Has this forum section become the new Helpdesk?

9 replies
I see soooo many people asking questions about how to fix their wordpress or how to fix their website. I also noticed alot of people just coming in here posting articles just to get a link in here. It's rare I can refresh the page once per hour and see a good post about IM anymore! I cant even get up in the morning and sip my coffee and find anything in here worth reading. Just people posting articles with links and trying to get yet another thankyou to up their ante.

Time to get access to the War Room I guess.
#forum #helpdesk #section
  • Profile picture of the author Hoodyy
    Sorry, is this not a place to come if you're stuck with IM?

    Apologies for not knowing everything already and asking questions which end up helping me and probably a lot of people reading the threads as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author invitetheweb
    No and no one is perfect either but it gets old when this whole section is filled with nothing but questions and pasted posts with links. When I wrote this thread I expected to see a bit of flaming because it goes anywhere you go on the internet.

    Either I'm in the wrong section or I need to buy access to the War Room.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hoodyy
    I do agree with you that some 'pleeeeaseeeee' questions from people with 1 post etc are fairly infuriating and it's definitely not on trying to get a cheeky link without providing something of value to the discussions here.

    However, I'm slightly offended by this stereo-typing post. I feel like I try and ask relevant questions as detailed as possible and I am thankful for the detailed and helpful answers I get back as I'm sure people reading the thread are. This is an IM discussion forum and as far as what I can tell lost of discussions arise off of problems that people have?

    You're also exaggerating that this section is full of questions because there are lots of other threads around, for example the one on niche trends for 2011.

    You realise that without people asking questions this forum would be relatively dead and you'd be sipping your coffee in the morning with nothing to read, let alone anything worth reading.

    Matt
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  • Profile picture of the author Istvan Horvath
    I agree with the OP: too many "technical support" type questions lately. Questions that have nothing to do with IM and/or how to make money.

    Just plain basic - very basic - technical questions that could be solved by a search or going to the proper techsupport forum. I even met impertinent individuals who posted that instead of doing their homework (i.e. searching for the answers) it is easier to post here a question...
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  • Profile picture of the author invitetheweb
    Good points Matt. Questions do make up alot of this forum and I guess you have to start somewhere right?

    I'd rather post a question here on the forum than use google and get a million results and related articles in less than 5 seconds. Who knew?

    Okay, your right i was exaggerating a little about "all" of them being questions but I did say it's rare. If I offended you I am truly sorry and I knew everyone wouldnt agree with me and thats the way the cookie crumbles.

    And me making this post it seems only adds to the fire because this post itself is a question! NONSENSE!
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Matt, there are questions and there are questions...

      Asking how to change the font on a WP blog is a legitimate question - on the WP support forum, although the answer is in the documentation.

      Asking how to back up a database is a proper question, no doubt - for the host company's tech support people.

      I spend a fair bit of time on this forum answering questions, and I'm seeing some of the same things mentioned in the OP. It may not be as pervasive as he made it seem, but that's reticular activation for you. Once you become aware of something, you tend to notice it more.

      No one is saying that you shouldn't ask good questions. I say, bring them on, but know that the best results come from posting those questions in the right place.

      One final thought - where would you rather get advice? From a general forum on marketing where you have no way to know if the answer is any good? Or from a subject-specific source where multiple real experts hang out and provide some informal QC?

      I'd come here for IM advice. For Wordpress mechanics, I'd start with Wordpress.org...
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      • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
        Originally Posted by Hoodyy View Post

        Sorry, is this not a place to come if you're stuck with IM?

        Apologies for not knowing everything already and asking questions which end up helping me and probably a lot of people reading the threads as well.
        Well yes - and if you need someone to fix the code on your site, is that really a topic of Internet Marketing? The only argument might be that you won't make money if the code is not fixed. :rolleyes:

        Originally Posted by invitetheweb View Post

        No and no one is perfect either but it gets old when this whole section is filled with nothing but questions and pasted posts with links. When I wrote this thread I expected to see a bit of flaming because it goes anywhere you go on the internet.

        Either I'm in the wrong section or I need to buy access to the War Room.
        The war room is quite different, and yes - you should get that.

        But on the other side of the fence - some of those small technical questions can give way for others to give helpful posts, and increase their own credibility. Even Istvan has benefited from this I dare say.

        Is there a better area for these types of questions? Yes. Will you get help if you post in these other areas? That is the issue.

        Some never venture out of this main area of the forum. I've posted in other areas and seem to get much less response to a problem than if I were to run in here with my bleeding finger.

        I think overall there is a balance (although it might not be a desired balance between technical and IM talk), and the mods do move things quite a bit.

        Sorry they have to do that.

        I don't always venture into other areas of the forum to answer questions - so occasionally I don't mind seeing the simple technical stuff and popping in with a quick reply - which yes, I'm guilty of adding a link sometimes to point someone in the right direction.

        I am the Avenue Girl after all.
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        "May I have ten thousand marbles, please?"

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        • Profile picture of the author Kay King
          You've been here two weeks and you're seeing trends?
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          Saving one dog will not change the world - but the world changes forever for that one dog
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          Please do not 'release balloons' for celebrations. The balloons and trailing ribbons entangle birds and kill wildlife and livestock that think the balloons are food.
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  • Profile picture of the author monthlykash
    This forum is a place for people to come together to share ideas, experiences AND give or ask for advice. It is here for all, but hopefully people will keep their questions relevant and not just spam links.
    Bruce
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