A common love for lasers. lets help eachother

please delete thread I don't want to start issues with anyone

Agreed!

-Alex

It just gets annoying for the vets to see new members asking the same questions over and over again, when the answers have been posted over and over again lol. But I do agree

hwang21 said:

It just gets annoying for the vets to see new members asking the same questions over and over again, when the answers have been posted over and over again lol. But I do agree

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Seems like it would be a great idea to have an "intro / basic questions" thread where new users could post questions without scorn, and where we could sticky some of the basic level questions (and hopefully not a bunch of other stuff).

I like to follow this one rule: If you know or suspect that you aren't going to like a thread or post then don't bother to click on it and read it. Saves a ton of heart ache. Only downside is curiosity pecks at your brain lol

rhd said:

Seems like it would be a great idea to have an "intro / basic questions" thread where new users could post questions without scorn, and where we could sticky some of the basic level questions (and hopefully not a bunch of other stuff).

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Great idea, or perhaps a 'newcomers lounge' where new members can cut their teeth on the stickies and basics before venturing into the wider forums?

noobphaser215 said:

I guess what im getting at is lets not just doggg someone cause they are not up to your standards or missed a rule.

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Being content with, and therefore never challenging mediocrity, is NOT what yields the wonderful things you like about the forum.

I guess what I'm getting at is if I disagree with something, I'm damn well going to let the guy know why. To ignore bullshit invariably leads to it spreading.

Cyparagon said:

Being content with, and therefore never challenging mediocrity, is NOT what yields the wonderful things you like about the forum.

I guess what I'm getting at is if I disagree with something, I'm damn well going to let the guy know why. To ignore bullshit invariably leads to it spreading.

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I have to agree wholeheartedly. Kill the weed before it spreads.

Cyparagon said:

I guess what I'm getting at is if I disagree with something, I'm damn well going to let the guy know why. To ignore bullshit invariably leads to it spreading.

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Bullshit is highly contagious, it can spread and mutate like a virus.

Alan

Well I am guilty of asking dumb questions when I first started. I got a lot of crap for it! Its just a common forum attitude. It is one of those things "figure it out or get out"! It would be nice to have a "Newbie" section. Maybe you can only post there till like 30 posts.
I read someone getting shot down everyday. Probably for the right reasons. If we can get the newbies to walk first in some way I feel that would help!
just my $0.02

10fenny said:

Well I am guilty of asking dumb questions when I first started. I got a lot of crap for it! Its just a common forum attitude. It is one of those things "figure it out or get out"! It would be nice to have a "Newbie" section. Maybe you can only post there till like 30 posts.
I read someone getting shot down everyday. Probably for the right reasons. If we can get the newbies to walk first in some way I feel that would help!
just my $0.02

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Keep in mind a big factor of that is the widespread malcontent with kids that misuse lasers. If people don't show they are mentally capable enough to understand things and be safe, then yes, most members get a tad hostile.

Great point! There is also not really a way for age verification either... let alone I.Q. restrictions. We also are always getting new members everyday. The youth that will make history might just make our hobby history sadly!
Any option for legal and saftey issues seems to be unmanageable.

Usually just looking at their wording/the nature of the question they're asking tells you a lot about how mature they are regarding lasers. But I do think a newbie section would be useful

You will still always get those that find us and join immediately that day and their first post is asking where to buy a laser or part and they don't even put their location in their profile. Or the one that says "I just ordered this laser is that a good choice" or "I bought this laser two weeks ago and today it stopped working can you help me fix it" or the "I want to buy a laser and I want it to be yellow and it must burn the ass hairs off a cat at 10 feet and I only have $20 to spend" etc. You all know the most common questions we don't like. I spent 6 months reading this site before I joined but few people will do that. It's too bad we can't make them pass a test before they join, or fill out an application, but then if we did that, there would be fewer members and it may be less interesting. It does make it more interesting and entertaining sometimes to have people from around the world that range from 13 year old kids to people in their 60's and complete idiots to some of the most brilliant and everything in between, and we do help people by spreading knowledge. There are enough members here that most anything you can come up with there will be someone who knows something about it. I don't really see a good way to make an improvement, but people should stop telling so many to use the search bar at the bottom of the page and just say nothing instead.

Alan

Some time ago in a discussion, I said,


You cannot stop people from asking already answered questions. The sooner we all realize it, the better we're all off. We're dealing with a very specific field of electronics and optics, and you don't pick up knowledge and pointers from day-to-day life and culture.

Considering the amount of knowledge, variance to that knowledge, and the improvisational and "DIY" nature of our hobby, it's just NOT possible to compile everything into nice Welcome page to stop people from asking questions.

I have, and will answered noobs questions that they could've searched for themselves (or couldn't... debate for another time), because like I said, at the end of the day, you either helped somebody, or you didn't.

I choose to help.

A new forum section for "get spoonfed to your heart's content"? Hell yes. That's where you'll find me.