about "remembering" support answers for later

[dave131]

I know I can search the forum for my own threads, so I should always be able to find what was given to me as a solution. I would, over time, like to know enough to actually be helpful like others are on the forums. I would like to write things down in a notebook, but I'm a little lost as to just exactly what to write down. For example, I've seen threads about a wireless adapter something like BCM4312xxx and would like to "remember" the solution so I could perhaps actually answer sometime, but what part is the actual solution? For the threads I have checked in the forums for various things there always appears that there are multiple posts from multiple users, each of which appear to contribute something. How does a novice actually glean the bits that actually made things work and write those down concisely instead of just writing down a link to a thread?

I suppose this is a dumb question, and I'm sure I'm probably trying to over-simplify. I'd just like to be able to constructively contribute on the forums as time goes by.

[sudodus]

Have you learned how to subscribe to threads (any threads, not only those where you have posted can be subscribed)? You can also create a system with folders for different subjects for your subscribed threads.

Other sources of information are the Ubuntu wiki system and AskUbuntu. You can add important wiki pages as bookmarks in your browser (and of course you can also add ubuntuforums threads or single posts as bookmarks).

Don't forget the sticky threads (at the top of each of the forums). These threads are what we (the admins and moderators) think are the most important threads, where a new user can start searching for information. You can also check the Tutorials forum.

[dave131]

I'll give those a look and try - I clearly need to learn before I can do anything ;)

[sudodus]

You are welcome to ask again (maybe for some detailed information or instruction) :-)

[coffeecat]

You posted in General Help, which is for technical support questions. Yours is more of Cafe style question, so I've moved the thread to the Cafe.

Good luck with your learning and remembering!

[Webmasters_Pride]

There is no such thing as dumb questions, thanks for the answer.

[Bashing-om]

Webmasters_Pride; Hello :

I strongly agree with sudodus ( that is a plus 10) // In the learning process the file manager is your best friend ! You will be pleasantly amazed at what you can do from within the file manager .. make files, copy/paste pertinent info and move things about easily; in addition it forces your mind to a greater degree of organization -> focus ! ( for instance, I manage ALL my web bookmark's from a file, simple copy/paste the URL into the browsers address bar !)

As you are trying to learn, you will get all kinds of support here on the forum. Any and all assistance in teaching and instructing others is always welcome and one can learn a lot helping others to resolve a situation. Wade in, the water is fine !

A great aid is the link in my sig -all things 'buntu, it is . This WIKI was developed and is maintained by forum members and a lot of effort is put into keeping it current .




seek, and ye shall find



ask and it shall be given

[dave131]

Thanks so much everyone. I'm going to try the file manager "thing" - that way I can also search for topics as well. I'll try not to muck up the works too much! ;)

[tgalati4]

I use a combination of traditional school subject notebooks and zim, a simple text editor. As far as helping others, after 10 years, you will get moderately proficient in linux.

Humans are good at pattern recognition, so when I see a post that looks similar to a pattern that I have seen before, it brings up a memory of a fix, or a solution, or a work-around. Then I will either search my own threads or do a general google search with the appropriate keywords and find some links that may be helpful.

Many times hardware problems look like software problems, so I like to rule out the hardware first. Then if the hardware checks out, dig into the details of the problem and then try different steps to narrow the issue down. Many problems on these forums are difficult to solve.

[chili555]

When I first started in Linux, 150 years ago, I kept a README.txt file where I kept notes about things I wanted to remember. I fondly remember the very first entry:
List the contents of the current directory: Terminal > lsHow my document changed over the years! Now, I keep a directory on my desktop called 'Forum.' Although I remove items over a couple of years old from time to time, it is currently a slender, svelte 228 Mb! I add screenshots, images, downloaded drivers to compile, etc., and give them descriptive names so I can remember what they refer to. If I am working with one specific user on a complicated case, I name a folder for the user in question; for example, I might have a folder named 'dave131.'

I am also a fan of Advanced Search, where I search for my user name as well as the specific subject. Clicking on results that are [SOLVED] narrows the search.

I must admit that I sometimes answer posts by giving a link to the solved previous question; the solution would have been evident had the poster taken two minutes to search the forum or Google. I never give the arrogant, rude answer, "Search is your friend," because I well remember being a poor, confused new user and hoping I could get an answer and not a brush-off.

[oldos2er]

I keep text files that I frequently paste useful (to me) stuff into. I used to use a note-taking app called basket, which is great, but really overkill for the simple things I was using it for. There are other note-taking apps in the repositories that may suit you.

[linuxyogi]

I don't note anything. I just use bookmarks or search my old threads some which are now archived.

I started using Linux since Ubuntu 8.04. I am just a casual home user who is using Linux as replacement

for Microsoft Windows so becoming an expert on Linux was never my goal.

Having said that the fact that I won't be able to configure without looking at the wiki something which I have configured in the past is quite frustrating.

For example I configured NFS by consulting this page (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SettingUpNFSHowTo) but if someone asks me to configure it for them now without that page I wont be able to do it.

[Habitual]

quickfox firefox addon
highlight text & rightmouse click > send to Quickfox >

For example, I've seen threads about a wireless adapter something like BCM4312xxx and would like to "remember" the solution
-- http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2238464

[oldfred]

I also like Zim like tgalati4.

I originally started with just text files and then started creating several text files by topic. But search of text files was not as easy as it is in Zim and links in Zim work directly so I can (but do not always) easily check that older links still work.

I only started helping on a few issues like boot issues, but would read many threads on topics I thought I might need and saved links & info. And then if someone posted a similar question, and no one that really knew topic I would repeat what was previously posted.

I think my individual files then started to be like chapters in the Ubuntu book I originally bought and when one file gets too large I reorganize.

But without my notes I am worthless. I only now after years remember a few commands. May be part of the old in oldfred. :)

[dave131]

You've all hinted or directly mentioned something I hadn't thought about but that makes fantastic sense: start with one part of one area, learn what you can on that and then slowly start trying to answer posts based on that. It is more than a little overwhelming seeing all of the different things questions are raised about. So let me ask another dumb question: Is there any one area that is perhaps a little easier than others to start at, which, after I try to learn something, I might be able to help in quicker? I'm not looking to be some genious or something - I just envy those who can answer questions here and would like to be able to do some small part of contributing to things as well. Not looking for "atta boys" or anything at all like that - I would just like to help in some way as this is such a fantastic thing going here.

[oldfred]

Pick something that interests you. You will do a better with that.

When someone has posted a question even if solved, think about what you would suggest and then see what actual solution was. Or if possible test it. It can help to have another install (or 2) to experiment with, without worrying that you may break your main working system. It does help to have actual knowledge by doing something to know what the OP with the issue may be seeing.

Stand on the shoulders of those that have posted in the past. I still have links to posts from older threads where users who really knew systems had posted and some occasional issues that others are not necessarily familiar with.

[JKyleOKC]

Is there any one area that is perhaps a little easier than others to start at, which, after I try to learn something, I might be able to help in quicker? I'm not looking to be some genious or something - I just envy those who can answer questions here and would like to be able to do some small part of contributing to things as well.I'm nowhere near the league of folk like OldFred or some of the others with many thousands of beans to their credit, but I do like to "pay forward" for all the help i've received over the years, and long ago a magazine editor pointed out to me that I seemed to have an ability to make complicated subjects easier to understand.

My approach is to scan through the most recent postings in the General Help and New To Linux areas, and when I see a cry for help that involves anything I know even a little about, I read it. If I have any ideas that might be helpful, I post them -- but even if I'm at a total loss to help directly, then I try to steer the original poster to one of the other regulars that I know or suspect may be able to help more.

As you read more and more posts, a few names will become familiar to you. If the problem involves "secure boot" or "UEFI" then it's a cinch that OldFred can be helpful. If the question involves Xubuntu, then Toz is quite likely to know the answer. And so on for other subjects.

Just being able to steer the original poster to a more knowledgeable individual can be quite helpful, and a few times I've even sent private messages to "my experts" to call their attention to a question.

In other words, you don't have to wait until you're an expert yourself in order to be truly helpful. And as time passes, you'll begin recognizing problems that you've successfully solved earlier, and can offer more detailed advice. Go for it!

[sammiev]

Most of the stuff I learned over time was looking over oldfred's shoulder. :)

[rewyllys]

I know I can search the forum for my own threads, so I should always be able to find what was given to me as a solution. I would, over time, like to know enough to actually be helpful like others are on the forums. I would like to write things down in a notebook, but I'm a little lost as to just exactly what to write down. . . .
I suppose this is a dumb question, and I'm sure I'm probably trying to over-simplify. I'd just like to be able to constructively contribute on the forums as time goes by.
Yours is definitely NOT a dumb question!

But why worry about "exactly what to write down"? I suggest using a general note-taking file application, like CherryTree, in which you can simply paste a copy of any Forum post that's of interest to you. Searching such a database will be as easy, and probably faster, than doing a general search of the Forums.

I've been using such a free-form file database application for years, and by now have accumulated thousands of entries on all kinds of topics, and including images. I've also set up a separate database, using the same application, that contains recipes that sound interesting.

Your imagination can be the guide to possible uses of such an application.

[3rdalbum]

The important thing is to learn and understand the solution, and why that solution works.

Simply parroting things you noted for one particular Broadcom chip won't be of much help really; if somebody asks about a different Broadcom chip you'll be lost, or worse you'll give them wrong information.

Unfortunately there's already a lot of wrong information floating around and still being given - if there wasn't, then we wouldn't get so many new users with full /boot partitions because somebody told them they needed a /boot partition.

You can be of massive use if you actually learn and understand Ubuntu through experience.

[tgalati4]

I think of Linux in terms of frameworks. Linux is built on frameworks and if you spend some time with a particular framework, you become comfortable with it. For instance, printing--something we all need to set up, configure and use at one time or another.

If you read up on CUPS (http://http://www.cups.org/book.php), the printing framework, then you become familiar with how to set up printers and troubleshoot them.

Now, telling someone to RTFM, Read the Friggin' Manual, is not encouraged in this forum, but somebody has to read the documentation. Otherwise, you would never get anything working under Linux.

That person could be you. If you can read, then you can read Linux documentation. And if you read the documentation, you will be able to help others.

So yes, pick an area of interest and read the documentation for the frameworks involved, then you can be in a position to help others.

After 10 years or so, you will either be crazy, or know something about linux.

Or both.

I've been using Unix since 1982 and Linux since 1995 so I can vouch for crazy.