I have a suggestion

[Siddharth Rout]

Every day I come across at least 5 posts where people do not want to write code on their own nor do they want any directions on how to achieve their objective! They want someone else to spoon feed them.

And then there is this problem with lots of ads showing up in VBF posts (I know it is necessary... but is it really necessary and hence my suggestion...)

What we can do is have a section like freelancer where the above mentioned members who do not want to help themselves can post queries and depending upon the query type, pay for the services. 50% of those earnings will go in the VBF common account. I am sure this will generate extra revenues for VBF. The rest 50% will be deposited in the members account and can be utilized to buy various Microsoft/Any other Companies Goodies (I am sure VBF can arrange some sort of arrangement with them thereby promoting buying of legitimate software...)... blah blah

Enough said!

Well... It is just a suggestion...

Or is it a far fetched Idea 'cause I am game for it...?

[Pradeep1210]

Looks like a great suggestion, and I'm with you. Let's wait for a reply from one of our mods or admins.

[penagate]

Moved from Forum Feedback

[Siddharth Rout]

Forum Feedback to Chit Chat...

Pena, I am Hurt

[baja_yu]

That's why I rarely give people the complete answer right away. I first direct them with pseudo code or explanations on what to do, or direct them how to find help using search. Of course, depending on the problem. If it's something more trivial or that has been asked and answered a lot...

[NeedSomeAnswers]

Every day I come across at least 5 posts where people do not want to write code on their own nor do they want any directions on how to achieve their objective! They want someone else to spoon feed them.

Have you asked any of them whether they would be prepared to pay for this spoon feeding ? often people just want the help for free in my experience.

I tend to avoid these kind of posts to be honest and focus on those that actually want help to understand what they are doing !

[brad jones]

I'm not sure why this was moved out of feedback...

Regardless, a couple of quick (unofficial) comments --

There are always going to be people wanting the answers without doing anything for them and without wanting to understand the answers (e.g. just give me the code...). That is the nature of forums and I've seen it since teh beginning of my time with tech forums.

Those same people are generally not going to fork out any money to get answers. They simply will go elsewhere until someone gives them the answer they are looking to get. And generally, they will eventually find someone to give them the answer if they keep posting.

Additionally, we tried setting up a freelancer site independent of VBForums. I know this/wasn't the same thing you are mentioning, but close enough. From the lessons learned, I don't think it is the right answer for the issues you are pointing out.

Having said that, I do think a reward system is a good idea. I've brought this concept up within Internet.com and now with our new owners several times. The idea is considered good. It is the creation and building of such a solution that is the issue. Once we've created a single sign on system that works across our sites (so you can log in once and be on this site or Codeguru's), then I'm going to bring back the concept of the reward system and see if I can get it pulled together.

Brad!

[Siddharth Rout]

Thank You Brad for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it.

Those same people are generally not going to fork out any money to get answers.

Well I would like to update (Don't be surprised ) that I have received PMS in this regard where I have mentioned it very clearly that if they want me to do the entire work then they would have to pay me else follow the pseudo code or explanations on what to do as Baja mentioned. It all started as a joke but people have shelled out money in the past...

There are many people who work under deadlines and don't have the liberty or the time to learn a language (And I do understand their requests). Then there are people who have been forced a job by their Boss and they have no option but to do it...

[techgnome]

There have been a number of times I've been offered money too... everytime I turn it down. Cases like that I'll refer them to Rentacoder or freelance or something like that. I've already got enough bosses... I don't need to be taking on every one else on as a client either.

-tg

[Siddharth Rout]

tg you are missing the point. To take the money or not is not the core objective of this suggestion.

I don't see any harm in taking that money especially if part of that goes to VBF common account like the way I mentioned in post 1? Imagine if you, me or everyone else contributed say $50 to this account every month because of this suggestion.. Imagine the calculation

Say max 10 people * 50 = $500.00 in a month. Maybe this contribution is not enough for VBF but it will still make a difference.

In the end it is just my 'suggestion'...

[Pradeep1210]

That money can be used to keep VBF ad-free.

[techgnome]

I didn't miss the point... I was simply adding my two centavos on the issue. I've got no problem with people making side deals for cash. I just don't think a site like this should get into the middle of it. People will start getting the impression that they are going to have to cough up $$$ to get a quality solution. If some one wants to pay for the solution (what ever their reason is), then they should go to an appropriate site for things like that. I seriously doubt that people like Brad or Martin want to get involved in the legal dealings with people hanging out their "contracting" shingles. There's legal and financial issues that have to be dealt with. It's a can of worm. More like a case.

And what would this account that *I* would pay into each month do? So what if 10 of us pay into it? For what purpose? In the first post it sounded like the requester was going to pay into it... now I'm the one paying into it? Maybe I did miss the point.

-tg

[bflosabre91]

what would be stopping people from PMing a user saying they will do the work for them and get paid the 100%? then vbforums would get nothing. Reward systems are def welcome but it going to have to take a little bit more thought to figure out the best way to approach it.

[penagate]

Forum Feedback to Chit Chat...

Pena, I am Hurt

Sorry, I thought it was a joke. I must not have read it carefully enough. I've moved it back.

[Nightwalker83]

what would be stopping people from PMing a user saying they will do the work for them and get paid the 100%? then vbforums would get nothing. Reward systems are def welcome but it going to have to take a little bit more thought to figure out the best way to approach it.

Yes, I can see your point and agree with what you are saying. Although, I think you can allow only people who you want to pm you if you wish. If that is the case then it would be better start a thread because then anyone can reply to it.

[dee-u]

If a thread starter wants to pay then I would believe that moving his or her post in the Open Position section would be more appropriate so the other members will know that the OP wants to pay for the work to be done.

[brad jones]

If we were to knowingly allow payments, then we would also need to change the legal wording and such on the site. While it seems easy to do a lot of things, there are a lot of issues that arrise that a business has to protect itself from if you start allowig things to happen.

For example, if Member A offers $50 dollars to member B for help, then when that help is completed they fail to pay, who does member B go after? Member A? What if they don't have information on Member A? Do they then go after the forum? What if they do pay, but then discover that what member B provided isn't right. Who does Member A go after?

This is a simple example, but shows some simple issues that are very likely to arrise. VBForums would have to create legal wording and legal processes to cover itself. Granted, we've done a lot of this for the freelancer site we created; however, it is just one issue.

In general, this site has always been about freely helping each other. It has been a "Pay it forward" with no money kind of site. The amount of potential revenue to run this site (this is a big site), just doesn't justify the extra liability and effort -- at least not at this point.

Brad!

[brad jones]

The other issue is that if you let people start offering to pay for solutions, then you'll get people to start wanting to charge to give answers. This ends p being a completely different type of forum than what VBForums is......

[Siddharth Rout]

I get your point Brad

A moderator may close this thread.

@All: Thank You for your time.

[Hack]

Thread Closed At The Request Of The OP