Something for all of you to chew on...

[dspain75]

Today I was perusing slashdot.org as I do once or twice a week and I read an article about "Linux Snobs" stopping the adoption of Linux in corporate environments... I must say the article in question was right on the money. Of course you want to know how does that become newsworthy at RunUO?

Well in particular one quote I read made me think about RunUO:

"Yes, it is true that the answers to your questions are out there...Linux does have copious documentation. But the fact of the matter is that a simple answer to a simple question can do much more than save the newbie hours of combing through MAN pages...it can also foster the sense of community that is the very lifeblood of Linux."

This quote is exactly the disease the RunUO community suffers from. It's true that here on these forums 99% of the questions have probably been answered. While we dont have copious amounts of documentation we have a very large and very heavily used forum where people answer questions on a daily basis. Usually the information we need is as close as hitting the search button.

The problem is we have a lot of users who are RunUO Snobs (Example: Phantom) that wont answer simple questions and tell 'newbies' to go read the forums, search the forums or read the documentation. Its ridiculous and it will be the downfall of further adoption of RunUO and will drive away more members of our community than it already has. A few of the development team members spoke recently and this kind of behavior will no longer be tolerated... from anyone.

If someone asks a question and you know the answer... answer the damn question. Answering the question is the best thing you can do for RunUO and like the person who wrote the quote driving this update said, "...it can also foster the sense of community that is the very lifeblood of..." RunUO.

Things are changing around here if you haven't already noticed. If you dont get on board you should probably get out.

very nice Ryan, i have been around awhile but never really post much, well b/c of the exact above mentioned problem.
and it is a disease that has spread to virtually any community based project and frankly thats exactly what forums are for, to discuss and give/recieve feedback on issues, in this case development/server stuff.
sure we all saw the search button but figured asking would get a much better approach to the EXACT thing i need to accomplish.
very nicely done Ryan and team.

Daniel - ArcticZone Internet Solutions

 

[Stuart lil]

http://www.runuo.com/forums/general-discussion/93661-adventures-sir-grumpy-necro-mongo.html
Lets put this thread into picture =P

 

[Jeebus Cripe]

Flamed for asking questions

I have read these posts and I to have been ridiculed for asking a question. I'd just like to say that some people that have shards have jobs to go to, or have children up their arse all day and don't have time to search piles and piles of data all day. so there for it is easier to post a question and get a nice decent reply. And... Some times it is nice to go through the drive through rather than fix a home made meal per say...sorta speak.

 

[greywolf79]

There are only a few that seem to be treating people real bad... So it is those few that need to be told, do better or get out. I have noticed most stuff I see comes from 1 individual and so when I see them posting stuff bashing people I tell them to be quiet or get out if it is just plain bashing. If it is constructive critisism then that is different (though some could use some better words when putting it into words, myself included I am sure). It is just there are some people that think that by putting others down it makes them better. I just like that the mods of these forums actually try to keep things relatively nice on the comments (I have seen most forums I go to where they do not even try to keep the rules being followed). Just my thoughts though...

GreyWolf.

 

[HellRazor]

The RUO forums are 100% better than they were when this thread started over 2.5 years ago, at least so far as people being rude to others go. I was happy to see the team here putting a stop to it. Very rarely do I see anyone being downright rude or flaming people anymore.

 

[Puron1794]

The RUO forums are 100% better than they were when this thread started over 2.5 years ago, at least so far as people being rude to others go. I was happy to see the team here putting a stop to it. Very rarely do I see anyone being downright rude or flaming people anymore.

I agree, HR. I also think closing Starbucks did wonders for the overall atmosphere of the forums... though I miss the banter sometimes.

I can certainly relate to the "newbs" again, now that I've decided to relaunch my shard after a year+ of not even so much as glancing at a script. The term "rusty" is a huge understatement!

 

[Lord_Greywolf]

closing starbucks will probably help a lot - i agree there fully

And i thin i say the following for many people up here, because i have seen them the same way, at least IMO

I have helped many people, i have also not helped many people, and i have done anywhere inbetween also
And the reasons are simple of why i do

When i see that someone has put forth the effert to try and get the answers (more than just saying they searched for 2 hours and i do a simple search and it is right there), they have tried to script it, or by the way they say things in there question, i help a lot, many times if it is a very vague and diffacult answer, i will give it fully
otherwise, i give the them information of how to do, so they can learn how to do it, and be able to do more on their own

but When i see the same question asked for the 100th time, i either tell them to seach, or go to the FAQ section, etc where it is at, because they do need to search a little 1st - if they do not have time to search for their answers to start with, then they do not hagve time to run a shard either - part of being a shard owner is having the time for it
to many shards come and go, just because the owners do not have the time for them, and it is the players that loose out then
And those trying to learn how to script, or are scripters foro shards, know the 1st rule of programming is research, and research is searching - if they do not know that rule, they should

I am not flaming anyone when doing that - i am trying to help them and to help the free shard community as a whole - the players are the most important part of that community

I have "held my fingers" back many times from typeing - give it up, you are to stupid to even own a computer, let alone a shard - but i do not do it - i hated phantom for being that way
but i am also not going to do some one elses research for them, or totaly write a script for them that i am not going to be using at all
I am trying to help people when i come up here, and also many times look for answers myself as well
but i am not here 24/7, i do have a life (i think lol) and a shard to run and script for also
And when people get impatient and bumb, or say "doesn't any one help anyone here", etc, i do get upset
because they think that we are here to help them
I am not staff here (never been offered it either, or applied for)
I am not a moderator
But i do remeind people of the rules, because staff/mods are not always on, and many times it is a mistake, and reminding people about it can get them to do it in the right places, so they do not get banned for to many mistakes
I am not flamming them, i am trying to help them

so many times, i may seem like i am flaming, when i am not, i am just trying to help
NOW IF I TYPE IN ALL CAPS, then maybe i am upset at them lol (never has happened except for single words to stress that word)
So i hope every knows that i am just trying to help when i tell you to try searching for it, or it has been answered many times, look around for it

ps - i like to rattle on and on and on sometimes and type to much lol

 

[Fixxxer]

I'm sure alot of people got their panties in a knot when this thread was rezed, however I think this thread should be a sticky and put on the front page of each forum topic. I was very glad to see starbucks go, I posted a few times in there myself but as a whole it brought the entire community down. Its good to see that more people are coming in and trying RunUO out without the BS of lurkers just looking to post something stupid.
I havent been on in a long time for alot of different reasons but alot of it was because of the people in the forums, I just always figured it was easier to learn C# then to ask a question. Most the time my questions would be ignored, highjacked, or basically just told me to learn C#. New people need a good welcoming in order to stick around and many times I've seen people with only one or two posts and them saying screw it I'll go somewhere else. This is a very good thread and should never be lost in the mix........

 

[Sythen]

Time Is Of The Essence...

Actually I agree with Lord_Greywolf 99%, but I wouldn't go so far as to judge who should start up, own and operate a shard and who should not. The fact remains that unless you are the child of some rich celebrity and/or you've somehow come into a lot of money either through retirement or the lottery, then you are like the rest of us who have to work for a living with real life obligations, and real world responsibilities.

That being said, this is a hobbyist site not a paying job for most of us. Building a server is like building a model train set or playing with legos one brick at a time. This idea that if you don't have the time to run a server then you shouldn't is just dumb. I mean time is limited regardless, unless you consider yourself the exception to that rule; not all of us can afford to put in 40 hours a week, let alone 6-10 hours a day researching stuff on these forums.

I like Lord_Greywolf so don't take this personal dude, but I help where I can too. If I know the answer to a question I will post the damn answer and let people know where I stand; often making it clear as to whether or not I know the answer half way or fully? I'll even go so far as to offer an in-depth explanation as to why things are written the way they are when referring to bits and pieces of a script; no sense in offering code if people can't decifer it. And I provide screenshots where necessary.

My point is that while you might (and you have every right by the way) feel that most shards that are run by people who lack the time to create, run and manage them are usually finished half-assed, you really shouldn't judge those people simply based on that and not answer their questions; that negates the whole purpose of this forum and what this thread is trying to achieve because you are judging people.

I'm willing to bet most of the people who ask questions put 150% into creating their server when they begin their runuo projects. I'm also willing to bet that that 150% turns into 50, 40, 30% when people start judging them and refuse to answer their questions because the guy on the other end feels that they didn't put enough effort forth to research the answers. Flip the situation around and how would you feel? To me, that is enough to make most people give up because believe it or not, its difficult for most people to search.

Also think that while computers have been a common household item since the 80's, most people who are 50 and above (maybe a little younger) probably have little experience using them unless they've had prior education. Does that mean they shouldn't start up a server? In my opinion, I believe everyone who loves UO as much as (I'd Hope) we all do should have an equal opportunity to make a shard. And thus a community is born, but we all have to work together because all this bickering is counter productive and will turn off anyone with any sense in the long run.

Bottom Line: Q&A man, if you know the answer... by all means share it; *slaps fingers for judging*

By the way, I've been working on my server for 4 years now. I wont release it to the public until its complete and I am satisfied. I spend about 35 hours a week that I don't have to work on it. I'm married with 2 kids, and without the support of the RunUO community it would have never gotten as far as it has (and I am pleased with the progress - just research my posts and look at some of the screenshots - I am very detail oriented - thats why I do things like try to rework gumps to make them look more realistic). I've even gone so far as to create custom maps and artwork and have become quite good (I'd like to think) at it. So as a guy who doesn't have the time, when I am done my server will be (if not equal - definately better) quality than the EA servers I play on. Time is irrelevant, persistance and dedication are more applicable.

Anyway, whether you agree with me or not I still lubs ya man.

 

[Courageous]

*shrug*

While I am sure I am a special case, I have two of the Awesomest Script Systems in Existence (tm) *ha ha*, but I have never even run a shard, any shard.

Some people are just playing around and learning stuff.

Let it be.

C//

 

[Jeff]

*shrug*

While I am sure I am a special case, I have two of the Awesomest Script Systems in Existence (tm) *ha ha*, but I have never even run a shard, any shard.

Some people are just playing around and learning stuff.

Let it be.

C//

I can't figure out if you were trying to act like you have a big head for comedic effect, or if you really do....

 

[Courageous]

Both: I have a big head, and a sense of humor about it.