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First I tried it my intuitive way - and I got punished by the power-users here.

Than i tried it your way and you power user do it just the way they punished me for...

Thats make no sense for me:

In this question I didn't post an answer because it is not the solution but give helping information in comments. andrew.46 post do it just the way you told me not to do... even if i guess it would be a more clarify way - and nearly copy paste my comment...

In this question it is obvious that it is a duplicate - no problem - more than just poweruser do some more duplicates (an ignores that file syncing is a subject, so file stats should be preserved)

This question is one of the best... A super-user asks a question what he can easy reveal with less than 2 minute of research.... I give him (a super-user) a hint how to solve - and it solved! But in meta you told me I should suggest he is a "mega dummy" - no words left so far. Last but no least, the super-user answers himself in a spamming manner. I still waiting for the video tutorial...

Special question regarding to his thread:

The question of the OP was really regarding basics of VB. It was obvious that a short hint helps the OP to find the right way. It makes absolutly no sense to spend the effort to do a setup with that program (VB) used to take some screenshots and create a click by click tutorial.

Why? Because the short hint takes a minute (question 22:03, solution 22:15) and OP can go on (and he did!). This is much more usefull for the OP than waiting hours for a video tutorial.

Why? Because the supporter may spend the saved hours not doing a video turorial helping other users.

Another good question I red the question and followed up how familar the OP with ubuntu is. I gave him a short hint that solves the problem. Mostly everybody with such question who understand the question will understand the solution - and I used a link of StackExchange. The answer get accepted but one of you power user still must downvote. Well done...

As long as some of the big player here apply double standards it is annoying helping the OPs here.

This question is not regarding me (I going on doing it my way, helping users - not pleasing super-users) - but some of you (if the cap fits, wear it) should think about how to help, educate and/or annoy other supporter...

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  • regarding "super-user": as even moderators are normal users when it concerns the site itself I doubt we have super-users. And if there was such a concept ... Paranoid Panda, with less than 20k a super-user? Not really.
    – Rinzwind
    Mar 19, 2016 at 12:51
  • If you want a superuser, just look at @Rinzwind here. 119K! There are users here with >500k, and I honestly don't know how, since they never seem to post anything/ Mar 19, 2016 at 12:53
  • than call them high active supporter - I am sure, anybody I am targeting knows that she/he is concerned.
    – cmks
    Mar 19, 2016 at 12:53
  • @cmks the case you have built for yourself doesn't have much actual fact to stand upon. Mar 19, 2016 at 12:59
  • 2
    Why the down votes ? cmks is asking for guidance and from what I have seen when I give feedback in comments on the main site is reasonably open to positive feedback and advice.
    – Panther
    Mar 19, 2016 at 13:41
  • @cmks - Why do the think high rep "super users" are out to get you? You have no way of knowing who is giving you down votes and in general the high rep users are the most likely to be helpful and are most tolerant.
    – Panther
    Mar 19, 2016 at 13:49
  • @bodhi.zazen: yes maybe you are right and I targeting wrong. There was related events they make me belive that some well active users try to educate me in a annoying manner. As I see comments here and and the main site in last hours I am with you. The high-rep-users are well communicative and constructive. thump up.
    – cmks
    Mar 19, 2016 at 13:59
  • @cmks: You have mentioned a few times that you feel we use "double-standards", could you please clarify exactly what you mean by this claim and also give some evidence/examples.
    – user364819
    Mar 19, 2016 at 14:48
  • @bodhi.zazen I downvoted this because I just disagree this user is been targeted, I read his profile first and his posts seem well received but he keeps posting about single downvotes here and there. I don't think he is targeted, this quote from cmks sums it up " users try to educate me in a annoying manner"
    – Mark Kirby
    Mar 19, 2016 at 14:51
  • @markkirby - thank you
    – Panther
    Mar 19, 2016 at 16:41
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    @cmks: I might be guilty of "educating in an annoying tone" here and there. From what people tell me, this may be at least partially a cultural thing. For instance, quick-to-the-point direct criticism of someone's work (but not of the author of the work) is much better received on average in central and northern Europe than in many other cultures. I'm German so this seems to apply to me. Conversely, I'm annoyed if someone doesn't tell me outright what they see wrong with my work; but I try to remember that the cultural codes for criticism are different around the world and not press the issue. Mar 19, 2016 at 23:05
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    We all went through te same learning curve as you and trust me: you'll find your equilibrium too! ;-) I try to be nice all the time, but I do get annoyed as well sometimes: >:-) +1, no need for the downvotes when you express your confusion and willingness to clarify it! ;-)
    – Fabby
    Mar 23, 2016 at 23:17

4 Answers 4

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Let's look from a distance

Let's zoom out a bit, and not go into all the details too much. Most of your annoyances are the result of the (mis-)conception that AU is some kind of a private help desk.

Nothing is less true; both the person who asks a question and the person who answers, have the responsibility to make the post both useful and understandable, for as many people as the subject allows. Although we definitely want OP to find his or her solution, from the bigger perspective, the person, asking the question creates the occasion to answer the question.

The consequence is that if a question also is applicable to a less experienced user, the answer should be accordingly, no matter if the question was asked by a 100k user or a 21- user.
Of course if a question involves a highly complicated subject, we may assume the average visitor of the post will be more experienced, and the style of answering as well.

I suggest you spend your energy on writing good, understandable answers, I am sure you can, rather than fighting a concept that is the result of general consensus, of which you can be part if you let go your personal annoyances.

3
  • This is what I tried (and failed) to say. Perfect +1 Mar 19, 2016 at 13:30
  • @Zacharee1 Wow, thanks :) Mar 19, 2016 at 13:31
  • Well said! I couldn't agree more.
    – Elder Geek
    Feb 2, 2018 at 22:29
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For the most part your question and many of the answers are frankly tl:dr

If my answer is tl;dr - check your attitude both with new users and high reputation users here at the door and learn from your down votes, review upvoted answers, and review the behavior of high reputation users.

After watching your efforts in the past few days my advice is for you to :

First Look at what makes a good/great answer. Generally it is

  • An explanation of the problem and solution.

  • A graphical solution (very popular here) with screen shots.

  • If the solution uses the command line, an explanation of the commands with a link or reference to the man page for details.

Take a look at any user with a high reputation and review perhaps the top 5 answers that user posted.

Second - Keep in mind this is an Ubuntu site.The Ubuntu community is known for welcoming new users. See http://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/conduct

Other communities (Fedora, Arch, Gentoo, Slackware to name a few) are improving, but, often will post answers such as RTFM with more acceptance. Such a policy (RTFM) has advantages and disadvantages depending on the quality and maintenance of documentation but is not accepted here.

Your attitude, however, would be fine in many irc channels or in other communities, just not Ubuntu.

Some communities look at Ubuntu like this-

enter image description here

Third - Moderation on this site is community maintained so anyone can up or down vote your posts. You need to take a deep breath and not take such things personally.

I know I have my share of what sometimes seems to be random drive by down votes. So what? Everyone has the right to agree/disagree with my suggestions.

You should, however, review your posts if you get a down vote and try to improve.

However the moderators have a light hand, lots of tolerance and patience, are for the most part community elected, and do a nice job of watching for stalking behavior, either good or bad (I have seen users deleted who the mods felt had a pattern of upvoting my answers -> loss of reputation for me). They manage problem users via the use of flags.

If you're having a repeat problem with a user…

So while we do not always agree on various actions, the site is run by consensus.

1
  • first + second + third = +1
    – Elder Geek
    Feb 2, 2018 at 22:31
3

In this question I didn't post an answer because it is not the solution but give helping information in comments. andrew.46 post do it just the way you told me not to do... even if i guess it would be a more clarify way - and nearly copy paste my comment...

This site actually permits directly copying something from the comments if it is believed to be the answer. Even if it ends up not being the correct solution, if it attempts to answer the question, the answer is valid and should not be downvoted, unless it is only a link, or has no details at all. Now, I agree with you that his answer is probably not a great solution, as it doesn't directly address the issue. However, it will most likely solve the problem by essentially resetting everything and starting over.

It may not get upvotes, and it may be best to delete it, but it is technically an answer, and it is laid out in such a way that makes it easy to follow. You yourself admitted that it is more organized than what you suggested, which makes me think he didn't copy it directly from you (which is still perfectly OK).

You also fail to provide an example of when you posted an answer exactly like that and it was criticized and/or downvoted.


In this question it is obvious that it is a duplicate - no problem - more than just poweruser do some more duplicates (an ignores that file syncing is a subject, so file stats should be preserved)

I am honestly not sure what you're saying here, so I can't provide a response to it.


This question is one of the best... A super-user asks a question what he can easy reveal with less than 2 minute of research.... I give him (a super-user) a hint how to solve - and it solved! But in meta you told me I should suggest he is a "mega dummy" - no words left so far. Last but no least, the super-user answers himself in a spamming manner. I still waiting for the video tutorial...

That question you are referring to is something that users do quite a bit. They "ask" a question and then answer it themselves. This is not for their use. It is a way of compiling information onto one site, Ask Ubuntu.

If a user had a problem and solved it themselves by looking it up or figuring it out, they may think that others could benefit. Your answer here may be valid, but it is useless. The OP isn't looking for an answer, the OP is is sharing their knowledge with others.

If their answer was just a one sentence thing, then it wouldn't help anyone looking for the answer. This user, by providing a lengthy answer, is not cluttering this site. This user, by providing a lengthy answer, is helping newcomers learn how to do something.

This brings me to your description of this answer as "spammy." This is completely false. Spam is something like

BUY THIS NOW. MS OFFICE KEYS FREE 2016 2013 2010 '95

or

This site may help you out: [link to some random website about AntiVirus cracks]

A full blown tutorial is not spam.


Please remember that Ask Ubuntu is a public site. Questions posted here should be problems that others could potentially have. Of course, unique issues are welcome, but not in every case. Answers need to also help others, and as such should not be created with only the OP in mind.

If you have one sentence for an answer, someone else who comes along looking for the same solution might not have any idea what to do. This is why you are encouraged (and maybe obligated) to take some time to write out a full tutorial "for dummies." That way you can help more people than just the OP.

Long, detailed answers aren't spam. They are actually much more useful than just "hints," as you call them. A "hint" shouldn't even be an answer in the first place, since "hints" don't answer the question.

1
  • agreed. a hint is a comment.
    – Elder Geek
    Feb 2, 2018 at 22:32
1

You keep posting this again and again, so let me try to sum up the issue for you

Leaving a hint is not an answer, this has nothing to do with super-users, the answer section is for answer not hints, leave hints in comments if you want.

This site is for giving answers not hints, people don't come here for hints and tips they want an answer. You seem to think that as long as your hint may help someone sometime it is a valid answer, it is not.

You seem to have an issue with inexperienced users while neglecting the fact that your answers should help anyone who comes across them not just the OP, that is how the site works, it is a data base of useful answer. Answers that just leave links like this open ssh connection in background don't answer the question and will/should be downvoted.

In this one basel-real exists, but when I run basel, it said "No such file or directory" you say a user copied your comment, I see no evidence of this, the steps are different and the answer contains much more information than your comment, so how did they copy you? Also the answer is well written and contains clear steps, who told you not to do this?, no one, I read your other questions an Andrews answer fits the advice given to you there.

You are starting to just post the same stuff again and again, please stop, it seems to be your personal vendetta about power users (does 7k make me a power user, I don't think so anyway) picking on you but in every example you give the other answers are better, if you have a better answer than an existing one, just post it, like others do.

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  • You say, he postet a "answer" @ bazel. It is not. He dont revealed the problem nor posted an answer. Following up your standing, I can post an tutorial to setup a fresh ubuntu installation and to install bazel than. Would be just the same. But dont worry, I stopping buzzering you ;) Keep going on appling double standards.
    – cmks
    Mar 19, 2016 at 12:50
  • I have no idea what that comment means? Are you saying Andrew did not post an answer here askubuntu.com/questions/744618/… It sure looks like one, no one is saying you can't offer an alternative or good steps to install the software "I can post an tutorial to setup a fresh ubuntu installation and to intall bazel" NO installing Ubuntu has nothing to do with the question, now you are been ridiculous.
    – Mark Kirby
    Mar 19, 2016 at 12:55
  • @cmks In his answer, he stated that he attempted the setup and ran into no problems on the same version of Ubuntu. This points to a problem with the user's procedure. Rather than have to arduously troubleshoot an isolated issue, would it not make sense to maybe just show the user the correct method of installation? Chances are, it would have come to one of the steps in Andrew's answer. The question itself could be closed as somewhat unclear, but I think his answer is fitting. Mar 19, 2016 at 12:56
  • I tried to figure out if the OP did the right procedure - but not in an answer. And how to know if it is the same ubuntu version? the OP didnt postet the used distribution or version nor there was a tag revealing that. I also tried to clearfy that - have a look in my comments
    – cmks
    Mar 19, 2016 at 12:58
  • 1
    @cmks Yet again you are ignoring, the answer must help ANYONE who reads it and not just OP, there are many questions that say "This works on 14.04" but if you don't like the answer, just -1, comment as to why if you like and move on, that is your right, complain you don't like an answer here dose nothing about it, use your votes to show your opinion.
    – Mark Kirby
    Mar 19, 2016 at 13:03

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