Re (tilly) 4: Newbie madness, experienced ambiguity.

[tilly]

I found that a very good way to put things.

In a gift culture people participate by giving in one form or another. It is fun to answer questions. It is pleasant to get questions answered. It is satisfying both to go from asking to answering and doubly so to help others do likewise.

But people who essentially say, Gimme! aren't as fun. If you clearly do not appreciate that you are asking for my time and energy, then I am not going to want to give you any. By default I assume that people do understand that this is a gift culture, I don't assume that people are thoughtless. But if they truly are, then no, I do not have to answer their questions. I am not paid, I have no obligation to answer questions...

[Petras]

It's a funny thing, this gift culture we are in. Newbies don't usually have that much to give except their questions. Early on I was often told to just go and RTFM or STFW or do some simple googling. I do those things now, but early on I needed someone to say, "RTFM! And here's how you do it...." Yeah, I've seen plenty of posts that looked like someone had a homework assignment and needed someone else to do it for them, but there are some newbies (even comp geek newbies) who really do want to walk the path, they just need someone to teach them how to read the map.


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Don't worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you'll have to ram them down people's throats.

-Howard Aiken

[fiend]

I have been guilty of asking my mentors for the easy way out on more than a few occasions and the best of them told me to figure it out myself. I always appreciated the gentle guidance over the easy answer because I really learned what I was after rather than cutting, pasting and forgetting.

There's a great difference between working together to arrive at a solution and I don't think anyone here would be out of place for refraining from handing answers over to anonymous monks who can't even be bothered to register for an account.

That being said, does anyone have the answer to question 4 in my homework?

[Anonymous Monk]

For future reference, How to RTFM is a good map.

[stonecolddevin]

I concur wholeheartedly, I'm a newbie to the language for the most part, and I find if I am patient, explain what I need help with, I will get the help I need. I can't stand when you ask an honest question and get a backhanded smart ass remark in return. It's a waste of time on both party's hands. I think we need to think in that higher form, and try and help each other out as a community as much as possible.

Ergo!!! Vis a Vis!!! Concordidly!!! Mr. Timberlake. I apologize. I don't usually like to use my big voice.
Will Ferrill as the Architect from the Matrix 2:Reloaded