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After reading the comment to my answer for this question[^], I came to think about how I should answer questions in Q&A. My question would be, assuming the user wants an answer related to his approach, and given that there is(are) better approach(es), shall I stick to answering the question(which I am currently doing now), or shall I provide a better approach? You're ideas may help me in improving the quality of my answers in Q&A. Thanks. 
[edit]I forgot to mention that the user is aware of the other approaches but still insist on his approach.[/edit]
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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walterhevedeich wrote: shall I stick to answering the question(which I am currently doing now), or
shall I provide a better approach?
Why not do both? Eg: You could validate your textbox using a regular expression blah blah, OR... a better solution may be a checkbox.
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Literally: took the words out of my mouth... err... keyboard
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Thank you.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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I would have to say: do both
First stress that a better solution exists and why exactly it is better, than answer following the user's approach. That is my definition of a perfect answer to a question you described.
Also I agree with you that there may be requirements we are not aware of - so forcing 'the right way' on everyone is not the way to go.
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tolw wrote: forcing 'the right way' on everyone is not the way to go
 Thanks.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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I have seen this type of demand before, particularly in Agreement acceptance forms.
I.E. Do you agree to the terms and conditions, Enter 'Yes' or 'No':
This ensures that the user has taken a conscious decision to enter a value, rather than just simply clicking radio buttons, check boxes etc. How many times have you just clicked an option and then though hang on what am I clicking here.
I have previously had to type in my name in a box to accept something before, when they already know who I am, as I am registered/validated and logged into the site. (Financial Institution System).
So, just because you think there are better ways to do things, doesn't always mean you can use them, as you say, its the clients spec.
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Thanks Dave. And thanks for sharing real-world examples.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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Your reply makes sense to me. If OP is hell bent on some approach, help achieving the result using same. At the same time, make him aware of pros and cons of his appraoch and "suggest" what else could be used to solve his problem. That way, you have provided a direct answer plus some further reading which is upto OP to follow or not.
"The worst code you'll come across is code you wrote last year.", wizardzz[ ^]
modified on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 1:52 AM
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Thanks danish. I really appreciate the valuable feedback.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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Do it as you've done it now.
There are other users that do not read well and argued.
You pointed out that "you can" do it this way. You didn't say "you must".
regards Torsten
I never finish anyth...
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Thanks. Really valuable advice.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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Ettiquete in Q&A? Q&A is the jungle... Only wild animals and some livigstones are there. So... Do both (which is what I would choose) ordo any other option... In the best option, you won't get any answer or even get flamed...
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Thanks Joan.
Joan Murt wrote: Ettiquete in Q&A?
Not really. This question was meant to solicit ideas on how can I improve the quality of my answers.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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Whilst you can do this differently I have had cases where the requirments were for Yes and No, and whilst a checkbox would be suitable this was not what the requirements asked for so not allowed.
Even using a dropdownlist with yes nad No in it was not acceptable.
sometimes it is easier to build it wrong than to change a requirements document.
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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Thank you. So does this mean that I'll go with the first one, or do both?
Bergholt Stuttley Johnson wrote: sometimes it is easier to build it wrong than to change a requirements document.
I don't seem to understand this statement. Doesn't following the requirements mean you are building the software right?
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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I would give the answer to the question he asked, as you say he is aware of alternatives but selects this method, assuming that he understands the alternatives then there is probably a reason why he wants this.
There can a difference between doing something right and building to specification, I doubt I have ever built a system where the specification was "right", however sometimes you meet so much resistance to changing something that is is easier to build it to spec and produce something that is less than best,or in one case a system that has a major fault that had been pointed out, and even corrected once (but the fix was removed as it did not meet the spec).
sometimes the pointy hair boss wins
You cant outrun the world, but there is no harm in getting a head start
Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.
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Bergholt Stuttley Johnson wrote: I would give the answer to the question he asked, as you say he is aware of alternatives but selects this method, assuming that he understands the alternatives then there is probably a reason why he wants this.
Thanks. Really good advice.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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walterhevedeich wrote: After reading the comment to my answer
He does that. A lot. Your answer was reasonable, given that is what the OP asked for you don't know why he wanted a textbox. I would personally have advised the OP to use tick box or radio buttons as a better option. I worked on this[^] for the UK government, we used tickboxes for yes/no answers but when we demo'd the system to the client, they had them changed to Yes/No radio buttons. The department had research showing that this makes the forms easier use for people with lower IT literacy, and I tend to agree as the options are layed out in front of you.
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Keith Barrow wrote: He does that. A lot.
While that is true, my question didn't really mean anything personal. I asked because I was in a dilemma between Should I answer OP's question with an answer related to his approach? or Should I provide better approaches given that he's aware of those already?. It happens to me quite a lot when I answer in Q&A. It seems most who answered me are doing both.
Keith Barrow wrote: Your answer was reasonable, given that is what the OP asked for you don't know why he wanted a textbox.
Thanks.
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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walterhevedeich wrote: While that is true, my question didn't really mean anything personal
It wasn't my intent to imply this, I really just wanted to point out that SAK does this regularly and you are not alone.
He often replies to fully-answered questions, adding his own which is either a repeat of one or a tying several answers together. He then goes through all the other answers say "See mine", this give the impression his answer is better. His whole rep-score is built on this and it is beginning to cause bad feeling IMO.
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Keith Barrow wrote: does this regularly
I agree. As much as I can, I really try to ignore it but there are times when I'm already tempted to reply to his egoistic Please see my answer comment. Sad to say, some folks here thinks his answers are helpful, even when in reality, many are not.
Keith Barrow wrote: His whole rep-score is built on this and it is beginning to cause bad feeling
You mean bad feeling of the other folks here?
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.Barry LePatner
...it's our division that makes us sane(r), and their unity that makes them crazy.Ian Shlasko
Arguing with your boss is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize you are getting dirty but pig is enjoying it.amitkarnik2211
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You've been SAd. Seriously, he does this a lot. If you feel that he's wrong, tell him - I've picked him up on a few things. The problem is, he says things with such conviction that posters may feel that only his answer is valid, even when it's totally counter to what the poster has asked for.
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It has come so far that I am tempted to answer each and every question with 'Look at SA's answer'.
"Dark the dark side is. Very dark..." - Yoda
---
"Shut up, Yoda, and just make yourself another toast." - Obi Wan Kenobi
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