Hello? Is anyone reading these? I'm waiting for an answer, and I'm not the only one...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dude
  • Start date Start date
D

Dude

There are quite a few unanswered posts in this NG. What do you say you get
busy answering these posts before we choose another development platform!
I'll keep watching...
 
Ah, this is a strictly volunteer effort. Most of us have full-time jobs and
contribute here (for free) of our time and talents, experience and insights.
However, some questions are outside of our area of interest, are too
elementary (like homework questions), or we feel that we simply don't have
anything to contribute or just don't know the answer.

Unanswered questions are noticed and when some of the MS people troll the
site they'll pick up on them (given the same criteria). Their time (like
most of us) is a function of how much work they're doing on their own to
make a living. I for one am writing articles, a new book and preparing for a
series of international conferences--all of which bring in revenue.

I suggest you continue your search for answers in the archives of this list
(use Google groups) and elsewhere (as in the docs, the thousands of
whitepapers we've written over the years, and by buying a book or two on the
subject). And "Dude" asking a question anonymously does not increase the
likelihood that someone will respond.
--
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
 
There are quite a few unanswered posts in this NG. What do you say you get
busy answering these posts before we choose another development platform!
I'll keep watching...
Click to expand...

Rather than keeping watching, why don't you see if you can answer some
of the currently unanswered posts yourself? That's the way things work.
 
I certainly contribute whenever I can. Not only in this NG, but in many
others. But thanks for the tip.
 
I understand how frequency of posting varies. I am impatient and want
answers faster than they are coming. My "Generation X"
instant-gratification mindset does not help, either. I do attempt to solve
my problems on my own by experimenting, googling, and reading books.
Sometimes the answers take a long time to digest and I need additional help,
or I need an answer because I am very excited or nearing project completion.

I posted the grandparent anonymously so that potential answer providers do
not purposely ignore my post because of my trolling or flame-bait comments.
This is to provide a "catalyst" affect, intimating that an a large
collection of users feels the same way that I do (even if they don't).
Hopefully someone will say to themselves, "Hmm. Maybe this is the post he
was talking about." and then they will read the posting and reply with the
correct answer to my problem.

I'm sure you can appreciate my facetious and sarcastic attitude. It comes
from a lack of programming experience multiplied by employer expectations.

Thanks for your reply though, Bill. Have a great day!
 
I completely and very strongly disagree.

80% of the questions are answered, or attempted to be answered. Of the rest
of the 20%, there are many that donot supply complete information or just
cannot be answered because the question-asker needs to go read a book
instead of expecting the few over here to teach "ADO.NET" in 10 words or
less or well, some questions are just too tough (just being honest), or some
of them require more dialog than a simple 100 word post could cover.

Not to mention, this right here is ___FREE ADVICE___ that you are cribbing
about the quality of which, you get right from the horse's mouth. Bill
Vaughn, David Sceppa, Bill Ryan, Cor Ligthert, Jon Skeet, Miha, and the
likes - these guys are worth their weight in GOLD. Plus they have fulltime
jobs to do, and they get paid zilch to come around here.

The guys I mentioned above know a *lot*, but they are very down to earth and
are so approachable. I get a lot of messages from my blog about questions,
and though I cannot answer each one of them personally, I am amazed how much
time an average MVP must spend for absolutely free, simply answering these
interesting techie questions; which I am sure they receive as emails too
(Seriously Bill, how many emails do you get everyday? I get anywhere from
10-25 questions only thru my blog *everyday*, and I cannot afford to respond
to each one of them without quitting my paying job, and my apologies to all
that I haven't been able to reply to).

Aaron, "Dude", for free, these newsgroups absolutely rock !! They are better
than any book, any msdn tutorial, and the folks here are the nicest and most
helpful I have ever seen, and you too could roll up your sleeves and look at
the 20% unanswered questions.

- Sahil Malik
http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik
 
I would not go so far as saying these newsgroups are as good as any book...
;) It's like saying the 6 o-clock news is a "good" source for information
about what's going on in the world. Without a good understanding of history,
politics, political science, environmental science, and a good education,
you don't learn much by watching TV news.
Seriously, though, the advice we give here has to be short, and concise and
often can't address more complex interrelated issues. That's what the books
are for. We spend a lot of time (often years) writing books that deal with
the subjects in great depth. Wanting to get these for free (as some cultures
do when they freely copy our books and sell them) makes it tough for us to
write them. Are we getting rich writing them. Hardly. I've heard authors say
(and I agree) that we get about $.50/hour for writing a book unless it sells
more than 10,000 copies (and many don't). In any case it does not pay much.
Then why do we do it? Well there are lots of reasons, but for me it's an
attempt to give back what I know (at least to some extent). It also helps
get me chosen to speak at conferences (which I really like to do as well)
and meet lots of interesting people. Frankly, I enjoy helping people--it
makes me feel that I'm contributing if only in a miniscule way.

--
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
 
Let me correct my statement of newsgroups being better than books. I think
both of them solve a specific purpose. A book can teach from ground up, but
a newsgroup can be very targeted and specific help.

I just wrote a book and let me share my experience of what I had to deal
with. I would reach work at 8AM, and not come back before 7 PM, on an
average I was spending 4 hours on the book after I'd come back, then dinner,
then sleep, and this went on for about 8 months. My mom was stuck doing my
laundry because I never had time. For 8 months I had no weekends. In the
midst was updating myself with technology changes where I found MSDN TV, and
..NET rocks (including your shows bill) simply invaluable. I'd go to user
groups, talk there, and listen there, on my way to user groups I'd listen to
..NET rocks. My life was, and still is SEX + FOOD + .NET and very little
sleep.

How much did I make? 3% of the book price ~ how many copies will sell? 3000
at an average. 5000 is good, 10,000 is stellar = best case -- maybe 1500$?

Will I do it again? Damn right I will. I am already reviewing a book for
Jesse Liberty (details under NDA sorry), and will probably do more in
future.

- Sahil Malik
http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik
 
Aaron said:
I understand how frequency of posting varies. I am impatient and want
answers faster than they are coming. My "Generation X"
instant-gratification mindset does not help, either. I do attempt to solve
my problems on my own by experimenting, googling, and reading books.
Sometimes the answers take a long time to digest and I need additional help,
or I need an answer because I am very excited or nearing project completion.
Click to expand...

I don't think any of this excuses rudeness.
I posted the grandparent anonymously so that potential answer providers do
not purposely ignore my post because of my trolling or flame-bait comments.
Click to expand...

That was wise, but not as wise as realising that posting the kind of
comment which annoys those who you're asking help from is a bad idea to
start with.
This is to provide a "catalyst" affect, intimating that an a large
collection of users feels the same way that I do (even if they don't).
Click to expand...

And that helps how, exactly?
Hopefully someone will say to themselves, "Hmm. Maybe this is the post he
was talking about." and then they will read the posting and reply with the
correct answer to my problem.
Click to expand...

A problem that you posted only four and a half hours before getting
impatient. I think that may be some kind of record.

Maybe you should have spent a bit more time in posing the question to
start with, explaining *why* you can't change the select statement
you're using, etc. That's a far better way to get answers fast than
complaining.
I'm sure you can appreciate my facetious and sarcastic attitude.
Click to expand...

No, I don't appreciate it at all.
It comes from a lack of programming experience multiplied by employer
expectations.
Click to expand...

Both of which are better overcome in ways other than complaining to
people who help voluntarily.
 
Ditto, Except for the Sex. ;)

--
____________________________________
William (Bill) Vaughn
Author, Mentor, Consultant
Microsoft MVP
www.betav.com
Please reply only to the newsgroup so that others can benefit.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
__________________________________
 
Dude said:
There are quite a few unanswered posts in this NG. What do you say you get
busy answering these posts before we choose another development platform!
I'll keep watching...


"Tadow" wrote:
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Dude I'm newer to this data stuff then u probably are, but I
would help u with info if I could. Anyhow I hope u get your problem solved
and have a good day. I cant get the Microsoft xp sp2 updates to work because
of Setup Errors.. Unable to read from or write to the database. So If u have
any ideas pls help? L8r
 
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