(Some) users of the sub-continent have an amazing ability to annoy user-group lists by posting stuff like:
- I am new. Where do I start? (There is a well setup website with LOTS of examples to get your feet wet AND start swimming)
- This is my situation. Please help. (Without having searched archives)
- This is my situation. Send me some code I can use. (Why should someone else do *your* work?)
- Repeated requests for help on the SAME topic. (Open source mailing lists comprise of other users who *volunteer* help and not paid tech-support)
- I am getting an error. Please help. (With no attempt to troubleshoot or debug)
- Incoherently asked questions with incomplete information.
- Are clear and concise
- Display what attempts the seeker of help has already made to try and solve the problem - - yes this implies that you DO try and look for a solution instead of running to others for help immediately
- Do not beg for help
- Do not expect a ready made solution that can be swallowed as-is in the next 20 minutes
- Are grammatically coherent?
I'm in the same league as you. I've cribbed on this matter a lot on some open source forums. But I've learnt that there's no use ranting about it there because we find people breaking these simple and obvious rules there everyday. And they are not just from the sub-continent, but from many other parts of the world too.
ReplyDeleteYou are possibly right about the geographical origins of clueless posters (stupidity is a world-wide phenomenon ;-))
ReplyDeleteI *specifically* had the Watir general mailing list in mind when I wrote this blog entry.