Newbies sub board

Evil Phil

Considering the recent arguments I've been wondering if its worth while putting a Newbie sub board under Programming. Something similiar to the Languages boards.

I thought I'd get I general idea of what support this idea would get before posting it on Admin (and wasting Dev and Regis time).

Talliesin

There are bugger-all non-newbie posts. The newbie/non-newbie divide is mainly positioning and posturing.
Besides topics can usefully cover quite a range experience-wise, the best topics tend to be examples of this.

Typedef

Originally posted by Talliesin
The newbie/non-newbie divide is mainly positioning and posturing.

Or snotty flamebait.

satchmo

Nah, programming would be a ghost-board without all the newbie posts.

Hobbes

How will we know when the newbie becomes an expert and allowed post on this forum?! :rolleyes:

I don't see the point diluting the programming forum. I read it because apart from answering questions (and trolling the occasional lazy student) it also has stuff from more experienced people.

If I had to click another link to answer questions or get a question answered then there would be point posting here. If it was something new, and cool it would probably end up on the tech board.

Talliesin

Originally posted by Typedef
Or snotty flamebait.

Big of you to own up.
Still though, the divide between newbies and non-newbies is largely artificial, especially given all of us are newbies in some area.

The Corinthian

Originally posted by Talliesin
Big of you to own up.
Still though, the divide between newbies and non-newbies is largely artificial, especially given all of us are newbies in some area.

True, but I don’t think newbie is an accurate term. Few if any flames occur as a result of someone being a newbie (Typedef and other trolls aside), but as a result of (more often than not) of sloth and incompetence.

Being a newbie at something is a position that not only we have all been once, but also as we move into new fields, we revisit that feeling of being in uncharted territory, again and again.

But be it our first or one hundredth time as a newbie, we use our common sense by not assuming that it is appropriate for others to do our work for us. We do (or should) not:

• Seek the answer to a problem without bothering to look for an answer first (RTFM/STFW).
• Ask a question without giving any details on the problem (no one wants to play twenty questions with you).
• Ask someone, often blatantly, to write all our code, etc. for them.
• Get info on doing something illegal/unethical.

Thus this has nothing to do with newbie’s, as there are plenty out there who have been in this business for years - that breed of cut ‘n paste parasites that plagues Usenet with their pleas of “URGENT PLEASE HELP ME!!!” crap.

I strongly recommend that such people read this article before asking questions in future.

Evil Phil

Other suggestions for sub boards:

• How do I use Google?
• How do I get to my lectures on time?
• Good reasons to switch to an arts degree.

anyone?

The Reaper

ah wat goin on it sud be yes!

Rabies

Other suggestions for sub boards:




How do I use Google?

How do I get to my lectures on time?

Good reasons to switch to an arts degree.

i guess there goes any chance of me starting a new thread and asking how do i write structures to a file in C*

[edit]
ok, through the wonderful world of google i have just found my answer. i am proof for us all that a newbie board is not needed.
[/edit]





*can't find simple example on google

Trojan

I'm in agreement with Talliesin. There's no need for one, and it would serve to dilute this board too much. Also we'd suffer the "take it to the Newbie board j00 mupp3t" posts whenever anyone posts on here.

I think The Corinthian has the idea here, and I understand his frustration in the previous thread. People look at the board and think "Oh look, someone to do my homework for me" without making any sort of effort whatsoever - we have to address that issue, not sidestep it.

One simple step we can take is rename the main FAQ sticky to something like "FAQ: You must read before posting" or similar. And update it to include howtos on RTFM and STFW.

Al.

RicardoSmith

Food for thought...

http://vbcity.com/forums/topic.asp?tid=11340
http://vbcity.com/forums/topic.asp?tid=3466
http://vbcity.com/forums/topic.asp?tid=3465

Personally I think if you are frustrated and aggravated by someones post then you shouldn't bother posting a reply. Its like that story of the tourist asking a NY cop for the time. His response is "do I look like a fk'in clock". Amusing sure but still doesn't answer the question. All you do is piss off the tourist. Not a fantastic impression of NY hospitality. In the context of a thread such posts are simply noise IMO.

They are those who are new to programming and perhaps honestly don't have a clue, perhaps even do not know how to search the web properly. If its their first post to the forum then I think some community spirit is in order. However if some one posts frequent stupid questions thats different and then they need a bollocking.

All that said the forums here are two small and theres too much subdivision for too little traffic as it is. Though of course if you encourage newbies instead of driving them away...

Talliesin

Originally posted by RicardoSmith
Its like that story of the tourist asking a NY cop for the time. His response is "do I look like a fk'in clock". Amusing sure but still doesn't answer the question.

Okay this is OT, but E. W. Rogers' "If You Want to Know the Time" was actually a criticism of the police. While he was correct in saying that "Every member of the Force / Has a watch and chain, of course" this was an item that would have been very expensive at the time. However when wealthy men were arrested for drunkeness or other minor but embarassing offences they would often find that they soberred up owning one less watch than when they got drunk.

So at least the NY cop wasn't corrupt...