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that we rarely visit the Q&A area now. When I first joined TR it was where I spent most of my time, and one of my main recreational activities. Now I can go months without visiting Q&A.
I think that TR should give people a resonable amount of time to rate questions then automatically close them and share the points between the responders. It is one thing is someone posts a question, then goes back a week later and rates the answers as no good as they didn't solve the problem. They give the reasons for rejection and the question stays open getting more answers.
But when no answers are rated after say 8 weeks, then it is clear the poster has forgotten them. So they should be auto closed and points shared. They can ahve a rating of No Action Rating Closure. If the person doesn't get the answer they want, well stiff, they should have rated the ones they got.
After so many infringements of not rating answers the person should be banned frm Q&A.
If we got rating and closure on questions we would be encouraged to answer more. I still have unrated responses from years ago, and it's VERY annoying.
You said that you think TR should give people a resonable amount of time to rate questions then automatically close them and share the points between the responders. Well, they used to do that very thing.
After some predetermined amount of inactive time (I don't recall what that time was), the question would be automatically triggered to close and divide the points evenly between all answers -- but only upon receiving one additional answer. Some people were wise to this, and they went into all the old questions, and they posted some nonsense answer just to trigger the closure so they could share the points. A lot of people got bent over that, and maybe for good reason.
TR's only option is to have a moderator to sort through them and decide what to do with the questions, but that's something they don't really want to do. Short of that, regardless of how they structure it, some people will be unhappy for some reason. In my case, having 16 percent of my answers ignored means that 84 percent are not ignored. In this case, 84 percent success isn't too bad.
by tig2
You are one of a growing number.
I'm not real big on answering questions for just that reason- you only find out if your response was valid if the poster is someone like jdclyde- someone who knows the importance of accepting the answer(s), awarding the points, closing the question.
Welcome to the frustration zone- there's lots of company... unfortunately.
by j.lupo
by gadgetgirl
but I think it's quite a way down.
They did "straw poll" a few of us, but the barrage of heckling they got about techpoints (and what you could exchange them for {nuthin'})and the amounts of unrated answers out there made them rethink what they were wanting to do.
As far as I'm aware, it's still on the burner, but on the back one.
watch this space!
GG
by tig2
And Tech Q&A may be in that list. They have not, to my knowledge, said that they would do any specific thing.
They did request opinions. They have not defined what they intend to do nor when. Likely nothing prior to the completion of the server migration in September.
by Jay Garmon
We're relaunching the entire TR site (or nearly that) this fall, and the Q&A revamp is tied up in all that. I don't want to get too specific on dates at this point, because there are several infrastructure dominoes that have to fall before we launch the new TR. The good news is that the project specs require 10-14 days of a stable soak before we launch, so you won't see the new site until it's as bulletproof as we can make it.
I can get a little specific on how the new Q&A will work. Mostly, it's just been streamlined, so that asking a question gets easier. TechPoints have been thrown out. The category structure has been pared down and precisely matches the discussion categories--and you can place a question in multiple categories. Best of all, the Start a Thread form has a toggle, so you can decide whether your post is a Question or Discussion as soon as you start it, which should clean up the tech questions posted as discussions.
Now the "bad" news--we're not going to force closing and rating. Why? Because we can't. Every rule we put in place to "require" closing and rating just makes Q&A harder to use, and encourages people to start new accounts or just post to discussions instead. We can't force people to be decent to each other--there's just no cure for the common jerk.
First, Questions will now use a tree layout, just like discussions. And just like Discussions, Questions don't get closed. There's no sense having a function that almost no one uses. There will still be rating, but it will be far simpler. The Asker can mark any response to his question as Helpful (much like you can digg a story on Digg.com). Not solved. Not rejected. Either it's Helpful, or it's not. Period.
Is it perfect? No. But it's much cleaner, and once the system is underway and sorted out, we're going to start building a user recognition system that highlight those of you who contribute to Q&A--whether your answers get rated or not.
Hope that answers the burning questions. If you have any more, feel free to ask.
by w2ktechman
by x-marcap
by j.lupo
We can answer if we choose and hope the person asking rates the question/closes it/ and best yet, tells you what worked. This way the knowledge is passed on.
I still go in and answer questions. It is a place where reading questions and responses, I get to learn and share my knowledge. Do I get a return? Probably not as much as I am giving out, but who knows. I learn about a lot of things that could go wrong and maybe how to fix them.
by Jay Garmon
"We can answer if we choose and hope the person asking rates the question/closes it/ and best yet, tells you what worked. This way the knowledge is passed on.
"I still go in and answer questions. It is a place where reading questions and responses, I get to learn and share my knowledge. Do I get a return? Probably not as much as I am giving out, but who knows. I learn about a lot of things that could go wrong and maybe how to fix them."
That sums up our hopes for the new Q&A perfectly.
by j.lupo
by j.lupo
off the main boards to continue thinking it through. I know they want to do something, but there have been a lot of other really important things for them to do first. Like the My Workspace, the Server Migration, and so on.
Thanks GG for reminding me that it was discussed. I think a lot of really good ideas were provided to TR, but it is a big job for them to tackle.
by now left tr
Answer is: Nine W
The question was: Excuse me Herr Wagner do you spell your name with a V.
Pronounced as: Excuse me Hair Vagner du you spell your name wive a V.
...and you get "wound up" over this? Give it time, get the lay of the land, and then get "wound up".
I still have 378 answers (16 percent of all answers I've posted) in the Q&A section that have yet to be rated and/or closed. I never give those 378 answers a second of my time getting "wound up" over. Personally speaking, I'll choose to get "wound up" over more important things.
by j.lupo
and I like the sound of the improvements. Makes a lot more sense.
Hey what about (when time exists of course) a site improvements newsletter. Something that kind of fills us in on Site features and such. I don't think I have seen anything like that in the current Newsletters that we get.
Ok, it might not be a hit if there is nothing happening, but just thought I would throw it out to you folks.
by faradhi
Don't respond to questions. Then there is nothing to get wound up over.
So far TM, I have noticed that you do not like discussions (complained that we beat people up or something) and you do not like TQ&A. It seems that you're unhappy here at TR. Just an observation.
by now left tr
by hal 9000
Is that there is nothing at all that anyone can do to make people do the right thing.
The next thing is that most of the people asking Questions don't really know how to ask a question so that they get a workable solution you'll see things like My Computer will not start what do I do? Well there are many possible answers to that one many of which will not be correct because the person asking the question doesn't know to say well the computer is POSTing but then I get a blank screen.
I think Maxwell summed up the T Q & A section quite correctly it's great when you need it and just not necessary at other times. As far as Tech Points go they are only good to use in asking a question and if you have a nasty one you can offer 40,000 Tech Points as an answer and maybe get a quick answer. Really when it's all said and done [b]Who Cares?[/b]
I answer questions because after a day of fighting with something that refuses to make any sense I need a break to slow down so I really don't care if the questions that I answer within their limited scope of the way that the question was asked gets rated or not I know that I have given a good answer in light of the provided information and that's all anyone can do.
Though I do personally draw the line at answering questions that look like Assignment Questions for IT Exams or Assignments for the people to get higher marks that they deserve.
At the end of the day what's it matter either way? If you are going around expecting people to always do the right thing you are in for a world of hurt and what happens in this small corner of the world at TR is nothing at all to get worried about.
If at the end of a [b]Bad Day[/b] I'm given the choice of answering Questions or discussing Routers when I've been dealing with the [b]Router From Hell[/b] all day I chose to answer questions. After all quite a lot of the discussions in the [b]Water Cooler Section of TR[/b] are aimed at Americans so I don't participate in them as I have no idea what they mean.
It's also amassing just how many new ideas that you'll pick up by other peoples answers to questions that come in handy during your working day so I see it as an attempt to put something back in and at the same time maybe learn something that is useful to me. Over all it's a [b]Win Win[/b] Situation for all concerned.
Col
by jaqui
it's fun to give them a link to the search results. ]:)
then let them sort through the results to get their homework done.
by hal 9000
But while we are on the subject of T Q & A have you any idea why a NB would suddenly start playing music in I Tunes slowly?
I currently have a question open on this and I'm at a bit of a loss but as it's only a [b]Play Toy[/b] for the Boss I'm not breaking my neck to go fix it up. Apparently about 3 weeks ago it started playing music slowly his description was like a 45 being played at 33 I asked him to try Media Player just to make sure that I wasn't something to do with I Tunes but that was the same so I'm currently [b]Thinking on it.[/b] After it's not as if there is any Multi Million $ deal hinging on having this program work. :^0
The last time I went there was supposed to be a 45 minute job that took all day with the [b]Little Extra Jobs[/b] that where added in you would never believe that a place with 4 computers could make such a mess of the NB's that they have in place. It didn't help that on the previous day the owner had rung me at 4.45 PM asking how to get On Line to an On Line Auction as he wanted to bid on a 3 Million $ piece of earthmoving hardware I think The Auction started at 9.30 so I obviously had a lot of time to fix everything up so he could get in and place his bid. I got there at about 7.00 AM hoping that I would get all the messy housekeeping out of the way and I could contact their IT department come 8.30 AM to get the thing working but when I tried to log on it worked so they then hit me with a few extra [b]Little Jobs[/b] that took the rest of the day. It wouldn't have been quite so bad if I hadn't of promised to be somewhere else by 11.00 AM which I had to ring up and cancel [b]Again[/b] It's terrible when a few places will only accept me and none of my staff to do their work. Thankfully it wasn't important but I was left running around for the rest of that week like a Chicken with its Head Cut Off. :D
Col ]:)
You get bent because THIS answer is not rated? Get ready for a rejected, because that's what it deserves. Moreover, it's only been open for 12 days. What are you bothered about?
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=48&threadID=197711
This has only been open 8 days:
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=39&threadID=197924
And this is an interesting question. Your answer doesn't really address the problem as posed, yet yours was the only one accepted. I wonder why? Your answer might have been correct if that connection never worked, but not if it suddenly stopped working. (Perhaps you should have rated all of these answers.)
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=40&threadID=197921
This one -- 8 days. Plus, you left a terrible answer.
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=47&threadID=197911
This one -- 8 days. Plus, your answer was addressed in a further comment. Get ready for a rejection.
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=56&threadID=197919
This one -- 7 days. Plus, Colin's answer is better than yours. Get ready for another rejection.
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=56&threadID=198013
This one -- 5 days.
https://www.techrepublic.com.com/5208-6239-0.html?forumID=46&threadID=198117
You need to find more important things to get bent outta' shape over.
by now left tr
Can't believe you spent time researching all that. What was the point?
What about all the other unrated answers. My point was about the whole Q&A situation, not just my own answers.
Who said I was gettig bent over it? Wound up, yes, with people, yes. Again at no point did I relate this to any answer posted.
Don't you have more important things to be gettin' on with?
by faradhi
He is just expressing his feelings.
You should not beat up on him. He needs reinforcement and understanding. Being that we have a history of positive reinforcement and understanding of ones feelings, I can see why TM would expect as such.
Signed,
justjoinedtoday@...
by now left tr
while I find that needle. My sides have just uncontrollably split.
Some thread anybody?
Signed
St. Louis@
by mjd420nova
by now left tr
but once again one or two within TR are going out their way to stamp on me once again.
Just because I recently joined and have an opinion on something should not be a reason to squash.
Everybody had to join at one point.
by tig2
I recall telling you that you may have some karma work out. People got pretty sensitive to your tone and felt attacked. I can say that because I was one of them.
Hang in- you have changed your style quite a lot and have had some good input. This too shall pass and all that.
Had a similar situation with another peer some time back. Member of the family now so to speak. Takes time.
by now left tr
by jdclyde
But you seem to have issues dude. If you will look up the meaning of "discussion", you will see that it is different people bringing different ideas to the table. The one that can bring the best supported arguement to the table will win, the other will lose. The loser (you) can either cry in their soup, or learn a lesson about how to support their ideas.
You have what is known as "freedom of speech", but so does everyone else. You can say something, but someone else will use their EQUAL right to point out when and where you are wrong.
This is not an attack, this is not personal. This is life jr.
Believe me, you are not going to walk in here and change the way anything is around here. You can make a place for yourself, or you can leave. No biggie either way.
You don't have to CONFORM to the way things are, but if you UNDERSTAND them, life might be a little easier on you.
And no, you did not get some special treatment from MAX. I and many here do the same thing when adressing someone. Look at their history to see where they are coming from. Where you are coming from is first, your whinning about an old topic, and two, haven't seen enough about the topic for it to have got you ranting.
Take your meds today? You seem to think everyone is out to get you all the time. (only half of them are in reality)
by now left tr
"If the night turned cold and the stars looked down
And you hug yourself on the cold cold ground.
You wake the morning in a stranger's coat,
No one would you see.
You ask yourself, who'd watch for me?
My only friend, who could it be?
It's hard to say it, I hate to say it, but it's probably me"
by Jay Garmon
I notice a lot of the fancy smileys aren't showing as such pretty pics nowdays, ist thou aware of this.
edited to add this.
Yes TT I know how to use the properly, I usually give a space on each side. However, over the last week or so, I've noticed a lot of posts that dont convert to the fancy little smiley icons. In this thread alone there are two posts showing the text entry and not the icon. Examples below, maybe as the problem is eratic.
:D :p ;)
by tig2
Runs over your dogma... :)
Hang in there!
by cg it
there are people who post questions in Q&A that appear to do so just to reject suggestions. Most of us who have been here over the years have seen this. A long list of suggestions and everyone rejected. Then there are the guys/gals who post their school test questions hoping to get an answer. Then there are the senario questions. They usually start out with "Suppose I have Server A..." Then there are questions posted that, at least I, just want to say, "if you have to ask you shouldn't be messing with it". There are some who post questions that are right from the Microsoft Help and Support FAQ.
Not to beat you up but as Maxwell Edition said, you've only been here 30 days. With time, you'll be able to weed out legitimate questions from the more dubious ones. Note that there are some questions that no one provides an suggestion to. There is a reason for that and it's not that no one here doesn't know a suggestion or answer.
by now left tr
by your guidance I should just shut up. What happened to 'Discussions'. Who said anything about your unrated answers (specifically!!) anyway?
(That would have been you, not myself)
All cleared up now, thanks.
Edit - + 1 word
You asked, [i]"Who said anything about your (my) unrated answers?"[/i]
Well, first you made it appear that you were complaining about YOUR answers, as you didn't elaborate on the nature of your complaint. You then made it clear that you were not speaking for YOUR answers, but rather all answers in general, which, by definition, are other people's answers. And now you say you aren't talking about my (other people's) answers.
Which way do you want it, dude? Both ways, it appears.
If you want to be part of a group complaint, you at least should be among those who have experienced the issue. And as far as your question, [i]"What happened to 'Discussions'",[/i] that's exactly what I'm doing. You just don't like what you're hearing.
by now left tr
you have gone out your way to be as difficult as possible. Why else check up on what Q&A I have done in my short time here.
Lets get this clear...
There is the chance that my unrated answer to a question is also a question you have posted an answer to, also unrated. Further to this a third party may have posted an answer AS WELL - again UNRATED. Therefore I can be all of the above! :-P
by jaqui
the temp files / cache is usually what fixes that slowdown.
if not it could be a fragmenting issue.
I don't use itunes at all, it isn't available for linux.
nor do I actually p\play mp3s on my systems using the mp3 software available.
by hal 9000
[b]Guess What[/b] I don't use I Tunes either. Until I ran into this one I had never even looked at an I Pod let alone ever thought of using one.
What can I say it's the Companies Owners Play Toy and a good excuse for him to use a computer as that is about all he currently does with it, besides driving me nuts of course. :D
Col ]:)
by jaqui
you seem to have that one client that loves to screw his notebook up.
I've noticed that windows doesn't clean temp files or cached data very well, and it causes problems long term if they aren't cleared out.
this is what causes the infamous ms slowdown/crash if it's not rebooted regularly. the ram isn't cleared, nor is the swapfile optimised without it.
For background information, that's why. How can a person make a sound judgement call without checking the background information pertaining to the issue? Unfortunately, all too many people do just that -- like you did when you started your rant. (You did use the word [i]rant[/i] in your title, didn't you?) If, for example, there had been numerous open questions for which you provided answers, and they had been open for months and months, or years and years, I wouldn't have posted a single message to this discussion.
Side note: Do you know how many times I've debated people who spout off about a subject on which they've done absolutely no research into any background information? Too many to count. And debating them is like shooting ducks in a barrel. Bang! Bang!
by now left tr
So the statement about people not rating or closing Technical Q&A is untrue?
No.
You yourself have hundreds.
I got wound up on what little few I answered within X time and the general lack observed overall. My right to do so.
I posted this Rant. Well as a member of TR that is again my choice to do so.
You picked holes wherever possible. Your choice, but then the question is WHY?
Why Maxwell WHY?, WHY?, WHY?, WHHHHHHHIIIIIE? :-0
Because it's both easy and fun.
Now go have a cup of coffee (Maxwell House or any other brand) and calm down.
by tig2
I apologise- late to the party.
Max is one of the good guys- great debator, has keen intelltecual knowledge, good thinker. I respect him greatly.
I am hearing a communication disconnect- I can use "wound up" to mean frustrated when talking to family in the UK. Here, it means agitated.
I don't think that you are agitated, irritated or much beyond frustrated based on your posts. Am I correct?
I think that what Max heard was that you were more upset than I think you are. Just another of life's frustrations, yes?
Max is busier than a one armed paper hanger most of the time. And he is pretty exact. I think, from reading all the posts, that you two understand each other better than you know.
Don't ask me about global warming...
by now left tr
by hal 9000
But this time Maxwell has [b]Gone Too Far[/b] with his [b]When Does Life Begin[/b] discussion he's lured Protius X back into the fray the one responsible for that [b]Horrible EL Monster.[/b]
Right now we need to crack down on Max quite hard before he begins his [b]World Domination[/b] fling. Of course we will be doing this to protect Max from himself right? :D
That discussion kind of reminds me of the [b]Goodies[/b] when they became [b]Outlaw Scouts[/b] they where going for their [b]World Domination Badge[/b] by kidnapping a less than well liked singer and holding the entire world to ransom by threating not to kill the singer if the rest of the world didn't cave into their demands. Don't know what made me think of that but I can't get it out of my head now. :(
Col ]:)
by jaqui
you do realize that it's very rare that Max and I agree on anything?
I think, it's been twice since Max and I have been members and active here. :p
I know that in debating subjects with Max, I've learned a few things, I'm pretty sure he has learned as well from my comments. [ don't know, have to ask him ]
but Max is still a wacko, way out there in right field.
[ I'm way out in left field :D ]
and as with Max, I have over 300 TQ&A answers not rated, though it's a far higher percentage of my total than his.
Max is stick a nutbar, after all, being a terminal right winger he has to be a nutbar. ;)
by tig2
Have a space between the content and the emoticon. :)
Or use the ones that TR has published ae graphics. :)
Many do not... but the intent comes across... ish.
by now left tr
by hal 9000
I don't remember you being quite so nice to my first posting here at TR so I gather that you are mellowing in your [b]Old Age.[/b] :D
I'm still planing on [b]Growing Old Disgracefully[/b] and being [b]Proud of It![/b] :p
Col ]:)
by hal 9000
You are far more believable the way that you where. Besides we got better laughs but this way is just [b]Plain Scary![/b] B-)
What's this the [b]New Touchy Feely Maxwell?[/b] I know you are just feeling up the new members of the opposite sex aren't you? :)
Or it could be that the people like Mae and Tigger Two are getting more outspoken and leaving you behind. :p
I haven't seen one thread titled something along the lines of [b]I'm leaving TR Thanks Maxwell.[/b] but maybe I missed that one. :8}
But as you seem to have lured ProtiusX back and seem to be attempting to cross bread the EL and When does Life Start Thread maybe you are trying to put on a Nicer face so you can catch us all out when you take over the world with a Sentient Computer the much sought after first real AI. :x
But seriously is everything OK with you? It's just that you seem so different that I didn't recognise you and this is way different to anything that Dawg would post so I'm getting confused. What can I say I'm a lowly IT tech who doesn't know any better. :0
Col ]:)
by maecuff
1. plain nut bar
2. fruit and nut bar
3. extra fruity nut bar
4. mixed nut bar
5. extra crunchy nut bar.
Personally I think everybody is cray except you and me, and sometimes I have to wonder about you.
I'm not mad, I'm not even irate, hahahahahahaha
by jaqui
combined.
an extra fruity extra crunchy nutbar.
by hal 9000
So the rebooting thing isn't an issue here but the junk that he puts on it is another story.
I tried your idea of Flushing it but I couldn't break it up into small enough pieces to go down the toilet. :D
The HDD, CPU and RAM was easy but the rest just got too hard to fit in. :(
Actually the SOD hasn't been into work all this week so I haven't had a chance to even have a look see. Well maybe next week he'll come into the office. All I can say is that he has the most expensive I Pod that I've ever run across with the hours of my time wasted there it's unbelievable. :^0
Col ]:)
by hal 9000
But there are degrees of niceness and here you are being so positively nice that I'm beginning to worry about you. :p
Col ]:)
by danlm
I ask this because I opened a Q/A and left it open for a period of time. I received an answer in the beginning, but I was looking for further input. Which ment this q/a was left open for awhile.
I did close it, and rated it after receiving a couple more answers. But, I was just wondering if others are leaving these open for the same reason.
And I do want to thank the people that did answer me, the help was greatly appriceated.
Dan
by jaqui
and did you put a comment to the original answer?
if not, then yup, the length of time waiting with no input is what people are complaining about.
We get no feedback unless the person asking the question posts a comment.
we don't even know if they have read the answer(s).
by danlm
I just looked at the question Jaqui, and you were one of the people that answered. I didn't put a comment in.
I appoligise for not commenting, that was just stupidity on my part.
Again, I appolgise.
dan
by onbliss
by lowlands
I personally don't really care if people close and rate my answers. It is not like at 10K points you get a T-Shirt with TiggerTwo on the front :)
I answer questions for two reasons, first and foremost, because I have the slight hope that some of my meager knowledge might help out a fellow IT worker in getting a problem resolved. The other reason is that it helps me in that I see what other problems are out there.
Sure it would be nice to hear if your (or another) suggestion posted in reply to a question has helped someone fix their issue. That way the next guy with a problem might have an answer ready.
So if people want to close and rate an answer, GREAT. If not, I won't lose any sleep over it.
by tig2
While my avatar doesn't suggest it, I am aging like a bad beach party movie...
Good points. I agree with TechMail that it does get a bit frustrating- I rarely get a sense of wether or not I am still able to do the hands on- don't get as much opportunity any more.
But I do glean insight from the other posters- and that is helpful.
I'm with NeverBusted- I want enough points for a pony!
by jaqui
shows why people get upset with the questions in TQ&A.
no response at all so no idea if the problem was solved, who's info helped anything.
comments on posts, even if the question is left open at least give people some feedback and help improve the answers. :D
since I'm running at 68% not rated in the TQ&A, I actually rarely make it into there, the feedback on the answers being lacking the questions can't be that important ;)
it's been the common complaint for a long time, and I believe that TR is working on changing the format to improve the feedback from the people posting the questions.
by ontheropes
This discussion is closed to new replies.
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