Being a newbie, should I wait to react to a post when I dont have a full solution ready?

[carum carvi]

I like helping other newbies out, since I am still one myself. And I feel a bit sad when a newbie gets no response or very little response on this forum. It doesnt happen often, but sometimes it does. Ofcourse I will only react to a post if I have something helpful to say. But sometimes I am in doubt IF I should react at all, when I dont have a full solution immediately, because I once heard that the moment a new post is answered to, some other forummembers might not bother looking at that particular post anymore. Is this true?

Since anybody besides other complete newbies has more wisdom and experience than me, I dont want to be the cause of neglect for certain newbie posts when I start reacting first.

So my question is: do other forummembers easily look over posts when it is already reacted to by someone else? If answered yes, I will think twice before I start reacting to posts without having a full solution at hand straight away...

[gm10]

You should not limit what you can do right now based on what you think somebody else might do in the future. Here and in life. Thanks for helping out.

[Pierre]

you can react to an post - - even if it's only a partial solution to the issue:
- someone else will complete the puzzle & you just may lead to a better solution, too.

[Moem]

I think that giving someone a pointer that may help them find the solution is always a good idea even if you cannot provide a complete solution. I do not believe that seeing that a post has been replied to will discourage most users of this forum to skip it.

[lsemmens]

We all learn by our mistakes, don't be afraid to make them. If you think that you may be able to assist, even in some small way, then, by all means, jump in. The worst that can happen is someone else will come along and say your solution is utter rubbish. It's not as though anyone is going to take out a contract on you.

I will hop in if I feel I have something to offer, otherwise, I read, and learn.

We all need help from time to time, as such. we should all be prepared to help. too. Of course, if you receive help from someone, don't be afraid to say thank you, too.

[MrGrimm]

you can react to an post - - even if it's only a partial solution to the issue:
- someone else will complete the puzzle & you just may lead to a better solution, too.

spot on. way too many times rather it's in a forum on face to face i've seen someone have a partial idea, and because they expressed it someone else was able to complete it. if the one hadn't said anything the one that complete the idea may bot have even though of it.

[carum carvi]

Okay, that's comforting to know. And it makes sense what you guys all say. Thanks for thinking along...

I asked this question because I recently could only help another newbie with 1 problem, while he had 3. The other 2 problems were much more serious though. I did however suggest to him that he could separate the 2 other more significant questions and repost them under another new title.

One of the things I had no clue of myself, when I first visited this forum a year ago, was the fact that I could easily SEARCH the forum. Really embarrassing. Although there are some very good guidelines written for first users it' s kinda like the secondary agreements to a software program, being in hurry everybody skips that part. So for manageable newbie questions I now often provide links to similar questions posted earlier on this forum, which have been well discussed by different experienced forummembers.

It is funny though, that just yesterday, I could help a newbie with EXACTLY the same first question I posted on this forum a year ago. It was a about the "dangers" of level 4 updates, because in LinuxMint one does get to see a small warning next to these level 4 updates. This "warning" freaked the new user out so much he didnt dare install LM18 altogether. Fortunately he got reassured by several forummembers including myself that all was well...

On an end note I like to mention that is nice to be on this forum. I like friendly and knowledgeable people like you all guys, who like to help out others. I hope one day to become a lot more knowledgeable, but with lots of pleasure I will continue to help other newbies with simple problems for the time being...

Below is a link to the newbie post I couldnt help any further by the way. Maybe some of you could help him out, because he has some serious problems. He returned to Windows because of it. But he still wants to succeed in installing LM18. Great spirit.

viewtopic.php?p=1562770#p1561937

[redlined]

hi carum carvi!

Thanks for posting this, as I've pondered it as well! but haven't let it stop me from offering (hopefully received as) friendly in approach suggestions, albeit longwinded and sloppy when it comes to offering commands to use. I'm learning and make it a point to mention my newb status as a buyer beware sort of notice. I figure if/when I do help someone on a more simple issue I also free up the wiser and more experienced ones to help sort the difficult issues. Sometimes it may take 6 pages of responses back and forth (re: when newbies helping newbies goes wild sort of thing but I don't let that slow me down, in fact I just eat some more humble pie when a local LM Sensei checks in and in one swift command fixes it perfect

[gm10]

Sometimes it may take 6 pages of responses back and forth (re: when newbies helping newbies goes wild sort of thing but I don't let that slow me down, in fact I just eat some more humble pie when a local LM Sensei checks in and in one swift command fixes it perfect

lol, I feel bad now... a little.

Helping others is a great learning experience though. You get to experience aspects of the system that you otherwise might not have. All while potentially ruining their system as yours remains safe, haha. No, but seriously, you can raise your own knowledge level a lot by trying to help others out, assuming you'll do some research of your own in doing so, as I expect you will. I know I learned a lot that way.

[redlined]

Sometimes it may take 6 pages of responses back and forth (re: when newbies helping newbies goes wild sort of thing but I don't let that slow me down, in fact I just eat some more humble pie when a local LM Sensei checks in and in one swift command fixes it perfect

lol, I feel bad now... a little.

Helping others is a great learning experience though. You get to experience aspects of the system that you otherwise might not have. All while potentially ruining their system as yours remains safe, haha. No, but seriously, you can raise your own knowledge level a lot by trying to help others out, assuming you'll do some research of your own in doing so, as I expect you will. I know I learned a lot that way.

That reference was a real highlight of the fun happy place I get into trying to be of some help around here, trying to learn and troubleshoot instead of repeat or refer elsewhere. Your clean-up of that thread was relieving and reaffirms what this thread is all about. It's funny some of the things I saw and said a couple months ago show such (eager) naiveté that cause me to shudder now.. but all is good as no one was harmed (and no feedback received that I broke anything for them, 'caveat lector: newb giving suggestions' warning aside:D) and... I learned! I appreciate the beauty, elegance even, in the simplicity of commandline judo practised and performed by the forum experts and experienced folks around here!