Why have a chip on your shoulder when answering a question?

[z0My6Up4]

I have noticed that there are a lot of people that seem to have a big chip on their shoulder around here when replying to questions. The thing is that these people probably know very little anyway and act as if they are creator of the universe or something.

If people cant answer a question with some humility I do not understand why bother at all. It is like a different form of trolling that spoils this forum.

[ResidentBiscuit]

Do you have examples? There's been issues in the past like this that have been resolved.

[BHX]

flint wrote:

If people cant answer a question with some humility I do not understand why bother at all. It is like a different form of trolling that spoils this forum.

Well, I haven't seen anything like what you are describing, but making a thread that has the extreme potential of turning into a flame war or bashing thread could be considered yet another form of trolling.

Everyone says trolling spoils and ruins this site, but I disagree. While trolling and spam is bad and annoying, I think something else spoils and ruins this site because spam and trolling has been around since the 90s and is a common thing now. What I think ruins a site like this, a programming site, is when you have someone tell someone a bad programming habit and never correct them or give someone flak over correcting them.

Just like having to be careful what you put on media because it is linked to you forever and can be found during a search by possible employers; so too can all the bad programming habits recommended on a site forever linked to it when searched by possible users trying to find a site.

Another thing that is borderline is threads like this. Users are coming to learn and want to feel welcome at the site. Threads like these don't make users feel welcome and can make them feel like they will be judged if they don't know something or word a question poorly.

This site is about learning and helping improve programming skills and it is far more beneficial to politely point out errors or correct people with chips on their shoulders (some on here prefer PMs, but I don't really care). Making this kind of thread isn't needed and as I've said in the past can lead to people not wanting to join because of wondering if their actions will become a thread like this. There have been several like this lately and all of them impact how this site is seen by potential users due to most of the rants being about those asking or answering questions in the forums that matter on this site.

[MrHutch]

Depends on the post. If I've wasted my time helping someone who isn't interested then I'll develop a chip pretty quickly.

[Stormboy]

@ OrionMaster: Now that was kind of harsh. I think people make these kind of threads because they get treated like this and feel inferior.

[htirwin]

I notice this kind of thing is very very common in software engineering forums and QA's; especially from people who don't even know what they are talking about. It's probably something about how egotistic programmers are about their knowledge of programming and intellectuality.

To some this is to drive off annoying beginners. If they are mean enough to those they deem "beneath them", they will hope they will go away.

This forum seams to be not so bad in this regard, but there are always going to be douche's that want to think and convey that they are better than you when they get a chance.

[Disch]

I try very hard not to do this. Though I'm probably guilty of it at some point.

[BHX]

@OrionMaster
That was completely uncalled for. It has always been my observation that the "fake or unknowledgable" ones that get offended first. He said no names, and listed no examples and yet you got way too offended for a simple question. Your reply is the exact proof of the "extreme potential of turning into a flame war or bashing thread". The fact that he is a new user and you are a veteran member means you should have shown more maturity and not resorted to such a childish post.

@Disch
I can safely say that I have never seen you come across like that. If you did it was way before I ever joined the site.

[LB]

Could someone explain to me what it means to "have a chip on your shoulder"? I have never heard this expression.

[BHX]

Well I know what it means, "A perceived grievance or sense of inferiority.", but I don't if that is what flint means by it though.

[z05DSL3A]

Could someone explain to me what it means to "have a chip on your shoulder"? I have never heard this expression.

...to seem angry all the time because you think you have been treated unfairly or feel you are not as good as other people.

[naraku9333]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_on_shoulder

[knn9]

It doesn't help that everyone who asks a question here is a new user(1), doesn't use formatting tags, and often delete their posts after they get help.

[MikeyBoy]

It's to be expected that most people asking questions are new users. One of the skills you start to acquire as you improve as a developer is the ability to go and research answers for yourself, so you need to ask questions less and less. If a user is only here to ask questions, it's natural that they'll have a limited time here before no longer needing to use the forum. This means that the majority of questions we see will be from new-ish users.

That doesn't excuse the rudeness of coming into the forum and posting without making the slightest effort to read the introductory information on how to format your posts. Nor does it excuse the abject selfishness of deleting one's posts after receiving help.

What's far more worrying is when you see someone who's been here for over a year, with hundreds of posts to their name, who still doesn't appear to have grasped even the rudiments of programming. It makes me start to wonder if we're being trolled...

[MrHutch]

Hey! I *have* grasped the rudiments of programming!

[BHX]

MikeyBoy wrote:

That doesn't excuse the rudeness of coming into the forum and posting without making the slightest effort to read the introductory information on how to format your posts.

It is no surprise that new users don't bother reading the pinned introductory thread, but you are pushing to call them rude. After all not reading the introductory thread is the same as not reading the introductory materials for health plans (which almost no one does), or introductory papers from orientation from a job, or remember that paper from high school where you were expected to read the whole page and then start it...most started before reading just to reach the back side and find you only had to write your name and nothing else.

I never read the introductory threads, but I was part of Allegro.cc, Gamedev.net, Flipcode.com, and several other sites long before I joined here.

MikeyBoy wrote:

If a user is only here to ask questions, it's natural that they'll have a limited time here before no longer needing to use the forum.

Or they stick around to answer questions or just to partake in the conversations in the Lounge.

MikeyBoy wrote:

What's far more worrying is when you see someone who's been here for over a year, with hundreds of posts to their name, who still doesn't appear to have grasped even the rudiments of programming. It makes me start to wonder if we're being trolled...

Okay, I can agree with that one.

[CodeGazer]

BHX Specter wrote:

After all not reading the introductory thread is the same as not reading the introductory materials for health plans (which almost no one does).

Which you would be stupid if you didn't read. Without reading them you are going blind on what the plan covers and doesn't. But this is besides the point I think.

BHX Specter wrote:

or introductory papers from orientation from a job

Which is also quite stupid to not read them.

It is no surprise that new users don't bother reading the pinned introductory thread, but you are pushing to call them rude.

Actually it is quite rude to come into a community and ignore all guidelines that have been established (Like how to ask a question and how to make a proper post) and this is even more true when you are coming to that community to ask them to help you.

[BHX]

CodeGazer wrote:

Actually it is quite rude to come into a community and ignore all guidelines that have been established (Like how to ask a question and how to make a proper post) and this is even more true when you are coming to that community to ask them to help you.

Re-reading the introductory thread. Unless there is a different introductory thread than this one ( http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/beginner/1/ ). It only stresses how to ask a proper question and how to answer. So again, you are reaching to call them rude. It doesn't even mention using code tags or anything else like that.

[CodeGazer]

I'm kind of at a loss as to what your argument is with that post BHX and how no mention of code tags has to do with anything that has been said. But I won't continue with a debate just wanted to say how I felt about the topic.

[BHX]

CodeGazer wrote:

I'm kind of at a loss as to what your argument is with that post BHX and how no mention of code tags has to do with anything that has been said.

My point is that some veteran members have said using the code tags was part of the guidelines which shows that even veteran members haven't read them. Otherwise they would know that it only covers asking questions and answering them. So it is unfair to say new users are rude for not reading them as I've seen several veterans refer to them for other things that aren't even covered in the guidelines. Was typing my last argument while trying to play a game with my son, sorry for the confusion behind it.