Many hands on deck

ladybugn posted 29th of January 2009 in Community Voice. 6 comments.

I learn a lot here on these pages, and on the resource sites run by the regulars here.  So I try to give back something.  If I've spent an hour taking, I try to spend an hour looking for a place to give back.

Honestly, it's not hard...  look at the current "Answers" and almost every day you'll find a question about registrations and licenses.  Sometimes those question hang un-answered for days.  Just assuming most of us have our installs registered, there should be a huge pool of people able to answer those questions, or at least start a dialogue with the new member. 

Unanswered questions bother me.  Unanswered SIMPLE questions bother me even more.  I mean, if it's been 3 days, some poor schmuck is out there wondering if anyone even read his question, and he can't find his ACP login page. 

Most of us can afford the time it takes to answer at least ONE question per visit.  No matter how new we are, there is something we know that those behind us don't know yet.  If not, just a "welcome, someone will be along to help" can make someone feel like they're not so alone with their frustrations.

I don't think there is any unwritten rule that you must have the complete answer to give it a shot.  Even if your answer is modified or corrected by a subsequent reader, just attempting will make this place a much more active and supportive community. Which means more answers when WE need help. Especially since it's all volunteer, this place needs the work of many hands doing small jobs, because nobody, Unity staff included, can keep it up alone.

And last, if anyone reads one of my answers, and finds it half-baked, incorrect, or knows of a simpler way to explain something, jump in!  Don't be shy, I won't be offended to have someone smoothing out my edges.  I'm still learning too.

 

 
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melia
You can find a lot of those answers at:
www.boonexnerd.com
www.dialme.com
www.darrenpowless.com

sammie has the dolphin for dummies available in the trac and it's very good. A lot of those questions can be answered there.

I like boonexnerd.com because it's friendlier. This forum has seen its share of trolls.
ladybugn
Oh, so true, those are the three sites I head to for tutorials and such. I'm just talking about trying to get this place more helpful, most new folks won't have discovered the other resources yet.

I just spent some time at expertzz and it's so loaded with flamewars over who stole who's mod and who is ripping off whom (all good info, depending on which allegations you trust) but what poor new user wants to wade thru flamewars to find help?

It seems the first place people will look should be see more the one place volunteers try to pitch in. Didn't most of us come looking at one of the Boonex sites first?

Anyone reading that hasn't checked out the three above-mentioned sites, do so! Boonexnerd just released a book format manual, dialme "News" page has an extensive list of superb tutorials, and darrenpowless has video tuts that are especially helpful for those visual learners. But please come back and try to help out a buddy when you can. Even if it's just to point out where the info can be found.
sammie
as it was pointed out, the Dolphin for Dummies guide i am writeing already covers Unity Licenses and Navigation

http://www.boonex.com/trac/dolphin/wiki/DolphinForDummies

people just dont look at the documentation because they are to lazy, why should we repeat over and over the same questions that are already answered
Sammie, I mean you no disrespect, but it would be so nice if in addition to all of the good things you do for us here at Unity you could learn to refrain from constantly calling people lazy, stupid or talking down to them..

I am sure I am not the only one who considered using your hosting service, but decided to go another direction for that very reason.

Thank you for all you do, but please mellow out. :)
sammie
well i no longer own 50% of terabyte hosting, i gave it up due to resent health issues and the morphine just means i can not work as much as i did.

my problem is something i am just finding out about, for 5 years i have lived in constant severe pain, 6 weeks ago i was given the diagnosis:

Peripheral neuropathy ( nerve damage)
it affects my left arm my left side of my body, both hands, my neck and face, left lung.

there is no cure.

i was put on morphine 4 weeks ago, it helps with 80% see more of the constant pain, but does nothing for the electric shocks i get through my body.

it causes Apathy, (feeling of not caring if i live or die) constant pain has that affect i guess. i guess that explains some of my comments. who knows?

i do not relish the idea of being in a wheelchair by the time i am 30. and having to rely on others to do things for me, there is nothing wrong with my brain. my body just doesnt work as it should.
ladybugn
Sammie, i'm with ya on how many people don't read the docs, and I know every message board out there has frustrated regulars who face the same questions daily. How many times have we read "use the search" "read the FAQS" and "this has been answered 18,000 times before".. all community sites have that problem.

I'm not saying we should hand-hold people who just won't help themselves, and your sometimes sammie-smacking them might be just what some need to step up a see more bit.

The only cure for it isn't to leave questions unanswered. It's getting in right away with a "this info is posted in the dummies guide.." for example, and a link to it.

Now, when the next newbie searches for "license" he won't find 37 unanswered posts about it, and add his to the mix making number 38 this week. He'll find 10, 11, 12 posts all answered "This info is in the dummies guide which is here"

That does sink in, and first off -- gets everyone aware of where the dummies resource is.. and it also makes people not feel so ignored and helpless. Those people will grow into confident users that will further support the software, and just might help market your book, or give good reviews on your hosting, or whatever the natural results are of positive casual forum relationships.

I wasn't so much bitching at regulars for not answering questions, most fo the old regulars around here seem to have done a LOT to post info and have developed a following for their excellent helps. I was trying to remind the new folks they can help out even if they're new. Taking the easy stuff frees up the folks doing full manuals and tutorials and such.

Course, my fav is the answers like "My mod "Finding your Admin log-in page" is available for 10 dollars..."

<giggles>
 
 
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