Ted MacNEIL([EMAIL PROTECTED])@Thu, Apr 06, 2006 at 12:00:00AM +0000: > >If you do not wish to assist another person, you can save > >everyone time and effort by not sending your negative response > >out. > > People should do their homework before asking IBM-Main. > > I have no problem with helping people, but not if they aren't > willing to help themselves. > > We are here to help, not to hold hands. >
If I may add my 2 cents... I think Ted did more than just spewing a negative response. I think Ted's response communicated some important things that are usually not stated in concrete terms, so I'm going to try to say those things as concretely as I can: 1) Duplicating documentation, effort, work, is a waste. And asking a group to do so is selfish and/or inconsiderate. 2) No one has all the answers, so learning how to *find* documentation is every bit as important has learning the information you need. It's a skill that you will use more than any other in your toolbox in this business. 3) It is important for learners to understand the "culture" in this field. I don't mean that they simply need to put up with those arrogant folks in the group. I mean that they need to see that the community as a whole values the things that I said in 1 & 2, and that it is annoying (at least) to have someone ignore those values and skills. Think about when a person who asks first instead of researching gets his position off-shored. Do you want that person to come work alongside you? I guess some may not consider that to be a disaster. I want to work on a team that can cooperate and share knowledge myself. I also want people who can troubleshoot and research and not burden others to do the necessary foundational work. Read The Fine Manual is a very appropriate response where the manual exists, and the person has clearly not taken the obvious first step. I've found the IBM manuals to be lacking in in tutorial and example information, so I know that newbies will still need help. You can usually tell if the person has tried to help himself first, though. Wade Curry SBC Service, Inc. San Diego, CA I don't speak for my employer. The views and comments expressed here are my own. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
