Hopeless threads

[sanderd17]

For some days, I've followed this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1832247

This is hopeless. Everyone knows a thousand ways to help the OP, but because of all the noise (and maybe the quite bad English of the OP), he can't figure it out. It's easy to get beans in that way though.

Are there some other threads like this, where it's just hopeless because everyone knows the answer?

[NightwishFan]

Hopeless threads
No offense but I think this is one. But for a different reason.

[sanderd17]

Yeah, it's gonna be closed pretty fast.

[Aquix]

This is nothing new. You quickly learn to peddle through all the noise to get to the useful stuff.

[sffvba[e0rt]

No offense but I think this is one. But for a different reason.

First thought I had (when I saw the title, even before opening).


404

[cgroza]

Well, it is true the OP that thread does not give the best feedback under the excuse he is tired. There are sentences that I can't even make sense of, and when he is confused, just posts some ??? and what do you mean. I don't want to judge him, but you can't help him if he does not help you help him.

[grahammechanical]

Ok, I know I am cynical. I try not to be but sometimes I am. I think that some of these questions are wind-ups. I am of the opinion that some questioners are not genuine but get some pleasure by setting off a pointless discussion. Either that, or they are lazy minded. Expecting others to do the research for them.

[3rdalbum]

I think people are just going too in-depth with that thread; I would have pointed him to "Dive into Python" and let him learn at his own pace without putting extra load on the Ubuntu Forums database.

[realzippy]

... or they are lazy minded. Expecting others to do the research for them.

Think that 95 % of the forum's threads where obsolete when googling before...
..problem is most OPs are not able to express their issue in a proper linux term...

[sanderd17]

I think people are just going too in-depth with that thread; I would have pointed him to "Dive into Python" and let him learn at his own pace without putting extra load on the Ubuntu Forums database.

I helped him the first time he posted here. I still don't know what was wrong, but it took 8 posts until he understood what torrent he had to download (while he already worked with torrents before). If it takes 4 posts, it's probably my fault, but 8 is a bit much.

Be sure, if you don't explain click by click (as done here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=11190372&postcount=219)) that he just keeps asking. Or keeps posting question marks.

[forrestcupp]

I think his problem is more that he is a 12 year old than it is a language barrier. Also, he is used to using Visual Basic, which is extremely easy to set up and get started with. You just install the IDE, and you don't have to worry about compilers or command lines or anything.

He's a 12 year old kid trying to learn how to program in Linux, which is much harder to set up than the common ways in Windows.

Plus, it doesn't matter who the OP is. There are a thousand different threads where people ask how to start programming, and in each of those threads you have a large group of people who all vehemently disagree about what path to take, so it always turns into a 50 page argument of everyone trying to prove that their knowledge is better instead of really listening and helping out the person who asks.

But maybe the OP of this thread is really asking for examples of similar threads that are great for boosting your bean count. :)

[sanderd17]

But maybe the OP of this thread is really asking for examples of similar threads that are great for boosting your bean count. :)

I'm not interested in beans (otherwise I wouldn't be in the cafe so much).

But I feel sorry for the kid. He should have someone in real-life around him to help. But you can't say "ask your IT teacher" because most IT teachers don't know anything about Linux or programming.

[Thewhistlingwind]

I think his problem is more that he is a 12 year old than it is a language barrier. Also, he is used to using Visual Basic, which is extremely easy to set up and get started with. You just install the IDE, and you don't have to worry about compilers or command lines or anything.


My thoughts during that were. "Jeez, I wasn't like this when I was twelve...." (And I remember clearly, that wasn't too long ago.)

[realzippy]

...when I was 12,we played in the woods.
And nobody was fat btw....but different topic I guess.

[cgroza]

...when I was 12,we played in the woods.
And nobody was fat btw....but different topic I guess.
I used to play in the woods... before I got a computer...:P

[Oxwivi]

I used to play in the woods... before I got a computer...:P
I've never seen real woods... until I got a computer...

[realzippy]

...grew up in the desert?

[wojox]

No offense but I think this is one. But for a different reason.

No no. It's this one. (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1834211) :P

[Oxwivi]

...grew up in the desert?
Great guess! Yeah, Middle East (and I'm not Middle Eastern, mind you). But it's more of an urban thing. There's only city, city and city. Not much natural stuff to look at.

[oldos2er]

Edit: Deleting my comment because I hadn't read through the thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1832247 at the time I posted it.

[JDShu]

My thoughts during that were. "Jeez, I wasn't like this when I was twelve...." (And I remember clearly, that wasn't too long ago.)

I actually was. I remember trying to teach myself Visual Basic, but was so anxious to get cool animation to make games, that I never absorbed the actual concept of what "programming" actually meant. Eventually I got bored and went back to Red Alert or whatever game I was playing at the time.

The biggest problem with that thread is that everybody is treating a 12 year old as if they think like adults; most do not.

[dniMretsaM]

I wasn't too much like that when I was twelve (only 4-ish years ago, so I remember). I could follow directions pretty well and I could figure a lot out on my own (so I didn't need click-by-click instructions). But then again I've always been a fast learner. My kindergarten teacher got a little mad at me for talking about negative numbers and confusing the other kids. But anyway, yeah. I really don't think the kid in that thread should be attempting to learn C++ with Eclipse. He should be learning Gambas which is a lot like VB or Python which is insanely easy to set up in Ubuntu. And he should be using gEdit or Kate, not Eclipse. Eclipse is great, but it can be a little daunting at first.

[Oxwivi]

This thread turned out to be a support thread for a support thread. So if anyone knows their stuff and can bother with it, make a useful post in the thread in question.

[forrestcupp]

The biggest problem with that thread is that everybody is treating a 12 year old as if they think like adults; most do not.

Exactly. There are some smart young kids out there, especially on here. But most 12 year olds out there don't think like adults.

[Dry Lips]

Actually I think threads like this are a positive thing. A 12 year old kid who is a total noob asks for help, and lots of nice adults are determined to help him out. I think learning C++ for a 12 year old is quite impressive. In a couple of years this kid will rock with Ubuntu, as well as with C++! Treat him nicely and we may have secured Ubuntu an able developer for coming years.

[cgroza]

Yeah.... And if we wanted to know something, we went to the library. Good times!
I really miss Google when I'm at my school's library.

[XubuRoxMySox]

Exactly. There are some smart young kids out there, especially on here. But most 12 year olds out there don't think like adults.

LOL, and some of us still think like 12-year-olds even when we're 17. I like to think I've gotten smarter, but I still think in black-and-white, spell-it-out-for-me terms. Maybe it's an Aspie thing, I dunno I don't mean that to sound like an excuse, but it hasn't changed since I was little(r).

[realzippy]

LOL, and some of us still think like 12-year-olds even when we're 17

..those are the one you better do not meet when you are out on a dark place
at night in my area :P

[dniMretsaM]

This thread turned out to be a support thread for a support thread. So if anyone knows their stuff and can bother with it, make a useful post in the thread in question.

I don't really get what you mean here.

[realzippy]

Now I have read nearly the whole thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1832247)
It is great,nearly unbelievable.
I want the copyright for
edward & james aka apollothethird
eg:

edward:
did can u help me tomoz i g2g to sleep w8 found it but cant print it tomoz u can tell me how to ge it to work bye

apollothethird:
Sure. It's no problem. I'm glad you have this part of the C++ support installed into Eclipse. I'm sure once you use it for a while you'll find it very easy and fun to use. It's a very powerful environment. Some of the best programmers have described it as complicated to get started, but you have succeeded in getting it started and basically configured. I believe the hardest part is behind us.


It is real worth reading,although I get the idea that "edward"
has enormous fun,and might be a few years older than 12 :P :P :P
Chapter2 :
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1834490

[dniMretsaM]

Chapter2 :
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1834490

Oh wow...

[Legendary_Bibo]

LOL, and some of us still think like 12-year-olds even when we're 17. I like to think I've gotten smarter, but I still think in black-and-white, spell-it-out-for-me terms. Maybe it's an Aspie thing, I dunno I don't mean that to sound like an excuse, but it hasn't changed since I was little(r).

There's a behavior age and an intelligence age.

Someone could be very bright, but still act like a nincompoop.

[Legendary_Bibo]

Now I have read nearly the whole thread (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1832247)
It is great,nearly unbelievable.
I want the copyright for
edward & james aka apollothethird
eg:

edward:
did can u help me tomoz i g2g to sleep w8 found it but cant print it tomoz u can tell me how to ge it to work bye

apollothethird:
Sure. It's no problem. I'm glad you have this part of the C++ support installed into Eclipse. I'm sure once you use it for a while you'll find it very easy and fun to use. It's a very powerful environment. Some of the best programmers have described it as complicated to get started, but you have succeeded in getting it started and basically configured. I believe the hardest part is behind us.


It is real worth reading,although I get the idea that "edward"
has enormous fun,and might be a few years older than 12 :P :P :P
Chapter2 :
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1834490

Welcome to the Facebook generation.

[Thewhistlingwind]

Welcome to the Facebook generation.

Right. :P

So, anyone want to start a project to create a social network thats not facebook? *trollface*

[dniMretsaM]

Welcome to the Facebook generation.

Lol! More like the texting generation. I really wish people would talk normally in a forum post. Chatting/texting are entirely different than posting a question that you want to be answered in a timely fashion. That usually tends to extent these "hopeless" threads.

[sffvba[e0rt]

I've never seen real woods... until I got a computer...

This made me :lolflag:


404

PS - Even though I kind of find it sad...

[sanderd17]

This thread turned out to be a support thread for a support thread. So if anyone knows their stuff and can bother with it, make a useful post in the thread in question.

This thread has become a thread to discuss how things went wrong in the first thread and how we can do it better.

Off coarse I could help the OP of the other thread, but I can't do it via forums. He already receives too much noise and adding my voice to it would just make it worse.

Maybe we should be less eager to answer in this forums. Especially the simple questions get a bunch of different (but mostly correct) answers. Since simple questions are asked by beginners, this can overwhelm them. Certainly if they didn't learn to read through the noise yet.

Btw, I'm guilty too

[Docaltmed]

Off coarse I could help the OP of the other thread, but I can't do it via forums. He already receives too much noise and adding my voice to it would just make it worse.



Well, if you're looking for a thread to help out on, here's one:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1833662

At this point, I'd give out lollipops and ice cream for a response.

[forrestcupp]

Chapter2 :
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1834490After looking at this thread, I almost wonder if the poster is just getting a big laugh at getting everyone mad. If not, I don't think there's any helping him. My favorite part is when someone made a very long post explaining a lot of things, he quoted the entire post and just wrote "What do you mean?"



This thread has become a thread to discuss how things went wrong in the first thread and how we can do it better.I'm starting to think that in some cases, people just can't be helped and there is nothing better that you can do.

[cariboo]

I'm starting to think that in some cases, people just can't be helped and there is nothing better that you can do.

+1 to that, I've seen several users that just refuse to use the advise given to them, mainly because they think they know a better way than more experienced users.

[saltmarshlamb]

Unfortunately - such is life - it's knowing when to walk away. Or when to ask to get threads closed when they are going nowhere - which that one obviously is.

[lisati]

LOL, and some of us still think like 12-year-olds even when we're 17.
... or when we think like we're younger than 12 when we're a LOT older than that.

There's a behavior age and an intelligence age.

Someone could be very bright, but still act like a nincompoop.
^^^This. There's a whole bunch of mental health issues and the like which can take the edge off wisdom.

[forrestcupp]

Guys, I didn't realize it, but I guess it was discussed that the OP in the originally linked thread is autistic. Maybe we could cut him a little slack. This kind of makes me want to consider more possibilities before judging people on here.

[dniMretsaM]

Guys, I didn't realize it, but I guess it was discussed that the OP in the originally linked thread is autistic. Maybe we could cut him a little slack. This kind of makes me want to consider more possibilities before judging people on here.

I don't think we were judging (at least I wasn't). We were just pointing out that there is a time that somethings should just end.

[forrestcupp]

I don't think we were judging (at least I wasn't). We were just pointing out that there is a time that somethings should just end.

I agree. But currently, there is a guy helping him who works with autistic children. He is content for the time being with helping him. So since he's qualified, I don't see anything wrong with letting it go on, in this case.

[madjr]

For some days, I've followed this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1832247

This is hopeless. Everyone knows a thousand ways to help the OP, but because of all the noise (and maybe the quite bad English of the OP), he can't figure it out. It's easy to get beans in that way though.

Are there some other threads like this, where it's just hopeless because everyone knows the answer?

well the OP of that thread wanted to learn a programing language.

if you're going to be a programmer you NEED to learn to FILTER the CRAP.

hundreds if not thousands of pages, manuals, techniques, forum threads, etc. (and that's just for 1 language...)

else is better you STAY AWAY from programming and do something else.

[Dry Lips]

Guys, I didn't realize it, but I guess it was discussed that the OP in the originally linked thread is autistic. Maybe we could cut him a little slack. This kind of makes me want to consider more possibilities before judging people on here.

I seldom post just to +1. But now I do! Thumbs up.

[Nyromith]

Many times I saw trolls take cover behind mental disabilities. It just makes everyone fall on their knees.

Hope all the help people offered in that thread was indeed useful to someone...

[Dry Lips]

Many times I saw trolls take cover behind mental disabilities. It just makes everyone fall on their knees.

Hope all the help people offered in that thread was indeed useful to someone...
Okay, say it's 50% percent likely that you're right... Shouldn't we still try to be as helpful as possible? You know, trolls turn into stone when exposed to sunlight. ;)

[schauerlich]

edwardpatch1 is autistic, which means he has issues communicating effectively.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=11186198&postcount=93
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=11199242&postcount=51

[forrestcupp]

Many times I saw trolls take cover behind mental disabilities. It just makes everyone fall on their knees.

Hope all the help people offered in that thread was indeed useful to someone...

I'm not saying everyone should fall on their knees and give thousands of pages of help. I'm just saying I'm a little more understanding of some of his replies.