View Poll Results: What's your request / render support ratio?

Voters
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  • I help a lot, but almost never need support myself.

    8 44.44%
  • I help a bunch, and now and again I need some advice or help troubleshooting.

    4 22.22%
  • I pretty much break even. I usually help people while I'm waiting on help in a thread of my own.

    2 11.11%
  • I need a bunch of help, but I still help someone when I spot a problem I know the fix to.

    4 22.22%
  • I need help all the time, but I'm not versed enough, or don't have the drive to help others.

    0 0%
Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    United States
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    79
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

    Lightbulb Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    I know there are other places to post this, but I think the sample group will be less biased here, as the people in the non-help areas are likely people who hang around the forum much moreso than people who only jump here to request or render some support.

    So? What's your ratio?

    Personally I try really hard to find and help at least one person for each "unit" of help I get. If I get help with one problem, I try to help other people with at least one problem. Though I do cruise the "Absolute Beginner Talk" forum and the general help forums a fair bit, helping when I can or giving advice via PM.
    The Windows/Linux/OS X holy wars are pointless. Use what you like. It's just an operating system on a computer. Seriously.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Arkansas, USA
    Beans
    334

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    I don't really keep up with a tit-for-tat ratio myself. I've not asked for much help here over the years, but I like to think that I've given a lot.

    What I come here for is for new challenges. People do some freaky stuff at times. Those don't interest me. Some people don't make an effort to figure something out before coming to the forums. Those don't interest me either.

    But sometimes I see something that is genuinely interesting to me: "how do I make a copy of the Master Boot Record?", "How do I make a .deb package from scratch?", or "how do I set up a cross-compiling environment for multiple architectures on my PowerPC?"

    Those are interesting questions, and it can be hard to find documentation unless you know where to start looking. Usually the OP tells what she/he has done before, so you can tell they've at least attempted to do homework. When they post that, it's a couple of leads.

    For me, I'm happy if it helps the users, but the real motivation is personal. When I find a question that stumps me, just outside of what I know, it gives me something to reach for. When I find out how to accomplish it, I post the solution as a gift for the original poster.

    So I'm not exactly being altruistic here; they get what they want (assistance) and I get what I want (skill development), so it's more along the lines of fair trade between friends rather than some untouchable guru deigning to bless the helpless noob. I like it better this way; it's a win-win situation.
    ---------------------------------------------------
    Linux: Because my business ISN'T "Everybody's Business"

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Greece/Athens
    Beans
    965
    Distro
    Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhal

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    i used to get helped A LOT , but now i just prefer trying to solve the problems on my own and help at least 2 others per day (if real life [TM] doesn't get me too busy)


    i can help you, as well, saying that in the future it would be a good idea to start such threads on the community cafe subforum <--meaning that i do not think that the group would be different there, everyone that is helped would feel friendly and talk to the community on the cafe, or am i wrong?


    edit no2 : your signature is so True and most can't get to understand how clever this phrase is
    Last edited by chriskin; May 9th, 2009 at 11:00 PM. Reason: a part of the post could be misunderstood, so i changed it to avoid it

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Godfrey, IL
    Beans
    1,008
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    I seem to have fallen into the highest percentage group (#2 selection).

    While I do have a few posts asking for help, I mostly haunt the forums, reading and learning about different things and helping when I can, especially in areas in which I have particular expertise. For instance, I did a substantial re-write of the How To Partition pages in the Community Wiki.

    It seems that, the more I learn and experiment with, the more I'm able to help others with problems that they might experience.

    Some people don't make an effort to figure something out before coming to the forums. Those don't interest me either.
    This is where I differ. If the subject is interesting to me, I will do the research, then offer help on the issue, if nothing else with a link to the post that might help. That way, they learn and might be able to solve their issue, and I learn and might be able to help off-the-cuff in the future. I at least save a bookmark to the page for future reference.

    IMHO, helping and supporting each other is what this is all about, and that goes no matter what OS you're using. I used Micro$oft products since before there was Windows (circa DOS 2.x, in the early '80s), and as I was helped, so I try to help where I can. I do this kind of thing on several sites.

    i can help you, as well, saying that in the future it would be a good idea to start such threads on the community cafe subforum
    Probably, but once in a while a post like this isn't too bad, especially posted in the Beginner's or General sub-forums. To a real newbie, coming here and reading something like this can be an encouragement and give them information on what is an acceptable post and what might get ignored, as well as what information they might need and how to post it.

    Just as long as it doesn't get out of hand...after all, that is what the Community Cafe and Ubuntu Testimonials & Experiences sub-forums are for.
    73 from Glenn - KG5UC "Mungo just pawn in game of Life"
    Bump Thread Post #39000 - How To Partition

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Birmingham, England
    Beans
    2,400

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    The top one, I help those I can usually but some are beyond me. I've asked about 6 questions from nearly 1,250 posts which IMO qualifies as "almost never"

    1210:7 is my ratio XD
    Last edited by SuperSonic4; May 10th, 2009 at 12:50 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Hidden!

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    The second choice is for me. I help out a lot, but I'm still learning myself and can use some help myself sometimes.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Beans
    426
    Distro
    Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope

    Re: Altruism on the Ubuntu Forums

    Quote Originally Posted by mikezila View Post
    So? What's your ratio?
    Mostly I can provide some input, but I'm not experienced enough on *nix to offer complete & final solutions like some of the experts here.

    Mostly I gain from finding posts via google on whatever I'm currently battling with. Posting a thread also works, but in most cases its faster
    to just attack the problem with a "site:ubuntuforum.org XXXX" google search.

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