topic Frustrating Threads in BreakPoint

Frustrating Threads

tbob — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:05:20 GMT

My turn to start a new thread. I've seen our friend Smercurio battle with valor as he tries to help a novice who doesn't understand English very well and doesn't know much about what he is doing. The thread is here

Smerc, you have my sympathies.

Re: Frustrating Threads

AnalogKid2DigitalMan — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:11:51 GMT

Looks like Smerc has two choices, see attached.

-AK2DM

Re: Frustrating Threads

altenbach — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 23:55:15 GMT

I really enjoy when you ask for a VI to show what they are actually doing and they attach my own code that I posted earlier in the same thread. 😮

Re: Frustrating Threads

muks — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 06:46:59 GMT

6 pages and the solution???? The first reply to the op

Re: Frustrating Threads

Ray.R — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:50:01 GMT

A few years ago I tried to help someone who posed himself as a potential client, and I quickly discovered that it was a student... I went overboard by actually writing code for the guy to show him how to do it. I learned that we can't help those who do not want to help themselves. I don't mind writing examples because it keeps my feet wet with LabVIEW (I work with embedded C - vxWorks). But if they do not want to put some effort to learn or to realize the benefit of working (ie: please do my assignment or work while getting the benefits), I provide less code and more shorter pieces of instructions to get them to think more about the solution. They get frustrated, but hey.. that's life... And usually no kudos 😞

😉

Re: Frustrating Threads

JB — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:33:38 GMT

Ray.R a écrit :

A few years ago I tried to help someone who posed himself as a potential client, and I quickly discovered that it was a student... I went overboard by actually writing code for the guy to show him how to do it. I learned that we can't help those who do not want to help themselves. I don't mind writing examples because it keeps my feet wet with LabVIEW (I work with embedded C - vxWorks). But if they do not want to put some effort to learn or to realize the benefit of working (ie: please do my assignment or work while getting the benefits), I provide less code and more shorter pieces of instructions to get them to think more about the solution. They get frustrated, but hey.. that's life... And usually no kudos 😞

😉

One kudo to treat your frustration !

Re: Frustrating Threads

smercurio_fc — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:45:02 GMT

@tbob wrote:

My turn to start a new thread. I've seen our friend Smercurio battle with valor as he tries to help a novice who doesn't understand English very well and doesn't know much about what he is doing. The thread is here

Smerc, you have my sympathies.

Thanks. I really need them for that. And also for this one, where I spell out what to do, step by step. But the OP then says he doesn't know how to create a reference, or his LabVIEW is "corrupt", and just wanted someone to write the code for him. srikrishnaNF rescued him this time (he usually does that a lot on the LabVIEW board).

Re: Frustrating Threads

Ray.R — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:11:54 GMT

@SEMAK wrote:

please just edit the above VIs in order to save time

i am doing a mistake or my labview 8.6 is corrupted

Oh!! That's cruel!! As if Saverio's (or others) was not as important as his..

Can't balme you from being frustrated..

Thanks JB. 🙂

Re: Frustrating Threads

altenbach — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 17:53:52 GMT

Some are just very impatient!

Re: Frustrating Threads

Ray.R — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:05:29 GMT

let him wait a bit.. maybe he'll take the time to read the thread and figure out something.. 😉

Re: Frustrating Threads

altenbach — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:19:54 GMT

I have no choice. I'm currently on the road posting via phone, ant the afternoon looks pretty busy... 🙂

Re: Frustrating Threads

aeastet — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:04:12 GMT

@altenbach wrote:
I have no choice. I'm currently on the road posting via phone, ant the afternoon looks pretty busy... 🙂

Now that is dedication to helping.

Re: Frustrating Threads

RavensFan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:04:55 GMT

http://forums.ni.com/t5/LabVIEW/Text-File-to-Table/m-p/1183153#U1183153

OP: I need help. Please give me a VI.

Smerc: Look at this. Did you do a search before asking?

OP: I did, but I didn't get it. Can you give me help.

Smerc: I did. Look at what I already told you.

OP: Give me a VI.

Re: Frustrating Threads

tbob — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:54:49 GMT

This guy should not be using Labview or computers or even a telephone. I am surprised that he can even type.

Re: Frustrating Threads

JackDunaway — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 03:09:52 GMT

@tbob wrote:

This guy should not be using Labview or computers or even a telephone. I am surprised that he can even type.

Agreed, frustrating thread... but not half as frustrating as this one. This guy started off with an intelligent question, I jumped in to try to help, and it soon became clear he didn't know squat.

But these threads didn't start out frustrating. They started out with a person too ignorant to realize they need to know more about the language and the IDE before seeking technical guidance in solving a problem. Both of those threads have contributors with 25+ years of cumulative LabVIEW experience, which should be flattering to the original poster. But again, the poster is too ignorant to realize he should be flattered by the display of generosity from the best LabVIEW minds in the world.

Both threads above have over 50 replies and span weeks, but the best thing that could have happened to both of those guys is pointing them to a FAQ entry (the FAQ is forthcoming) that convinces them to actually go through the tutorials, and then thread silence. If they want to keep posting the same thread trying to get someone to hold their hand through Basics I, their pleas should be reminiscent of "Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?" But keep throwing a bone, and they'll keep coming back.

I think there should be a consensus in the forum regulars to quickly identify these guys and categorize them the same as "homework hunters". The amount of help offered to these guys should be commensurate to their knowledge - limited.

Re: Frustrating Threads

paulmw — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:32:02 GMT

@JackDunaway wrote:

Agreed, frustrating thread... but not half as frustrating as this one. This guy started off with an intelligent question, I jumped in to try to help, and it soon became clear he didn't know squat.

I like his third post in that thread with the statement:

"They have provided no LabVIEW code, other than the group of VI's contained within the library."

Re: Frustrating Threads

Cory_K — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:39:04 GMT

@paulmw wrote:

@JackDunaway wrote:

Agreed, frustrating thread... but not half as frustrating as this one. This guy started off with an intelligent question, I jumped in to try to help, and it soon became clear he didn't know squat.

I like his third post in that thread with the statement:

"They have provided no LabVIEW code, other than the group of VI's contained within the library."

Hahah, what good is a library full of helpful drivers and functions anyway

Re: Frustrating Threads

Ray.R — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:06:59 GMT

tbob,

Don't let the person frustrate you too much. 😉

It's obvious that if a person can't do simple math, how does someone expect them to code?

The scary part is that some people prefer hiring those types of people than the experienced programmer. They think they'll save money.

I still blame how LabVIEW is portrayed as being so simple that no former skill is necessary. Followed by a simple code written in less than a minute.

Those people do not realize the value of experienced programmers... That's where the problem lies.

And that's unlikely to change..

Re: Frustrating Threads

tbob — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:14:43 GMT

@Ray.R wrote:

The scary part is that some people prefer hiring those types of people than the experienced programmer. They think they'll save money.

I still blame how LabVIEW is portrayed as being so simple that no former skill is necessary. Followed by a simple code written in less than a minute.

Those people do not realize the value of experienced programmers... That's where the problem lies.

And that's unlikely to change..

Mon cousin, I'm afraid you are right. I wish NI would change things but I know they won't. It means money to them. I'm sure the recognize the harm they are causing the professional world. They are not ignorant. But the fact remains that money matters more than any trouble they have caused professional programmers.

So why do we all VOLUNTEER our valuable time to support a company that gives us grief ? Do we really love Labview that much? My answer is yes.

Re: Frustrating Threads

Intaris — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:11:23 GMT

@tbob wrote:

So why do we all VOLUNTEER our valuable time to support a company that gives us grief ? Do we really love Labview that much? My answer is yes.

But the "yes" has been getting less loud over the years..... That's my observation at least.