I am not referring to just one single incident when I posted my thought. I am talking about the general trend here. I see alot of 'Don't expect to be spoonfed', 'Google is your best friend', 'These are similar threads to your question', 'Use the search engine' etc to newbie questions asked.
Usually what I see here (and forums in general) is when a question comes up people
point you in the right direction usually by giving you the topic to read up on. It's the followup of something along the lines of "Can't you just tell me?" is what annoys the hell out of people. Demonstrate what you have learned from reading, and just ask specific points of clarification, and people will be much more inclined to help you.
There is a reason why people call themselves 'newbies'. If we know so much, we don't need to ask already.
And thats the reason why there's stickies/FAQ's for newbies. People come and go all the time. To attend to all of them would not only be time-consuming, but also redundant since most of them have the same needs/questions. Not to mention everyone isn't always on the same base. If you ask an advanced concept without a foundation on the basics, no amount of explaining that concept will make you understand, because you don't have the foundations. Although it would be nice for someone to provide that for you, again remember that people here come together voluntarily, thus you can't expect to feel entitled to be provided any information. If you really want someone to handhold you all the way, join a workshop. And even then they usually expect some sort of understanding if it's an advanced one.
I don't read the D700 thread because I get the feeling that it's going to be similar to other threads I have read: 'we are trying to teach you but you are acting smart/arrogant', 'you ought to be humble'. Sometimes I wonder how humble these repliers themselves are. I always thought that the harsh words a person use on another person is often the very reflection of themselves. The most selfish person I know would accuse others of being selfish. The most mercenary person I know would accuse others of being mercenary and so on. And the most autocratic person would accuse others of not being democratic - some of you would be familiar with this.
You didn't read the D700 thread, so all I'll say about this comment is you're severely misinformed and thus until you really understood what went on there and there's no point in debating this with you.
I have been embroiled in thread arguments before, and I must say there's very little pleasure to have people jumping at every word you say. I don't understand why some people have to nitpick another just by the words typed here and get all fired up. Isn't the forum a place for you to learn? Alot of times, I feel that this forum becomes a battleground rather than a teach-and-learn place. In other forums, I post my questions, the repliers give me answers. Finished. I got what I want to learn and leave the thread at that. I don't even need to say thank you and be pretentiously eternally grateful. But in this forum, you better say 'thank you', man, and probably say something beyond that even to show a virtual proscration. If not you'll be shot for being ungrateful, unappreciative etc. haha ... I know I am exaggerating here. You know, in other forums, I don't even need to clarify that I am kidding around, but in this forum, I'd better.
A forum is a place where you can learn (through people sharing thoughts and ideas), yes. The way you learn, however, isn't cast in stone. Whether it's by people telling you, directing you to other links, etc. There are a lot of ways to learn, not just "show me, tell me". You can learn by yourself as well or by lurking.
As for it devolving to fights and stuff, well, we're only human. (Heated) debates aren't limited to internet forums. I'm sure you've seen youtube videos of people suddenly losing their cool publicly (politicians, no less!). Not saying they're correct or justified. Just that it's a fact of life. Ideally we wouldn't have to. But since it does happen sometimes, that's when a mod steps in (who is also human). I get in really heated arguments with my co-workers every now and then, but at the end of the week we'll greet each other a happy weekend. Anger is a human emotion. Generally frowned upon but we will feel it every now and then. Again, just a fact of life.
I just feel that this forum is really unlike the others. I feel that I need to tread very very carefully and it takes the pleasure out of forumming, and learning.
Thanks for being kind so far. I know there's more danger when I respond.
I have always invoked common sense and haven't had problems with internet forums in general. There will be baiters, flamers and trolls, but that's for the mod to worry about. Mod not doing their job? Leave the forum. You're always free to do that. With regards to CS in particular, aside from me closely guarding my feet, my experience here have been quite pleasant. :bsmilie:
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