Spoonfeeding

[Norie]

Kristy

I normally don't give the links on this site, as I believe the policy isn't as strict on cross posts as say the OzGrid forum.

The last one I found here was really a duplicate post.

And when I say duplicate post I mean it.

Both Erik and I were helping the OP in different threads on the same topic. Our posts/suggestions were almost identical.

 

[Von Pookie]

I normally don't give the links on this site, as I believe the policy isn't as strict on cross posts as say the OzGrid forum.

You're correct, it isn't really. Cross-posted is one thing--but if you notice it's cross-posted and has already been *answered* in the other post, I would go ahead and link to it.

That's what I do when I come across that, at any rate

 

[jerry12302]

Many people here have been extremely gracious (and patient) helping me out of a few jams, and I am eternally grateful. They have been polite, professional, and I have always felt like they had a sincere desire to give me the answer that will solve my problem.

Having said that, I also think many of you are making this issue more complicated than it needs to be.

When people come here they are generally asking for help. It doesn't matter whether they want to be taught or whether they just need a quick fix to make their code work. If you read the post and you have a specific answer you know will help them, give them the answer. I have always learned by receiving the answer to my problem. Many times I find I can then adapt it or add to it to fix other problems I've had.

If there are people here who have a problem with "telling, not teaching", maybe they should try another line of volunteer work, because that's what this board is all about, volunteering your time (or your employers, in some cases!) to help others.

You do not give people you don't even know the respect they deserve by referring to them as "babies" who need to be spoonfed with bibs and then cleaned up afterward, when all they want is a simple solution to a problem that is driving them up the wall. Some of us are in a hurry through NO fault of our own.

When I have a problem with code, I don't always have the luxury of doing indepth research into conceptual programming issues, I just need the right syntax, and I need it now.

I would add that I have never posted a question without first searching the posts here, BUT, the search engine here is extremely primitive. If I need help with "listbox leading space", I could get 1,000 posts. 300 may mention "listboxes", but make no reference to leading spaces, 300 more may mention that the yanks are "leading" the mets, and the other 400 might talk about the "space" time continuum. I have to sort through titles that oftentime are no help, and just hope I hit on a post that addresses all my search keywords.

Before I post a question, I also go to Google and type "Excel VBA blah blah blah keywords" to see what I can find first, and, yes, sometimes I precede it with "site:mrexcel.com" specifically, which does help narrow the posts down.

I only post a question after exhausting at least a limited set of resources, including the seldom helpful Excel "Help" menu. And, yes, I have even used the macro recorder at times.

Bottom line, you don't need to make posters your pet projects, we just want answers. If you want to get into teaching, go to school, get your teaching degree, and become a teacher.

If you sincerely want to help people, help them, give them the answer they need so they can get on with whatever they need to be doing.

 

[Norie]

Jerry

Why should anybody tell anybody anything?

If your attitude/opinion was in the majority on this board I wouldn't be posting on it.

Like you said the help given here is voluntary, but why should we just give the exact answer? Sometimes is actually hard to do that due to lack of information.

Why don't we just tell everybody to just go out and buy a book or take a class/course?

 

[erik.van.geit]

Hello, you all!

different people, different countries, different languages and cultures ...
different moods, hurried or slow, nervous or calm, ...

:wink:
we all have different characters ...
:x

different styles to answer
from oneliners to megacodes
from standard replies to specific work
For me the most important is:
once we post in a thread, we follow-up till the end!
God bless you all!
Erik

 

[NateO]

Well, that's what I was going to say, Erik. This forum serves different purposes for different people and there's no real need to pigeonhole it in my estimation.

Sure, for some it's an Excel relief centre, for others, they come to learn and teach and for others, for others, perhaps to demonstrate their skill sets for commercial purposes.

For me personally, I help administer the sight and post for the sake of learning, teaching and the real sense of camaraderie we have here.

I am curious though, if someone is in a hurry, I would have to assume that one way or another they have mismanaged their timeline. How is that not their fault, generally speaking?

While this is a technical Q&A forum and a high-volume one at that, a great resource, I would caution you about setting your expectation levels. I do not think you should expect ISO 9000 certified solutions at the drop of a hat, here, nor are you necessarily entitled to one.

Enjoy the forums.

 

[irenesboy]

Just stumbled across this thread and I had to reply.
The questions that I ask are pretty basic to most of the people here but
for someone who will be 71 years old in May I just need an answer.
If you want to call it spoonfeeding so be it.
Who knows how long I have to figure out the help files.
I worked for 35 years repairing high voltage generators testing at 80,000 volts of electricity. Imagine telling a new guy just read the book and you can figure it out.
Give us the answer if you want to if you dont want to so be it.
I think that I have been here with a problem about 5 times and thank the good lord my questions were so basic that the answer was eassier than the time it took me to write the question.
Just my .02 cents
irenesboy

 

[lenze]

NateO wrote:

I am curious though, if someone is in a hurry, I would have to assume that one way or another they have mismanaged their timeline. How is that not their fault, generally speaking?

That's why the sign above my computer says
"Poor planning of your part does not constitute a crisis on mine!"

lenze

 

[sevenDs]

I've been a member of this forum for more than a year and this is my first post. This is mainly because I use the search function to look for solutions that have already been given. Many of the issues I deal with are pretty basic so they have been covered previously. I am a novice and this works best for me, by ginving me the answer I need, but it also teaches me. And it does both much more quickly than posting since the thread usually contains all the correspondence and there is no wating for responses.
I would recommend to others with basic level knowledge and questions to go this route first.

As for mismanaging timelines, I must point out that sometimes our timelines are dictated by someone else. It's not always the case, but it is common.

 

[NateO]

Nice to see someone searching, doing a little leg-work on their quandary.

As for mismanaging timelines, I must point out that sometimes our timelines are dictated by someone else. It's not always the case, but it is common.

Right, quite often, in my experience. And while some members use this forum as a 911 relief-centre, the situation at hand really has little to with our members/volunteers trying to provide assistance. This is why I use the word 'manage'. One has to manage expectations, especially in an environment where one is accountable.

Coming here and expecting free, immediate, ISO 9000 certified solutions or to kick the proverbial dog around on the board is no solution to this dilemma; it exasperates the problem, really. Having said that, however, if you do get an immediate solution, more power to you and they do come, often... When I engage in a thread, I generally try to stay with the quandary at-hand, one way or another...

Again, it's about managing expectations... In this case, yours.

I worked for 35 years repairing high voltage generators testing at 80,000 volts of electricity. Imagine telling a new guy just read the book and you can figure it out.

Well, with all due respect, aren't we comparing apples and oranges, here? Volunteer participation in a technical forum is not the same thing as collaborating with a professional colleague, within the same professional association, on a common, mission-critical endeavour.

A co-pilot telling another pilot, in-flight, to 'read the manual' is not the same as asking a random group of individuals, whom they've never even met, something like "How do I do a 3-d SumIf without any VBA or Morefunc.xla? Oh, and I want it now!" Only to hear, "You can't, RTM."

The latter seems reasonable to me; it's different ball game, all together...

But, to be fair, at 71, I might want an immediate solution as well, time might be of the essence!