leopoldstotch Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 <p>Also keep in mind that we write, and not speak our responses (Obviously), and its much harder to guage tone in writing than it is in spoken language. I for one feel that when I read my posts later on, they can sound a bit rude or condescending, even though thats not at all how I intended it to sound. Then again, it could just be me who misinterprets my own posts, I don't know how they sound to other people. I also agree with previous posts that some people get too offended and can't take constructive criticism. I also completely agree with Steve: Too many people lack a sense of humour.</p> <p>On a more relevant note, there was a big problem over the summer that I noticed (Especially in the digital camera forum)where many, many, new members were accused of being "trolls", even though they clearly were not. That seems to have cleared up now, but it was oh so very wrong while it was happening.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 It would be very nice to have 'model answers' to those repetitive questions that come up all the time (FAQs) - and allow these reference threads to be added to. Questions which come to mind are:<br> 1. Why do I have spots on my photos?<br> 2. Which EF-S wide lens is better?<br> 3. Compare X lens to the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 (shoud I get IS)?<br> 4. Any tips for first time flash user<br> etc.<br><br> It could also be useful to have a 'before you post' statement at the top:<br> 1. Search the threads: chances are it has been asked before<br> 2. Give ALL the information: your camera, your shooting style, your budget.<br> 3. Be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatkins Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 I think we may have more forum specific FAQs in the future. The problem is that WHILE you can write them, you can't make people read them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyros_podaras1 Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Our little society is no less real than the one we live in. We socialize with nice, rude, interesting or dull people. Yet we tend to choose the ones we like and develop relationships. This forum may have all kinds of characters, but I always find what it interests me, offers me pleasure and there is no day, that I don't pay a visit to it. Let's ignore rude people and strengthen our favourite site by keeping its high level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Bob: can I suggest that as you make an FAQ section, you also provide a simple JavaScript link next to each one that can pop up a window to generate some HTML that will serve as a correctly formatted link TO each question. The regular users of the forums would then know to use that as a library for easily deployed links that can be dropped into discussions without having fuss over formatting. Just sayin'. I'm happy making my own, but more folks might do it on the fly when they see those un-researched questions being posted if it was just easier for them to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 While there is no much excuse for being rude - there is also no much excuse for being too lazy to search for the answer. Answers to most questions can be found on the net in 5 minutes, and if not - at least the searcher can get a pretty good idea in what direction to proceed. What I am trying to say - it is that a lot of people not only consider the net a free resource (download pirated music, movies, software. etc. etc.), but they also treat the time of people who participate in the forums - as a free resource. Why should they spend couple of minutes searching for the answer, or doing some reading - if they can just post a question and have it delivered on a plate ? Maybe I am a bit too harsh - but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdanmitchell Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Glen wrote: "It would be very nice to have 'model answers' to those repetitive questions that come up all the time (FAQs..." I've taken to posting my comments on certain issue at my own blog. Rather than writing out the whole answer again... and again... I just point to the existing URL. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbert Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 "but they also treat the time of people who participate in the forums - as a free resource." Seriously, if you have something better to do with your time, then do it. Don't hang around an internet forum and pretend your time is important. No one is forcing you to be here and no one is forcing you to answer dumb questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Seriously, Geoff...while I have no problem answering questions (if I can), I sometimes have a problem with answering a question which could be answered by performing the most rudimentary search. Politness goes both ways, and sometimes can be expressed by putting a bit of effort in doing most basic research before asking a question. As usual - YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinsouthern Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Leszek, as one who donates a lot of free time to this forum, I really have to agree with Geoff. Respectfully, if you "have a problem answering a question that could be answered by performing the most rudimentary search" then don't - surely it really is that simple? :) Just my thoughts. Sincerely, Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren_sandford Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 If you think a question is beneath you and not worth your valuable time to answer, then ignore it. There really isn't any need to be rude, unless it makes you feel superior to the poor person that may have asked what to them may have been a reasonable question only to be patronised with your reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 OK, peace...but from my experience, it is always better to provide someone with a fishing rod rather than with a fish. No problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 "There really isn't any need to be rude, unless it makes you feel superior..." For God's sake, Darren, are you saying that I am rude and patronizing? When I have a problem - the first thing I do is to search for the answer, works 99% of time. Honestly, the best advice I can give sometimes is just that: learn how to search for answers, it works, makes you less dependent on others and more critical. What is wrong with that ?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paradox1 Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Unfortunately I think many of the people who post these so called silly questions, which have easily found answers, are asked by people that may not even have any internet savvy. They may even be having trouble simply navigating a site and when they finally reach a page where they can actually ask the question, so important to them, they are slammed with answers such as use the search button you idiot etc. Fortunately many of the regular users never suffer from such a difficulty and therefore may well assume ignorance or laziness on behalf of the searcher. With my occupation I can appreciate the annoyance of incessant questions being thrown at you everyday. However with the internet you have the right to simply and thus politely ignore them. Please remember that there is no such thing as a stupid question, just a stupid answer and we are all here to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 OK, Ken, you may have a point. And I may have been a tad to harsh :) It honestly never crossed my mind that some people may have problems with Internet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_bellenis Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 This has been a very informative discussion. At the end of the day it's just a Canon EOS forum - a tiny corner of the web where people can ask questions, post insights, reviews, speculation, etc. and search for answers from the archives. Participation is free, voluntary and one would hope polite and helpful. I am astonished at the arrogance of people who begrudgingly give up their "precious" time just to be rude and condescending to newcomers who don't understand the etiquette yet, or ask questions they deem unfit. Then - with an exasperated eye roll - they take MORE time out of their busy schedules to explain to the cognoscenti how dumb that person was and how they were really helping the poor sap. No. They won't be back - there are plenty of other places to get information, without the patronizing blowhards. If a questions seems ignorant, irrelevant, ill considered or beneath you, move on - it costs nothing. I agree with Joe Fikes when he points out that the net allows some people an outlet to be rude, arrogant, dismissive and superior in a way that, in real life, would get their asses kicked.... I think that says all one needs to know about them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjb Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Many newbies are not just new to photography but also new to computers and for a while searching for an answer was difficult. or maybe it still is for some and a lesson or easier search page with a comprehensive guide may help, not sure how hard it would be to do. I enjoy helping where possible and find more enjoyment seeing simple questions answered by someone who may have ask the same question some time earlier themselves. this proves to me that folks are learning. I enjoy some of the heated debates as others sitting on the side can learn from all involved. I agree some may answer to be funny and it often backfires. but with most rude post the person being rude is often dressed down by others. We can only appreciate the time moderators have to spend reading everthing posted and trying to keep the forums humanly as possible. I like the EOS PN forum the wat it is, its better laid out and helpfull than some others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven_moseley1 Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Hi, Just a point many internet and forum users forget, or may not have thought about.. "Thank you. The fundamental problem with the Internet is that it provides the sociopaths a venue where they can behave in a way that would get them punched in the mouth if they did it face-to-face. I'd be shocked if it changes, because cowards will always be - cowards" This is a rather simplistic and one-sided view of things. There are many, many people in todays society with depression problems...some of them have VERY bad in-grained issues that will never be treatable. Many of these people withdraw from society and end up stuck at home and so tend often to only have the web and web forums as a link to other people...so they end up here on PN and other places. They tend to be short tempered, generally awkward with their views and just not at all aware of how their own posts on forums will be 'taken' or interpreted. So, just bear this in mind...cheers Steve.M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff_foale Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Why do I search for an answer instead of asking a question? Firstly, it avoids having to publically admit defeat. Secondly, the perfect answer was given by Fred Bloggs last year but he is on holiday so will not even see my question, never mind having to bother about giving another long comprehensive answer. And, if I need to ask for more information I can save face by being partially clued up so, hopefully, don't appear to be a total idiot. Does this approach make any sense to anybody else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_bellenis Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Absolutely Geoff, it makes perfect sense and is obviously the best way to proceeed. This thread however was initiated because of the manner in which some members address posters who don't know to search, who ask what they consider to be ignorant questions or who simply fall foul of the etiquette of the site. There are many ways to suggest someone makes a search (as you so eloquently did), but there has been an increasing amount of rude, patronizing, condescending and outright abusive posts that seek only to feed the ego of the member and try and make the original poster feel small. Look at yesterday's posts on L lenses and Fill Flash for perfect examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I didn't see any L-lenses posts, but the Fill Flash is here: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00MmdU John, would you care to explain what is wrong with any of the answers, to the point that they are "...rude, patronizing, condescending and outright abusive posts that seek only to feed the ego of the member and try and make the original poster feel small." ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_bellenis Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Leszek - I would, but the offending post, and the follow up posts, have been removed by the moderator! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
les Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Well -it must have been bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddalice Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 i think it is best to ask and get a anwser on here.my freind is not very good at reading on google and manuls were no one talks to you. thank you.alice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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