Who answers all my technical qus?

[c94wjpn]

I reckon there are some experienced, knowledgeable programmers who spend most of their days monitoring the programming forums and answering the questions.

I think this because it usually takes me 20 mins to get an answer to one of my (apparently) arcane questions, and I begin to notice the same people answering them.

Unfortunately, I have seldom the time or the expertise to reply to other people's questions. Where do these experts get their time from and do they get paid by a philanthropic institution? Maybe they are retired bods with a computer at home -- I dunno.

:)

[Mick]

Originally posted by c94wjpn
I reckon there are some experienced, knowledgeable programmers who spend most of their days monitoring the programming forums and answering the questions.

I think this because it usually takes me 20 mins to get an answer to one of my (apparently) arcane questions, and I begin to notice the same people answering them.

Unfortunately, I have seldom the time or the expertise to reply to other people's questions. Where do these experts get their time from and do they get paid by a philanthropic institution? Maybe they are retired bods with a computer at home -- I dunno.

:)

I can answer this...me me me...pick me (waving hand)...
Umm don't think I've answered any of your questions before....But as for me...I'm currently collecting unemployment which hmm righ tnow is 1028.00 US a month, about what I make in a few days of work...why you ask, cause my company ran outta Venture Capital to make payroll...But I did get some niffty machines outta the deal (hmm about 30,000 US if you count the software licenses) so while I look for a job (and no, not just any job will do sorry I have standards) I try and help those few lost souls out here that post questions....and try to annoy Simon666 and Sam Hobbs while I'm at it (or anybody else that's high strung)... (love you guys really I do)

Maybe I'll cook some chicken chops today.

[Gabriel Fleseriu]

Originally posted by Mick_2002

Maybe I'll cook some chicken chops today.

One of these days, I will cook that person who mentions chicken chop again :D

Back to c94wjpn's question: all contributors to the forums are volunteers -- no one gets paid. Although some people may be "monitoring" the forums all day long, I think these are exceptions. I suppose that most of the main contributors have regular jobs and just drop an eye to the forums every now and then. Most of them probably also have large collections of samples and examples, code snippets and so on. This, plus a vast experience, plus knowing exactly where in the documentation to search for something results in a very high efficiency when answering questions. Not to mention that many of the questions asked are variations of questions that have been already asked before -- some of them many, many times :)

And, btw: you actually gain something when you try to solve other peoples problems: you gain knowledge and experience. IMHO that is one of the more important things that you get in return by contributing to CG.

[Mick]

Originally posted by Gabriel Fleseriu
One of these days, I will cook that person who mentions chicken chop again :D


Actually I prefer the other white meat!!!

Gonna cook some:

Pork Chop
Pork Chop
Pork Chop

[Mick]

Originally posted by Gabriel Fleseriu
This, plus a vast experience, plus knowing exactly where in the documentation to search for something results in a very high efficiency when answering questions.


I find a _vast_ majority of the questions can be answered by looking at the documentation, or a google search etc.

[Simon666]

Originally posted by Mick_2002
....and try to annoy Simon666 and Sam Hobbs while I'm at it (or anybody else that's high strung)... (love you guys really I do)
Thanks Mick, you're too kind. :rolleyes: No seriously, some people have noticed it already, but I'm not that active any more here, I used to be one of the guys "monitoring" the VC++ programming forum and answer everything I could, and unfortunately sometimes too a couple I couldn't. I frequently ask myself where the others find the time to do this, but personally, I'm a PhD student with not that much to do and who often has to do computer simulations which require typically 30 minutes of my PC time, during which I can virtually do no programming. Visual compiles too slow and searching in files goes too slow when such a simulation is running, so usually I spend this time here on Codeguru. I must say that I've learned a lot by looking at the questions and answers and by trying to help.
Originally posted by Mick_2002
I find a _vast_ majority of the questions can be answered by looking at the documentation, or a google search etc.
I must say that it surprises me how often this is the case indeed.

[Mick]

I like a good problem :) The more obscure the problem is the more you've got my attention. Though alot of the time, it's just a reply referencing something in the help section. I prefer not to post code until after someone has at least tried for themselves. and posted something like 'ok I tried this and it didn't work'. Some people post code right away, but to me that's not helping the OP in any way, other than if they said 'urgent my job depends on this' or they are holding my favorite fluffy shoes hostage...

Will code for beer!

[Andreas Masur]

Originally posted by Mick_2002
I find a _vast_ majority of the questions can be answered by looking at the documentation, or a google search etc.
Well...that is of course true...but that is the nature of human beings...why should I search for something if others will search for me? :D

Of course that does not apply to anybody but I assume that often this is the thought...

[Andreas Masur]

Originally posted by Mick_2002
I prefer not to post code until after someone has at least tried for themselves. and posted something like 'ok I tried this and it didn't work'. Some people post code right away, but to me that's not helping the OP in any way, other than if they said 'urgent my job depends on this' or they are holding my favorite fluffy shoes hostage...

Well...on one side I tend to agree on the other side to disagree. I for myself would be rather the second category you mentioned I guess...

Nevertheless I always assume that the OP will not only take the code and put in his/her application but rather take a look at it and tries to understand it. This of course I cannot and also do not want to force somehow. It is basically up to everybody. Everybody who wants to learn something will do it, everybody else not. But usually I add a more or less detailed explanation of the code provided so it should not be that hard. :cool:

Depending on the question asked I prefer the above over the other way of trying to pinpoint the OP to some help etc. If he did not search in the first place he will not do it just because someone told them here...at least not in most of the cases. And it is rather annyoing to read something like 'You will find it well described in the standard help' or such which basically will end up in endless discussions which helpfile and that the OP cannot find it but the other poster says it is there etc. This not only makes threads longer than necessary, makes the OP not happier and of course wastes time. I often read a thread which sounds interesting but 90% of the posts are as described above....and this is just useless - at least in my eyes...

[Mick]

Originally posted by Andreas Masur

Well...on one side I tend to agree on the other side to disagree. I for myself would be rather the second category you mentioned I guess...

Nevertheless I always assume that the OP will not only take the code and put in his/her application but rather take a look at it and tries to understand it. This of course I cannot and also do not want to force somehow. It is basically up to everybody. Everybody who wants to learn something will do it, everybody else not. But usually I add a more or less detailed explanation of the code provided so it should not be that hard. :cool:

Depending on the question asked I prefer the above over the other way of trying to pinpoint the OP to some help etc. If he did not search in the first place he will not do it just because someone told them here...at least not in most of the cases. And it is rather annyoing to read something like 'You will find it well described in the standard help' or such which basically will end up in endless discussions which helpfile and that the OP cannot find it but the other poster says it is there etc. This not only makes threads longer than necessary, makes the OP not happier and of course wastes time. I often read a thread which sounds interesting but 90% of the posts are as described above....and this is just useless - at least in my eyes...

It's kinda funny Andreas I had you in mind when I commented about people that post code first :) Nothing wrong with it mind you...

[Andreas Masur]

Originally posted by Mick_2002
It's kinda funny Andreas I had you in mind when I commented about people that post code first
;)

[galathaea]

I help people when I find problems that have been of interest to me in the past or challenge what I have learned. There are a lot of problems I will overlook if I think the topic isn't that interesting or challenging to me, such as some basic GUI questions, and I won't answer questions on things I don't have any background in. So that narrows down the field to a nice collection of questions that I look for. Sometimes, I will answer more general questions when I think the poster is sincerely looking to learn (which is the most appealing thing I look for in answering a question).

Why do I have time? Well, somewhat similar to Mick_2002, my "job" is with a startup company that has not found much Venture Capital. I have given them already quite a lot of technology worth good money, but I still live without health care and bank less than a third of average starting pay for the profession. So, when I am sitting at work, and there is little to entice me to work on my current problem, I will vent the frustration by wasting their time (though they are still spending less money on me per time or accomplishment than any other company I have seen). Either that, or I will go play something on the office PS2. Anything to take my mind off the fact that I have been with this company for a year, and the vc's money has always been estimated at "one more month"...

[Mick]

Originally posted by galathaea
Why do I have time? Well, somewhat similar to Mick_2002, my "job" is with a startup company that has not found much Venture Capital. I have given them already quite a lot of technology worth good money, but I still live without health care and bank less than a third of average starting pay for the profession. So, when I am sitting at work, and there is little to entice me to work on my current problem, I will vent the frustration by wasting their time (though they are still spending less money on me per time or accomplishment than any other company I have seen). Either that, or I will go play something on the office PS2. Anything to take my mind off the fact that I have been with this company for a year, and the vc's money has always been estimated at "one more month"...

Ouch. I have felt your pain, though the guys/gals I worked with were an oustanding group of people. It's a very stressful enviroment (very hard to focus) not knowing if next month you'll get paid...and quite the relief when I found out I wasn't going to get paid, at least I knew :) But that's part of being with a 'start-up' company, because typically if you can get off the ground, the rewards are worth it, well so they seemed at the time...

PS: I also tend to pass over GUI questions...I'm more interested in 'internals/system programming' questions. Sides John Cruz and Sam Hobbs (sorry only two I can think of off the top of my head, pretty much pick up the slack in the GUI dept.)