M
Michael Black
Guest
John Popelish (jpopelish@rica.net) writes:
as if that's the newsgroup for basics.
I think posters also need to realize that we aren't here to write textbooks.
We have no obligation to answer, and if we wanted to write that sort of
thing, we'd be writing books.
Newsgroups are for interaction, and too often, people post a question
that doesn't make sense or is incomplete, leaving the regulars here
to speculate on what the intent of the original question was. Yet,
the original poster often does not get back into the thread, indeed
may never post here again.
People should not be counting on newsgroups for all the answers, or
for learning about some topic. There are plenty of books and magazines
that have done that well over the years, and there are things called
libraries if people don't want to buy the books. A newsgroup about
basics should be more akin to a tutor, to answer questions on material
already studied. There is a world of difference between "how does
this transistor stage work", which presumably is covered in many a book,
and "I'm reading up on transistor amplifiers and I still don't get
the point of the emitter bypass capacitor". In the second case, the
poster has been reading up, and needs a point clarified.
If answers seem too far over the head of a beginner, that's not complete
the fault of those replying. It's up to the person asking the question
to provide feedback on whether the answer goes over their head, or
if indeed the question is being interpreted as intended. We aren't
mindreaders.
If people don't ask basic questions, then there won't be much on
the basic level.
And as for separating the good from the bad, well in some ways a
newsgroup is great for that, precisely because others get to see
the question and answer. If someone posts a wrong, or incorrect
answer, there is ample opportunity for others to correct that
reply. If someone can't determine which answer is correct,
surely some of the replies help the poster get back to the books
and find the correct answer.
Michael
though I don't see the questions here) and then use sci.electronics.design
as if that's the newsgroup for basics.
I think posters also need to realize that we aren't here to write textbooks.
We have no obligation to answer, and if we wanted to write that sort of
thing, we'd be writing books.
Newsgroups are for interaction, and too often, people post a question
that doesn't make sense or is incomplete, leaving the regulars here
to speculate on what the intent of the original question was. Yet,
the original poster often does not get back into the thread, indeed
may never post here again.
People should not be counting on newsgroups for all the answers, or
for learning about some topic. There are plenty of books and magazines
that have done that well over the years, and there are things called
libraries if people don't want to buy the books. A newsgroup about
basics should be more akin to a tutor, to answer questions on material
already studied. There is a world of difference between "how does
this transistor stage work", which presumably is covered in many a book,
and "I'm reading up on transistor amplifiers and I still don't get
the point of the emitter bypass capacitor". In the second case, the
poster has been reading up, and needs a point clarified.
If answers seem too far over the head of a beginner, that's not complete
the fault of those replying. It's up to the person asking the question
to provide feedback on whether the answer goes over their head, or
if indeed the question is being interpreted as intended. We aren't
mindreaders.
If people don't ask basic questions, then there won't be much on
the basic level.
And as for separating the good from the bad, well in some ways a
newsgroup is great for that, precisely because others get to see
the question and answer. If someone posts a wrong, or incorrect
answer, there is ample opportunity for others to correct that
reply. If someone can't determine which answer is correct,
surely some of the replies help the poster get back to the books
and find the correct answer.
Michael