what's the point?

[agent]

As Baldy pointed out in I got americas army again..:
"People give unselfeshly of their time and expertise for nothing more than the satisfaction of trying to help others".

WHY?

True, I have found that this site is luring (curse the people who came up with the idea of a help-others-and-help-yourself forum), and many people waste away many hours simply refreshing the main page and posting replies and occaisonally new threads, but the why? I could understand if we were all being paid on comission to help people, but we're not. Sure, there are a few people who are paid to look after, occaisonally post, and maintain the site, but that's about all.

Apart from helping out people we hardly know on this forum, is it not just a waste of time (and for those of you who go here when they're supposed to be doing work, a waste of work/money/time)?

[Chilling_Silence]

I believe the answer was also posted, that people simply do it for the satisfaction of helping out a total stranger, in the hope that somebody might show the same kindness.

Have you never heard the scripture:
Do unto others..
Basically it means, Expect people to be rude back to you if you're rude towards them, or hope that they might be kind back to you if you show them kindness.

Personally I've helped out probably hundreds of people, and received help from just as many.

Combined, the team here can usually solve just about any problem!

That is the point!

[honeylaser]

I remember something Robo said in one of his articles about PressF1 - something about people wanting to show off how much they know and out-geek the geekiest of the geeks.

Me personally, I'm here to learn. Unfortunately I don't get the technical training I desire from my work at the moment, and I learn a whole lot more by reading someone issue and trying to work out a solution (even if it isn't alway correct!).

Oh, and winning prizes ain't a bad incentive to hang around

[tones_malones]

why do you post agent?

I myself feel that i have learnt so much by posting and having my post answered to. This forum has greatly increased my productivity and increased knowledge base while creating a lovely feeling of community.
Sure, sometimes my posts come way out of left field occassionally, and my lack of articulate speech is hard to understand but i give...as Fitzy says "full credit" to all those people who (as the fabulous Baldy pointed out) "give their time and expertise for nothing more than the satisfaction of trying to help others". (sorry paraphrased )

As for "wasting hours" refreshing the page, for some of us it passes the days, and if we can help others we feel better in ourselves for lending a hand plus the problem is fixed without the poster having to (in some cases) shell out the dollars to tech's to fix it.

This website is top notch and i'd recommend it to anyone who owns a computer!! (as its much for helpful than a micro$oft help file :P)

So give everyone a break, no one has forced you to post and it looks like you've created this thread to stirr up trouble...

Tones Malones

[crozier]

agent, you're a mercenary little swine aren't you? To most people it feels good to help someone out. Try walking up to a stranger and just start talking, they'll move away pretty smartly. Start by asking something like "I wonder if you can help me?" and the stop and try there best to help. But society seems less and less inclined to help others these days. many young adults and teenagers appear so preoccupied with self that they have no time to help others. Very sad beings!

For years the IT industry has been like a club outside of the mainstream and everyone helped everyone else out, much more than in the mainstream of life. Geeks were often shunned so we huddled together on BBSs or the internet. People didn't know where we hid, they were happy just knowing we weren't with them. Then Windows 95 came out and brought the internet to the masses - non-geeks newbies! Our safe haven had been invaded by people who couldn't work anything out for themselves and ask the most stupid questions imaginable. But we help you anyway

Some people do crosswords or other pointless things to keeps the mind working. I find it actually increases my productivity to answer curly questions. Often when I have a problem at work I spend a while on PressF1 then go back to work and find the solution immediately.

[Chilling_Silence]

Surely you've all heard the saying by now:

A post on Pf1 a day keeps format.com at bay!

We all learn something. Its a labour of love....

[vk_dre]

Look agent, just give it a rest, if u feel that ur wasting time here, then go. i don't meant to be to the point, but u r so adament that this is a waste of time, who knows, it probably is, but just because one of ur posts was never answered by anyone, don't get too ticked off about it. U have helped a lot of people here so just be proud of that at least.

> So give everyone a break, no one has forced you to
> post and it looks like you've created this thread to
> stirr up trouble...


My point exactly!

[Susan B]

Geez agent, you got a lot of learning to do in life yet.

I like my computers, I like fiddling with them and I love the contact that it gives me with people from all over NZ and around the world, people that I would never have come to know otherwise. A lot of those people have been met on this forum and to have contact with people with similar interests means a lot to me.

My personal circumstances would bore you to tears but I have my reasons for "wasting away many hours" on this forum. The main reason I spend time here is because I've been given a great deal of help and advice when I got stuck and to reciprocate I help out when I can. It's addictive and I get pleasure from it. This isn't the only forum I frequent although it is the main one and the laughs and entertainment here is one of the big drawcards.

Call me sad if you wish but I'll do what I want with my spare time and I'll stay until I've had enough. No one said you had to do the same. :-)

Does that answer your question "WHY"?

[prue]

I have learnt lots from Press F1 and am very greatful to all those who have given me advice-- only trouble is by the time I have copied out directions and followed them-laboriously as my eyesiht is not the best - then found that it worked--? hopefully in fact often - its a bit late to go back and find the letter that helped me. I was shown how to make my modem work better by slowing it down--successfully. i have bought Windows XP for dummies-- after reading someones recommendation-- and the list goes on. Whats the point? Sharing is something we try to bring our kids up to do so surely sharing information is an adult extension of the same idea.
Thank you all for your help and suggestions-and if a bit of humour creeps in I appreciate that too. Prue

[exLL]

When you read all the grateful replies from satisfied readers it speaks for itself.

I thoroughly enjoy Press f1, have received a lot of help and am learning more all the time.

BTW Susan, I see that your posting count is close to the big 2k mark.

Congratulations in advance and many thanks once again for all the help you have given me.

Cheers.