Do you try and help people out on the forums

[earobinson]

I have been using linux for about 3 years now and still only know so much. When I first started I used fedora and was a compleat leach, now that I have used linux for a while I feal I am able to start helping people and so I have, I have never given money to the forums or to any other open source project (poor student). But I feal by asking smart questions and answering the questions that I can answer (even if is to teach a noob about the search feature when he is asking a question everyone else has all ready asked) that I can give a bit back.

So how much do you give back?

[KingBahamut]

Everyday, as much as I can.

I wouldnt feel right if I didnt do at least that.

Im not a Pro
Im not a Noob
Im not an average Joe.

Im just a guy thats here to put his two cents in, if it helps you, then Ive done half my job and im happy.

[xmastree]

Yep, I hang around the newbie forum and help out when I can. There's always someone a couple of rungs behind you on the ladder who can use your advice.

[N'Jal]

What's great about this forum is that most people have caught the humanity to others mentality, and it don't matter if your a n00b most people are more than happy to help. Coz we all know we were once n00bs.

I'm someone who want to learn himself and has understood somethings while missed other's there are somethings that n00bs will understand that i still have to.

[claydoh]

I try to help when I can, which means I either know the answer from experience, or have come across the issue, or the issue grabs my interest somehow. I try not to give help if I am unsure because I really don't want to give out incorrect advice.

The sheer volume of posts in the forums for me make it rather tedious to go through each and every question. Though I idle a lot there, I am more likely to assist in IRC as it is more one-on-one and feedback is quicker

[void_false]

I always try to help. But have answered too few questions because someone was quickier than me. :roll:

[Buffalo Soldier]

I try to help... but I must confess, there's still much I don't know. And most of the time, the only kind of help that I can give is by copying and pasting links to threads or other sites that I think is related to the problem/solution.

[weasel fierce]

I look around at threads to see if there's something I know, but my linux fu is pretty weak still.

My main efforts are towards converting 2 of my friends, that are getting interested

[xequence]

I try hard to help and be really active (I kept a 10 posts a day average till I wasnt allowed on the computer for two days and it went down to 8 something :P) though there is still many things I still dont know.

[matthew]

I do my best.

[poofyhairguy]

I try.

[Stormy Eyes]

I've been known to answer a few questions from time to time.

[darkmatter]

I help out as much as possible, whenever possible....

242 posts since I joined, and only a few (I'm guessing less than 8%) are non technical.

I'll continue to help as long as I'm available (surfin' the forums). ;-)

[TristanMike]

I don't know very much but I keep my eyes peeled for any helping or learning experience I can.

[darrenadams]

I try to help out a little as well. I generally hang in the forum created for the development branches, trying to help out where I can. It's not much, but it's a start I guess

- Darren

[bored2k]

"Im a noob Couldent help people if I wanted to."

[Lord Illidan]

I haven't been around a lot using Linux, just this summer, but I enjoy helping people when I can. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that I can help others, and also learn from what I read on the forums. This forum is the best, I can tell everyone that...

[Kapre]

Being a newbie and being in this forum is a 2-way road for me....I learn from it and what I've learned (and through self-study) I help and answer some questions (the best way I can)..

I hope some people will apreciate the little things that we've contributed and I also hope somem wouldn't be anoyed by frequent questions.

K

[WildTangent]

i try to help out. admittedly, ive only been hanging here in the cafe for a little while now, but i used to spend a lot of time in the hardware forums

-Wild

[kagashe]

Hi,
Im an average linux user and help people out when I can.
WOW majority like me.

kagashe

[Lord Illidan]

I wonder who is the average linux user who doesn't bother helping anyone else...

[weekend warrior]

This is sooo important for everyone to do. I came to these forums because I couldn't connect to the internet with ubuntu and our good community member heimo tried to help. We didn't even solve the problem (I ended up getting another router with better config options and solved it with my ISP) but it didn't matter. It was heimo's willingness to help and stay on it that kept me here. (Thanks again btw if you're reading heimo) :) Now here I am a few months later helping others out where I can.

The beginner's thread is getting good coverage, but the unanswered threads is going well.... unanswered; 20+ pages worth. Some are simply announcements and whatnot, others hit n' run frustration rants or are truly bizarre but plenty are answerable and have simply fallen off page 1 and into the abyss. Normally I start around page 4 or 5 and go backwards from there.

I encourage others to do the same. There are all levels in there, right down to the most basic things. Hunt for ones that are right for you. So your knowledge is only average? Yes it's true our user base isn't as technical like "ricer" Gentoo or "RTFM" debian; thankfully! We have real world users here and other people in the real world will hopefully feel more comfortable here than elsewhere. This isn't a weakness, it's a strength! So chip in and help out wherever possible. Get into those unanswered threads. You can make a difference for someone out there.

[A-star]

I help where ever I can, it's not much, but's it's better then nothing.

btw Weekend Warrior thanks for the tip: I'll start doing that next week (no time this week).

[GreyFox503]

Missing option:

I'm a noob who can still help sometimes.

[Lord Illidan]

Missing option:

I'm a noob who can still help sometimes.

Then you are an average user..

[weekend warrior]

I should also add you'll need to click on "Unanswered Threads" again to move to a different page after you've replied to a thread or you'll get "invalid search". It's a tad annoying, but alright once you've got the habit.

[drummer]

I help wherever I can too, mostly on topics where I've had a similar problem or experience.. some non-technical disscussion goes on too, not a majority of my posts though i don't think.

[xmastree]

For those newbies who haven't helped anyone yet, but who have received help from others.

Remember that feeling when you fixed whatever problem it was, and it all works now? Great feeling, no?
Well, once you post your thank you, that worked message, the guy who helped you feels the same thing but tenfold. :grin:

It's a great feeling, fixing someone else's problem and opening up a whole new world to them. Give and take, except the take comes first. See someone with the same problem you had last week? Dive in there and tell him how you fixed yours. I guarantee you'll feel good knowing you helped another user.

Students become teachers pretty fast around here, and if you get out of your depth there's always someone around to bail you out.

[Lord Illidan]

Students become teachers pretty fast around here, and if you get out of your depth there's always someone around to bail you out.

Hear, hear.. in the space of 3 months, I feel that I have become a veteran... of course, compared to some more knowledgeable members, I am still a fresh faced rookie..

[earobinson]

I wonder who is the average linux user who doesn't bother helping anyone else...

Thats why i left the poll so you couldent see that so that people would not be scaird to vote that.

But in my mind there is nothing wrong with that as long as you ask your questions well so that other users can search it when they have the same problem