I’ve noticed posts asking questions without providing very much information, this would be helpful to answer the question properly, now people responding have to ask specific questions to correctly help with the question, the problem is(and I see it often) the original questioner never responds, just what type of mentality is this?? people are generous enough to help, and then totally ignored. Is there a reason(a good reason) for this behavior??
Just one of life’s little mysteries. Now what was the question?[:-^]
I too, have noticed this with a number of certain SN’s (you know who you are). The person posts a poorly detailed problem and never responds. I hate it when that happens because everyone that writes an answer never gets a simple message saying thanks or “I solved the problem”. I must take note that at least 98% of people on his forum respond with thanks to all who replied.
Of course, it may be a young MRRer that hasn’t grasped the use of capitol letters/punctuation.
I’m not sure of which topics you are referring to, but people often do not know enough about something to either ask the right question or give the pertinent details. Perhaps that’s why they are asking about it to begin with??
As far a not responding - are you looking for a pat-on-the-back or a ‘thank you’? I’ve been around this forum long enough to know not to expect either. Not to be preachy, but I try to help people in order to help them - Not for the recognition.
.
Yep, and good reasons too. Well-- that depends on how you look at it. First the lack of info. Some of these questions in question here are from new people to the hobby only know that maybe there train doesn’t run and have very limited knowledge of the hobby. But then thats kind of what we are here for, to help them gain that knowledge. Most of the time I ask a question I usually end it with “thanks in advance”. Now thats me and only speaking for myself. I do that because I may not get an immediate response and may go off line for several weeks at a time because of my job. Maybe someone has done this and found the answer elseware and by the time they come back on the forum they’ve forgotten the question was asked here. Now on the other hand, I think that respect for one’s self and others is slipping away in our sociaty in todays fast paced world, which I believe is resposible for what tatans has posted here. Just my thoughts on this matter, Ken
Effective communications, like effective anything, is a learned skill. Some are better at it than others. We all hope we live through our encounters with the not-so-good ones. [:D]
We also should not forget that there is a range in learning ability in the greater populace. Some folks have the temperament to try hard, but never get better than fair. Others have huge potential, but squander it in favour of other pursuits. C’est la vie.
I admitt sometimes I forget to say thanks. And sometimes what was said above was right, you know what you want but lack knowing the right question to get the knowledge you seek.
I would not worry about it.
Yes you have to ask questions and drill down.
If the orginal poster does not follow through with answers that will pretty much kill the thread because there too many potential answers that will affect the hobby.
Topic - My choo choo quit working today.
Post: This choo choo quit working today on the track… I cannot get it to run, HELP!
Reply: What kind of choo choo is it?
Reply -what scale is it?
Reply -is this DCC?
Reply- Do you know who made the engine?
further subdivided by additional questions generated on ANY input by the topic author about the choo choo… we want input before we all go “A-ha! Yep! It’s that little whatzit you have to do…”
someone else -no no no… not that whatzit… it’s this thingy…
another -no yer both wrong (Inserts life history about choo choo) and enters a third solution that probably has everyone involved pulling thier hair out.
and others pile in with their own replys with additional questions that interrogate and attempts to further identify the choo choo…
No wonder the original topic author walks away from it when confronted with several more questions that require pretty specific answers BEFORE the help he or she wants is forthcoming.
I can see 20 people gathering around the choo choo, all asking something and it can be overwhelming. Sometimes if that can of worms isnt enough, some may ask for pictures, especially if the orignal author indicates they know nothing about choo choos. How are we going to have this author invest in a digital camera/camcorder, editing software, uploading and hosting images, linking from that image site then working through this forum post how to make photos or vidoes work with THIS forum…
Phew… Im tired already… arent ya?
That choo choo probably still wont work.
There is something called a search function but no one wants to use it.
I love it when someone provides a specific question on a
It’s really helpful to know if we solved the problem. A response helps us all to develop a “toolset” of things to try when a particular problem occurs. If the questioner comes back and says, “I solved the problem. This is what I had to do…” then we’ve added to everyone’s understanding.
Of course, outside of cyber space, if someone does you a favor, a “thank you” should be a standard response. In e-mail, it’s not common practice because it just clogs up your in-box, but I see nothing wrong with doing it here.
Taking the time to do it right is the key. It might be easier for someone to just throw out a poorly conceived and poorly formulated question, but if the poster spends a little more time on describing what he or she has, what he or she already has tried on his/her own, and what he or she is trying to find out, then it is a heck of a lot easier for others to help.
Basically showing a little respect for the strangers you ask to donate their time to help you with your problem.
Just my 50 ore (about 16 cents) worth [:)]
Grin,
Stein
Ah!..The ‘benefits’ of buying from Mail Order.
I have to agree with MAbruce here. However, I personally always come back and thank members for their time and replies any time I post a question, but don’t hold it against others that don’t.
Tracklayer
While I see the point here, I have to admit I have done posts then not responded to the answers for a while. Its because I don’t have regular access to a computer. I also have missed out on replying to some interesting things i’ve seen written.
I think what tatens meant was that it’s anoying when someone just leaves you hanging, not knowing if you’re advice helps, or anything.
Safety Valve; you hit the nail on the head![bow]
mrKLUKE; there’s another world? Really? [:D]
I’ll start again: your responses missed the target, I’m NOT looking for praise! Start again: A person asks a question hoping for a response but fails to include very basic information, such as gauge, size, etc, Now in order to help out, I (or anyone) would need a bit more information about the question, size?, which side? top? bottom? amount?,type?— any number of questions to help solve the problem, so we respond to the original questioner for this information so we can help him, THEN the original questioner never responds with that bit of info so others can be of assistance, sorry I can’t make this any more clear.
MAbruce, I think that was a real stretch. I didn’t take his point that way at all. To me, he was simply asking for affirmation if others were annoyed by this aspect of the forum. I agree with him, although I make allowances for the time folks can spend here and for busy schedules in this asynchronous form of communication. Perhaps there would be more efficiency if those asking questions would make it a point to check back at least once a day to tend to their responses, and then good will would be improved with a well timed thanks for those who took the time to provide them.
-Crandell
tatans, You have identified a real charicteristic of some of the posts. I am guessing that there are several reasons for this, from lack of experience on how to use a forum, to a lack of interest behind the original post. All in all, I like to answer questions, when I know an answer, what they do which the answers is their business. I do like a little recognition on occassion, and find that I get a lot of it here. So thanks to all you serious posters.
Art, you along with Sector, Space Mouse, Saftey Valve and a few others have been extremely helpful to me and I am greatful for the help and advice I have recieved from you all. So incase I ever forget in the future, thanks for all the time and effort you put into answering the questions people like myself and others ask on these forums.[bow]
I ask a very specific question one time wanting to know the name of the dumamaflochie mounted next to that thingamajig located just above the doohickey which is part of the dinghy. I never did get an answer.
It is rumored that when Gertrude Stein was dying in Paris in 1946 she gripped the hand of her longtime bosum companion Alice B. Toklas and gasped, "What is the answer? What is the answer?’ and when Toklas failed to respond she, Stein, then ask, “Okay, then: what in the aitch is the question?”
Maybe if we don’t know the answer we might know the question instead!!!