As has been mentioned, this site is 100% volunteer. Add to that, the mods main job is not to answer questions but to ensure this remains a friendly and active place that maintains our goals. That being said, when you didn't understand an answer - did you ask for a better explanation, explaining that you were new to Linux? Don't forget that in many cases members will have no idea what your skill level is. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people interacting here. For every "Hey, slow don't I don't know what that means" I see a "Don't treat me like a newbie - I have been using Linux for X years". It's all about perspective and context in this case. Stating you are new to Linux or Open Source in your first couple posts will go a long way in getter you simpler and better explained answers.

--jeremy

A method for the thread starter to mark item as Solved/Resolved would help! Imagine being able to search all solved threads that were rated 4 or 5 stars on your topic! Thread point, now... IMHO-Edit function is not used when it could be. (But use of Edit does not restore the thread to new post mode/feature) Please Read Subj line. Solved=Automatically moved (?archived?).

drj... Do not give up yet (email, Skype or PM)! Try FC5 & Stan Finley install notes, may be easier to start with. Read notes, follow screens=better Linux understanding. Slackware makes you learn more, but the guides are good! Avoid alpha or beta versions until more experienced, I would recommend next to last stable release of any recent GNU/Linux bundle (aka distro).

drjoanzee has a valid point, many migrators have no programming experience (*) and may not have any college. Trying to learn but too much stuff to shift through leads to frustration. We do not need to know how to overhaul the motor to drive a car, & Yeah it helps when ya break down.
Quicker & easier to make new post, hope for the best, but leads to others having to read through PAGES of junk to m a y b e find the 1 or 2 answers that help. Google gives too much info to sift through, need to learn How2 search LQ smartly! But a new user is not sure what to search for or on.
Of my 12 threads I have learned a lot from a few replies (TY 2 Aus9!), but only fixed 2 problems in about 3 months (Read here ~month then joined). Will be teaching partitioning @ NLUG meeting/Install Fest.
Search here is logical, but very few public schools (USA) teach anything logical.

If more Community members made good posts (especially the thread starter!), a newbie might be able to find useful information in much less time. As David Matir has in his signature and we discussed http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...=420418&page=2
btw, pix...(irt New user briefing see my post #43 in above link) & David my comments were mainly on how to help a new migrator learn to make a good THREAD, not for posts by the experienced Linuxer. The moderators & Senior Members are so far ahead of us newbs they may have forgotten own tribulations. Use of quick reply results in failure to follow some of the rules (Update Subj line). Also see 56, 51, 49, 66 in link, now rephrased=Have some special noobthread moderators (maybe limited to first few posts ~<10) that release a thread when all info is included (But not including any fair Linuxers/programmers that just joined!) Can not hurt to test it on a limited basis, and see if it works (Am willing to volunteer/help other newbies)!
I violate pix.. idea of a short post but I would rather include everything I know or have tried, since not sure what is relevant, better to have it (maybe another newbie recognizes having a similar problem) than someone making a short 'Post Quick Reply' post just asking for more info!

I hosted a Skypecast for a couple of weeks to guide newbies in correct (IMHO) direction, had 30-45 minute discussions every day w/ newbie or returning newbies until the public library shut me down (category of No cell phone conversations allowed!) {Was providing LiveHelp to migrators using WinXP O\S, =me since it has better Skype support, and I do not know how to install Skype linux yet)

Jeremy-Linux Experience data in Additional Info under profile would solve that it appears.
This global forum probably attracts the widest variety of knowledge & interests in computers of any I have seen, and CAN be the most helpful to all, Programmer & dumb noob migrators if we all learn how to use all the tools already available! Some minor tweaks can't hurt too much.

Wish the thread / post key displayed on all pages (After a search is done!) not just sometimes.

We have considered a profile field like this in the past, but decided against it. If it's a topic members would like to revisit we can do that. Also, keep in mind that we do have a special tag for marking answers, which could be used to indicate that a thread is solved (and even better, show which post solved it). Closing a thread for this is a very bad idea though, as it instantly prevents further conversation, a better answer, clarification requests, etc.

--jeremy

Remember that senior members are the ones with more posts than members and newbies. That's all. A newbie is allowed to answer questions- they might even know more about the problem than a guru does (it happens!)

Yes, people should attempt to answer questions. EVERYONE should see if they can answer questions! That's what makes this community tick. It's not a "service" where some people ask questions and others answer them- everyone is allowed to ask and answer questions.

titanium_geek

I don't think locking a solved thread is a very good idea. A lot of people like to respond to more or less solved threads in order to report similar problems or even just thank those who helped them solve their problem inadvertently.

As a moderator, I'd like to attempt to answer this question: first off, there are only a handful of moderators on the entire site. We try to answer many questions, but this is a community, not a service. Secondly, our primary duties are to keep LQ a functional and friendly place: we keep out the trolls, the flamers, and the spammers. I personally try to answer questions, but the questions I answer are the ones that a simple google won't answer, but that I do know the answer to. I'm passionate about Linux/OSS, but there are hundreds of new threads a day... way too many for us to write a detailed answer to every one in our spare time.

We want users to get answers and try to help where we can, but it's a question of volume. This is why we ask users to use google and the LQ search before posting -- so we can answer those that don't already have answers.

Matir
*******************

As has been mentioned, this site is 100% volunteer. Add to that, the mods main job is not to answer questions but to ensure this remains a friendly and active place that maintains our goals. That being said, when you didn't understand an answer - did you ask for a better explanation, explaining that you were new to Linux? Don't forget that in many cases members will have no idea what your skill level is. There are literally hundreds of thousands of people interacting here. For every "Hey, slow don't I don't know what that means" I see a "Don't treat me like a newbie - I have been using Linux for X years". It's all about perspective and context in this case. Stating you are new to Linux or Open Source in your first couple posts will go a long way in getter you simpler and better explained answers.

--jeremy
*************************

We have considered a profile field like this in the past, but decided against it. If it's a topic members would like to revisit we can do that. Also, keep in mind that we do have a special tag for marking answers, which could be used to indicate that a thread is solved (and even better, show which post solved it). Closing a thread for this is a very bad idea though, as it instantly prevents further conversation, a better answer, clarification requests, etc.

--jeremy
******************************************

Remember that senior members are the ones with more posts than members and newbies. That's all. A newbie is allowed to answer questions- they might even know more about the problem than a guru does (it happens!)

Yes, people should attempt to answer questions. EVERYONE should see if they can answer questions! That's what makes this community tick. It's not a "service" where some people ask questions and others answer them- everyone is allowed to ask and answer questions.

titanium_geek
*******************
I don't think locking a solved thread is a very good idea. A lot of people like to respond to more or less solved threads in order to report similar problems or even just thank those who helped them solve their problem inadvertently.

Penguin of Wonder
************************

I really read all these reviews and thought for a while and understood that u all r right but what I wrote was what I felt by seeing the threads un-replied and nothing else. If u all fell bad then Im extremely Sorry. As I already said I have not started to offence anyone. After all who am I to offence u seniors. If u all feel that I should not be here then Im ready to leave.

Thanking U all
Param

It's a question of demand vs supply.

It's inevitable in a site this big that the number of question askers outnumber the number of people who answer by a HUGE margin.

Nobody felt upset at your suggestion -- we were just providing the logical explanation as to why many questions do get unanswered.

you might be pleased to know, Param, that we have had a zero-reply drive in the past, where we all try to answer those questions with no responses.

And please, everyone is welcome here- even if you've got a contrary opinion- you are still very welcome to talk about linux.

titanium_geek

Thank U Both of U and I hope the mods and the ROOT (jeremy) also thinks the same.

Thanking U
Param

You're certainly not offended me in any way. We thrive on suggestions here at LQ. The 0 reply functionality is one we definitely plan to continue promoting. I'll make another mention in an upcoming Community Bulletin.

--jeremy

I use the 0 reply function quite a bit, I think it's great. Answering questions here helps me remember solutions to common problems. When I run across a question I can't answer, I try to research it to find a solution which increases my knowledge on the subject.

Note also that in the interests of making sure that all threads to get sufficient expsoure, they are automatically bumped at 16 hours and 32 hours if they remain in 'zero reply" status. Due to the fact that LQ has a worldwide membership, it's very possible that someone who might be able to answer the question is many time zones away, and thus might not see the thread when it first gets posted. By bumping the thread at 16 and 32 hours, the goal is to minimize those time zone differences.

1. Not a separate field, just smarter use of the existing ones. Or do few users (no one?) look @ the Public Profile info?
2. A selection when registering consider that new person could chose to be `New Migrator' vs current default Newbie?? I know newb is a common Inet term, but how to distinguish between New to LQ, and New to Using Linux (aka inexperienced) that any possible responder can easily see, thus tailor the response (include more detail for Migrator!)
How do I do that? I searched Forums; Solved, Mark Solved, Mark+Solved and Tags Solved. Could not find any reference. I do not see a thread status key anywhere for `Solved', only New, Closed, Hot, etc.
CONCUR, I never said to Close or Lock, as I specifically chose not to use those words (I realize Rapam did)
P.o.W. What I like about LQ is the abilty to carry on w/ thread (resurrect even years later as some still continue to use older GNU/Linux bundles?) which root apparently indicates is OK. Some here claim only 1 Q per thread, but roots comment above seemingly contradicts that.

My statement `Imagine being able to search all solved threads that were rated 4 or 5 stars on your topic!' addresses a desire, but I do not know the solution. I think something along this line would really help new Linux users.

Param-Stick around, keep contributing, you got a newbie to make 1st Post and vent frustrations!! If you did not get a warning PM or email from root or other SenMem, no need to feel sorry, or think they felt bad. I think root & others have many discussions on forum admin the average user does not see. Some initial posts may seem contrary but ya got a Hot post (& title) that attracts attention. Lots of ideas being discussed, with a lot more members reading & learning. Seeing posts may encourage other to make more suggestions. {The squeaky wheel gets the grease.} From my experience I know many other Linuxr read here, but ARE NOT members!
[root Q? Do any guests reading this thread count as view, or only from logged in members?]

Being the premier site globally for all types of Linux stuff means some replies may be short & off the cuff, w/o the thought you have put into it. I know of nowhere else your comments would be welcome, not flamed. If I do not get a good answer here I then post in the appropriate Bundle forum if a seperate one still exists, but most others seem to frown on distro experimenters like you & me!
IMHO-Some zero reply may have been solved by the poster after a quick, hasty thread was started w/o any research and then that person figured it out on their own. Concur it would be nice to not see so many w/o reply, but take it in context. I guess Starter can always bump w/ followup info.

The Tech support here is the best you can get for any price (TY to all contributing members)! I have routinely had much worse support ($$$) from Full Time highly paid Tech people.

much snipped...

Newbie is pretty much standard name for anyone who's new in the tech world. It works, and it's mildly humorous, which is a bonus.


It's not a thread marker like closed, new, hot, etc. It's a tag. The tag we use is "answer" to tag the post which is the answer. It's a special one, and comes up in a different colour.

I assume so. It's probably like a counter that you see on a bunch of websites.


titanium_geek

It is not upto the moderators to provide answers anymore than it is upto the moderators to think up questions to stump us. It is up to the members. I looked on the main LQ page and it shows :

Threads: 501,932 | Posts: 2,512,024
Registered Members: 277,448 | Registered Today: 168

However, active members and member numbers are two different things. Just because a thread has replies doesnt mean that it has an answer or even a correct answer.

Sometimes, it takes a bit of wrangling to find out what the problem really is. People usually know the problem (*i.e. car wont start*) and its pretty easy to figure out why (*dead battery*) - solution : charge battery - have a nice day. But sometimes there is another solution (* ADD gas *)- killed battery trying to start car without gas*).

That is where having 280K people looking at a problem helps, which is why most of us come here, to look. - for an answer. Eventually, we find a problem that we think we can help with and try. I haven't seen to many shut ups stupid or you googlely-challenged-idiot go away answers - means the mods are doing there jobs!!!

I may spend an hour a day here or may not visit for months depending on what is going on in the real world... That is the difference between members and mods. Mods are expected to be here, members are invited, or should I say encouraged.

I for one appreciate the opportunity they provide, a forum that I can try to help others in as well as find suggestions for problems I encounter.(*often the easy way to fix the problem would be to sign into the system and take care of it*) While I have seen a few "use the search or google replies" even those tend to include the links that lead to an answer.

If you think there are too many zero reply posts, pick two, help find the answers and post a reply.

anyway, thanks again.

rog