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Thanks for the suggestions, Hans; I think I'll make up my sig myself. 
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Luc Pattyn wrote: I'm getting convinced CP is not aware how fantastic their forums are
Thanks for that vote of confidence and kind words. I think our forums are the best out there, hands down. Slashdot is the only other system I look up to, but even that isn't quite what I'd like.
However, there were many, many threads about all the problems with the forums. The cross posting, the difficulties in coming to a definitive answer, the lack of tagging plus a bunch of other stuff. All we were hearing at the time was that we needed something better.
It doesn't actually matter which is better. What matters is to have a good, usable system. If that, eventually, means two separate systems to cater for the different tastes, then I can live with that. If, however, it means we take all we've learned from Quick Answers and plow it back into the forums, then fine. If it means providing Quick Answers with a UI that brings the speed and information density of the forums, then that's fine too.
The issue is that I get a lot of very strong opinions from very intelligent members that make it clear that people use fora in very, very different ways. For now I'm focussing on finishing up Quick Answers (2 final features + UI streamline) and then I'm heading back to the forums to see if we can make them better, so helpful suggestions on making the systems better is what I need.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Chris, thank you for this clarification. All this is good news. I am not sure you wrote them before or after I made my big edit there, but it is good news either way.
Long ago I understood Q&A/QA was intended to replace the forums. A couple of issues, such as cross-posting, wrong-forum situations, and the slightly dated look of things would be reasons to do so. IMO having QA and forums side by side would not solve any of these. And I'm not sure having just QA would solve many of them either.
I have been a member of a beta testers group and an insiders group which came to be around the time Q&A/QA became relevant; I soon got frustrated by getting lots of e-mails, sometimes a dozen a day, and often on details where the overall picture wasn'[t clear yet, i.e. while not getting much information at all as to goals, status, plans, etc. So I opted out.
I am willing to participate once more, but I do hope the circumstances to do so would be better this second time around. I do have a couple of ideas and suggestions, as you might have guessed... I would prefer a systematic approach tough, which would start with goals. Having clear goals (written, discussed, agreed) makes everything that follows a lot easier.
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It should be a comment not an answer. I posted about this the other day.
Maybe we need a 'Convert answer to comment' button with a selection tool to select the answer(s) the comment should apply to?
DaveIf this helped, please vote & accept answer!
Binging is like googling, it just feels dirtier. (Pete O'Hanlon)
BTW, in software, hope and pray is not a viable strategy. (Luc Pattyn)
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I've often wished for a "spike" command like in the James Bond movie.
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DaveyM69 wrote: Maybe we need a 'Convert answer to comment' button with a selection tool to select the answer(s) the comment should apply to?
That's actually on our todo.
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Note to self: Check list before posting!
DaveIf this helped, please vote & accept answer!
Binging is like googling, it just feels dirtier. (Pete O'Hanlon)
BTW, in software, hope and pray is not a viable strategy. (Luc Pattyn)
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Hi, I agree that it's wrong to punish someone who communicates with others. I have addressed this here... the interface has changed since then, but I think the problem still exists.
Cheers
/M
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The real answer is a re-design of the quick answer section. I proposed a solution last week, but got no responnses from the admins.
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
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"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
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"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
modified on Monday, June 14, 2010 8:37 AM
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Guy asked for an explanation of ASP.NET architecture and was voted a one. Why? I would ask the same question if I started working on ASP.NET.
This seems to me to be another example of why numerical votes should be eliminated, especially in the QA forum.
Alternatively, just put a big banner at the top, You better ask a question we like or we will punish you.
Does anyone see any benefit to having numerical votes in the QA forum?
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yes.
IMO a 1-to-5 vote is better than a "good question"/"bad question" voting system.
IMO a 1-to-5 vote is better than a "good answer"/"bad answer" voting system.
IMO a 1-to-5 vote is better than a "thumbs up"/"thumbs down" voting system.
everywhere.
always.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Hi Luc,
Surprised to see your reply, since you don't read QA.
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Hi Hans,
I visit Q&A once a week as an observer (always hoping things have improved, they haven't) and not three times a day as a replier, as I do with forums. And I have my view on voting, I prefer 1-to-5 voting everywhere. So I decided to reply, to remind anyone interested.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Yeah, there are some mind-blowers, but then I see a question from someone who is just trying to understand. You should try it again. I see a lot that you could easily answer.
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I answer the questions in forums when I can, and I do not like Q&A, so I stay away from it. It has been and still is my view the forums could benefit from a little upgrade and that is what this site really deserved; starting a new Q&A system, reinventing half of the forum functionality, small step by small step, and leaving out essential parts, I simply don't understand it. I see a lot of wasted effort, and a site that is not making progress as it used to. People asking questions do so either in Q&A or in forums; lots (most?) of them not switching to Q&A seems to confirm I'm not alone here.
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I respect your opinion, and actually agree with most of it.
I am going to take your modded sig as a small step forward.
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I'm in the process of coming up with another statement!
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Hans Dietrich wrote: Guy asked for an explanation of ASP.NET architecture and was voted a one. Why? I would ask the same question if I started working on ASP.NET.
Surely you would be better searching for the ASP.NET home and spending some time there, or buying a book. Questions like this really do not belong in a section titled "Quick Answers" as explained in the guideline notes, which few new posters seem to read. So we can use the grading system to point out that their question is inappropriate and perhaps point them in a direction which will help them. I think the voting system adds a reasonable emphasis onto the comments.
It's time for a new signature.
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Hi Richard,
Suppose you are a newbie, and had used google to search for this, but just wanted to make sure you haven't missed anything, so you decide to ask on a site where you *knew* there were experts. Would you expect the answer to be "Buzz off", or would you maybe expect to see answers like, "Here are some good overviews of ...?"
My personal philosophy is that there are no stupid questions. Even questions like "Please do my homework for me" should have a civil reply, so that others will see the answer, and not ask homework questions themselves.
As you point out, Quick Answers should be just that, Quick. Surely replying with "Yes, there's a good intro here" is just as quick as telling the OP to buzz off and downvote?
After all, you have the option of skipping the question, if it doesn't fit in with your conception of what QA is all about.
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Hans, I agree with all of that.
I always frown when I see the "bad question" and "good question" widgets. I wouldn't if they said "poor question" and "excellent question", where a poor question would be one that provides not nearly enough contextual information, or was a blatant display of laziness. An excellent question would be one that displays the enquirer has studied the matter and stumbled upon something that is hidden deep in the documentation or not present at all, and deserves better treatment.
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Hi Hans,
I agree - any question deserves a civil answer or at least an edit to make it a sensible question that may get a civil answer. If the question is not specific enough or is not a question then a comment should be posted to say so politely (but the question should be left unanswered) so the OP has the oportunity rephrase or give more detail or disappear into the ether...
Slightly OT - I've always thought the 'Google it' answer is not very fair as there is a good possibility that a search engine actually landed them at CP. A google link with a suitable search term that yields the results they are looking for is far more productive as it leaves good info for anyone coming across it in future, the OP gets sent to the appropriate place and may even learn better how to use a search engine in future.
DaveIf this helped, please vote & accept answer!
Binging is like googling, it just feels dirtier. (Pete O'Hanlon)
BTW, in software, hope and pray is not a viable strategy. (Luc Pattyn)
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Hans Dietrich wrote: or would you maybe expect to see answers like, "Here are some good overviews of ...?"
That's what I try to do, even if it's just a Google search page.
Hans Dietrich wrote: so that others will see the answer, and not ask homework questions themselves.
If they did we would not see them, however we still see questions like "please give me solution to airline reservation system".
In general I agree with what you're saying and do try to be constructive in my answers, but like any ordinary human I don't always succeed.
It's time for a new signature.
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I don't have the time to visit QA often, but when I do, I notice how often and how well you answer questions.
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Thank you, it's not always easy to gauge whether one's answers meet with the approval of fellow (and respected) CP members.
It's time for a new signature.
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I kinda disagree. In this case there's a valid quick answer and that'd be, "yeah the best way would be to get a good book. here's one I read last year that helped me. amazon link follows..."
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