Incomplete Information

[Barbara1955]

The question I ask I wonder IF people answering Cant READ! I Give ALL the information I have in Detail Yet folks on her ask the same question over & over. Gets so aggravating to even Ask for help. I also ask answers be in Baby steps... then they get ALL Techy on me. Several times I Never had the problem Fixed. I still have not been able to get my Fires to connect to my PC or Calibre...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

To be fair... that's a huge gray area. Again; noobs of a non-technical nature cannot always be expected to understand the nuances of what might be epub-specific and what might be epub-editor-specific. In that situation, I feel making a new member follow their thread as it gets bounced around from "correct home" to correct home is more off-putting than just simply answering the question right where it was asked.

This place is confusing enough for new members. No need to add to their discomfort by making them figure out where their posts went, or expecting them to understand how everything works as well as a seasoned member right out of the gate. We learn as we go. None of us studied all the rules and etiquette for months before taking a MobileRead entrance exam.

Some people will stick around and some will be drive-bys. Why any of that has to affect how (or if) you choose to offer help is beyond me.

I offer answers because I know the answers (and because I'm in the mood to offer answers). I rarely give much thought to whether my contributions are read--much less appreciated.

But what about 4691mls's comment about posts in the wrong forum? Besides, when a thread is moved, a temporary link to the new thread can be left behind so the OP can find the thread. Personally, I'd rather move the thread then leave it in the wrong place. If we leave it, it will just encourage more threads in the wrong place.

I too like to help out when possible. One way I do so is to report the thread so it can be moved.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But what about 4691mls's comment about posts in the wrong forum?

To be perfectly honest, I really don't care all that much if posts are in the wrong forum or not. I find that many people who are overly pedantic about "wrong forum" pronouncements are usually motivated by some sort of inner referee wanting to blow a loud whistle than they are about wanting to see someone's question have the absolute best chance of being answered.

Wanna know what else I find annoying since we're being all honest and open? People who report posts being in the wrong forum and then refuse to take inaction on the part of a moderator as a hint that it's not that big of a deal. Or ones who report posts AND comment in the thread about it being in the "wrong forum." Report it (if you must) and then let. it. go.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by hobnail

I'm more bothered by people answering their question specifically without thinking about what the question asker is trying to accomplish. My favorite example is someone trying to convert from some format to MOBI. The first thing I think should be asked is do you really need MOBI? And explain the few situations where they do need MOBI and suggest AZW3 instead if they don't fit those situations and why AZW3 is better.

How is that helpful? The first thing you should do is answer the question. Then if you feel chatty and want to give unasked advice, maybe suggest to use a different format. If you are honest with yourself, there really isn't any benefit to use KF8 over MOBI7 when it comes to reading a standard novel.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

If you are honest with yourself, there really isn't any benefit to use KF8 over MOBI7 when it comes to reading a standard novel.

Um... there is. Custom fonts, boldness slider, custom font sizes. You can't use any of those with the plain mobi. Of course it depends on whether these features are important to you or not. For me, they're very important. But I've gathered there are lots of people who use none of them and wouldn't be interested. For them there would be no difference.

[Glorfindel]

Originally Posted by hobnail

I'm more bothered by people answering their question specifically without thinking about what the question asker is trying to accomplish. My favorite example is someone trying to convert from some format to MOBI. The first thing I think should be asked is do you really need MOBI? And explain the few situations where they do need MOBI and suggest AZW3 instead if they don't fit those situations and why AZW3 is better.

As a frequent asker in other areas online, the type of 'answer' that tells me I should do it this other way instead because 'it's better' is my least favorite type of answer.


Extra info is great, especially if it truly is a better way, but at the very least if you are going to put the effort into replying I want an actual answer to my actual question to be able to learn from.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by theducks

Hoo Boy! I remember those pains.
I took over the hardware support (installs, repairs and moves) gang back then. At least most of them had the excuse that THIS IS ALL NEW TECH.

Still, my official policy (inherited from when I was in the Navy): "Broken, is not a problem description. Tell us what it IS or IS NOT doing!"

Well, you can go with... "XXX is slow...."

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Well, what if instead of griping we light a candle?

A sticky thread for "IF YOU NEED HELP"...
...with a list of semi-standard issues and some basic info to gather up-front for each one.

That would help folks where to go and what to start with.
Nothing fancy but location, prefered format, OS, reading software and/or device, are a good place to start in most cases. So let them know how to best help the would-be helpers.

You're assuming they are going to read it. You'll find that reading is an overvalued skill, even in a forum like this.

[Terisa de morgan]

I think the best approach is:
* Can you ask the question? -> Do it
* Can you ask the question if giving more info? --> Ask for that info
* Any other case: Scroll down

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

To be perfectly honest, I really don't care all that much if posts are in the wrong forum or not. I find that many people who are overly pedantic about "wrong forum" pronouncements are usually motivated by some sort of inner referee wanting to blow a loud whistle than they are about wanting to see someone's question have the absolute best chance of being answered.

Wanna know what else I find annoying since we're being all honest and open? People who report posts being in the wrong forum and then refuse to take inaction on the part of a moderator as a hint that it's not that big of a deal. Or ones who report posts AND comment in the thread about it being in the "wrong forum." Report it (if you must) and then let. it. go.

If threads posting in the wrong forum section aren't going to move threads to the correct forum, then why not just move everything into General and leave it at that? There is a reason why there are different sections. So why not respect the reasons.

[John F]

Originally Posted by jhowell

What do you mean? Could you provide more details?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If threads posting in the wrong forum section aren't going to move threads to the correct forum, then why not just move everything into General and leave it at that?

Hyperbole. The last resort of those out of valid arguments.

The rules and divisions are there to try and help people, Jon. Not to create automatons checking boxes and doing everything the way you think it should be done. If you want to help people, then help them. Stop trying to mold them in your own image and help them. Help them because you want to. Not because they made it as easy as humanly possible to help them with their very first post (in the exact right location).

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Um... there is. Custom fonts, boldness slider, custom font sizes. You can't use any of those with the plain mobi. Of course it depends on whether these features are important to you or not. For me, they're very important. But I've gathered there are lots of people who use none of them and wouldn't be interested. For them there would be no difference.

Yes. And you need a fairly deep understanding or appreciation for those features. Information overload is an easy way to scare anyone off. Default settings work for the majority of people, that is why they are the default.

Less customization options prevent the potential to screw things up. The further you customize, the smaller the return. Once you are obsessed about font hinting and kerning, for example, I believe you went way too far into the OCD territory.

[BookCat]

I've occasionally answered a newbies query by asking a moderator to move it into another subforum because it's more likely to get helpful answers there. This is to help the poster, not to adhere to some rigid idea of how the forum should be organised.

Regarding mobi, there's a current thread in which the OP is puzzled as to why custom fonts only occasionally work (I think this is part of a longer font related thread) naturally it's important to state that custom fonts work only in azw3 format.

I think it's understandable to feel a bit miffed when someone vaguely asks for help, then doesn't give the extra information asked for, but just disappears.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BookCat

I've occasionally answered a newbies query by asking a moderator to move it into another subforum because it's more likely to get helpful answers there. This is to help the poster, not to adhere to some rigid idea of how the forum should be organised.

Regarding mobi, there's a current thread in which the OP is puzzled as to why custom fonts only occasionally work (I think this is part of a longer font related thread) naturally it's important to state that custom fonts work only in azw3 format.

I think it's understandable to feel a bit miffed when someone vaguely asks for help, then doesn't give the extra information asked for, but just disappears.

The thing is, if we have all the information and someone can help, even if the OP vanishes, maybe the answer can help someone else.