Suggestions to keep this group going...

Anon

Hi guys and gals. This is just an opinion from someone who wants to help people out there.

If 9 people out of 10 ask questions that could easily be answered just by reading the manual, then that 1 person will be more likely to get more useful help.

Also, bear in mind that we're not paid to do this, and if people keep posting questions that are explained in the manual, then the people who can help are less likely to hang around, and the group filled with people asking how to assign variables. 🙂

Thanks

Dave

knickerlas

Hi
Why not let less experienced users answer the easier questions, it can't take that long to skim over the 'too simple' stuff?
I quite often reply to 'simple' questions as a chance to solve problems that are on a level with my experience and find it as helpful for me as the recipient. (If I get it right of course!)
Another point is that alot of beginners are intimidated by the manual a little so I don't realy see any harm in answering and also directing to the appropriate section in the online docs.

One last thing, I'm sure this site is ad-funded so less users less dosh 🙂

Nick

tuurlijk

Can you spell http://www.junkbuster.com/ ?

Anon

Well, I try to go to the manual at www.php.net first but sometimes it's a little confusing or assumes you know more then you do. Also I really don't know what to search for for some questions. And I spend 2 hours looking through the manual when I could have just posted in 5 min and gotten the answer responded.

I try not to ask stupid or too simple questions but sometimes it's the best thing.

Perhaps a good idea is to build a faq from the forum for newbies.

Also as long as the questions are clear a pro can probably answer them in a matter of minutes.

I don't know..i just come here for help =)

soulreaver

I think some one is being a bit elite-ish there. Newbies are the people who will answer the tough questions in the future, or had you forgotten that?

As a newbie to PHP I get the forum digest on a daily basis and find all the questions answered very informative and useful.

P.S. Anyone explain how to get stop a standard form entering dual enteries into a MySQL database?

Anon

We were all newbies at one stage, but there are better ways of learning the fundamentals rather then asking people. There are sooo many articles out there on pretty much every php subject. I just think it'd be a good idea that this forum is for people who have problems that can't be solved by spending an hour looking through websites. That way, we're furthering the language as opposed to just going over old ground.

or maybe I'm wrong... 😉

Dave

knickerlas

I think you're wrong Dave, the furtherment of PHP would be best served by encouraging new users and helping them solve their 'newbie' problems.

As an (almost) ex newbie (like everyone!) I found that after my first few trivial postings I got the hang of how to solve these problems myself thanks to the efforts of those more experienced than I.

What may be a more suitable and easily implemented idea is to split this forum into 'newbie help' and 'advanced help' giving the best of both worlds?

Nick

soulreaver

Now that sounds like a good idea. As a newbie I know I have posted some silly things in forums that more experienced people can easily answer. But as I (like so many others)have a 9-5 job that is not PHP development I don't always have the time time to read through the manual. I always do a search but if that don't work then I will often post if it is important to me.

The only drawback with a newbie forum though is if the more advanced guys & gals don't go there, who answers the questions??

'till next time.

Anon

But it's a bit lazy considering you can find the answers somewhere else 🙂

I never had to ask questions in this forum - I just looked the answer up on the net, or just figured it out myself. That makes your understanding even more, compared to asking the odd question in the forums to get started.

just my opinion.

knickerlas

People like me!
Most people like answering questions on the forum even if it is simple and if the forum were divided into newbie and advanced it would prove challenging to both groups. It would allow people to share knowledge in a more 'appropriate to skill level' envoirnment.

Nick

soulreaver

As long as people like yourself are willing to go into the newbie forum and answer questions then it is probably a good idea.

Now all we have to work out is how do you get newbies to work out if it is an 'advanced level' question or not? To us if you can't answer it it may as well be advanced as no-one likes to believe they can't answer simple questions.

Maybe we can start an experimental forum just for newbies and see if it gets used? I'd go there just to see common questions answered. It could also link to a newbie FAQ!

'till next time

Neil

Anon

It's not that hard. They only have to go to the php website and search for the keywords of their problem, and the manual will tell 'em what's up. If that fails, there are MANY libraries on the net of PHP code, covering all sorts of applications. I can't see why we need to get more questions asking how to use 'mail()' when there's a perfectly good manual at the website.

I just think it's quite rude that people will post the most inane question here for someone else to take time out to answer, when there's a manual to read, which would help them answer their own question.

knickerlas

Why not just not answer them?

Nick

Anon

Because then more people will do it. Instead of searching their manuals, every little problem they come across will end up as another topic on this bulletin board. We're going to end up with thousands of PHP 'coders' being provided with code by tens of real coders.

I think it's very unfair on everyone if people mis-use this forum. It's not fair on people who have genuine problems they can't solve anywhere else, and it's not fair on the people who want to help, but have to sift through 18 syntax-related questions.

knickerlas

I don't see it as that big a problem I guess.