To Read the Manual guys....

Anon

I ask many stupid questions that are not stupid for me, some people use this forum as a snobish challenge, and that´s great but you should not scare those newbies who are making their (our) first attempts not only in PHP but in the programming world. Why should we go the hard way if someone has quiker answer? Manuals are hard to read and understand, people give more warm and understandable answers...

I have ideas (projects) and I do not claim to be a programmer I just want to make them work, today with PHP, tomorrow....who knows. Internet is making normal people being able to build things...please, help us.

Anon

Palomero wrote:

Why should we go the hard way if someone has quicker answer?

Because if you learn to do it right the first time, then you won't be back again and again and again, asking for simple answers.

I was in the same place as you several months ago. If you want to do something well and do it again, you need to learn the stuff that builds up to the problem you are mentioning. Often the answer is very simply put in the manual. I have found the search feature at PHP.net invaluable and easy to comprehend.

What you have to realize is that most people on these boards and other similar types of boards are actually PAID to do this stuff (I am not however). So, if you were to walk up to them in their place of business and ask them the same question, you would have to PAY to get the answer. Here, they aren't unwilling to give you the answer, they would just like you to do a little bit (or most of) the work on your own first, so they don't have to every time.

Besides, often while one person will tell you to RTFM, other relatively "new experts" will step in and help. You still need to do what you can on your own first, however.

Anon

I don't know who you are directing this to, but I've found that most people on this board answer questions that are asked. Occasionally I see people recommending reading the manual, but these are usually people refering someone to read about the function that does what they want.

I personally try to never tell someone to read the manual without at least giving them some information to go on. And I try top give likes to the specific portions of the manual that hold interest for the user.

Finally, if you can't read the manual or you find it too hard then programming might not be for you. There are going to be times, as a programmer, when you will be confronted with a problem that no one, or at least no one you can reach, knows how to fix and then you will have to read the manual, and probable more than 1. So instead of asking for help everytime you want to do something why not take some time to try and figure it out on your own. I'm sure you'll find it more satisfying when you solve a problem with no help than when someone gives you the answer, I know I always do. Plus I've found that something that I've figured out on my own stays with me longer and I understand it better than if someone had just given me the answer.

I don't want to disuade you from becomming a programmer if that's what you want to be, but if that's what you want to be you should take some time to learn about it. Just getting answers never helped anyone learn anything.

But again I've found most people on this board to be very helpful of the newbie. I'm sure most of us remember when we were new and didn't know a for loop from a while loop and we are willing to help. But it does get frustrating to alwasy answer the same questions because someone would rather get the answer handed to them than spend 10 minutes looking for it, or reading the manual.

dolphinsnot

Give a Man a Fish, You Feed Him for One Day.

Teach a Man to Fish, You Feed Him for a Lifetime.

-dolphinsnot

Anon

It stems back to the age-old axiom...

If you give someone food, they will survive. But once the food runs out, they will need more food. If you teach them how to harvest their own, they will be self-sufficient.

If you learn to find your own answers, and to utilize materials available to you, you will be a more productive individual. If you ask someone else for help all the time, you will not know how to figure out problems when no one else is around to help.

I mean no insult, I speak only a truth. I used to try to get things done as quick as possible and just ask first, and read later. Now, I have learned good techniques to develop my own answers and can rely on others only when I need advice or simply cannot find a solution on my own. I find I get things done quicker, now, than I used to.

-fudge