Small pet peeve

[TPerry]

I REALLY wish folks would use their profile and place their homepage in there. Several times I've seen posts from people asking for help (styling, etc) and when I try to go take a look and see if I can provide any assistance there is no homepage listed. You then have to post a message or start a conversation asking for that simple info. It would save a LOT of time on getting help if you could see it first hand (and a lot of times I'm online at 4am Central time - most everybody else unless they are on the other side of the world is asleep).

 

[Ernest L. Defoe]

I REALLY wish folks would use their profile and place their homepage in there. Several times I've seen posts from people asking for help (styling, etc) and when I try to go take a look and see if I can provide any assistance there is no homepage listed. You then have to post a message or start a conversation asking for that simple info. It would save a LOT of time on getting help if you could see it first hand (and a lot of times I'm online at 4am Central time - most everybody else unless they are on the other side of the world is asleep).

You would think people would do that or heck atleast post a link in the thread.

 

[Morgain]

I would expect anyone asking for help to put the link either in their post or their signature. But a lot of brain cells get lonely these days.

You shoulnt have to go searching and I personally wouldnt bother.
If something about the request sounded interesting - the query, or type of site, or aomething touched my motherly heart, I might post a quick "Give the URL so we can help" on the thread.

 

[Ernest L. Defoe]

I totally agree that you shouldn't have to go looking. If they need help they should post a link in the post or their signature so people that are willing to help don't have to go jumping through hoops to provide said help.

 

[TPerry]

I don't mind doing a little extra work, and clicking on their avatar and pulling up the profile and looking for the homepage takes all of 3 seconds. The having to post a message or start a conversation can get to be a real drag and I'm getting where I really don't feel like it. If they want the help that bad, help get it by posting a link in the OP, having their home page listed in their profile or in their sig... doesn't matter to me, just don't make me jump through hoops to get it! My hoop jumping days are WAY behind me.

 

[Adam Howard]

Usually, not always, but often enough.... The people who ask for help via PM (private message) vs the forum, are often nulled people seeking for help.

And those who do post on the forum, but don't put enough details... Really should post a link some place.

 

[EQnoble]

What about the person who is asking for help but is wanting to make sure only the person helping them has the URL?

Unless you want 30 paragraph posts of people explaining why they do what they do, you just kind of have to deal with it or not try to help people...making them communicate in your way is not really helping them it is just going to make them more frustrated.


If a person is aggravated and confused...a link is not taking up as much of their attention as their problem at hand. Kindly remind a person for a link if you want to help or ask them to message it to you. If you can't be bothered at the moment to do that let someone else who wants to help someone on whatever terms gets a good end result do so.

I really don't see the big deal but hey it is your pet peeve. Personally I think it is worse to make a bad thread title as that might cause a potential helper to not even look in the thread where they may in fact be of solid service.

 

[TPerry]

If a person if aggravated and confused...a link is not taking up as much of their attention as their problem at hand. Kindly remind a person for a link if you want to help or ask them to message it to you. If you can't be bothered at the moment to do that let someone else who wants to help someone on whatever terms gets a good end result do so.

I really don't see the big deal but hey it is your pet peeve. Personally I think it is worse to make a bad thread title as that might cause a potential helper to not even look in the thread where they may in fact be of solid service.

Yes and No. First thing before trying to offer help (that I may not be able to do) is try to see if it IS something that I may be able to help with without adding to the noise of a thread.
As for the title.. it grabbed your interest enough to look in to see what it was about.
Most people would be curios, and yes, I could have phrased it as "If you want help, PLEASE post your URL when asking" but how many people would pay much attention to that (since it's apparent they don't already).
One of the few exceptions would be like an individual that I helped recently. He ran a "style" of board that he didn't really want to broadcast (nothing illegal about it but could offend some folks finer sensibilities). I asked about his URL and he provided it in conversation, which I had no real problems with. If you run a board, it shouldn't be a problem having it in your profile unless it is a pay only that you don't want to broadcast - and in that case, a simple "If you think you can help out, please start a conversation with me and I will give you the URL" in the post would work out well.

 

[Jason]

I think there's worse things to get peeved about, heh, but...

I usually just try to address the issue in a general fashion (chances are, this will suffice if they've given enough information), and then just point out if they post a link to the site in question, I, or someone else, could answer more directly.

 

[TPerry]

I think there's worse things to get peeved about, heh, but...

I usually just try to address the issue in a general fashion (chances are, this will suffice if they've given enough information), and then just point out if they post a link to the site in question, I could answer more directly.

That's why it's just a "small" one. Being retired I can afford to have a few (it goes with the gray hairs and bald spot). You know, us crotchety old geezers.

 

[Jason]

That's why it's just a "small" one. Being retired I can afford to have a few (it goes with the gray hairs and bald spot). You know, us crotchety old geezers.

Not knocking that.

I work on infrastructure that powers a lot of the services the company I work for provides, so I routinely (daily) get emails, issues, etc. about problems that need looked into and what not. I've found, in general, there's a huge disconnect between what people are thinking in their head and what they end up typing out. I routinely have to ask for additional information, so I guess I'm just used to it. :/

 

[EQnoble]

Yes and No. First thing before trying to offer help (that I may not be able to do) is try to see if it IS something that I may be able to help with without adding to the noise of a thread.
As for the title.. it grabbed your interest enough to look in to see what it was about.

I wasn't talking about this thread title as it obviously wasn't a help request.... 'small-pet-peeve.48243'

Most people would be curios, and yes, I could have phrased it as "If you want help, PLEASE post your URL when asking" but how many people would pay much attention to that (since it's apparent they don't already).

True but when you say your pet peeve people go on the defensive just like you did when you assumed I was talking about this thread when I wasn't being that it doesn't apply to support, it is a rant thread which by itself is completely ok...people do that all the time too.

One of the few exceptions would be like an individual that I helped recently. He ran a "style" of board that he didn't really want to broadcast (nothing illegal about it but could offend some folks finer sensibilities). I asked about his URL and he provided it in conversation, which I had no real problems with.

Regardless as to the reason why, it is a users prerogative to not enter that information...that is why the field is optional but the point still being the same as I said...a reasonable conversation leads to the final result of success and possibly a friendship...so there really wasn't an issue of how they chose to post...the outcome was indeed still the same. In fact by asking for more info you have the chance to guide them to the information you need to come up with an answer. The biggest thing you can do when acting like customer service is pry the problem from the person...chances are half the reason they have the problem is that they just don't know what they are missing...meaning they have little to no chance of describing what is essentially nothing and non existent to them.

If you run a board, it shouldn't be a problem having it in your profile unless it is a pay only that you don't want to broadcast - and in that case, a simple "If you think you can help out, please start a conversation with me and I will give you the URL" in the post would work out well.

That again is only your logic.

Some people don't want everyone and their mother to know who they are and what they do all day or where they do it at.
I don't have my site listed here and I have been at this site since it started, I simply am not comfortable with it.




edit: /me <realizes he spends way to much time constructing posts>
wow like 6 responses before I get in here...super ninja'd

 

[TPerry]

Not knocking that.

I work on infrastructure that powers a lot of the services the company I work for provides, so I routinely (daily) get emails, issues, etc. about problems that need looked into and what not. I've found, in general, there's a huge disconnect between what people are thinking in their head and what they end up typing out. I routinely have to ask for additional information, so I guess I'm just used to it. :/

14.5 years as a Patrolman, 5 years as a correctional officer and 8 years in IT - I got used to getting incomplete information frequently. The disconnect is why you will frequently see a quote that I posted that may not be the same as the post shows. I get to reading it and see that it's not as clear as it should be and go back in and will edit it to clarify points.

 

[TPerry]

That again is only your logic.
Some people don't want everyone and their mother to know who they are and what they do all day or where they do it at.

Granted... and that's why I said simply putting in a statement that if someone thought they would be able to help to start a conversation for the URL. That simple statement would keep someone from trying to dig around to find the link and then go straight to a conversation if they wanted to help. Point is, I'm NOT customer service - I'm a customer that is willing to try and help another customer out to what little abilities I have.

 

[EQnoble]

I get to reading it and see that it's not as clear as it should be and go back in and will edit it to clarify points.

Not for nothing, I think in the past month I edited 2 posts from more than a year ago...and that was just for grammar lol...If I had to count the mistakes I make I would never move on to doing something right. ;-)

 

[EQnoble]

Granted... and that's why I said simply putting in a statement that if someone thought they would be able to help to start a conversation for the URL. That simple statement would keep someone from trying to dig around to find the link and then go straight to a conversation if they wanted to help. Point is, I'm NOT customer service - I'm a customer that is willing to try and help another customer out to what little abilities I have.

Which is why I carefully said what I have about when you take the time to help someone...even if they know you are doing it of your own free will...you are acting in the capacity of customer service in their eyes even be it unofficial .

Kindly remind a person for a link if you want to help or ask them to message it to you. If you can't be bothered at the moment to do that let someone else who wants to help someone on whatever terms gets a good end result do so.

As a person who is not required to help anyone you can just walk away from it if you're 'feeling the peeve' at the moment...ahh the freedom of being a free citizen

If their choice makes it take longer to get help than so be it...someone will come along (maybe even yourself on a different day) and help them as that is the nature of community life or at least that is how I picture it anyways.

 

[Paul B]

It stands to reason that if you are posting publicly asking for help with an issue with your installation then a link is going to be required in most cases to determine the problem and diagnose the cause of it.

All too often this isn't done and it just wastes time and effort asking them to post a link.

Or worse, the request is ignored as mind reading is a skill which I haven't yet mastered.

 

[Shelley]

In most cases it's an honest mistake on the persons part. I'm sure if they knew a link was required they would post it as I've had to ask many times for a person to include a link.

Normally if a link hasn't been posted (I did this last night) a link was required but was never posted but the person had a unique username so i type his username and xenforo in google and found the website and issue and posted it, the solution. But generally, in most cases, if not all it's an honest mistake as the person will always want an issue they're experiencing, resolved.

No biggie. Though I did find it funny last night reading jakes response stating he needed a link t debug the issue because there was absolutely no way of him knowing what class/ID was being used from a screenshot. Luckily the guy had a unique username and i found his site.

No biggie for me I enjoy helping people out if I'm able to help.

 

[EQnoble]

It stands to reason that if you are posting publicly asking for help with an issue with your installation then a link is going to be required in most cases to determine the problem and diagnose the cause of it.

All too often this isn't done and it just wastes time and effort asking them to post a link.

Or worse, the request is ignored as mind reading is a skill which I haven't yet mastered.

That is only assuming the person asking for help wants the help publicly. They could be requesting help in public for someone willing to help them privately.

But then if that is the case look at it from their prospective...this is how it would sound to say it in the initial request

"Hi, I want help with X but don't trust just anyone, please msg me if you can help me with X problem."

Sounds crazy


I would be willing to agree that if a person is asking a question that is general enough that an answer is going to help more than just them and doesn't expose something about their project that they don't want exposed, that it would be appropriate to include the link in the initial request for help but sometimes when people break something they panic and that link is just the furthest thing from their mind.

 

[Morgain]

I can see the privacy issues for certain sites URL being posted publicly - at one extreme there's porn at the other vulnerable users like minors.

Good point above that the request is often coming from a bewildered anxious even scared person maybe additionally fatigued with new kind of work ( and all the rest in this stressed out society). So their focus is I NEED HELP not the logical data they need to give. As Jason says incomplete support requests are standard.

Another reason why someone may posy incompletely is that they don't know how damn good we are! People like Brogan, Jake, Slavik and Shelley are outstanding at support and the rest of us do our bit. The result is amazing - but a newcomer doesn't know that. They may be assuming their help request will be a) ignored b) need a bump or two to get a result c) if it gets a result it will be incomplete! or irrelevant.
In which case there is little point in putting effort into a careful thorough request. A request like this is acting as a flag to say "Hey - anyone there? Could you reply so we can discuss please."

There are problems with XF /us being the best


Tracey how about something like Clippings which I use on Firefox.
You could put your usual statement requesting the URL in an XF folder on it - rightclick, select the clipping and job done. Statement can be quite long so can add to pc you by clicking your name, if they don't want to give the URL publicly.
It's slightly satisfying to respond to a lazy post with a lazy clipping!