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To the mods and Admin and general users ...

I am seeing more and more dis-respectful replies to newbies then ever before, and it is getting old, all this does is run off potential new comers to this site who might be the next great cooker and spreads a not so good rep about this site
at the same time I see some mods have be respectful to others in there sigs. I think this should become policy across the forum period and those that are rude and disrespectful in their reply should get a vacation to let them know this is not to be tolerated IMO
This site is about growth and interest in these toys of ours, not about ripping newbies who may ask a question that maybe have been asked many times over, so what, why not just post a link to the search and to the Wiki and say welcome to the forums , instead of bashing them? It would leave a better taste in the newbs mouths and they might become a contributor in the future.
Also think about this, just how many of you cookers have something in your sig asking for a cup of coffee ? or Donate to XDA or Donations graciously accepted. Well if a newbie is made to feel welcomed and comfortable here , They are more then likely going leave you a little something.
Me , If I notice a rom cooker being rude, they are not very likely going to get anything from me even if they had something great and useful.
I just replied to a newbie that asked a simple question, but not before someone posted a B.S. reply, I instead answered it with something useful and promoted the search engine at the same time
This did two things, first the newbies was made to feel welcomed and also if someone was to search the same question, they would find a reasonable answer.
BTW B.S. replies just screw up the search results forcing newbies just ask questions instead of finding answers.
Flame away if you want or become part of the solution .

i agree,
there are times that newbs do need help. some of those who i have pointed in the right direction have tried to search, but either search the wrong thing or don't know what they are looking for.
it does work two ways and some of the mods and senior members are to be commended for their help. ( i can think of about 10 folks who go out of their way to help as many as possible and never rip a newb)
those who are helped are more likely to help others.

I find it often takes longer to explain how to use the search facility properly to yield useable results than it takes to answer the specific question, but there is no excuse for rude replies, if you don't like what you see simply move on rather than posting an offensive reply - Mike

Here is a good example of what I am talking about,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=403829
This reply by kspirit did nothing to help this user ,
No , nothing like that runs on the tilt..
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.
its these kind of responses that need to be curtailed.
Even though a mod did respond , he/she did nothing regarding the above users response. All this does is give the impression that this behavior is condoned .
I am not knocking the Moderator (I do find him to be very helpful) but they do have a huge influence on how others act on this site, and by not informing this above user that these types of replies are not helpful or uncalled for) they are giving the impression that it is okay.
Mods & Admin , what do you all think ? Am I off track here ?

Just wanted to add this:
If the mods were to take the time to edit the titles like this one " New AT&T Tilt Phone - Help" to something like this...Will software like HTC Home, Mobile Shell, Pocket Informant work on both the tilt & 8525?. or something along those lines.....
This would help with search engine results, Yea its abit more work for the mods to do this but it will help greatly in producing more viable search results .
Just a thought...

i think what drives some ppl to be rude is the fact that the ppl who decided to ask a repeated question were told that they have to search for an existing answer before asking a new question, and that they decided not to do that and just post a new one, i think both are mistaken here, and the one with the question brought it on themselves. i really don't like rude answers, but!

AthenaLod said:
i think what drives some ppl to be rude is the fact that the ppl who decided to ask a repeated question were told that they have to search for an existing answer before asking a new question, and that they decided not to do that and just post a new one, i think both are mistaken here, and the one with the question brought it on themselves. i really don't like rude answers, but!
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Ahh do you search much ? this user did not ask the same question twice....
and there is no excuse for being rude, and so what if they had ? a simple link to the Wiki would be a very easy way to deal with it, and a welcome to the forum would get much better results.
why would I want to donate or promote this site in any form if all I got is ripped on ? hmmm
Like Mike has posted,
if you don't like what you see simply move on rather than posting an offensive reply - Mike
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This would yield better results .

by "told" i meant that for example in the kaiser forum, the only sticky there is titled "**BEFORE YOU POST START HERE**" and it says "Read and search before posting. Reply to an existing thread before creating a new thread. Redundant threads will be closed." so, if somebody decides that he/she wants to just ignore this, he/she brought it on themselves. i don't do bad language, or encourage it, but, sometimes some ppl can be really so lazy to even do a search

Just my personal opinion....
I've only been here for a few months and I have to say, I've seen more useless threads then ever before! Now, don't get me wrong, I love to help, and do all the time, but at some point, you see a junior on their first post asking something like, "How do I uninstall an app?", or "How do I turn the phone off?" So at some point of seeing these threads, someone will be a bit frustrated and point them to the search and wiki fetaures located on the top bar instead of a full answer. I fully understand your point, but like I said, these members who join just for a simple answer then after 10 minutes ask why nobody is helping can aggrivate all of us users who come here for new information on a daily basis. Especially when they start a thread, get an answer, and never return.
Look here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=404065
Now in this post, this user was looking for a specific dialer, and of course it's impoosible to search for an image, but I did help. Actually at first, I was a bit mad at the fact they posted the image, but didn't ask in the thread they got the photo from, then realized the image wasn't from here. But after I saw that, I tried to give some info on it, but I can't spend time looking for something they want, but I can help, so I did.
I think I'm done typing , but I'll say this, when I first joined, actually being my first forum, I had a bunch of questions, I didn't feel a need to post a thread for one simple question. I actually spent about a week after work searching and going through a bunch of pages looking for info, and I found a lot!
Also, a suggestion, I asked this in the SPAM thread, how about putting a block on junior users poting new threads? It would prevent SPAM and these simple question threads.

It seems that mods and Admin are strangely silent regarding this topic......wonder why..

I don't think they aren't responding for any unknown reason, this topic has been discussed so many times, there is no interest in tackling this issue anymore.

Just wanted to say that F2504x4 put the problem very articulately and I totally agree with him. Pointing out a mistake (such as not using the search facility) need not be done in a rude and dismissive way.
I will just remind us that we were all noobs one day, and also that some people are more technically minded than others. What may seem to us a simple and trivial question is obviously not so for the one asking it.

TheChampJT said:
I don't think they aren't responding for any unknown reason, this topic has been discussed so many times, there is no interest in tackling this issue anymore.
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They should be taking a interest in this.....if they are becoming numb to it , then they need to take a hard look at why they are a moderator, Sorry if this sounds harsh . Moderators are the leaders that others look to for guidance, they help set the tone of the community.
This is a great site, with a lot of great talent , but it will not take long before it becomes over shadowed with a darker side.
Continued growth is key to any forum and community , and running off new comers with not help with that.
Fact is you will always have newbs ignoring stickies and search engines , nothing will ever change that.
All this site can do is maintain a positive atmosphere , and continuing education to those that join .
So i ask again , what say you Admin and mods ?
Thank you pedmond for this , very well put.
I will just remind us that we were all noobs one day, and also that some people are more technically minded than others. What may seem to us a simple and trivial question is obviously not so for the one asking it.
Yesterday 07:49 PM
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F2504x4 said:
It seems that mods and Admin are strangely silent regarding this topic......wonder why..
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Don't really think the issue is with Mods and Admin. I do see a lot of evidence of them cleaning up threads if they're getting out of hand and sorting out users that are really getting obnoxious. But the problem seems to be that certain people feel their post count is a license to have a go at the newer members. And certain new members seem to think the world is their private helpdesk and that the purpose of these forums is to instantly deal with their every need. Well in any large group you'll always get those that are unpleasant to deal with - that's life. There are just as many, maybe more, who're a real pleasure to deal with and try their best to help. I think if new members read the forum rules and were prepared to lurk a bit before posting, then they'd quickly get an idea of what types of questions to ask and how to get help.
So while I personally totally agree with your views on decent behaviour etc I don't think its an issue to get wound up about. If you can filter out some of the fluff, this site is still the best resource for our phones by far.
(But I've only got about 80 posts, so maybe I'll change my mind when I hit 100! )

What are the Mods/Admins supposed to do? Ban every user?
I often tell people to search for things when they have one post, and have a very stupid question with a blatant answer. When they do that, they don't deserve to be treated with a great amount of respect.
When someone who has evidently searched around, and has clearly tried to solve their own problems and then as a last resort asks for help, I'm far more inclined to be generous with my time, and try to help them.
Some people are obnoxious and post without searching at all, but the admins/mods can't go and ban people because they were once an idiot.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=2360488&posted=1#post2360488
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

l3v5y said:
What are the Mods/Admins supposed to do? Ban every user?
I often tell people to search for things when they have one post, and have a very stupid question with a blatant answer. When they do that, they don't deserve to be treated with a great amount of respect.
When someone who has evidently searched around, and has clearly tried to solve their own problems and then as a last resort asks for help, I'm far more inclined to be generous with my time, and try to help them.
Some people are obnoxious and post without searching at all, but the admins/mods can't go and ban people because they were once an idiot.
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Wow what a way to start off a reply Ban every user ?
I think you should re read what has been stated, I did not hint or say ban anyone..but if that is what it takes to effect a change then maybe it should be considered but it should be directed at those that are creating a un-friendly and less then helpful place . IMO
First off I have no problem with someone being told to search, its how they are being told and some of the un-called for comments that are becoming more and more common and is the real problem, go read the example I posted earlier.
what do you consider a worthy response in this thread ? http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=404065
As to the stupid questions , Idiots and respect, ahhh I thinks its way past beer thirty .

swanlm said:
. But the problem seems to be that certain people feel their post count is a license to have a go at the newer members.
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while I agree with a lot of what you said, In the example I gave , its even the low post count members that are posting these less then helpful responses, so that is telling me that this a is trend that is spreading and the bad thing is that a mod even replied in the thread, and did nothing about the response given, they only quoted part of my reply about searching.... ( I am still wondering why...)
Btw I only started this thread after a lot of reading and seeing this trend become more common place.

It's not about being against Noobies...
Too many come here from other sites for the wrong reason. Many of the questions that get jumped, closed & merged really should have been asked at the AT&T or other carrier support forums.
I'll quote this post of mine:
I think what a lot of people forget is that this is not a "make my phone neat & kewl" place.
As implied by the name this is technically a Developers forum/community.
Now what does that mean? Well first off it means that there is an expectation that if you are here then you want to customize your device but rather than just installing something that someone packaged you want to understand how it works and maybe even enhance it yourself.
When I first came here with a Blue Angel it was a different environment. PDA Phones were not embraced by the general public because of the expense and complexity (I paid over $400 for my BA). A $400 phone 4 years ago was expensive, today the Tilt is $300 after rebates but with inflation & the rise in the cost of other devices and the fact that there are other sources out there giving them away for $150 our neat bit of kit has become popular with mainstream users.
Now we have a flood of new users who are asking not "How can I do this myself" but more like "Give me the quick fix" without caring to understand the process. See if you read the threads then you get to experience the learning process, you see how the issues were investigated and confirmed. Then you get to watch the different attempts at resolution and learn why some failed while others worked. That is called Development.
The NooB backlash is coming from users who have walked in the development shoes and is directed mainly at those who don't care for the journey but just want the end result or destination.
As a Development Forum we are just as much (if not more) about the journey. I've read so many comments like "I don't have time to read all of the threads" or "I don't care how it works, just that it does". These very statements are contrary to the heart & soul of XDA-Devs and that is why the backlash is so strong.
Let me be very clear on this: IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE JOURNEY THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
XDA-Devs is about developers & hackers helping each other and working together to get the most out of our devices by understanding them better than most.
XDA-Devs is not about helping everyone who wants a "Kewl bit of kit" make their phone better than the guy next to him.
Now do we go kicking users off who never contribute anything, NO. We tolerate it to an extent. Where the toleration ends is when these users start diluting the usefulness of the forum by repeating the same questions over and over again.
You ask us to understand your position. Well if you want to benefit from our experience and time then I think it is only fair that you understand our position.
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Good post and very worthwhile reading kyphur,
and I understand clearly why it was written.
Just be aware of this trend and its long term results...
Btw I have walked in Mod shoes , and understand the inner workings of forums, and it is no easy task managing a community.
Thanks for posting that.

Save the noob; Save the forum.

We have all either seen or experienced someone telling us or someone else (especially noobs) to use the *** search engine. The problem is that these boards are immense and you have to know the specific words or tags other people are using to describe the issue you are researching or you will end up with no results or far too many. (And results don't necessarily mean solutions.) This is even more complicated by the fact that this forum includes members from across the world who have differing native languages and when translated into English, they create many different varieties of expression.
Bottom line: let's be nice, because we all were once noobs and we all know how hard it is sometimes to find answers to specific problems.
The reason for xda-developers' success is the fact that we have a good group of people here who are generous enthusiasts sharing their expertise. Cluttering the boards with "Use the *** search" not only makes it that much harder to find information, it also creates ill will that will eventually cause our entire community to suffer.
If you don't believe me ask the folks at mytreo.net. It used to be a thriving community but arrogant sods who felt they owned the place started ragging on noobs and developing their own little cliques. The mods got in on it too and pretty soon mtdn was down the toilet.
A community is defined by how it treats its lowliest members: Save the noob, save the forum.

well what do you need help with?

TC,
I honestly believe that a lot of things can be found through the search engine. I've solved a lot of my own problems simply by looking around and doing my own searching. If cookers can keep spending their own free time releasing ROMs and stuff, I see no reason why newbies can not spend just as much time using the search engine thoroughly in order to try different keywords.
The search engine is messed up most of the time, but it also doesn't take too much time to try going through the pages.
Cheers.

Well if anyone knows about a thread that contains the solution why not point it out? However I won't search in the place of the other guy.

I say if you don't know how to research what you want to do with your phone, then don't even bother messing with it

I have to say that using the search engine is as longs effective and possible if you know the right englich term for what you are searching. For example, I'm german, I sometimes just don't know how something is called in english or even might be called in bad english (not good oxford english is the most spoken language, it's more a bad english with many "special" terms). So how are certain things called? This is a huge problem for noobs and esp. if you are a non english speaking noob. Often you can't translate the terms directly from your language into another.

"these boards are immense" that is the key point

... AMEN! We were all noobs at EVERYTHING at one time or other; just like in my job - it's very easy to look down on the new Graduate nurses shaking in their shiny white Crocs, and laugh at how "stupid" they all seem --- until we sit down & realise that "I was like that once...". I'm not saying that noobs can be brain-dead and suck off of those who are more experienced -- they all still need to possess some basic knowledge and search skills -- but by the same token, we shouldn't feel we need to give them all the "RTFM" kind of line, either.
The board are immense, and though I don't consider myself much of a noob anymore (second HTC device, 5th WinMo device in 7 years, background in IT prior to nursing), for me I can fairly much figure out that if I wanna search on stuff for my brand-new HTC Pure, I should be trying out AT&T, ATT, HTC, Pure, Topaz, Warbird... need I go on? But not everyone out there thinks that specifically as a noob, but given time & experience, I think we all learn what works & what doesn't.
What SHOULD work is that even if a question was answered in the past, we still should be gracious enough to understand that not everyone new is going to think to ask the question in the same way that helped it get answered the first time round.
Just like in many fields of life, I think it's true in XDA as well -- no matter how smart you are, and how much you know -- there's always someone who knows more than you about something... and everyone will be better off by sharing the knowledge, even if you've shared it before.
- BereanPK

although i agree we all ask stupid questions and the majority of new users dont search but the reasoning behind us asking them to search is for the following reasons
1, this site isn't for tech support, the one forum dedicated to helping is the q&a forum and this does the job very nicely, so all new members who randomly plaster questions across the entire site will be informed of this
2, sometimes if a person asks a question and someone is kind enough to help the asker then expects a service, this can late to a temper if the question wasnt answered in 3 seconds, people using size 10 fonts with big red letters just in case we missed it the first time. this will then lead to flaming from older members and then the moderator team having to hand out warnings and bans. Also if someone does help the asker then sometimes the asker starts harassing the helper to the point of creepiness.
3, one of the rules and general forms of forum etiquette is to search before starting a new thread. if its obvious that someone hasn't followed the rules and they are posting up a million questions a day in every forum they will have to be dealt with.
sorry for the rant
im just letting you know why we ask you to search and also know that the mods here are a TEAM and non development cliques are frowned upon

... another amen for the MOD...
I see both points here. Noobs do need to learn how to search -- that's just part of the game with any forum, not just this one. And I've seen it myself where people have asked a question that more experienced people think is a no-brainer, asked-and-answered, then the asker expects that kind of relationship will simply continue without ever expecting the asker to gain knowledge him/herself, do some trial-and-error (like no doubt we all have), learn what works & what doesn't, and become experienced.
Those kind of sponges may, perhaps, deserve a bit of the 10pt red-boldfaced discussion on occasion.
Like you say, this forum is for much more than just "how do I do the freakin' obvious with my phone" -- HTC has enough Q&A on their support site for those kinds of questions.
But I think also hopefully more prevalent are those who need a question answered on a phone they just got, or want to tweak out, and search, find an answer, feel thankful enough to publicly comment and contribute... maybe ask a question if search first reveals not enough info, feel thankful enough to publicly comment and contribute... either way, we get a community member, not just a sponge.
I have always enjoyed coming here (though sadly not previously posting as much as I could or should have when I know something and/or have to contribute) and learning, trying, experimenting, and gaining knowledge. Hopefully everyone who comes here for the first time to find an answer to a question will feel the same way, and some hopefully catch the development bug and make things that others can benefit from.
I only wish I was more of a programmer than I used to be (I left an 18-year IT career behind to be a nurse -- silly me).
~ BereanPK

Noobs, I am far from a noob. I may have recently joined this forum, but I have been lurking it for over 2 years. I am also not a noob to the smartphone and Windows Mobile world. I have plenty of credit on Smartappsworld and Hellomotoq forums. 90% of my posts have been to helping other users. It doesn't matter if that is the 20th time I have answered the same question, I still go ahead and answer it anyway if someone else has not chimed in. If I know the answer to something, it takes very little effort to stop and type out an answer. Do I ever get frustrated or annoyed having to answer something that could be easily searched? Yes, but that still doesn't mean I have to go and tell then the rules.. or just going out and saying " There is a forum Search tool, use it" etc. Helping other users is priority number one. Being negative and rude towards other members is NOT on my list, nor do I even appreciate members who act that way.
When it comes down to finding a solution to my own problems, SEARCH is the first thing I do, always. I try to get as much info as I can possible relating to the issue at hand. And if I can't find a specific answer, or I find unrelated results, or .. I find an answer but run into more issues and my search becomes frutlstrating.. then I post a thread and hope someone knows something. Do I ever feel impatient waiting for an answer to something? Sometimes yeah, but I don't go and start posting negative comments because someone hasn't posted a response yet. It's all about timing, and where it was posted, and then if someones in a good mood. Regardless, I still wait for an answer, or if I can, try and provide more info in the thread.
I know about searching here at XDA. Sometimes finding ANY sort of related results can be a royal pain in the ass! Yeah, you know how it goes, you search for something using keywords related to your device and problem, and 60% of the results you get back are those blasted device ROM threads. No I'm not mad at the ROM threads, I get upset because they have absolutely nothing to do with what I am searching. Eventually I get tired of flicking down multiple pages and reading threads that didn't have any relevent info. I would use search more if I could get more productive results. Trying various search terms is always the way I work. I also found that using the " - " symbol is helpful.
Maybe a "Thank You " button should be added here.

i thought this site was to help each other out

so i thought this was to help each other out and for the guys making the roms to gets some beer hahaha J/k you guys are doing a great job but i see a lot of people *****ing about gps come up dude buy a freaking tom tom or something and people being mean to newbies not everyone knows what you know so why not be cool and help and a lot of people do i know they have helped me but for the % that don't man ya'll should think
about how you act everyone is human no one here is a android well maybe D.G. (Keep them roms coming bro you are killing it) anyways i'm just saying it doesn't hurt to be nice

Dfuse06, period. Period, dfuse06.
Now that you're acquainted, I suggest you use him.

dfuse06 said:
so i thought this was to help each other out and for the guys making the roms to gets some beer hahaha J/k you guys are doing a great job but i see a lot of people *****ing about gps come up dude buy a freaking tom tom or something and people being mean to newbies not everyone knows what you know so why not be cool and help and a lot of people do i know they have helped me but for the % that don't man ya'll should thing about how you act everyone is human no one here is a android well maybe D.G. (Keep them roms coming bro you are killing it) anyways i'm just saying it doesn't hurt to be nice
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Just remember that "help" is different from "handout". People that ask for help that have actually tried to do something and are having problems - get help.
People that come here and ask "tell me how" without trying first or even using the search tools - they want a handout. it is hard to be nice to the people with the paper cups and their hands out - work a little bit like the rest of us.
Most people achieve by learning, not by hand outs.

alphadog00 said:
Just remember that "help" is different from "handout". People that ask for help that have actually tried to do something and are having problems - get help.
People that come here and ask "tell me how" without trying first or even using the search tools - they want a handout. it is hard to be nice to the people with the paper cups and their hands out - work a little bit like the rest of us.
Most people achieve by learning, not by hand outs.
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Although I agree to a point you have to wonder how much less [email protected]$&ing, complaining, and angry posts you'd see in threads if one person would simply answer a person's question fully. As it is now if a person asks a question chances are you'll then see 4-7 posts of other users yelling at them to use the search feature, or to read back 500 pages, etc.
I think what it comes down to is you have two types of people. Type 1 does the research and then asks questions (which still tend to get nasty replies) to clarify. Then Type 2 people that are either incapable of doing proper searching due to language barriers or inexperience or that are too lazy. Type 2 people don't get the answer they need after the 4-7 nasty posts so end up asking again getting another 4-7 nasty posts and in the end didn't learn anything anyways.
I seriously think our threads in this community would be much shorter and cleaner if people stopped posting the complaints and cryptic "Go back 500 pages and read the 3rd post newb" and just simply answered the questions that they're obviously able to.
I mean you're (nobody in particular) taking the time to post a nasty message anyhow, so why not change it from a nasty message that spawns more messages and ugly debate and simply give a good answer?
The upside to that philosophy? Threads would contain less useless information, questions and their answers would be easier to find, so less questions would end up being asked.
That's my opinion anyhow. And I know it's pretty much impossible to expect such utopian behavior when it comes to online forums where everyone wants to express what they're thinking whether it helps a situation or not. But wouldn't it be nice?

@sschrupp
I agree with you, but how many times do people say "I don't want to read 10 pages of posts, just tell me how"?
The truth is, that those 10 pages have more info then one person can respond to with a quick "tell me how" answer. All the pitfalls, bricks, and other known issues are usually in those 10 pages. If the lazy actually read the full thread, we would eliminate the other 15 subsequent posts they make when they screw up or run into known issues.
XDA used to represent the people that really liked to hack and had the skills and desire to figure out how things worked. Now it is home to every noob with a smartphone. I was noob once too, but before posting, i read everything i could to try and figure things out. Then i would ask for details about something i didn't understand.
Anyway, must my opinion. I so appreciate stickies like the "Captivate bible" but no one reads it. how many posts do we see on "how do i get back to stock?" More peeps looking for handouts.

I have been lurking these forums for about a year (mainly HTC Kaiser...now Captivate). I find most of my answers by searching and reading. I understand why it might get frustrating when people ask the same question over and over when they are answered in stickies or previous posts, but at the same time I am just curious as what one needs to do to prove that they have done this. I search every problem I have...but what if I can't find an answer. Is "I have searched the forums and have been unable to find the answer" enough? What can one do to safely ask a question without being ridiculed for it's seemingly obvious answer?

jfsouthward said:
I have been lurking these forums for about a year (mainly HTC Kaiser...now Captivate). I find most of my answers by searching and reading. I understand why it might get frustrating when people ask the same question over and over when they are answered in stickies or previous posts, but at the same time I am just curious as what one needs to do to prove that they have done this. I search every problem I have...but what if I can't find an answer. Is "I have searched the forums and have been unable to find the answer" enough? What can one do to safely ask a question without being ridiculed for it's seemingly obvious answer?
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What I'll do is tell what search terms I used. Google is great, if you know what to search for. Also, I use the 3 day rule. Give it three days, if I haven't found it by then, then ask. Plus thread jacking is ok to ask a quick question. But I don't put a simple question in general. I use q&a or off topic. Those are just my own rules for myself.
From a phone

jfsouthward said:
I have been lurking these forums for about a year (mainly HTC Kaiser...now Captivate). I find most of my answers by searching and reading. I understand why it might get frustrating when people ask the same question over and over when they are answered in stickies or previous posts, but at the same time I am just curious as what one needs to do to prove that they have done this. I search every problem I have...but what if I can't find an answer. Is "I have searched the forums and have been unable to find the answer" enough? What can one do to safely ask a question without being ridiculed for it's seemingly obvious answer?
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I can't offer any right answer, but people should stop taking offense when they are ridiculed.
If someone can show you the answer (or point you in the right direction) and then give you hard time because they found it using the site search tools, then don't feel bad.
Too many people get bent of shape and whine because someone called them a name or gave them a hard time. People don't refuse to help; but they may chastise for not doing your own work.

I was just curious. I never get bent out of shape when it comes to online interaction. It is what it is...faceless and nameless, which just makes it easier to be a prick. Getting miffed is an effort in futility.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

If people think these forums are bad, join some automotive forums.
From a phone

I've been trying to figure things out for my Captivate as well. I read and search before I post yet people are still reluctant to help. I'm like all on my own when it comes to the problems or questions I have.

geokilla said:
I've been trying to figure things out for my Captivate as well. I read and search before I post yet people are still reluctant to help. I'm like all on my own when it comes to the problems or questions I have.
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Perhaps they just don't have the answer to your questions. Or it could be that the answers have been posted numerous times prior to your asking.

geokilla said:
I've been trying to figure things out for my Captivate as well. I read and search before I post yet people are still reluctant to help. I'm like all on my own when it comes to the problems or questions I have.
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Why do you say people are reluctant to help? It looks like you have replies to your posts.

jfsouthward said:
I have been lurking these forums for about a year (mainly HTC Kaiser...now Captivate). I find most of my answers by searching and reading. I understand why it might get frustrating when people ask the same question over and over when they are answered in stickies or previous posts, but at the same time I am just curious as what one needs to do to prove that they have done this. I search every problem I have...but what if I can't find an answer. Is "I have searched the forums and have been unable to find the answer" enough? What can one do to safely ask a question without being ridiculed for it's seemingly obvious answer?
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Click to collapse
I can't offer any right answer, but people should stop taking offense when they are ridiculed.
If someone can show you the answer (or point you in the right direction) and then give you hard time because they found it using the site search tools, then don't feel bad.
Too many people get bent of shape and whine because someone called them a name or gave them a hard time. People don't refuse to help; but they may chastise for not doing your own work.

Dude, seriously, I read your questions and posted the links to prove the point that you aren't searching as you claim you are. Stop whining and complaining when there are dozens of thread slready posted with the answers to your questions. Don't take it personally when you are called out for not searching. I've been called out for it when I missed an obvious answer to a question, I spend a lot of time on here following threads and I have a life and work full time and have a family so it really unerves me when anyone says oh I don't have time to read 100+ pages, so you basically do it for me. I am not saying you did this but a lot have and then they eff up their phones and then need help, could've saved us all a lot of reading and shorten threads by everyone reading the threads before asking questions.

We all know where this is going.
Thread Closed

Do you get annoyed by so many people asking the same set of questions?

When I first got my ns4g, I was into being active in this forum section. I would help out people with their questions or problems. Then I noticed things becoming monotonous very quickly. What I saw was many different people asking questions or having problems with stuff that had already been answered or solved in posts elsewhere many times over. I began being irritated by this and would sometimes lay into them or be very sarcastic. After that, I stopped posting anything because I got to the point where I wanted to yell at them for not looking around and the answer was right around the corner and I was tired of saying "look here (link)".
I know I can't be the only one like this. Anyone else care to share their frustrations about this?
Maybe I'm getting old or burnt out.

its apart of the deal of helping others out. think of it as if you're working at customer service, you'd encounter this problem on a daily basis. ive helped a lot of people on the NS forum and i know how you feel

I think the main issue is the poor search results.
Use the search tool and you have to either plow through tens of thousands of non-helpful results, or you post a question in a new thread.
Anyway, a thread like this which just going to be complaints is not very helpful either. You could have added your statement to the end of another thread about repetitive questions...Instead, you started a new thread.
What you probably need to do is step away from the forums and get some fresh air ;-)

This post wasn't intended to help, it was intended to vent frustration and confirm I wasn't the only one occasionally losing my mind.
Customer service...... I pondered that thought for a minute and remembered a story I read years ago. It was the one where the help center guy told the customer to pack up the computer and send it back because they were too stupid to use a computer.
Oh well, at least I just made myself laugh.

I know how you feel. When I first joined xda (in my evo days) I was very involved with helping others out, etc. The useless questions annoyed me, but what really got to me is when people would ask the same questions within a thread for a rom, kernel, or mod. I mean, many times the question and answer was literally on the previous page. That isn't xda's horrible search function (which isn't too bad to search w/in an individual thread, but is really bad for an entire forum), that's laziness.
So I just stepped away a bit. I mean, for God's sake, these ARE just cell phones...
And, while we're cluttering things up w/ a useless rant and rave thread, I'd like to add a couple other annoyances that have caused me to step away somewhat: rant/ asking a question like "Will this work on my phone?" or "How do I flash this?" and when someone asks a question that was answered in the OP. /endrant

Yes. The best way to search xda is Google. Type what u want or need and then type "xda" after it. Works everytime. No excuse
Uncle Jimmy says hello

VisedMonk said:
or mod. I mean, many times the question and answer was literally on the previous page. That isn't xda's horrible search function (which isn't too bad to search w/in an individual thread, but is really bad for an entire forum), that's laziness. /endrant
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Click to collapse
Still, a lot of those ROM threads are hundreds of pages long...everyone is supposed to read through hundreds of pages before posting?? For example, Myn's Warn twopoint two thread for the Evo has over 42,000 replies. That is 4247 pages! CyanogenMod 7 has over 10,000 replies.
Anyway, that is my last contribution to this thread. Good luck guys.

I understand that with there being cdma and gsm versions of this phone that it will add to the confusion. I've seen a lot of people flashing the wrong thing for their phone and almost killing it. I know I am forgetful but I don't remember seeing this much screwing up of a phone with the old phones and sections I used to hang out in.

I understand the frustration of the OP. But it is what it is. I just keep answering the sane questions over and over as nicely as I can.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Well, I guess, patience is what we need
This is what forum intended for. Helping them out as much as we can.
It's tiring to reply the same question over and over again,
but it's fun at the same time
Personally, I really like to help those people who are in trouble,
as I was one of the trouble guy before when I first got my Nexus S
Helping one another is great.
Suggestion: Why not you gather all the question you answer, and create a FAQ post,
this would help a lot in our forum (According to the post number you had, 8xx, you should be able to write a thousand Q&A I guess )

Just try to remember a few things.
What may appear to be a dumb question to you, to the person asking it may be very important.
There is really no such thing as a dumb question. Only dumb answers.
I find myself remembering those 2 things in life and think they serve good purpose. If the little things in life eat ya up you won't enjoy the good things life offers. Its not worth the energy. Just skip em and look for something important to read

ronnienyc said:
Still, a lot of those ROM threads are hundreds of pages long...everyone is supposed to read through hundreds of pages before posting?? For example, Myn's Warn twopoint two thread for the Evo has over 42,000 replies. That is 4247 pages! CyanogenMod 7 has over 10,000 replies.
Anyway, that is my last contribution to this thread. Good luck guys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel the same way.

honestly, i get more annoyed at people whining and trolling at ppl asking questions.
not joking, and this isnt meant to jest at anyone.
yes ignorant and lazy people are blah, but sometimes you just can't quite find what your looking for, or its faster and time is of the essence to ask the question...there are alot of things, and alot of reason's, and alot of people that need answers.
I always feel that if you can't be bothered helping someone, don't, but when people go, oh jeez just search, don't answer, but are eager enough to spout off, or 10000x more worthless than the people asking the question even if they are lazy and ignorant.
because that person is lazy, ignorant, and a jerk.

Alanmw86 said:
honestly, i get more annoyed at people whining and trolling at ppl asking questions.
not joking, and this isnt meant to jest at anyone.
yes ignorant and lazy people are blah, but sometimes you just can't quite find what your looking for, or its faster and time is of the essence to ask the question...there are alot of things, and alot of reason's, and alot of people that need answers.
I always feel that if you can't be bothered helping someone, don't, but when people go, oh jeez just search, don't answer, but are eager enough to spout off, or 10000x more worthless than the people asking the question even if they are lazy and ignorant.
because that person is lazy, ignorant, and a jerk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Need help? Post.
Give help? Post.
Anything else? Just don't post. Just don't do it.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

This is a smartphone comunity, people come here to ask for help, it's the main reason this forum exists and this is a fact. New comers will always make a new thread instead of searching for their answer.
With no offense to anyone but if you can't stand that maybe this isn't the right place to spend your nights.

lvnatic said:
This is a smartphone comunity, people come here to ask for help, it's the main reason this forum exists and this is a fact. New comers will always make a new thread instead of searching for their answer.
With no offense to anyone but if you can't stand that maybe this isn't the right place to spend your nights.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree +1 +1

I should add that I've worked as a Customer facing service/sales rep for the last 10 years.
So I'm used to getting the same question over and over, and I honestly enjoy getting a question I know vs something I have to figure out haha.
Challenges can be fun sometimes.
But honestly by your theory no one should ever ask question's unless they are breaking completely new ground (which almost doesn't exist) because the info's already out there, so next time you ask a question, punch yourself in the face for us Mr.Knowitall because you could have just found the answer somewhere else.
or maybe you could just realize thats how we learn, and when we learn our knowledge gets spread, its one of the most important things in life, get over it.
Haven't you ever been going down the road and asked yourself, man, whats the speed limit here, even tho there was a sign that freaking told you just back there 100 feet..... next time instead of asking that question, or moving forward to find out, turn around instead and go read it, seems logical ay?

I've never understood why this bothers so many people. It's a website... it's the internet... they are phones. You guys really get upset? Sounds overly sensitive to me. Either answer the question or dont. It's quite simple. We are all here to help and learn. There isn't a place for rudeness when people are asking genuine questions. Well... at least there shouldn't be. Should people search? Sure.... but some dont. It's not that serious.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App

Concerns about this thread!!

XDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT PEOPLE BEING RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS
basically im upset cause xda was never like this when i had my g1 people was very nice on giving DETAIL BABY STEPS on getting what you want i mean come on i dont understand how is it so bad to teach us first timers some slack

This thread needs to have an article on the XDA front page portal ASAP

crimedave1987 said:
XDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT PEOPLE BEING RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS
basically im upset cause xda was never like this when i had my g1 people was very nice on giving DETAIL BABY STEPS on getting what you want i mean come on i dont understand how is it so bad to teach us first timers some slack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As a noob who spent a LOT of time/energy/effort researching on my own trying to unnoob myself before asking silly questions I understand where the frustration is from. People like me who took that time (I'm talking many hours per day for straight weeks - 100s of hours!) are frustrated by people who expect easy answers with minimal effort. It's easy to panic if something unexpected happens and you no longer have a working phone but that's the risk you take and no one should bear the brunt of that panic but YOU.
That said, I actually agree with you. I think not replying to people who ask dumb questions is probably a better way to help the community at large. The knee-jerk reaction when tension is high is to send a smart ass response but that doesn't teach anyone anything. I know it's tempting, I've done it, but all it does is feed the troll. If a noob asks a researchable question and NO ONE answers, maybe it will inspire this noob to search for the answer on their own. And if/when they find it, they can be proud of themselves for figuring it out and next time I will bet you they search first and ask questions later. The bigger problem is that sometimes a SUPER NICE person will hold their hand and help them out even if they don't deserve it and then everyone expects this treatment every time.
Point of fact: if you're on XDA you are probably trying to pimp out/modify your phone in some way. This is your choice, and some of the options available to you are not easy. If you aren't prepared to put in the time to become familiar with it first, it isn't worth the risk. I'm sure there is some clause to that effect in the XDA rules everyone agrees to when they sign up but they always forget that.

crimedave1987 said:
XDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT PEOPLE BEING RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know too much about things but I'm already willing to learn if i have the time for it. I agree about the rudeness, and every forum is different. I was on the g1 forums too and understand what you mean. When i got my 4GS I came here when deving was picking up on the few excellent ROMs we have now. My device had the new bootloader so i had trouble at first picking up on things since i couldn't S-OFF and had to fastboot boot.imgs EVERYTIME i flashed a new ROM.
I had to read read read like crazy and put many hours into getting my phone to where it is now (rooted and S-OFF via Juopunutbear) and only when i really needed help and couldn't figure things out on my own is when i asked about something.
All it takes is a little effort and i try to help where i can (as little as that may have been...lol) Sometimes i can understand the frustration from both sides.
There is tho, a difference between being rude and getting upset after you tell someone what they need to know and they don't do it. You see people asking the same questions over and over AFTER they've been given a clear fix to the answer and i can see why some get pissed. I know if i can do these things that ANYONE can.
We have good devs and quite a few that truly are willing to help where they can. With the g1 there was an overflow of devs and others who helped. (Can't really compare them) The lack here limits time for most who already have their hands full so we have to be willing to do some things ourselves.
I'm not telling you to leave but things will be this way here probably permanently. Don't think everyone doesn't want to help tho cuz most do
Sent from my 4GSlide using xdApp

Considering you've made MULTIPLE threads regarding problems that already have STEP BY STEP guides, it's kind of hard to be patient and spoon feed all the answers.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php?searchid=42059167

gtmaster303 said:
Considering you've made MULTIPLE threads regarding problems that already have STEP BY STEP guides, it's kind of hard to be patient and spoon feed all the answers.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php?searchid=42059167
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Oh man. I should have checked that before spending the time to type out a thought-out response. It confuses me when people spend so much time begging for step by step instructions. In that time you could have read the compendium and had it done by now!
Also - it's the internet. If someone hurts your feelings by being rude on the internet, grow up or log out. Cyberbullying is a serious issue if someone knows your true identity, but you choose to come here. Flame posts are discouraged because they are usually unhelpful. They clutter up threads and get in the way of useful stuff which makes them wastes of bandwidth and forum space. They are not discouraged because somebody might get their feelings hurt. (If I'm wrong about that - don't correct me. I would be super bummed if XDA was that sensitivo about stuff.)

crimedave1987 said:
XDA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT PEOPLE BEING RUDE AND OBNOXIOUS
basically im upset cause xda was never like this when i had my g1 people was very nice on giving DETAIL BABY STEPS on getting what you want i mean come on i dont understand how is it so bad to teach us first timers some slack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally Our Thread is DEAD cause no one wants to ask for help because of some of the obvious responses
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium

K7Cobb said:
Totally Our Thread is DEAD cause no one wants to ask for help because of some of the obvious responses
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium
Click to expand...
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Like search it? I don't know where this is going? I understand being helpful. But when you have the same question being asked by 20 people. Being answered about 100x, it's annoying.
But I agree flamming is getting out of hand. There should be a thread just for Noobs. To ask stupid as questions, and not be flammed.
Sent from my MIUI V4

AgentCherryColla said:
Like search it? I don't know where this is going? I understand being helpful. But when you have the same question being asked by 20 people. Being answered about 100x, it's annoying.
But I agree flamming is getting out of hand. There should be a thread just for Noobs. To ask stupid as questions, and not be flammed.
Sent from my MIUI V4
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Click to collapse
Just one thread for noobs? Why not an entire forum? No, forget that...how about an entire website for noobs????? I'll invent this! I think I'll call it PPCGeeks.
Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201

Every post asking a question already answered multiple times clutters the forum and makes it harder to find those very answers for other people.
Finding one thread in ten is easier then one thread in fifty, especially when forty of them are worthless.
I have volunteered countless hours researching, testing, and writing in-depth step-by-step guides that someone who has no experience can sit down and follow through.
Honestly, asking for things already detailed like that is hard to deal with - the only way to do so would be to physically do it for them.
Everytime I see someone make a whole new thread just to advertise that they are too lazy to go read the answer, it makes people like me think twice about taking the time to write these guides.
I don't usually post to these kind of threads, but it's here so why not.
There would be more walkthroughs and tutorials if people took the time to read the ones already here. Why make them if people won't read them anyway?
So all you people out there who can't be bothered to look for the answer before asking your question, you are turning away the developers and people who could answer your questions.
The more people show up begging for a handout, the less people there are giving it. Eventually that road leads to nothing but beggars, with no one to beg from.
If it wasn't for people asking intelligent questions based on having read my tutorials, I wouldn't consider any further ones. If someone doesn't get it, but actually put effort into trying, I'm happy to help.
Someone can't be bothered to even try to help themselves, why should I try to help them - especially after they are making it more difficult for others to get the help.
Others who deserve it.
Others who have earned it by investing time and effort.
So, I implore people to take the time to understand what XDA is. It is not instant gratification.
Don't ruin what you don't understand.
Every post not adding something constructive is taking away from the ones that do, in a big way. The larger the database becomes, the harder it is to index and process server side, and the harder it is to navigate and use client side.
The answer is here - just look for it.
Be kind, considerate and helpful - try to add more then you take away.
If my post offends you, then you are part of the problem.

So Close the Thread and Move On
I'm by no means a stranger to technology but I am relatively new to rooting phones. I've done my research and through my own trial and error, figured out how to root my phone. As others have stated, I spent several hours browsing this site looking for the answers even before I upgraded to the 4GS. What I've seen on these boards is while there are multiple threads asking the same questions, there have also been condescending replies from some. While it could be considered warranted to be frustrated with the constant barrage of repetitive questions, why not just close or delete the thread instead of firing back at those who are too lazy to do their research? If you're worried about cluttering up the boards/threads, why contribute to it?

eparico said:
I'm by no means a stranger to technology but I am relatively new to rooting phones. I've done my research and through my own trial and error, figured out how to root my phone. As others have stated, I spent several hours browsing this site looking for the answers even before I upgraded to the 4GS. What I've seen on these boards is while there are multiple threads asking the same questions, there have also been condescending replies from some. While it could be considered warranted to be frustrated with the constant barrage of repetitive questions, why not just close or delete the thread instead of firing back at those who are too lazy to do their research? If you're worried about cluttering up the boards/threads, why contribute to it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because the mods are not here to be babysitters, and the community should be self policing to an extent.
Every once in a while it's necessary to explain why being inconsiderate and expecting people to do your work for you is detrimental to the community.
Detailing why expecting people to invest their scarce free time and energy into the effort some are too lazy to even attempt, and how that degrades the resource this community is hopefully educates some and prevents them from doing so in the future.
It's threads like this where those types get together and reinforce their ignorance, and encourage others to follow suit that exacerbates the problems for the rest of us, and creates bigger headaches for the mods to deal with.
Again, hopefully a little education goes a long way, and the gamble is that a few posts highlighting the problem and how it hurts prevents more like this from popping up.
I mean, when the information asked about is in a stickied post ( as all too often it is ) that is literally an intentional and blatent abuse and subversion of the forums.
...and lastly, I have no computer to dev on so for once am willing to try to plead with the ones who would try to hinder our exchange of knowledge from doing so.
Sent from a digital distance.

Blue6IX said:
Because the mods are not here to be babysitters, and the community should be self policing to an extent.
Every once in a while it's necessary to explain why being inconsiderate and expecting people to do your work for you is detrimental to the community.
Detailing why expecting people to invest their scarce free time and energy into the effort some are too lazy to even attempt, and how that degrades the resource this community is hopefully educates some and prevents them from doing so in the future.
It's threads like this where those types get together and reinforce their ignorance, and encourage others to follow suit that exacerbates the problems for the rest of us, and creates bigger headaches for the mods to deal with.
Again, hopefully a little education goes a long way, and the gamble is that a few posts highlighting the problem and how it hurts prevents more like this from popping up.
I mean, when the information asked about is in a stickied post ( as all too often it is ) that is literally an intentional and blatent abuse and subversion of the forums.
...and lastly, I have no computer to dev on so for once am willing to try to plead with the ones who would try to hinder our exchange of knowledge from doing so.
Sent from a digital distance.
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Don't get me wrong, I feel your frustration and those of the other developers and/or mods who are constantly attempting to answer questions that have been asked and answered multiple times already. I've been supporting end users for several years and there are some who no matter how many times you tell them something (sometimes kicking and screaming the entire time), they either ignore what you say or flat out refuse to learn since there's someone there to scoop them out of the hole they put themselves in. I fully agree that some are deserving of a good cyber-smack and told they're being inconsiderate.
However, those who reply to these same threads are also expending just as much time and energy, if not more, telling someone they should do their own research instead of just removing or closing the thread in question. In turn, this would serve to help eliminate that blatant abuse and IMO, take a lot less energy and frustration with the ignorance out of the picture. It would also help to keep the threads and the space needed to maintain this site to a minimum. Self-policing will only work to a small degree. Should it be the responsibility of the mods to babysit? No, but you also can't expect every person who comes to this site to have enough sense to do their own research either. I've dealt with enough end users where I find the expectation from some is that they should be served on a silver platter. After a few time of dealing with this, I reply by not replying.
By the way, I love this site and I thank you and all the other developers who have created these ROM's for those of us who like to tinker with our toys...and read the instructions!

eparico said:
I reply by not replying.
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This is my usual stance as well, but also include the report action.
By self policing I didn't necessarily mean snap back, mostly report so mods can delete.
You keep saying delete the thread, as if an end user has that priviledge, but we don't. It's easy to say, but harder to implement.
Back to the mods babysitting, even through the report function it may take some time for them to get to the thread, based on availability and priority.
Meantime, you do nothing and it's like a wound untreated, and just festers growing continually worse.
What can you do? Some people passed the patience threshold a long time ago. Those that say nothing are percieved to let them just run rampant.
Threads like what this started as, and the ones we are discussing are real blows to morale and interest.
I used to dedicate at a minimum my first half an hour of every login to trying to answer or find answers to questions people have, and help them get themselves straightened out.
Anymore, it seems that most of the questions asking for help are just from people like the discussion is about
If I open the first thread, and it's a question asked all the time with the answer in a sticky, I'll move to the next.
If the second one is too, well, anymore that's as far as I go before I just log out and find something else to do.
It used to be that i'd end up spending several hours over that dedicated first 30 minutes typing up detailed replies and explanations of why people were getting into the problems they were and trying to help them understand how Android works under the hood.
That would get me all juiced up and i'd flow into hours of dev, manning the irc channel and just immersing myself in the doubleshot.
Now... Well, when those first couple of questions are like what this thread is about, it just saps my motivation, the very desire to learn that puts me at the keyboard for so long.
The people replying with smart-ass remarks and garbage are just as much to blame for keeping those threads at the top of the list as the ignorant people who started them in the first place.
Given that I am starting to catch up with myself at work and having free time in blocks of hours to work on Android stuff for the doubleshot, more often then not I sit down all ready to work on something fun and new, just to find myself walking away from the keyboard somewhat depressed and disappointed instead.
A large part of my desire in working on projects for the community was to help people get more out of their device by delivering stable, working software and encouraging education and learning.
Those that want to be spoonfed are winning, I've been recently choosing to do other things then even try to browse the forums here.
I dunno, it's like I went into life to handle some things and start a much more enjoyable and higher paying career. Now that I'm settled in and can spend time back here again, it's like I don't even recognize it anymore.
They say you can't go home once you've been away, because while you may be in the place you once called home it won't be that anymore when you get there.
Never thought in a million years i'd feel like a stranger in the doubleshot forums, but here we are and here it is.
It's kinda made me sad to write this.
Sent from a digital distance.

Blue6IX said:
You keep saying delete the thread, as if an end user has that priviledge, but we don't. It's easy to say, but harder to implement
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Click to collapse
After re-reading my post about deleting/closing the thread in question, I didn't word my comment properly. Unfortunately, this responsibility would end up on the shoulders of the admins/mods...the proverbial babysitting we were referring to earlier.
Sorry if this is a sour subject for you. If anything though, I'd take into consideration the number of people who you have already helped on this site instead of looking at the ones who bring you down. I've seen some of your threads and replies to those who you are willing to help and you provide a wealth of knowledge and information. There will always be someone out there who is willing to read and absorb what you teach, and perhaps even share it with others so they too can learn. As a supporter of end users, I understand that feeling of wanting to give up but what keeps me going is the knowing that I helped some of them along the way. The bad apples will always be just that, bad apples. I work in the education field (thankfully not a teacher) so I see this type of mentality on an almost daily basis. Toss them aside and remember you have already helped many more good apples than bad.
Geez, I feel like I'm preaching here so I'll get off my soap box but I'm sure you get the point of what I'm trying to say. Don't ever give up and don't let the boneheads get the better part of you. Lots of people on this site appreciate what you do, including myself.

This thread doesn't need to be taken down......it should be stickied for future reference!!

There are very simple rules that span across the internet. One of them is use search on forums. If you don't know this rule, frankly, you shouldn't be messing around with your phone in a way that violates the warranty or changes the configuration beyond what your grandmother can do with the same phone.
Creating threads without searching is the equivalent of going into a crowded mall, standing in the middle and shouting, "I NEED HELP HERE PLEASE". I think many will agree that any person that does that in a mall is an a**hole. You're not ENTITLED to help.
You SHOULD know this. If you don't, you're new to the internet, and perhaps you just don't have the skills or sense to be messing around with your phone.
The one thing that you can't expect people to know is that the answer to your question MIGHT be located in another device's forum. For example, how do you install Time Warner's app on rooted devices? You'd have to search the whole site. But now that you've read this, you know better.
We've all made mistakes. How you make up for them is key. I pay developers. What do you do?

WeekendsR2Short said:
This thread doesn't need to be taken down......it should be stickied for future reference!!
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Not even close...
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda app-developers app

gtmaster303 said:
Not even close...
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda app-developers app
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Just a touch of truthful sarcasm......:angel:

Blue6IX said:
.....It used to be that i'd end up spending several hours over that dedicated first 30 minutes typing up detailed replies and explanations of why people were getting into the problems they were and trying to help them understand how Android works under the hood.....
Now... Well, when those first couple of questions are like what this thread is about, it just saps my motivation, the very desire to learn that puts me at the keyboard for so long.....
....Given that I am starting to catch up with myself at work and having free time in blocks of hours to work on Android stuff for the doubleshot, more often then not I sit down all ready to work on something fun and new, just to find myself walking away from the keyboard somewhat depressed and disappointed instead.
Sent from a digital distance.
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Blue (and others)
Please don't get disheartened, certainly don't give up on XDA. I am relatively new to Android, certainly new to rooting, and I haven't even tried ROMs yet (that's for next week!). I am still working towards my 10 posts, while I've rooted and S-OFFed using the guidance available here.
In my time, I have researched & read up pretty widely on this forum and on others, on all the things I would like to do or am intrigued to find out about (custom boot animations - wow!). These is so much repeated and conflicting information out there. In doing that you soon get to recognise the posts that explain carefully, give step-by-step guides, and are helpful. You also quickly learn whose name is on those posts .They have a natural authority that lends credibility and builds trust. Those posts are the ones I bookmark and use, and those people are the ones I take advice from.
Your name is all over the best and most useful posts. There are others too but I won't name them here. Please don't stop - your efforts are appreciated. If you stop, I have to stop too, as who do I then learn from?