Is TPF 'the Internet'?

[robbins.photo]

For me I guess I generally read through the question first, a lot of times I've noticed that people seem to be asking because maybe the got conflicting information and are trying to sort out what the correct answer might be, either that or they got a very basic answer or an answer that wasn't clear to them and they are here trying to get a better explanation.

That's a different story. I have no problem with that and will try to help if I can. Sometimes a person can even have an idea of what the answer is but would like to hear from real people who may have had experience with the problem and can help them sort out the possible approaches. The problem is that it's often difficult to know if that's the case or not because not everyone will put effort into making that clear in their question.

In fact, that's pretty much what brought me to TPF in the first place. I found a thread that was related to my question and read it, decided I wanted more information, and registered so I could look for more threads and maybe ask a question if I didn't find what I needed.

Little did I know, however, I had actually just entered the Hotel California I came for the information but stay for the snark.

Well you know there really is something to be said for a nice BLS - Bacon, Lettuce and Snark sandwich.. but I digress.. lol

I guess my thinking is I try to give folks the benefit of the doubt. On occasion I've run across those that have ignored responses or gotten snarky but for the most part I generally try not to worry about it. Granted it is a little irritating to have my time wasted like that, but I guess if they ask a question and then won't take the answer even when you spoon feed it to them you know that their photography will not improve - so really in the long run the only people they are actually hurting is themselves.

Ok, need to finish translating all these updside down hieroglyphics and see what else was in that contract I signed.. rotfl..

 

[The_Traveler]

Yes, we are, for better or worse, "the internet". I don't mind reading the ill-considered questions, and I do answer them sometimes if it is something that I know, but the one type of "asker" that I cannot abide is the one who refuses to even read the responses offered. It is as if the person has signed up merely to annoy others.

The asker is far more annoyed because people assume too many or too little things.

You might also consider that the reasons your questions are ambiguous and easily misunderstood is that you don't know enough about the subject to express yourself completely and clearly and so those responding must try to understand what your question might mean.

 

[hamlet]

Yes, we are, for better or worse, "the internet". I don't mind reading the ill-considered questions, and I do answer them sometimes if it is something that I know, but the one type of "asker" that I cannot abide is the one who refuses to even read the responses offered. It is as if the person has signed up merely to annoy others.

The asker is far more annoyed because people assume too many or too little things.

You might also consider that the reasons your questions are ambiguous and easily misunderstood is that you don't know enough about the subject to express yourself completely and clearly and so those responding must try to understand what your question might mean.

I don't deny this, but you do cut straight to source of the problem. To tell you the truth, i'm far more annoyed with my inability to paint the right picture, because i know what most of the brushes are for and how to use them.

 

[The_Traveler]

I don't deny this, but you do cut straight to source of the problem. To tell you the truth, i'm far more annoyed with my inability to paint the right picture, because i know what most of the brushes are for and how to use them.

Well then stop thinking of TPF as your Mommy who should be tolerant and answer every silly ambiguous question you can dream up, do some work, do some reading and get enough background either to learn stuff on your own or to ask better questions.
You have asked so many ridiculous ambiguous questions that are totally irrelevant to taking pictures, particularly at your level of experience, that I just assume you are a more sly troll and won't even bother with your posts.
The best way to learn photography is to learn something, then use it and then when you come to another stumbling block, learn some more.

The worst way to to try to absorb a huge amount of information and then you become completely overwhelmed with data that you can't use.

Take pictures and stop asking questions for a while.

 

[Derrel]

Hamlet, you just received a dose of what is called "hazing".

Next....the upperclassman will yank your underpants up by the waistband sooooo tightly that they will be wedged between your buttcheeks for 15 minutes. This is called "a wedgie".

Tomorrow he and some of his pals will hold your head in the toilet while they flush it, giving you what is called "a swirly"...then later in the week, they will demand that you turn over all the money in your wallet... ;-)

 

[hamlet]

I don't deny this, but you do cut straight to source of the problem. To tell you the truth, i'm far more annoyed with my inability to paint the right picture, because i know what most of the brushes are for and how to use them.

Well then stop thinking of TPF as your Mommy who should be tolerant and answer every silly ambiguous question you can dream up, do some work, do some reading and get enough background either to learn stuff on your own or to ask better questions.
You have asked so many ridiculous ambiguous questions that are totally irrelevant to taking pictures, particularly at your level of experience, that I just assume you are a more sly troll and won't even bother with your posts.
The best way to learn photography is to learn something, then use it and then when you come to another stumbling block, learn some more.

The worst way to to try to absorb a huge amount of information and then you become completely overwhelmed with data that you can't use.

Take pictures and stop asking questions for a while.

I can see how you could come to that conclusion. A simple one sentence question on this website can turn into the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Your advice of not asking question is just the other extreme, maybe its best to ask one question and move to the next.

 

[Overread]

Hamlet, you just received a dose of what is called "hazing".

Next....the upperclassman will yank your underpants up by the waistband sooooo tightly that they will be wedged between your buttcheeks for 15 minutes. This is called "a wedgie".

Tomorrow he and some of his pals will hold your head in the toilet while they flush it, giving you what is called "a swirly"...then later in the week, they will demand that you turn over all the money in your wallet... ;-)

Then a moderator will likely hit the hazers over the head with a hammer

 

[The_Traveler]

No, my advice is to take pictures and ask questions around the pictures so you have a structure for your learning.

You do the equivalent of wanting to talk to Dr Kinsey or Masters and Johnson for a year before you have sex for the first time.
You will learn a lot more by doing something then talking about it.

 

[hamlet]

No, my advice is to take pictures and ask questions around the pictures so you have a structure for your learning.

You do the equivalent of wanting to talk to Dr Kinsey or Masters and Johnson for a year before you have sex for the first time.
You will learn a lot more by doing something then talking about it.

Well i didn't start out my thread that way, but we got around to it eventually. I'll try to think about my questions more before i ask them.

 

[robbins.photo]

You do the equivalent of wanting to talk to Dr Kinsey or Masters and Johnson for a year before you have sex for the first time.

Lew, I doff my chapeau to you. I think you've managed to conjur up a mental image so ghastly that it will continue to haunt me even after my dying day.. lol

 

[robbins.photo]

No, my advice is to take pictures and ask questions around the pictures so you have a structure for your learning.

You do the equivalent of wanting to talk to Dr Kinsey or Masters and Johnson for a year before you have sex for the first time.
You will learn a lot more by doing something then talking about it.

Well i didn't start out my thread that way, but we got around to it eventually. I'll try to think about my questions more before i ask them.

Hammy, I know we've had our own rough spots in the past - but if I could make a suggestion. Before asking a question think to yourself, what practical application will the answer serve? If you can relate your question to a specific, practical application I think that would help you and others tremendously. If you don't really know for sure what the problem is your trying to solve, it just leads to confusion and frustration for both you and the respondents.

Hope that helps.

 

[pgriz]

It "might" save everyone a lot of aggravation, if the opening post for many questions would have something like this:
1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)
2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)
3) This is the result (result, usually far from goal)
4) What am I missing?

This structure will show that the poster has thought about the problem, has identified a path to get him/her there, has actually tried, and has identified that the result was not what he/she wanted. Now we can all jump in and offer help because we see there has been some effort invested. Or is this too idealistic?

 

[robbins.photo]

It "might" save everyone a lot of aggravation, if the opening post for many questions would have something like this:
1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)
2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)
3) This is the result (result, usually far from goal)
4) What am I missing?

This structure will show that the poster has thought about the problem, has identified a path to get him/her there, has actually tried, and has identified that the result was not what he/she wanted. Now we can all jump in and offer help because we see there has been some effort invested. Or is this too idealistic?

Reasonble? Sure. Too Idealistic? Absolutely - lol. But what the heck my schedule is free for the afternoon. Let's tilt some windmills... lol

 

[Derrel]

It "might" save everyone a lot of aggravation, if the opening post for many questions would have something like this:
1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)
2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)
3) This is the result (result, usually far from goal)
4) What am I missing?

This structure will show that the poster has thought about the problem, has identified a path to get him/her there, has actually tried, and has identified that the result was not what he/she wanted. Now we can all jump in and offer help because we see there has been some effort invested. Or is this too idealistic?

Normally, I agree with a lot of what you write pgriz, but I think your outline puts wayyyy too much cart in front of the horse...

"1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)" ---that makes sense, yes.

"2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)"---umm,problems are already beginning. This step 2 presupposes a degree of knowledge that would make ASKING the question moot. This brings up the old, "You don't even know what it is that you do not know," axiom.

 

[pgriz]

It "might" save everyone a lot of aggravation, if the opening post for many questions would have something like this:
1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)
2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)
3) This is the result (result, usually far from goal)
4) What am I missing?

This structure will show that the poster has thought about the problem, has identified a path to get him/her there, has actually tried, and has identified that the result was not what he/she wanted. Now we can all jump in and offer help because we see there has been some effort invested. Or is this too idealistic?

Normally, I agree with a lot of what you write pgriz, but I think your outline puts wayyyy too much cart in front of the horse...

"1) This is what I am trying to do. (description of goal)" ---that makes sense, yes.

"2) This is what I think will get me there.(description of process)"---umm,problems are already beginning. This step 2 presupposes a degree of knowledge that would make ASKING the question moot. This brings up the old, "You don't even know what it is that you do not know," axiom.

Well, I see your point, Derrel, but saying "I tried this combination of settings" or "I put that there flash on the hotshoe and set the mode to auto" or "I pressed the big black button thingy" would give us an idea of what level of sophistication/ignorance the questioner is at. Or maybe not. Just trying to figure out how to be more focused in trying to help.