Drive by thread creators
closed account (D80DSL3A)
I seem to be a master at responding to threads in which the OP never shows a sign of returning. This has degraded my attitude toward putting much into responses.
I wonder how often people post the same question on multiple sites then stop checking back once an answer is obtained from another site. Of course, there could be a number of causes...
How do you deal with this?
Do you feel it's a problem?
How have your attitudes adapted re: responding to threads over time?
One idea: Test the OP for responsiveness with a good question before putting effort into writing and testing code for someone else just because they asked.
Other ideas?
I wonder how often people post the same question on multiple sites then stop checking back once an answer is obtained from another site. Of course, there could be a number of causes...
How do you deal with this?
Do you feel it's a problem?
How have your attitudes adapted re: responding to threads over time?
One idea: Test the OP for responsiveness with a good question before putting effort into writing and testing code for someone else just because they asked.
Other ideas?
I have noticed this happening more than enough, but since most answers are suggestions or just concepts, he'll obtain barely anything if he does not put some time in it. Most threads die because of it. I don't care about it.
| fun2code wrote: |
|---|
| One idea: Test the OP for responsiveness with a good question before putting effort into writing and testing code for someone else just because they asked. |
Yes, it's a good idea. Though, I can't say I apply it... I believe in most cases you can easily understand the OP's motives (he wants to learn or he wants to have someone do the work for him?) from the first post.
If it's a homework, I usually don't post code (before the OP does).
http://cplusplus.com/forum/general/22800/
But if it's not, I don't mind at all (especially when the problem being discussed is interesting).
http://cplusplus.com/forum/general/24054/
http://cplusplus.com/forum/general/25998/
However, there are people who believe I post too much code... :/
http://cplusplus.com/forum/beginner/24725/
I don't really mind if the OP responds or not. But, of course, a thanking post is always welcome.
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closed account (iw0XoG1T)
I use to answer question posted in the beginners forum, then some of the veteran suggested (nicely I should add) that I was in effect doing someone else's homework. I never really care if I was doing someone else's homework...I was just happy for a quick problem I was capable of solving.
Now I find myself never posting anything. I have developed the skills for finding the answers to my simple problems myself and forums suck for real problems. It takes so long to describe a real problem only to have someone suggest that you should read a tutorial that they just Googled and have no idea whether it is relevant.
Actually what I like most about this forum is the discussions and arguments. Recently I started reading about functional programming...up until the recent discussions I thought I knew what functional programming was.
I would also remind you that quite of a few of the people who use this site are not fluent in English they might appreciate you--they just are not capable of adequately telling you what a great human being you are.
Now I find myself never posting anything. I have developed the skills for finding the answers to my simple problems myself and forums suck for real problems. It takes so long to describe a real problem only to have someone suggest that you should read a tutorial that they just Googled and have no idea whether it is relevant.
Actually what I like most about this forum is the discussions and arguments. Recently I started reading about functional programming...up until the recent discussions I thought I knew what functional programming was.
I would also remind you that quite of a few of the people who use this site are not fluent in English they might appreciate you--they just are not capable of adequately telling you what a great human being you are.
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Although I understand the argument you are making and there is validity to your claims, I myself am one of those people who joined this forum because I had a question.
I realize the point you are making chwsks but I think its very arguable because reading tutorials sometimes never helps if you cannot get over the jargon. For example, the question that made me sign up to this forum was that I need to convert an int to string. Moreover I was running into other problems because I was concatenating strings with the extraction operator as opposed to the + operator. Something simple which I was oblivious to. I posted my question in the beginner forum and members of this community quickly explained to me what I was doing wrong and how I should tackle the problem. In my case, my homework was done but the syntax was incorrect. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm sure there are people like me who post in the beginners forum but I dare not answer any questions because I have yet a plethora of knowledge I have to acquire before I become any good at C++.
I realize the point you are making chwsks but I think its very arguable because reading tutorials sometimes never helps if you cannot get over the jargon. For example, the question that made me sign up to this forum was that I need to convert an int to string. Moreover I was running into other problems because I was concatenating strings with the extraction operator as opposed to the + operator. Something simple which I was oblivious to. I posted my question in the beginner forum and members of this community quickly explained to me what I was doing wrong and how I should tackle the problem. In my case, my homework was done but the syntax was incorrect. The point I'm trying to make is that I'm sure there are people like me who post in the beginners forum but I dare not answer any questions because I have yet a plethora of knowledge I have to acquire before I become any good at C++.
closed account (iw0XoG1T)
| thepedestrian wrote: |
|---|
| I realize the point you are making chwsks but I think its very arguable because reading tutorials sometimes never helps if you cannot get over the jargon |
I should not make comments--because I do not communicate very well. I have been help by tutorials but I can Google myself..when I have a problem and have taken the time to post both relevant code and the problem. I have gotten the response read this....from another person with no experience with situation. As far as I can tell they just like to post and believe that others have not mastered the wonders of Google.
I also now have the skills to solve simple problems because I have always used the 20 minute rule (spend at least 20 minutes trying to solve the problem yourself). I guarantee that if you use this rule soon you will find these forums are not much of a help.
@chwsks
I would have to agreed one hundred percent with you. People do sometimes post links without looking thoroughly at the situation. But I have to say that the community here is very generous and I think this generosity, which is being abused, is what fun2code is alluding to. People sign-up and never comeback when their homework is done.
For me personally, just being able to communicate with people who know the subject is a great learning experience. I've always been, and still am, of the fact that discussions (forums) and developing are the best ways to learn as opposed to just reading the textbook.
I would have to agreed one hundred percent with you. People do sometimes post links without looking thoroughly at the situation. But I have to say that the community here is very generous and I think this generosity, which is being abused, is what fun2code is alluding to. People sign-up and never comeback when their homework is done.
For me personally, just being able to communicate with people who know the subject is a great learning experience. I've always been, and still am, of the fact that discussions (forums) and developing are the best ways to learn as opposed to just reading the textbook.
closed account (D80DSL3A)
Thanks for the replies. I'll just try to follow what others are doing here. @ chwsks: I too have posted very few questions here. I find that by the time I have researched a subject enough to be able to ask sensible questions about it, I have learned enough to find the answers myself. I have so far asked 1 question here, which drew no replies, but then it was about DirectX. I go to GameDev.net for info that is specific to API's like that. They have forums for each specific API there.
I'll continue fielding questions. It's fun and it does feed that ego!
I'll continue fielding questions. It's fun and it does feed that ego!
@chwsks
I like your twenty minute rule. I did see, at one forum I've visited, not only did the OP never return, but the Administrator chose the question as "Questionof the Week".
As oft seen, a few good replies, but no bolts of lightning. Guess it is those lightning bolts we're all looking for!
I like your twenty minute rule. I did see, at one forum I've visited, not only did the OP never return, but the Administrator chose the question as "Questionof the Week".
As oft seen, a few good replies, but no bolts of lightning. Guess it is those lightning bolts we're all looking for!
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