[asterisk-users] When someone helps you, at least let them know if the problem is resolved or not

[Steve Totaro]

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 8:30 PM, Sherwood McGowan <
sherwood.mcgowan at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> +1 from me too.  The other thing is that when you answer to say the problem
>> has been solved this goes into the archives meaning that people can use
>> Google to answer their own questions rather than having to even ask the
>> list.
>>
>> There have been times when I've searched for a solution to a problem,
>> found like 10 answers, and nobody has said whether they work or not so you
>> have to try all of them.
>>
>> --
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Matt Riddell
>>
>
> Believe me mate, I feel you, on that note. Not only because of my time when
> I was asking more questions than I was answering, but also from the
> standpoint of wishing the answers were a little more prevalent for the
> searching party to find so that I didn't see soooo many repeats on the list
> ;-)
>
> Cheers guys!
>
> --
> Sherwood McGowan
> Telecommunications and VOIP Consultant
>
>
-1

Since I was the number 1 poster on this list a couple of years ago, I think
I can speak with some authority.

I just assume that if that person does not ask any more questions, that they
have either solved the problem on their own, or I helped them by giving the
answer or steering them to it.

I don't need a public or private "Thank You"  When I was posting all the
time, I figured the ratio of "Thank you" emails to silence to be about 20 to
1, maybe as high as 50 to 1.

People are busy, under a deadline or whatever,  I offer help and do not
expect anything in return, not even a thank you.  Probably because I have
and will be one of those people, although my questions are usually a little
over the top for the list or can be pointed to something in bugtracker, I
have asked many questions when I was stuck and under an all nighter
deadline.

I would like to thank anyone out there that has helped me over the many,
many years dealing with Asterisk and VoIP.  It is a blanket thank you for
all times I simply moved onto then next hurdle to get my deliverables out on
time and working properly and neglected to post a thank you.

Before there was any documentation, voip-info  amd this list was my savior.
The volume of traffic has fallen to almost nothing over the last year or
two.

I wonder if Digium could post totals as it did when I was shocked to find my
name as the #1 poster.  It would be cool to see who is the #1 poster now,
but I am more interested in what I perceive to be a huge fall off of
posting.

It could be my email server, since I was getting notices from the list about
excessive email bounces and removing me if I did not click a link.  That
seems to have stopped, and I don't think it was on my side.

Back to getting credit or a thank you.

What I have received by answering questions or helping to troubleshoot is
worth way more than a thank you.  I get some name recognition, paid work,
large call centers, Sr Positions in high profile jobs.  Enough to make a
nice living, whether I am independent or in a salaried position.  Asterisk
has literally taken me all over the world.  My last trip was to Iraq, but I
have been to Senegal, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, Liberia to help rebuild
the infrastructure for USAID.

I don't really do job searches,  I am usually offered a job or project and
approached by the client.

For the Dept of State, I set up prepaid call centers to answer questions and
getting a reservation at the various Embassies about obtaining a visa to
come to the US.  It is called the US visa Information Service

For DoD/Dos, I cannot really say much except I can say is that I am probably
one of the few Asterisk people that were issued a Glock and M4, bullet proof
vests, armored cars, and a PSD team..  How many VoIP guys were taking ak47
rounds while I was on top of the Iraqi Government building, setting up the
Motorola Canopy system.  Luckily the AK is no sniper rifle by an means.  I
was in  IZ and the shooter was in the redzone.

I don't need thank yous, although they are nice.  I truly have never
expected anything when offering help or ideas.

I do see why someone "should" be thanked, even if for nothing more than
trying to help, and certainly a resolution to the problem for the archives,
but I am not holding my breath.

Additionally, having multiple possible answers is not a bad thing.  A
similar symptom could be caused by many different things.  Having several
different answers is a great help to me.

At least there are many possible answers to try.  Judging by who was
involved in any archived thread, I can usually pick the correct answer the
first time.

Thanks for listening to my perspective,
Steve T
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