This is a plea, not a demand. I've seen it happen a few times that someone will post a support thread and not get much help. Then, when she or he posts a complaining "I'm leaving. Ubuntu sucks. I'm going back to Windows" thread, suddenly ten or twenty people jump out of the woodwork and say, "Oh, no. Don't leave. Give Ubuntu a chance. We'll help you," and the person's problem is solved. Uh, maybe you don't all realize this (you woodwork people, whoever you are), but you're rewarding bad behavior. I would urge you to join me in deliberately not helping those who whine and make a big fuss to draw attention to their problems (this behavior I consider parasitic) and deliberately seek out the quiet patient folks, who are just waiting for their support threads to be paid attention to--the ones who do not create separate threads called "Why won't anyone answer my thread?" or "This community sucks"; the ones who wait and then bump their threads once after a day or two. To those who threaten to return to Windows or decide that insulting the Ubuntu community is the best way to get help, I hope you do not get more encouragement for your behavior. If Windows works for you, great. Use Windows, then. If you want to give Ubuntu a chance, give it a real chance, and ask for help nicely... and I'm hoping the Ubuntu community here will listen to my plea and reward good forum behavior.
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A newbie comes to Ubuntu. Has a problems, so he posts question topics. The topics don't get answered for whatever reasons (the right people don't see them, so on). The said newbie gets frustrated at receiving no help. Posts about their experience in the "user experiences" topic. People who check those forums more often than the newbie help forums see the threads, start solving problems. You're suggesting that even those threads receive no help, so the said newbie does go away after being frustrated with their problems. I disagree, and I believe you should be telling people to check on the beginners forums more often than the experiences forums. That way, all threads will be solved sooner, cause less frustration, and happier threads in the experiences forums.
Mudlet (native text MMO's)
Originally Posted by Vadi A newbie comes to Ubuntu. Has a problems, so he posts question topics. The topics don't get answered for whatever reasons (the right people don't see them, so on). The said newbie gets frustrated at receiving no help. Posts about their experience in the "user experiences" topic. People who check those forums more often than the newbie help forums see the threads, start solving problems. You're suggesting that even those threads receive no help, so the said newbie does go away after being frustrated with their problems. No, I'm not suggesting those threads receive no help. I'm suggesting people who are willing to help actually check the Absolute Beginner help subforums from time to time. If they're not willing to help, they shouldn't help at all. I don't see why we should encourage people to make not only support threads but community cafe threads too to point and draw attention to their support threads. That's ridiculous.
+1 to aysiu
total agreement! since the this is not a rant thread, i've been scanning the beginners' section to see if there's something i can help with. i've left the new posts button alone, and especially the experience forum as has been suggested by others. edit: the only reason i saw this thread was it was listed as the latest thread in the index, before i even made it to the beginners' section.
Last edited by Brindled; December 7th, 2007 at 09:07 PM.
Originally Posted by aysiu People get to know computers when they have to. And you're going to have to do a little legwork for Ubuntu. You'll have lots of help, though, and if you approach it with the right attitude, you might actually learn something.
I fully agree.
Ah, yeah. So what I suggested was really your idea then.
it's not bad behavior. people who are new can get easily frustrated. are you only willing to help the people who act the way you think they should? help them out and give them a chance to get over their little fits and maybe they'll turn into contructive little ubuntu-ites.
There is an old saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the oil!" Kyle
If people condone a certain kind of behavior that they know isn't proper, it will slowly become acceptable, and will become more commonplace, simply because it's being tolerated. People should actually clearly indicate in the "This community sucks" threads that they will not help the OP because of their unwanted behavior. They should not, however, pick on people themselves; if the behavior changes, if the OP realizes that what they've done is uncalled for, and why, they can keep getting help in the appropriate support forum.
Ubuntu Forums Code of Conduct
