Code tags

[Michael M]

Why do we continue to allow the increasing posting of untagged code ?
The guidelines advise in Section B, that code tags are to be used.

Posters seem to be oblivious to this requirement, even when a response to them suggests they do it in future !!

If we aren't going to manage it, can we remove it from the guidelines....please ???

 

[shg]

And thread titles, while we're at it.

 

[Michael M]

Oh yeah...forgot that...

2 pet title hates......." easy question" AND "hard question for Experts only"

If it was easy, why did you ask it !!....I don't answer the latter 'cause I ain't an Expert !!

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

Guidelines are encouraged and advised, not enforced. You can choose which posts to address, and those you wish to ignore. Indeed the guidelines exist so to help members get responses to their questions, so if a post doesn't meet your standard, move on to one that does.

The mods are volunteers and have enough to get on with dealing with spammers and the occasional jerk. Mod'ing titles and code tags would be a bit much, and the consensus has always been to be a little more relaxed compared to some of the other forums.

 

[RoryA]

If we aren't going to manage it, can we remove it from the guidelines....please ???

Short answer: no. It's a guideline, not a rule. If people choose to ignore it, they run the risk of fewer people helping them, that's all. We try to avoid the strict enforcement that applies in some other forums.

I try to correct the tags where I see them missing but it's hard to catch them all.

 

[Michael M]

Whoa guys, I understand that the forum is mainly volunteers...it was a simple question, not a demand !!
If it got you backs up, I apologise, it wasn't meant to offend !!

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

Whoa guys, I understand that the forum is mainly volunteers...it was a simple question, not a demand !!
If it got you backs up, I apologise, it wasn't meant to offend !!

Who are you referring to, me or Rory?

I think you've misread the tone somewhere, I don't think you've rubbed either of us up the wrong way.

 

[Michael M]

Jon
Maybe I also misread the tone, but

so if a post doesn't meet your standard, move on to one that does.

seemed a bit condescending....my standards are pretty low, but I was simply trying maintain ours (the forums)....I guess I'll keep my thoughts to myself in future.
I'm more than happy to answer any/all posts that I'm able to....

 

[Jon von der Heyden]

Lol, ok yes definitely not the tone I intended when you cut it like that. Certainly not intended to be condescending.

And of course I agree with you, that messy unformatted code and non-descript titles are frustrating. There are a few regulars here who should know better, and a couple that stand out to me for this very reason, and whose questions I simply ignore for this very reason.

In fact what frustrates me even more if when people don't want to learn, they just want answers. Of course that's a legitimate use of the forum, but it doesn't encourage me. Someone recently posted a question and I thought given his years and volume of participation, he really ought to be aware of the answer by now. So rather than give the direct answer I gave him explanations that would lead him to the solution. But he chose not to even try and he didn't get the answer, eventually writing back saying he was 'giving up'.

The point is this: You're also a volunteer (and a valued one at that). So are are free to choose which questions to answer and which ones not to.

 

[Michael M]

In that case, we shall move on in harmony...
But I will be careful in future to suggest to the posters to use code tags, rather than try and enforce their use..:wink: