Why do YOU do it?

You see a thread with a question. You form a decent idea of what is going on. You go down a bit and read a bunch of responses that lead the poster down and long and crazy path that you doubt has anything to do with the issue. Or you have that one person who is jumping in on every thread and screaming MALWARE! Of course, they have personally seen malware do every single thing ever posted on that forum. You see a certain someone jump in on threads and don't even open them, wondering who ever let this person loose on the forums and can they go back where they came from now.

Sometimes you just let the poster and the responder go down their strange off shoot path and stay out of it. What is your reason for standing by and watching the train wreck?

 

Three reasons actually!

1. To preserve dignity and peace of mind.
2. Entertainment value
3. The understanding that I may be the one that is wrong and assuming that others are!

:major

 

I have done this in the past. If I believe that the advice given by someone in a thread is completely off the wall and irrelevant, I will post and explain why I feel that is the case. Even though tact and diplomacy are not at all my strong suits, I do try to keep things as diplomatic as possible in these situations.

The one time I reported someone was when I was able to detect a pattern of that person posting the same template over and over, regardless of whether it applied to the questioner's issue or not. That is not helpful, and in some cases there was a possibility of hurting the OP's system, so I did report a post and explained as best I could, with lots of detail, why I was concerned about this poster's habitual response to computer problems.

As MG regulars, we need to treat each other with respect and courtesy, but we also need to remember that we have an implicit responsibility to the less geeky computer users who come here looking for credible and reliable help. If we don't hold each other accountable, then who will?

 

I have been on mg's for a fair while, and there are definitely certain people who i try to always follow there posts to make sure they are giving good info. I usually am more likely to correct bad info then post helpful info, especially if im unsure about the situation. That or reporting posts that are pretty rude seems to happen alot lately.

 

Some people, you can tell, are just new to the online world, and need a little slack. Having a bit of tolerance and forbearance goes a long way in this world. Having said that, if I know I'm right, and feel that bad info is being laid out, I'll say something. But I've been wrong and embarassed before, so I better make sure I know what I'm talking about when I get in "correction" mode. Online world is volatile, and discussions can turn into dreaded flames if one isn't at least a little bit diplomatic. Cultural differences can sometimes cause confusion also...we be from all over...biting my tongue at times--even if I am right--has been the right move.

 

I have been on both sides of this issue, many many moons ago when I first joined, I got some help from some of the wizards here. I then started reading posts and issues. I then decided I was going to help. I've always been a fiddler, I've always been good at logical thinking and never been afraid to try something.

Unfortunately this type of thinking does not work well when trying to help someone who does not think the same way, so I stumbled into the MalWare forum and started trying to help people, now my intentions were perfectly honorable. I had received help and desperately wanted to give some back. However, while my efforts were with the best intentions, it took a polite message from David to enlighten me to what I was actually doing... and that was confusing people and mudding the issue.
Google was my info source, I believed for the longest time that as so so many people have said (mostly on other less helpful forums) "Google is your friend"
I came to realise that while google is a wonderful source of info, it's not always your friend. The knowledge you find on google needs to be backed up with actual knowledge you hold.
Once I understood this I pretty much stayed out of the MalWare forum and just started reading, I'm better with Hardware than software so I started helping in the hardware forum, but I also would no longer just google an answer, if I didn't understand the exact nature of what was going on then I would move on to the next thread.
I still sometimes don't have the clearest picture of the issue but if no one has replied for several days I might suggest something I would try while clearly stating "This may be a longshot but..." but even then it's not just a guess, it will be based on my own experiences.

Jumping in and "Helping" if you don't really know what someone is talking about is NOT helpful. Especially if there are already a couple of people on it.
The old phrase "Too many cooks spoil a broth" springs to mind.

On the flip side I have also been helping someone when someone else jumps in and suggests something that makes no sense what so ever and it has thrown the issue for a loop.

And on the other side (this being a triangle :-D ) I've been in the middle of receiving help when a random reply has thrown ME off and cost me time un warrented.

Bottom line is, if you understand then help... but if the help is already there make sure you are not putting a kink in the road.

One other thing, this place holds arguably the largest PC info data base on the planet, read through some of it, just read... you will learn a huge amount.

I have, the information I have gathered from this place is enormous and I thank each and every one of you

 

I have to agree with all of the above, all of it. I remember the first few years here and I eventually 'got it' that I knew nothing about PCs despite my 15 years in the manufacturing side of the same. So I took a hiatus, read every thread on here even if I didn't have a clue, I'd google the terms and learn something new each time. Finally things started to gel.

Now I feel comfortable answering some questions as I've built some near top-end machines, been in the beta-scene and have gone through 3 MS OS's so far along with my share of issues. One thing I always strive for is not to get too cocky, yes I will use google too but only to reinforce my point or for extra homework for the OP.:-D

Good thread.

 

Thanks for all of the great points!

I'm more likely to back away from certain situations rather than jump in and try my best version of diplomacy or to report it.

To take DavidGP's example, I've seen threads where something like the USB not working will go from reload the driver to reload the OS in 2 posts. I find that dramatic and possibly won't solve the problem and will likely cause more issues to find fixes for. What happened to asking about new devices, other USB ports, USB hub, how old is the machine, could it be a motherboard issue? Find out after they reload the OS and spend a week updating drivers and getting everything working again, that they had a device connected to that dead usb port that shorted out. Yes, they should have said that first but sometimes you have to triple question the poster.

I also back away from people with obvious language problems. I can try to help them fix something if it's basic or obvious, but if it's complicated, I probably don't even understand what they are asking to do.

There is also those who are asking a highly technical question with little understanding of the basics and not a lot of patience to learn. I've been the one trying to do something really difficult and not having a lot of understanding about it, but I hope I was at least a good student.

I had one person jumping in on relatively basic threads, the kind that can be walked through in 2 or 3 posts with 90% success. The other helper got into almost all of my threads one weekend to add technically correct but totally useless information. I wanted to ask them if they worked for Microsoft, it was like the old helicopter in Seattle joke. It was irritating for me just that I had to then write out a longer answer to bring the poster back to the issue at hand to finish up the fix. After about the 4th time, I wanted to cry.

Then there is the person who responds to a thread from a month ago. Usually a thread I was secretly kind of glad to see slip off the end of the page because the OP wasn't giving full information, answering questions, or wouldn't check a setting because they were sure it wasn't that. The person who brought the post back up didn't have anything useful to add to it and the OP, having had a glimmer of hope of a fix, gets even more annoyed.

This is to say nothing of the malware forum. I can't believe my head hasn't exploded just reading a few threads in that forum! Requires patience that I will never have this lifetime.

Luckily, this is a great community. All of these examples are rare. Most threads are amazingly well answered. I've learned a lot here. I've solved a lot of my own problems with the help I've gotten here.

I've laughed to the point of almost crying here too. I'll never forget the image of TimW eating blue cakes in the attic ever again. We could build our own version of Clue based on some of the posts here!

 

I've had that happen, and I do report those. I usually add a long description of why I am reporting them. The tricky thing with those situations is that the poster genuinely means well and wishes to help. The way I see it, these are posters that only need to learn how to helpful, and if they are willing to learn and to let someone coach them, they can turn into great contributors for MGs. But someone needs to give them guidance, and since I know I'm not the best person to do it, I report them so a mod or admin can do it instead.

 

I usually read all thread just to learn, sometimes to give advise on what I like to use (when asked for a certain program/issue.) The ones I chuckle at is when a replier seems to not read the original post.

QP: I need a program that will give me the best real time malware protection. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

R#1: I like Malwarebytes, it hasn't let me down.

R#2: Superantispyware is also a good one.

R#3: Firefox is the best browser in my opinion and has all them plug-ins available that let you download videos, block ads, etc.

Umm reply #3 has what to do with the original post?

 

Nothing makes me grumpier, then when a replying poster, clearly hasn't read the whole first post all the way through and cleary is suggesting something the op has already tried, or specifically mentions he doesn't want to for what ever reason.

 

Guilty! But I try really hard not to do that. I can point to a really long and tedious and occasionally off track first post, but in the end it's still my fault for not double checking all relevant information offered. I hate when I get caught skimming through.

If I'm lucky, someone else will catch me and point it out and I still have enough information to repost and contribute some positive and useful ideas.



Oh my favorite to sit back and watch are these. There is some tenacious issue that several of us are throwing ideas out on and discussing the possibilities. It's a really productive thread, the OP is in on the discussion and knowledgeable also. There are some senior members involved and I find the whole discussion fascinating. I cringe when I see someone jump into those and challenge a senior member. I'll ask why they went that direction rather than the one I was thinking but I sure won't CHALLENGE them right off the bat. Such gentle senior members. I want to tell the invader to take a hike, most members will give them a nicer scolding for their manners.

 

You know, sometimes I'll start replying to a question or situation in a thread, and realize that I don't know what the hell I'm talking about - can't count how many times I've wiped out potential posts. Lots of wasted typing. In my old age, I've learned (for the most part) that's it's better to shut up than to fool others and myself.

One thing that the computing world has taught me is that no matter how much I think I know, there is a vast universe of things that I don't know.

The best way to learn is to teach, and I enjoy teaching and helping others with computers and computer-related subjects precisely because it's helping me glean a little more knowledge about this elecrtonic world we live in.

Thank you all for giving me a virtual classroom in which to learn.

 

This was an interesting read!

I try only to reply to threads that have 0 replies, very few replies, if i KNOW the answer or the posters going round in circles for the reason that i'm not the best when it comes to troubleshooting (i learnt the majority of my knowledge from here and other forums) but if a threads getting no responses then i may aswell have a go! I know very little on the software side so limit my self regarding how often i reply there,

After reading some of my posts back they can be seen as a little upfront, that's just how i am. If i ever get out of line, please don't hesitate to tell me!

I'm a long time reader but relatively new poster, i really enjoy these forums and have learned a lot!

:major

 

Also i feel like saying this, if in doubt, if it concerns you as to possibly harmful, report the post with the little button, let a mod double check and look in to it. Honestly as much as mods try to be every where at once, I am sure they miss stuff and its up to us, even more so us regulars, to report things we find questionable or possible harmful.

 

This is exactly what I meant when I said that we have to hold each other accountable. If OP knew enough to spot false information when they saw it, they would be here helping, not asking for help.

 

What about the ones that don't take the time or energy to register, reads somebody elses solution, then tries it on their machine just because they had the same symptoms?
THEN they register so they can complain that the people here crashed their system by giving wrong advice, without realizing that the thread they had read was for a different brand of machine or a different OS.
Try to explain and they start getting offensive almost to the flaming point.

 

I can totally picture you saying the last part of this in a posh accent, and it cracked me up David!

 

I'm 59 and been an old grouchy geez for some time.
Proud of it too, you betcha.

 

Wait. We have to be old before we can be grumpy and bitchy? Dammit!:crybaby

 

Well, there are some early bloomers.:-D

 

Me too:-D And then Google comes to the rescue!Not to find and answer for problem but to give myself a crash course in whatever.Its a great way to learn.

 

I am guilty of replying to threads and mentioning about the "read and run" sticky in the malware section. BUT most of them was infection by the way they talked or what happen. I didn't go mention the Malware section in each thread tho. I learn the best way for me to really help people out and the forum is to go learn and thats what Iam doing atm. But this forum/community I call it is a great place. Its full of all kinds of great people. And I would hate to see this place go.

 

And then there's the electrical/electronics 'genius' who can't read and hasn't interacted successfully with a real human since he was flunked out of special school.

Can I have a big banhammer please?

 

:banghead
I have one of those in real life too.

At least they can usually form a complete thought even if you do want to choke him by the end of it.

 

Sometimes People just get it wrong and it needs correcting.

I am guilty of this, i was dealing with an OP who was having graphics problems and the advice i was giving was gobbledygook so Mimsy stepped in and saved my A**.
My only excuse is i had gone a bit too far with my meds that day and had a brain f**t.

This is the post :-o

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=231663

 

Expansion slots?:confused
Whoa. Back off on the early meds.:-D

 

lol That reminds me of Airplane ... The White Zone is for loading and unloading :-D .... I just have this image in my head of you and Mimsy arguing over what the blue and black slot are for :-D

meh, off day is all Bill, we all have them Thats a little different from outright wrong advice.

 

Oh, please. Haven't you noticed that I'm only vicious towards random stupid people who have no idea what they're talking about, but somehow have managed to delude themselves into thinking they do? :-D

Though if it makes you feel any better, I did just tell someone to stop wasting my time and to just go back to their other thread and do as satrow says. :innocent

 

Guilty Guilty Guilty. Again. Guilty of not profiling and reading into the OP well at all and going a different direction from DavidGP. Didn't see how his direction related to the problem -- right up to the point that his fix worked.

Gargling and treading. That's me! I have to stick to the kiddie pool.
I ventured into software and hardware and was quickly drowned by superior knowledge.

 

Five today. I've wiped out 5 looooong answers so far today. Typed it out then decided it doesn't add anything for the OP.

I need that IRL some days.