Instant Messaging..

Ye' old general discussion board. Basically, for everything that isn't covered elsewhere. Come here to shoot the breeze, shoot your mouth off, or whatever suits your fancy.
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Roja
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Instant Messaging..

Post by Roja »

There isn't a complaining/whining section, so I'm posting in general. This is a whine, so do feel free to move on if you don't want to hear it.

I noticed Twigletmac's sig today, which reads:
If you want to add me to MSN e-mail me to tell me who you are please... (I do not offer code help via MSN except in exceptional circumstances)
I'm so glad she did, because I thought I was alone!

I added my contact information here when I first arrived. I kept it there until a few days ago. Why the change?

Because people started using my IM instead of the forums!

People would ask me questions that were really out of my area of expertise, and worse, were really up someone's alley here. I had over a half-dozen requests for a pre-written login script (See Maugrim's tutorial, I responded). I had several questions about GD type stuff (See the phpgd section, and ask there, I responded). The list went on.

Usually the people asking hadn't written any code. Not one line. They hadn't searched, they hadn't tried to do it on their own, nothing. They just wanted code handed to them!

Worse, like Twig's sig implies, most of them had no courtesy at all. They didn't introduce themselves, they didn't ask if it was a good time, nothing. They just jumped right into a complex question. Even better, some of them would get annoyed if I didnt answer right away!!

I did my best with as many of them as I could. I tried to be polite. I tried to encourage them to use resources, to search, to try it themselves, to use some courtesy, and so forth. But in the last few weeks, it got *tremendously* bad. In one computing session, I fielded 5 different requests, and only *one* was something I considered polite, reasonable, and totally worthwhile (Thank you Charles256!).

Thats when I removed my IM info. I really wish I didn't have to, but it seems that newer members of the forum just don't understand why the forums *WORK*. Without questions and answers *HERE*, your problem only gets solved for you - not for the hundreds or thousands of people that visit these forums days, weeks, months, or even years later with the same problem.

The forums are a great resource. I wish people would stop trying to replace them with IM. Thats not what its for!
Charles256
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Post by Charles256 »

:-D Glad to see I'm on not on the list of people that annoy you. I can't help it, you offer the best design advice IMO of everyone else. :-D If i'm ever brief it's just because I'm wrapped in my own little world and forget we weren't talking before I asked :-D On the other hand, I do tend to ask you and feyd if I get really stuck and no one answers me because, well, you'll at least say I'm foolish (feyd speaking ;) and should do it x way.

On to my point: I have noticed this too. Even me, worthless little ole me has gotten an increase in IM's from people just slapping code in my face and well..sometimes I look at it..sometimes I yell to go post it on the forum. Which reminds me, if someone IM's me asking to look at some code they've posted on the forums that's a lot better than IMing me your code because to be honest, unless I know you, I'm not going to take the time to decode without color coding ;)

Side note: I'm going to keep my contact info up, I love talking to other PHP developers. Chatting shop so to speak :-D

edit: which reminds me, I even helped Roja this week when I wanted to ask him a question, turns out he had the table set up with css to display in 12 font, but not on his pure CSS issue...hehe. Turns out me saying, "I wonder if tables have some hidden preset which defaults font to 12px" led to this revelation... who said running your mouth doesn't help the situation? :-D
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Chris Corbyn
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Post by Chris Corbyn »

I leave my contact info on here but I have exactly the same problem as yourself Roja, so I see exactly where you're coming from :)

It's mostly fine for myself since I'll only be on MSN if I'm not busy.

I have started only using MSN two or three times a week for a few hours now though so I don't get it quite so much.

I've had people I've never heard of before ask if I could help them write an e-commerce site before (selling music and such).... when asked how much money I would receive they've said that they have no money to pay :? Something doesn't add up there... e-Commerce == Profit !== No payment :evil:

I don't want to put members off contacting me for a chat or even for a quick coding help after using the forum has failed but do remember to do your homework and search then ask on the forum before you ask over IM :D

Oh... by the way. For those who don't know, we do have an IRC channel too where you may find like-minded people who potentially could answer questions, although that's not it's primary purpose... it's more of a general chit-chat.

irc.freenode.net /#phpdn

It been there for a long time but not a lot of people are aware it exists... so now you know :D

Carry on :)
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Moocat
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Post by Moocat »

Hey d11, I've got this great idea and all I need is a coder to do it for me. I'll give you all the details as you work ok? It won't pay right away but once it starts earning money (and I'm sure it will!) I'll be sure to give you like 5% because you know my idea is so original and nobody has ever thought about it before. Oh, and I need a prototype in a week ok?

/sarcasm :)

Man, if I only had a quarter everytime I've heard that...

P.S. I'll also get bored in a month and tell you all your work was for naught and you're not getting a dime of anything even if you DID make a workable program.

P.S.S. We should write an essay with all the "stupid crazy customer" stuff we've heard (freelancer type stuff).
Last edited by Moocat on Tue Jan 03, 2006 11:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
timvw
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Post by timvw »

I don't really know who of you are in my contact list, i do remember once in a while some regulars tend so send something funny or so.. No problem with that :)

I do agree with Roja, i've experienced that too. I simply don't bother to talk back to these ppl, they usually end up in my ignorelist.. And they stay there :p
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onion2k
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Post by onion2k »

I get lots of questions over MSN. I only ever answer the GD ones unless it's someone I know.
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Maugrim_The_Reaper
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Post by Maugrim_The_Reaper »

I don't have that issue. I have a lowly inferior 56k connection by dial up which is kept firmly limited and so I rarely even use an IM (except maybe ICQ on occassion - and few know my ICQ number...;)). MSN is generally a bad idea for publicising - for some reason its occupied by the worst plaguers possible. ICQ/Jabber on the otherhand are slightly under the level of notice of annoying people and are far safer to logon to without being harried.

That's my limited experience at least. I find IM's a bit too distracting to use unless necessary. I never did get with the "c u l8r" revolution. I'm usually the guy typing full sentences with correct punctuation....:)

I'd restrict myself to IRC if I was a little less flexible and more people knew it existed...
Grim...
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Post by Grim... »

Grim...'s MSN wrote:Portian: hey grim its portian can you help with my site i need to add a cel phone number into my contacts
Portian: and could you take away telephone number too
Portian: he are you ever going to aswer???
Portian: HELLO
Portian: fine if you wont help why make these apps EVER
That was recieved at 5am (UK time). Do these people not understand the concept of 'away'?

(Incidently, there was a tutorial showing him how to do this on the forum and in the app. readme file. Furthermore all he actually had to do was change the language pack so 'telephone' read 'cell'. Hey-ho)
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Chris Corbyn
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Post by Chris Corbyn »

Grim... wrote:
Grim...'s MSN wrote:Portian: hey grim its portian can you help with my site i need to add a cel phone number into my contacts
Portian: and could you take away telephone number too
Portian: he are you ever going to aswer???
Portian: HELLO
Portian: fine if you wont help why make these apps EVER
That was recieved at 5am (UK time). Do these people not understand the concept of 'away'?

(Incidently, there was a tutorial showing him how to do this on the forum and in the app. readme file. Furthermore all he actually had to do was change the language pack so 'telephone' read 'cell'. Hey-ho)
Wow... If I'd received that series of messages I would have hit the block button 8O
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shiznatix
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Post by shiznatix »

Maugrim_The_Reaper wrote:except maybe ICQ on occassion - and few know my ICQ number.
i used ICQ once, i quit after a trillian people i did not know kept IMing me, and i did not even have my number published anywhere for them to get it!
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Chris Corbyn
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Post by Chris Corbyn »

shiznatix wrote:
Maugrim_The_Reaper wrote:except maybe ICQ on occassion - and few know my ICQ number.
i used ICQ once, i quit after a trillian people i did not know kept IMing me, and i did not even have my number published anywhere for them to get it!
But you have an ICQ number here :P
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shiznatix
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Post by shiznatix »

yes but i am never online as you may notice :lol:
timvw
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Post by timvw »

That's because those russian guys are after you... :P
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Jenk
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Post by Jenk »

I've experienced the same, the one that ticked me off the most was "Hi, I added you so you could help me with my project as and when needed :)"

blocked..

People keep PM'ing me on here for requests.. how daft? You PM me.. with the response "please reply ASAP" yet if you had posted in the thread, dozens of people would be able to assist, and more importantly, when they want to assist. I don't join these forums to be puppets for people who need help, I didn't sign up to be ordered around and I certainly do not want to be at the click of someone's fingers when they have a problem I don't particularly care about. I come here to 'flex' my knowledge of programming and development at my own pace, when I choose to. I think this is the same for everyone who helps out on here, except maybe the submissive types who get turned on by being bossed about :P

Thus, I no longer add my details to forums (at least publically.)
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hawleyjr
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Post by hawleyjr »

So next time someone Im's me I'm just going to send a link to this post and then block them :lol: :lol: :lol:
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