Spoonfeeding

Not really a question or a gripe but I've been thinking should we always give posters the exact answer they want all the time? What I mean is should we point them in the direction of how to learn a new feature/skill themselves rather than give them the answer straight off? I realise sometimes some queries are so simple that that's all you can do.

I'd class myself as an intermediate user and often my replies (through necessity) direct people to solutions others that have been provided (and with appropriate explanation) rather than me being able to give the answer directly. I don't want to detract from the help that the various MVPs et al give because what they tell us is often astounding - I suppose I'm thinking do we give the answers or help to learn? People don't learn by being given the answers IMHO (myself included)

Hi:

My 2 cents....from my limited life experiences....

The learning quality/characteristic comes from within each one of us. Teachers/trainers can only do so much, it must be self applied by the one seeking knowledge. If the vaule of what is picked up in this great forum is not absorbed by the poster either in direct or indirect replies, then shame on the poster. We can only do so much....if the questions asked are not answered here on this forum, they will be answered somewhere else.

regards
plettieri

Hi there,


Having only been using Excel since February I'm happy to hold my hand up to being a complete novice - probably guilty of posting a fair few simple (bordering on stupid) questions but I thought you might appreciate a beginners perspective.

Personally, my intention is to learn, so any explanation that accompanies a solution is very much appreciated. For me, this board is an invaluable rescource. I don't want to be spoon-fed and usually have a go at working out how any solution people give me actually works. It might appear that people are being spoon fed by being given the solution but that's not necessarily the case.

With regards to directing people to a related link, (this point relates more to information links rather than previous posts). Sometimes these are great and really help, but some links assume a certain level of expertise that is not always present (or give too general an overview, when you need specifics). It depends on the individual's knowledge base, I suppose. I've followed some links and they've been excellent, but other times I've thought 'ohmygod - rocket science!' which is really off-putting. I know you can't judge if the person posting will understand the link or not, but maybe they should be encouraged to repost if the information goes completely over their head. LOL Speaking as a complete novice, it is a little daunting having to announce to a board of Excel experts that you have personally discovered a new depth of stupidity and failed to grasp a seemingly fundamental piece of Excel knowledge to which you've been referred - and are supposed to understand, but hey, it happens. That's part of the learning process I suppose.

At the end of the day, I always feel happier if I've learned something and got a query resolved.

Anyway that's a pov from an Excel novice.

Isis.

My opinion. Not every one who comes here is trying to "learn". They are asking a question and looking for an answer, not a run-a-round. This is a help forum, help means, ask question, get answer. That simple.

elgringo56 said:

My opinion. Not every one who comes here is trying to "learn". They are asking a question and looking for an answer, not a run-a-round. This is a help forum, help means, ask question, get answer. That simple.

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That attitude would be perfectly acceptable if the person seeking help were paying for the help, but I think that some people who provide free help on these sort of boards are sometimes reluctant to do so if it appears that the person seeking help has done little or nothing to help himself.

Providing solutions to problems always involves time.
Obviously there will be times when someone who is providing free help cannot spare the time to produce an actual answer, but can point the questioner in the right direction.

That attitude would be perfectly acceptable if the person seeking help were paying for the help, but I think that some people who provide free help on these sort of boards are sometimes reluctant to do so if it appears that the person seeking help has done little or nothing to help himself.

So, I suppose the board should be changed from "help board" to Help if you pay for it, lectures if you don't. I dont believe any person who comes to this board is forced to "Give" free help. If a person wants to answer a question, they do it. If they dont want to answer it, No one has said they have to, free or otherwise. Also, there are some of us that tend to learn more from the answers, by takeing it and backtracking thru it to see why it works. I, myslef, have learned more about this VBA that way than by any amount of reasearch, reading and digging that I have done. Generally, when I ask a question, I am hot in the middle of something and need an answer to keep me going. If I have to stop and research, I lose focus on the project. Is that "spoonfeeding"? Possibly, at the time. But it also gives me a point to use to expand my knowledge. If a person does not want to "spoonfeed", then dont, but dont complain about it, either.

elgringo56 said:

My opinion. Not every one who comes here is trying to "learn". They are asking a question and looking for an answer, not a run-a-round. This is a help forum, help means, ask question, get answer. That simple.

Click to expand...

But if you understand how the answer is derived then if you need to change something you'll know how and also (I think) it is generally useful to know how a spreadsheet you are using works...

To elgringo56 :-

You seem to have misinterpreted my previous comments - none of them was a complaint and none was intended as a criticism of either help seekers or responders. They were merely statements that I believe to be fact.

I agree that help seekers and responders have the right to post whatever they want.

Also, if you teach them, then maybe they won't come back with the same question again.

Why not choose each case selectively?

As I teach youngsters to climb, I often point out that at some point in time, we were ALL beginners. There are those who flourish with just a bit of encouragement (and hopefully become better than you!), those who need a more suggestive "push", and those who need to have their ***** hauled up the rock (often screaming and then whimpering before they "GET IT").

For whatever reason, some people choose to (as Yogi puts it "EXcell!"), and some don't.

I'm not an Excel newbie, but could be impersonated by one on TV; I'm certainly not in the leagues of the many whizzes here (Aladyin for formulas, TommyGun & Andrew Poulsum, or Ritchie(UK) for VBA, Von Pookie for redirecting posts, etc.), but I know that I've learned one helluva lot by being here.

We can choose to be rude and drive people away from MrExcel.com or choose to help people out, even if it means being efficient and directing them toward a post that will answer their question. (From my experience it also takes time to "remeber that post" and find it...)

As far as paying for help goes, I suppose if an OP wanted to build an Add-In or custom function that could be re-sold, then development fees probably should apply, but at that point the post should be taken offline.

My company is a Mr. Excel customer and we've had GREAT results, yet I've NEVER listed a question linked to Bill's work on the board, as I find that to be unethical, and it cheats Bill and the other folks who work with him out of their rightful dues.

I like "TommyGuns" answer: "Teach Them". (Without being pedantic of course).

That's my 2-cents worth.

Smitty