How don't I ... ask for help??

Just a little parable based on the "How do I??" section of this forum.

"Help me doctor!"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"I want to run."

"So.. run!"

"But it isn't working doctor."

"What isn't working?"

"Well, I can't run."

"What is it that stops you from running?"

"I don't know doctor, that's why I'm here"

"What happens if you try to run?"

"I feel pain doctor."

"Where do you feel pain?"

"In my legs doctor."

"Can I have a look at your legs?"

"No, doctor, nobody is allowed to look at my legs!"

"Well, if I can't see your legs it's hard to pinpoint the problem."

"Can't you just give me a pill, doctor?"

"I have at least 25 different kinds of pills, each for a specific issue, I can hardly give them all."

"But you're a doctor right, you can't fix it?"

"I'll try... Is there a specific place you feel the pain?"

"Yes, it feels like my shins are on fire."

"And are they?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are your shins on fire?"

"Yesssssss!!! Thank you doctor!!! That was it!!! I only had to put out the flames on my shin!!"

"No problem, glad I could be of service."

"You're the best, doctor, I can run again, could you now please tell me why I can't jump?"

"..."

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Yes there are quite a few patients like this. But there are also many who even already did the anamnesis and just need the right recipe.

I think the main issue is that people who programmed before know that errors occur naturally, and they are not only used to analyze the problem but also know how to analyze.

But C2 opened up the world of programming for non-programmers. It may be a nice idea if the best of the best like ROJOhound and others would offer lessons on error management, or do tutorials. I'm sure it would be received with cheers.

I often just sit staring at the screen with a smile on my face when I come across topics like I tried to describe above.

When I started working with C2 often the "simplest" events gave me headaches, for I hadn't any experience with programming at all. I still have a lot to learn and flipping through the how do I section often gives me new angles to look into. I understand where the questions come from and sometimes imagine myself to be the patient. In one year, if they are still using C2 they will probably look back at their topics slightly embarrassed, but also knowing it was the great community, that helped them through while they were struggling to understand C2.

Heh. Some bug reports are pretty much like this too.

LittleStain

I'm sure you mean it in good fun, but your comments come across to me as being very condescending. Not everyone's mind is wired like a programmer. That's the draw of C2. No programming required.

I think it would be better to encourage new users instead of mocking them. Only good things can come from it.

Sebastian

I'm not a programmer and my mind is certainly not wired as one.

If you'd read my second comment in this thread you'd seen I feel like I've been the patient I'm talking about in the past.

I don't mean to discourage anyone. I often encourage them to read the manual and follow some tutorials before engulfing themselves in too big a project, but even then I try to answer their questions.

I don't see that having a bit of fun with observations made can do harm, if so let's ban humor completely.

LittleStain

I certainly agree with your OP and actually enjoyed the read

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LittleStain

That's good to hear. I assumed you didn't mean any harm by it. The fact is though, it does, if only on a subconscious level. The humor of the joke was created at the expense of new users, more or less, insulting their intelligence. And to be perfectly honest, I don't mind you poking fun and joking about other adults. They can handle it.

What I don't think you are taking into account is that there are a lot of children who visit this site, who want to make games, who also ask a lot of questions and they may not know how to search or find the answers they need. They might see your comment and similar comments by others, and find them discouraging. It might be an afterthought to you, but children tend to be very sensitive to those things.

Again, I understand you didn't mean anything by it, but I'd like to be more encouraging to younger users and for schools to adopt C2. I'm hoping you feel the same way.

edit: typo

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