Thread: Having a laugh?
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Old 1st Feb 2018, 12:08 am   #71
Skywave
Rest in Peace
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chard, South Somerset, UK.
Posts: 7,457
Arrow Re: Having a laugh?

Just to try to get this Thread back on track of Newcomers without the Knowledge.

Seems to me that such people are in a classic Catch-22 situation when they ask questions here. Their description of the (apparent) fault will be based on their limited knowledge and technical vocabulary - so they will phrase things in a way which we either don't understand - or think we understand - only later to find out we have been wasting our efforts. It's a Catch-22 because the newcomer needs to have adequate (not in-depth, specialist) knowledge to not only reasonably accurately describe the fault, but also to understand the help provided and then know how to implement it. If he / she had that Knowledge, etc., in the first place, he / she wouldn't have asked! Moreover, if his / her general knowledge of electronics / electrics at the fundamental level is seriously lacking, then things will get difficult for both 'sides'. (E.g.: "Just how far need I go 'back' to a level where I can 'connect' with this person so that I can move him / her forward to the point where he / she then understands what I am saying, but at the same time, not accidently to insult the enquirer's existing knowledge and ability?" )

So how to deal with 'fake beginners'? Possibly, in the early part of the Q. & A., by asking a couple of 'loaded questions'. Questions that appear elementary and basic in themselves, but are carefully chosen so as possibly to elicit a response which indicates that the enquirer has a knowledge (etc.) more that he / she is effectively claiming to have!
And I would just like to add to that last remark that I have seen very, very few 'enquirers' here that, to me, fit that description. Perhaps I'm just too trusting - or simply naive.

Al.

Last edited by Skywave; 1st Feb 2018 at 12:24 am.
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