I'd fit nicely in a "show-off" or "know-it-all" category (grin). You know, the guy who pops in once in a while to tell you there's a better way to do something but then doesn't really stick around to tell you how. Do you categorize members by the programming language they use? Other categories?

Obviously you're under no obligation to help but I really would appreciate input from one and all. And you're welcome to share your ideas with me privately, via PM, if you feel the need.

Thanks guys. Hopefully I can provide my Professor with my draft on-time next Monday.

Cheerful regards, Mike McLaren, K8LH

The people who annoy me the most are those who ask a question; get a lot of replies from other members, and are never heard-of again. What category could you put them in?

I'd like to use a forum as the community and I would like to ask your reasons for being a member of this community.

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My reason for being a member of this community, primarily, is due to an interest in basic electronics and PIC microcontrollers. I use the word basic because that is the extent of my knowlege. I don't have any formal training in electronics, PICs, or any of the common programming languages so, for me, being able to read of the problems (sometimes common or easily resolved) which other member are encountering, along with the replies put forth by those 'in the know', constitutes my 'training'.

Another reason for being a member of this community, is to hopefully pass on anything which I have learned, to someone else who is in need. However, in the majority of cases where I think I may be of some help, there's usually some self-doubt which results in what I intended to post being deleted. As a result, I tend to sit back and wait for others more knowlegeable to provide the answers, then see if I was on the right track. In the majority of cases I would probably have saved myself some embarrasment, but there a few times when I have kicked myself for not posting.

I suppose that is why I have such a low post-count....just as in real life, I tend to listen many times more than I speak.

Also, I'd like to ask if you categorize members of the forum, and if so, what categories?

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I think we do tend to categorise (English Spelling ;-) ) members, based on their posts. After spending some amount of time reading forums (any forum), you get to recognise certain regular members' input and form an opinion based upon the content they have provided. This is also based upon the member's area of interest though...I don't spend much time in any of the Homework, Circuit Simulation, Robotics & Mechatronics, Renewable energy, Radio and Communications or Mathematics and Physics sections, so there will be a lot of content I don't see and my observation could likely be skewed somewhat.

But if I may be permitted to offer my own observations of a handful of current members with prolific post-count, however right or wrong this may be, they would be as follows (in no particular order and sorry if I leave anyone out..):

Analogue electronics.
Nigel Goodwin
Audioguru
Eric Gibbs
MikeMI
Colin55
Boncuk
Reloadron

Digital electronics.
Nigel Goodwin
Eric Gibbs
Brownout
3v0
Boncuk

Maths/Equations.
MrAL
Pommie
MikeMI
Mike, K8LH

PICs/Programming.
Mike, K8LH
Nigel Goodwin
Eric Gibbs
Pommie
Mosaic
3v0
Bill (Blueroom)
Colin55

AC/High Voltage electronics.
TCMtech
Bryan1
Reloadron

Simulation.
Eric Gibbs
MikeMI

Computers.
Killivolt
Reloadron


....Etc.

This is based upon my own observations of where i have seen the majority of a member's posts.

I imagine I'd fit nicely in a "show-off" or "know-it-all" category (grin).

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Personally, I think any members who do fit those categories are very few and far inbetween....and don't tend to stick around very long.

Do you categorize members by the programming language they use?

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Of course.
If someone has a large number of posts in response to a particular language, then they appear to the the 'Basic guy', the 'ASM guy', the 'C guy' ad infinitum.

Other categories?

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See 'My own observations' above.


HTH,
Mick.

How is see it.

Reasons to post here:

Mostly asking for help about things I ignore / have no experience with, few times to see if I am too much off track and very seldom on subjects not related to electronics which I personally see as a waste of (my) time.

There are two basic categories; those who mostly ask questions (me as an example) and those who mostly reply them (you as an example).

Amongst these last:
Those who know a lot and go to the point.

Those who knowing a lot and going to the point, show a friendly attitude. (I like both because both help).

Those that try to convince you that your project is unnecessary/ makes no sense because "there is an IC that could do all that and costs just xx$" (did it once in another (this?) forum).

Those that add no value but do insist in posting something.

Those that refuse to answer questions in abstract and those that do it brilliantly.

Those that seem inclined to flaming / being sarcastic do exist but I tend to ignore them.

And then there is a nice group of those non-native that have difficulties to express even simple things. Nigel had to rephrase a post of mine about something related with oscilloscopes. Nice experience. (Good to note he did as per my own request!!).

Thank you Gentlemen...

Wouldn't this thread have been better in Chat than in Microcontrollers? More people, more relevant?

My reasons for being here are largely to help others directly with their problems, and sometimes to ask for help with my problems. It also allows me to occasionally direct people to my hobby web page so they can benefit from the solutions I have already worked on and provided free for the benefit of everybody.

Having said that I'm also here for personal gain in terms of learning new things, as an old timer electronics/computer guy it allows me to see the "new" ways of doing things that are being taught in classrooms these days and I can learn to communicate with the "new attitude" that people are also learning. I personally enjoy the challenge of providing solutions (or attempting to) and like to provide quirky eccentric (or old fashioned) solutions as there is no point me providing the same conventional modern solution that people have already provided in a thread. I enjoy playing into my "internet persona" of the eccentric guy who tries to do it with one transistor instead of using the "proper" chip haha. And enjoy pushing a conceptual argument to the limit of reason and watching the conservatives squirm in defense of their "proper" systems.

I wasn't really aware of having categorised people although I do recognise a couple of categories I don't like;
1. People who ask for help and never post again. Did they even read the help people provided?
2. People who ask for help and keep everything a "secret" and waste everyone's time (sometimes over many days) by not providing the pertinent details.
3. People who insist things must be done the "proper way" or that have a very limited ability to be open minded (often institutionalised math guys) and who subsequently condemn and deride anyone not conforming to their own personal standards.

And maybe a general good category;
4. "Regulars" that post a lot and are always helping others regardless of their skill level, even people who are new to electronics often provide a cool new idea for a solution or a link to some exciting new product we might never have heard about. And even when someone posts a "bad" solution the expert responses and corrections can be very educational to everyone. Wonderful stuff.

I feel like I would be in the "Court Jester" category. Not really much use, but maybe I bring a smile to someone's face on occasion.

To expand on Mr RBs "types":

Mr RB said:

1. People who ask for help and never post again. Did they even read the help people provided?

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I call these a One Post Wonder

Mr RB said:

2. People who ask for help and keep everything a "secret" and waste everyone's time (sometimes over many days) by not providing the pertinent details.

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There is a variation of this, the original question is answered in a reasonable manner, maybe bay a couple of members, the OP then comes back to say,
"I did not mean that, I wanted..."
The idiot OP asked the wrong question, this is quite common and I am sure it is in ethnic cultural thing. But it really annoys me.

Another variation is where a question is asked which is (in my opinion) completely ambiguous, and several replies will be posted giving detailed answers which could not possibly be deduced from the original question.

Mr RB said:

3. People who insist things must be done the "proper way" or that have a very limited ability to be open minded (often institutionalised math guys) and who subsequently condemn and deride anyone not conforming to their own personal standards.

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And things like pissing contests about Ohms Law!

Mr RB said:

4. "Regulars" that post a lot and are always helping others regardless of their skill level, even people who are new to electronics often provide a cool new idea for a solution or a link to some exciting new product we might never have heard about. And even when someone posts a "bad" solution the expert responses and corrections can be very educational to everyone. Wonderful stuff.

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Several times I have notice obvious novices replying to a post with a totally wrong answer/solution, quite scary stuff sometimes.

JimB

Thanks for the help guys... Regards, Mike

Hi, i signed up on this forum to know more about electronics since i was doing an undergraduate course in it. Also because i want to try and decrease the disparity that exists between the standard of knowledge given here and elsewhere. I also try to help others but most of the time the 'pro' guys come up with such good answers that there's nothing left for me to say.


As far as categories are concerned..well than yes, bet everybody does that. You know when you post a question about analog electronics you are hoping for the reply of one of the analog guys described by Mickseter(although since i have only posted in two major categories so the number of categories is small). As a person, this forum has helped me a lot, met a lot of good people too(Bill, 3V0, Eric and Nigel, Jason, Boncuk, the 3 Mikes(you included), Sarma) to name a few, one looks to these people for inspiration. As far as i am concerned i would categorize myself in the eat head category, things always seem to sink in slowly .

Several times I have notice obvious novices replying to a post with a totally wrong answer/solution, quite scary stuff sometimes.

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Be wary here.. I have a colleague who despite his PHD in electronics is still a **** when building / designing electronics.. Where he got his degree is beyond me..

Ian

When I joined it was to get (and eventually, give) help on microcontrollers. I don't have so much time these days, but still enjoy reading and learn a lot from that. I find many projects posted here stimulating. I really wish I had more time, but my job keeps me busy, even in the evening when I have homework - reverse engineering a board I don't have a diagram for or reading data sheets.
Mike, you have never come across as know it all; quite the contrary! Humble and helpful is how I view you.
In spite of that I don't try to categorize people, but after reading many posts patterns do emerge.
Best to you with your essay! BTW, I thought of you as older (wiser?) good luck with college!