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| PGoodhart |
 Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:28 am Post subject: How To Ask For Help |
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Master
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 278
Location: Harrisburg PA
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Guys,
I have noticed that there are a lot of instances where some one posts a question, and that question has none of the proper information for anyone to make a suggestion. Would it be possible to put a sticky on each of the forums that has the general information, and guidelines for asking a question? I am thinking about RTM (Read The Manuals), giving the platform and version information in the orginal post, checking the logs, search the site first, and FSTs. Also it would help if people try to tell use what they have checked already. I am sure that some of the more frequent posters have definate ideas on what they think would help.
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Patrick Goodhart
MQ Admin/Web Developer/Consultant
WebSphere Application Server Admin |
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| JLRowe |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:35 am Post subject: |
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Yatiri
Joined: 25 May 2002
Posts: 664
Location: South East London
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| Marking it 'URGENT!!!' is almost guaranteed not to get a response from me. |
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| bower5932 |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 27 Aug 2001
Posts: 3023
Location: Dallas, TX, USA
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| I also love the URGENT requests (especially when posted multiple times). I'm not sure that creating a template of what to put in a problem would do any good. How many times do you see an answer to a question simply being a post to search results from this site? If people aren't going to look by searching, I doubt that they'll take the time to look at a template. However, it would be nice to have a base set of information on a problem. |
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| JasonE |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:08 am Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 1220
Location: Hursley
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Well, I hate problems where people dont indicate the platform + version, rel+maintenance level of MQ.
If a probe has occurred, post the whole top box plus the first section after it (call stack).
If messages occur, quote the numbers + text. Not everyone knows off the top of their head what an AMQ1234 message is... |
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| PGoodhart |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:40 am Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 278
Location: Harrisburg PA
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Oh and you have to love the certification questions, which is always the same:
Can you give me some answers?
Can I get the sample tests for nothing?
Etc..
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Patrick Goodhart
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| jhues789 |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 6:42 am Post subject: |
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Apprentice
Joined: 20 Jan 2004
Posts: 37
Location: Madison WI
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I think that giving people a template is a great idea. We all forget sometimes that our “MQ environment” is not the only environment out there.
Version
CSD Level
Platform & Fix packs
*******Question*******
What has been done so far.
Errors and Error codes.
What else should be included???
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| PGoodhart |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:47 am Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 278
Location: Harrisburg PA
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A copy of the message causing the issue if applicable.
Normal performance level if a performance problem (it used to take X but now it takes Y)
Another thing I'd like to see more descriptive subjects. As mentioned above the URGENT label is meaningless. The other one that agravates me is "problem with MQ" subjects that indicate less then nothing....
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Patrick Goodhart
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| Michael Dag |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:48 am Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 13 Jun 2002
Posts: 2607
Location: The Netherlands (Amsterdam)
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I run a phpBB board myself and have implemented a number of goodies that are very interesting.
I am sure if brandon really wants I could come up with some 'form' that would be put into the new post body (should be very hard to miss that!)
of anyones first 10 posts?
as an introductionary 'puppy' training to mqseries.net?
other then that there is not much we can do ...
I think we had this discussion a couple of times before only less friendly sometimes...
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Michael
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| JasonE |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:23 pm Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 1220
Location: Hursley
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| Slightly off topic, but I would also suggest a few more people being admins, or at least authorized to move posts from one forum to another and cancelling duplicate posts (boy is that annoying!). Another useful feature would be having people rename the topic lines of posts, to be more 'meaningful' sometimes... |
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| Michael Dag |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 13 Jun 2002
Posts: 2607
Location: The Netherlands (Amsterdam)
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| JasonE wrote: |
| Slightly off topic, but I would also suggest a few more people being admins, or at least authorized to move posts from one forum to another and cancelling duplicate posts (boy is that annoying!). Another useful feature would be having people rename the topic lines of posts, to be more 'meaningful' sometimes... |
Jason,
just offer your help to Brandon! I did and immediately became a moderator, certainly someone with your record!
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Michael
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| csmith28 |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:49 pm Post subject: 0.o |
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Grand Master
Joined: 15 Jul 2003
Posts: 1196
Location: Arizona
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Wonders if Brandon would have me as a moderator? 
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Yes, I am an agent of Satan but my duties are largely ceremonial. |
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| PeterPotkay |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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Poobah
Joined: 15 May 2001
Posts: 7722
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People don't read the fine manuals, and they don't search, so what makes you think they are gonna read a post that tells them how to post? Sorry to sound so pessimistic. Its kinda like the only people that follow gun laws are the ones you have nothing to worry about in the first place. The only ones that will pay attention to the sticky post will be the ones that would post correctly anyway.
If the format of the New Post pages changes though, that might get the idea across. I would love to see a form on that page, rather than a big empty box for inputing text. Kinda like the form IBM implemented when you go to the ESR page to open a PMR.
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Peter Potkay
Keep Calm and MQ On |
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| kirani |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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Jedi Knight
Joined: 05 Sep 2001
Posts: 3779
Location: Torrance, CA, USA
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And we need to make these fields mandatory,
Version
CSD Level
Platform & Fix packs
etc.
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Kiran
IBM Cert. Solution Designer & System Administrator - WBIMB V5
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IBM Cert. Specialist - WMQI, MQSeries
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| csmith28 |
| Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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Grand Master
Joined: 15 Jul 2003
Posts: 1196
Location: Arizona
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| kirani wrote: |
And we need to make these fields mandatory,
Version
CSD Level
Platform & Fix packs
etc. |
Version: yes
CSD Level: no
Platform & Fix packs: some.
Full proof plans don't account for the enginuity of fools. Personally, I kinda get a kick out of some of the posts that are made by the seemingly clueless. There was one the other day in which someone wanted to "modificate"  something or another. Priceless.
I am of the opnion that the format for posting is just fine and as a community we generally deal well with the occasional ill formed request for assistance.
If we start modifying each board and adding required fields we will be taking a BBS that is simple and functional and turning it into a more complicated forum that is less user friendly. When we hit reply, are we gunna have to fill out those required fields as well. Who's gunna write all this new code and create all these new forms? I am fairly certain that Brandon doesn't have a lot of free time to devote to this project.
I understand that PGoodhart started this thread with the best of intentions. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Lets just leave things they way they are.
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| PGoodhart |
| Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:43 am Post subject: |
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Master
Joined: 17 Jun 2004
Posts: 278
Location: Harrisburg PA
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My thought is to leave the forum posting mechanism alone and just insert an instruction sheet in the registration mechanism so people have at least seen it once. Most people really just want an answer, and if it gets them an answer faster, they will jump through hoops.
I can understand when the post is a little off, but I really think many people don't have any idea how to start posting. How many of the RTF posts were to people who didn't even know the manuals existed?
The moderator in the MQSI forum put in a sticky about the different resources, and the manual related posts decreased...
Remember also that many of the posters have an additional battle and they aren't posting in their native language.
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Patrick Goodhart
MQ Admin/Web Developer/Consultant
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