Any suggestions on this? [Resolved]

[mendhak]

I think I've noticed a little pattern here. New users will look up the memberlist, and find the posters with the highest rank and then PM them with a problem that belongs on the forum.

Sometimes I will help them, sometimes I ignore them, and sometimes ask them to post on the forums instead of messaging me. But that can get tiring after a while.

What's the best approach?

And I'm not the only one who gets this, right?

[NoteMe]

No, you are not the only one. I get dussens of people asking me if I want to work on their game, or write a game for them. But sometimes like today I get REALLY nice PMs with "thanks for the really nice tutorial you have made", and that warms my heart..


I nearly did the same as CornedBee once did (or still have ), write that I don't help people that PM me. But I didn't so I have kept answering, "Post the question in the **** section, so more then just me can answer you". I am not sure if it is a better way to do it then that.



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[szlamany]

It seems to happen to me with a person I've already helped - two weeks later a followup question comes in a PM or an e-mail. I try to tell them nicely to post the question in the forum...

[Hack]

I constantly get them as well. Something along these lines is my response.

There are three reasons why you shouldn't ask questions in a PM:

1. You are restricting yourself to only one person in terms of a possible answer. If you keep your questions on the open forum, all sorts of people will view it, and someone else may have something to contribute that is just as, or better than a solution I may come up with.

2. Someone else could be having the same problem, and could benefit by what happens in your question post.

3. In days and weeks to come, someone may have the same issue, and do a forum search to see if the question has been asked before, and if so, what was the answer. If everything is confined to a PM, they won't find anything.

This isn't an attempt by me to blow them off. I believe, very firmly, in this position.

[mendhak]

I constantly get them as well. Something along these lines is my response.This isn't an attempt by me to blow them off. I believe, very firmly, in this position.

I believe i'm going to copy paste that response because I do very much agree with it.

[NoteMe]

I wrote something along those lines the first times too. But I got tired of it. Maybe I should build it into Canders extension, so I can just right click to get it.. Do you mind if I do Hack?


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[Hack]

I wrote something along those lines the first times too. But I got tired of it. Maybe I should build it into Canders extension, so I can just right click to get it.. Do you mind if I do Hack?


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Although I'm not sure what you mean by "build into Canders extension", but, be my quest.

[NoteMe]

Hehe.....he made an extension to format the text in a text box, to get colors and so on. And also to paste in your mail address and colour format C++ VB code and so on. I can just add it to that extension and then right click and it will paste in what you just wrote in a PM and send it to who ever sendt me something.


Well thanks anyway..
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[RobDog888]

See Mods, my suggestion would help to eliminate this issue but its all but dead now.

Usually if its a very easy or short answer, like use a certain property or event to solve that issue, I will reply back.
But usually they are asking for help with code so I suggest posting a thread so I can help and others can too. Also, others would be
able to benefit from it if they are having a similar issue.

[RobDog888]

Just wanted to share this one.

I remembered that I have had a few PMs where the member had no posts and probably registered
as a member just to PM me.


One time a new 0 post count member asked for help and told me to "Gimme code" for his problem.
I think if they are going to be PM'ing then then should be respectful as we all spend our time on
VBF on a volunteer basis.

[dglienna]

Happened three times to me yesterday. I've found that if you do answer in a PM. that you will get another. I also say that I don't like to fill up my PM box.
That seems like a good reason to me.

[penagate]

I think the ability to send PM's should be disabled until a member has posted a certain number of times. I've seen that work on other boards. If they need help they should post on the forums instead of using PM's. Hack's response says it all I think.

[Hack]

I think the ability to send PM's should be disabled until a member has posted a certain number of times.

This is not a bad idea actually.

Having said that, I'd keep the number really low so you don't have to gather all that many posts....maybe a minimium of 5.

[dglienna]

Why not make it 20? That seems to be the magic number around here.

[MartinLiss]

I think I've noticed a little pattern here. New users will look up the memberlist, and find the posters with the highest rank and then PM them with a problem that belongs on the forum.

Sometimes I will help them, sometimes I ignore them, and sometimes ask them to post on the forums instead of messaging me. But that can get tiring after a while.

What's the best approach?

And I'm not the only one who gets this, right?

I get an average of about 3/wk. 99% of the time I say something like "Your best chance of getting help is to post a question in the forums" (where I answer if I can) and the other 1% I help directly.