"I Can't Help You. Sorry!" feature discussion

[Sakunyuusha]

One of my pet peeves when I post a request on a forum is when I get a reply from somebody who doesn't know the answer. It's polite of them to have at least let me know that they cared to try for me, but it always gets my hopes up and then dashes them against the rocks -- and that feeling sucks.

Because I feel this way, I myself will rarely post in a Help or a Request thread if I do not know the answer. However, I also think that this behavior can damage the reputation of that webforum's Help or Request boards. Sometimes a thread may get 67 views and zero replies, and the poster doesn't know whether to interpret that as 67 bot views, 67 views from peons who know nothing, or 67 views from the board's 67 most well-informed members.

So here was my thought: "how could members show that they read a help or request thread without replying to it?"

And I don't know how difficult it'd be to implement or if it's even worth it at all, but the idea that came to mind was really very simple on the surface: "make it work just like the Thanks button, but have the button only appear inside of threads posted in the Help or Request forums." It wouldn't keep out the spambots, but at least it would attach usernames to the thread without bumping the thread like a reply would.

I dunno. Is my behavior odd and exceptional? Or do you also feel the same way that I do? Do you, too, hold back from posting in Help or Request threads because you don't want to get the guy's hopes up for nothing? yet you still want to show him that you did care enough to try to help him, that people do read threads in that forum?

 

[Joelle]

This makes perfect sense to me and I totally understand. Having posted (example) technical questions in other forums - such as video conversion or particularly tricky virus or spyware questions - only to be ignored and by 67 members.

I like the fact that you offered a solution or an idea to address this issue I'm sure we all go through at one time or another.

It's as good as an idea as any other I've heard that addresses this - but what's great is that you went an extra (appropriate) step to resolve.

Rather than just re-gripe or re-complaine - whatever the result you are doing smart things to address.

When we take extra time, don't rush to conclusions, try to handle things the appropriate way (via other members then mods then super mods), good things happen so good job all the way down the line on this.


Joelle

 

[Aqua2213]

You must have recently got "peeved". I always have lots of questions and requests and I either post for help or search thru the help forums for previously similar requests or answers.
Maybe it's because my questions are so simple in the tech areas that they are easily answered usually right away, but I've never been shut out with no reply and if I got a "I can't help you. Sorry" post I would be grateful the poster had at least acknowledged that he/she too didn't know the answer.
I got yelled at once in the JI Request section for not following the correct protocol for asking for a models name but at the same time I got my answer from the person yelling at me.
I usually learn by my mistakes and next time will follow the right steps. Lord knows I've been banned enough here. :goodboy:
Adding a new button inside the posters thread in the request/tech forums sounds like a lot of work and is it really feasible and needed for all?
Personally, I've never looked at how many views my requests or questions have gotten. I just want answers.
Your closing in on 2,000 posts and I would think you would be addressed pronto by fellow thousandaire posters.
I hope you find resolve with your pet peeve and can take it for a nice long walk. :full:

 

[Sakunyuusha]

You must have recently got "peeved".

Incorrect. Not a bad guess, I suppose, but a poor one if you knew me better. And since you do not, it's a little inappropriate to run as far with this assumption as you did. Oh well: I do it too all the time. But it doesn't make it right.

The trigger for today's suggestion was this thread. I wanted to help the guy, checked out the getchu page, and realized it was outside of my territory. Uninterested to search further, I wanted to at least let the guy know that his 2-years-late-to-the-party reply made in sheer desperation had not fallen on deaf ears. I wanted to let him know that, yes, it is worth it to reply to a 2-year old thread with one reply in the Requests section of the board. That people do read these threads. Etc.

But I didn't want to reply and get his hopes up for nothing.

Better luck next assumption.

 

[Aqua2213]

"You must have recently got peeved". My god, you take it like that was a personal attack on you.
No, I don't know you and after reading your two posts here I definitely don't want to know you.
I was just throwing in some helpful input, ya know, "Take what ya need and leave the rest"?

A thread that was started two years ago and the poster hasn't come back here since December 12, 2007 and you wanted to let him know something and you want new buttons made?

Your right, I was really unlucky responding to your thread. Happy trails....

And people here call ME creepy.... :squirt:

 

[Sakunyuusha]

Anyone who wants to use the system can, and the system would be used to the benefit of hundreds, potentially thousands of registered members. You've laughably tried to paint this thread as me wanting a system overhaul for one post when we've already had one reply from somebody else applauding this suggestion.

People probably call you creepy because of the flat-chested 7-year old girls in your avatars and your prominent use of Comic Sans as a standard font in which to make your replies. It screams less "sophisticated pervert" and more "Stephen King's It during the main characters' childhood years". The eyeless grinning bald man in the signature doesn't help the cause much. But if they do call you creepy, I've never heard of it.

Round Three?

 

[Aqua2213]

Oh dear... and now who's really doing the assuming?

I've always said I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer. :nosepick:

If all these fonts are offered to use, why fault me for doing so?

Comic sans font says, "I don't take things all that serious".

You've put me down, and all the other thousands of "perverts" here who adore flat chested preteen girls...btw, I believe these two pretty twins in my avatar were 8 at the time of this shoot.

Come here...I don't think you need a flame war, just a nice perverted hug from Uncle Aqua ayup:

Maybe I misunderstood your question and the second reply by you didn't make it any clearer for me. Who knows maybe you have something here and i hope you find a solution.
I really was only trying to help.

PS...you forgot to slander my "Candy Lips and Bubblegum Tongues" signature.

 

[redrooster]

:evillaugh::victim:mg::cry::ignore::evil:......

 

[elgringo14]

Once again Sakun, you are thinking too hard

If someone reads a request and doesn't reply, he cannot (or doesn't want to) help it. Period. End of the discussion.

 

[rubiks6]

Wow. I'm amazed d_reaper even found such an old thread. I know why he bumped it. The request had been made a long time ago, and d_reaper was also interested in acquiring, uh, whatever the thing was that was being requested. If I see something requested and I too would like to get it, I'll bump a thread. "I 2nd .." or "I 3rd the request". You've seen those kind of bumps. I just did that about an hour ago, asking for a Miya Manma video. If d_reaper does acquire what he is looking for through this forum, it will be because he bumped the thread.

Now as far as you and Aqua arguing - Come guys, chill.

Hey, Sakunyuusha, I know you're a good guy. You are one of the people who facilitated me when I wanted to make a modification to the board. When I wanted the "post start date" added beneath thread titles next to the thread starter's name, you had a good suggestion for me that kept the ball rolling, and the modification was implemented. You are courteous, and often have good ideas.

Now as for Aqua, well, he's Aqua. He's a good guy, too. Someone worth getting to know. Yes, he can be abrasive sometimes, but he's not at all mean spirited. I can be abrasive sometimes, too. Aqua can be quite amusing (I mean that in the nicest way, Aqua). And as far as his interest in little flat-chested girls goes - I'm in the same boat.

So, you guys shake hands and be done with it.
_____ . :bingo: . _____

As for the need for a new button - well - I think really the 'thanks' button is sufficient for the task. When someone 'thanks' an op in a request thread, they are conveying the message that they agree with the request, that they are seconding the request. When someone bumps an old request, they are hoping new people with new resources will see it, and perhaps the request can now be fufilled.
_____________________________

I hope we can agree to disagree. All of the folks who contributed to this thread thus far are long time members, and all good people.
(If you want to be mad - be mad at me 'cause I talk too much. LOL Stop laughing at me redrooster! hehe))

 

[Sakunyuusha]

If I click "Thanks," it conveys the message, "Thank you for bumping this thread. I, too, am looking for this."

So I do click thanks if somebody makes a request that I was also interested in making.

And so I don't want to hit "Thanks" to convey the message "Hey, I tried to help you out, but no dice. :| Sorry. Best of luck!"

 

[rubiks6]

... And so I don't want to hit "Thanks" to convey the message "Hey, I tried to help you out, but no dice. :| Sorry. Best of luck!" ...

But that's a fine message to send. You cared enough to read the request, but you were unable to fulfil the request. Perhaps you would like the same thing the op was requesting, and you want to let him (and others) know that you appreciate the request.

There you have it.

 

[Sakunyuusha]

... Are you trolling me? In case you're not, I'll spell it out more clearly. And I can hardly see how Ceewan would thank you for this post unless he, too, is being cruel for self-amusement.

"Thanks" does not convey the message "Hey, I tried to help you out." And it is for that reason that I do not want to hit "Thanks" to convey such a message. If it did, then I'd be happy to use it. But it doesn't, so it'd be retarded to hit "Thanks". As I already explained, hitting "Thanks" would tell the guy, "Hey, I wanted to find this, too! Thanks for bumping this thread! " or it would tell him "Hey, I didn't know this existed until you posted, but now I do, and it looks really good and I want it too! So thank you! " "Thanks" signifies one's own gratitude to the person being thanked.

Maybe English isn't your first language, and if not, then okay, I should be more considerate. But if it is your first language ... then seriously, what the hell, dude? If somebody walks up to you on the subway and asks you where a particular store is and you do not know, you don't smile at them and say, "Thank you. " The idea of thanking somebody has nothing to do -- nothing at all! -- with the idea of apologizing for one's shortcomings or with the idea of conveying one's heartfelt sympathies or with the idea of letting somebody know you would have given them the answer had you known it.

If somebody walks up to you and asks you a question you don't know the answer to, you don't say "Thanks. " You say, "Sorry, I don't know." Or something to that effect.

And so it's something to that effect that I was asking about: the implementation of a button that would allow the conveyance of that message.

If somebody replied to a request of mine saying, "I don't know, sorry," I already mentioned that it would slightly annoy me. But if somebody replied to a request of mine and said "Thank you! ", I'd report his post as spam. -_-;

 

[shadeofgray]

It's a noble idea, but I don't see any real practical use for it.

You can see that members who can and wish to help do reply to threads. So people do read the Help and Request forums. Pressing the ''I can't help you'' button is superfluous in this case.

As far as bots are concerned, not all members who find certain post to be useful (e.g. download provided files) press ''Thank you'' button, so it can be assumed that not every member who read a request or help thread with an intent to help but can't help, will press ''I can't help you'' button.

And if someone does press the button, how will you know if he/she is a peon or one of the most well-informed members? By way of seniority or post count? Maybe some new member who has an obsession for an Idol about whose video I'm inquiring can answer me with something like ''She's my favorite Idol and I've collected all her videos and DVDs for the past 10 years, but have never seen or heard of that particular video.'' Wouldn't that be more helpful in realizing that I'm maybe on a doomed quest than if that member simply pressed the button and I would assume that he/she is a peon?

When I can provide help or fulfil a request, I answer the thread. When I can't, I don't.

Again, it's a noble idea, but...

 

[scorres]

Ai Ay Yi!

Wow! what a thread to find via google. Hehe I came here to
read further about bubblegum tounges and I find a well established
member I've never heard of, a lot of my friends and a couple that hate me,
all banging keys in anger. (JK)
How about this for the OP
a poll to survey viewers at the top.

1. couldn't help
2. clueless
3. can help, did
4. let it brew
5. maybe later, JW's at the door
6. I love giving one click opinions