Vibes of this forum

Blorkum · New User Joined: 28 Oct 2021 Posts: 1 Location: Sweden

Hi,

When I google for help around Mainframe I often end up in this forum, and I have got a lot of help throughout the years and there are a lot of helpful people. I guess 99% are great.

However the 1% is very loud and the bad vibe from some senior members disturbs me. Is there any room in this forum for language barriers and different skill levels?
I can understand the frustration when people don't use google, don't post proper errors etc. But if your default mindset is that people are stupid, I don't understand why you spend time trying to "help" in a forum. Highlight your own excellence by pushing other people down, maybe?

I guess it's a paradox that I start off with such negive post - but I had to share my thoghts when people are not treated as humans - and I'm not sure I would dare to ask any questions anyway.

Just a few comments I came a cross from high profile members:
"it is odd that after 5 years of IT programming You do not know how to [...]"
"What exactly is not clear in this simple pure English sentence?"
"how can You [...] when You are not even capable of describing the issues You are facing"

What can we do to improve the culture of this forum?

enrico-sorichetti · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:13 pm

if you had lurked into most of the unix/linux/open-source forums you would have seen much stronger answers, and nobody has never criticised them

why put the blame on the people spending their time helping
and not on the people who do not care about doing a tiny bit of homework themselves

remember also that the quality of the answer depends on the quality of the questions

it might be worth for You to read and meditate on

www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

and Eric Steve Raymond home page www.catb.org/~esr/

there is also the problem that a forum is no longer considered a help forum,
but as a source of free consulting and a remedy for poor organisation

... my manager told me to ask here
... the manuals are not available to me
... add as many as you want in the same stypr

P.S
how would you rate the IQ of somebody who for a question in the cobol subsection uses "cobol" as the title

see anther good example here

ibmmainframes.com/viewtopic.php?t=53336&highlight=fortran

sergeyken · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 5:43 pm

Phrzby Phil · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:51 pm

The very next post today after yours is:

daveporcelan · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 8:50 pm

Phil,

That was a brand new user.

I am claiming someone is performing a prank.

Willy Jensen · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 10:24 pm

Actually I share Blorkum's sentiment and I really could not care less how people behave in other forums. I think that it was pretty bad when I saw soneone write that he or she would not use this forum again because of the response. We are here to help, or at least I am. What is so tough about using polite language, or even simpler just refrain from commenting if you don't want to help anyway? I agree that some of the questions are pretty stupid and/or do not belong in an experts forum, but I never felt that an answer was improved by adding abusive language. Would you do it to their face?
Just my 5 cent.

sergeyken · Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2021 11:52 pm

I can compare the questions appearing daily at this "computer experts" forum, with those my 16-years old grandson is asking me about the computer programming.
My impression is: the nowadays "experts" have never finished even a primary school. In my social circle we call them: "those banned from Goggle"

That is really frustrating

Rohit Umarjikar · Posted: Fri Oct 29, 2021 7:45 am

Blorkum, Welcome! Thanks for the view but you are free to report any post to any moderators and we will take necessary fair action based on the concern.
If there is any abusive language or fight or bad tone , I usually delete and clean up and PM the person as not to do such thing again. If it continues then warnings are issued.

I totally agree with Willy.

After 3 warnings we ban members who are rude to any users. No one is entitled on this forum to be abuse or talk in a bad tone to anyone due to any reason, they can PM each other to resolve any concerns but not publicly speak bad about anyone even if it’s a simple question asked. E.g. If it’s a simple question then we can move to student section without abusing or talking rude. Let us try and keep the forum simple and friendly..

Pete Wilson · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:54 pm

As always there are issues on both sides, but abusive language should never be required.

sergeyken · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 6:15 pm

I guess, if I ever visited a Mathematical Forum with a question like:

Rohit Umarjikar · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 6:57 pm

I would just help and/or provide relevant links to learn by moving the post to students section and move on than one being rude , abusive , insulting etc.. that is NOT acceptable in any case.

don.leahy · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 4:06 am

I just ignore poorly formed questions.