Difficulty answering questions

I'm not an expert and it's not within my ability to answer the questions. So maybe I shouldn't post in this thread.
I just wanted to ask how you guys understand the questions? To me, most of what is asked is a puzzle. Not in database terms, but as a sentence.
Normally, I read the replies to understand what was the question.
English is not my native language, and when I want to post something, I check with google translate, my friends and mostly my son and also double checking my spelling. I think it's the least respect for the forum and for those who try to help.
Being clear comes first.

To me, not trying to ask clearly, is worst than not putting effort to solve their problem.
 
jdraw said:
I've been retired for several years (~ 3 lustrums)
Click to expand...

Now THAT one forced me to look it up - and I took Latin many moons ago. Maybe 11 lustrums ago. Learn something new (or old) every day here!
 
The_Doc_Man said:
Now THAT one forced me to look it up - and I took Latin many moons ago. Maybe 11 lustrums ago. Learn something new (or old) every day here!
Click to expand...
Same
 
>> Most times I do not know the answer, but a quick Google gets me the answer, or something to work with. <<

You do have the experience to know what to ask Google - for many newbies, if they don't really know what they're looking for, then they don't know what to ask.

That's why they ask here!

I get more frustrated with people asking questions with what they think is the bare minimum info that they think you need to answer the question, and get annoyed when you ask for more info around their question because you might be coming up with a solution that they hadn't considered.
 
KitaYama said:
I just wanted to ask how you guys understand the questions? To me, most of what is asked is a puzzle. Not in database terms, but as a sentence.
Normally, I read the replies to understand what was the question.

To me, not trying to ask clearly, is worst than not putting effort to solve their problem.
Click to expand...
After working as a consultant and in a variety of businesses, you do get an innate "feel" for the general direction of a badly worded question.
And sometimes you have to simply say - I have no idea what that question means, can you post a picture or a sample DB to demonstrate.
Sometimes a picture really does say a thousand words, especially if someone is using the incorrect terminology.
 
I recall a movie where John Wayne referenced "lustrum" and rarely do I get a chance to use it.:sneaky:

UPDATE: Just found the lustrum reference was True Grit, Rooster Cogburn.
 
Last edited:
KitaYama said:
I'm not an expert and it's not within my ability to answer the questions. So maybe I shouldn't post in this thread.
I just wanted to ask how you guys understand the questions? To me, most of what is asked is a puzzle. Not in database terms, but as a sentence.
Normally, I read the replies to understand what was the question.
English is not my native language, and when I want to post something, I check with google translate, my friends and mostly my son and also double checking my spelling. I think it's the least respect for the forum and for those who try to help.
Being clear comes first.

To me, not trying to ask clearly, is worst than not putting effort to solve their problem.
Click to expand...

Your observation (much of what is asked is just a puzzle) is spot on, and in that sense, you don't have the language barrier you might have thought. You are correct in your assessment.

Your posts are generally clear and we can usually tell when language has become an issue. But you are right. I don't know whether it is a matter of bragging or self-delusion, but I have developed the ability to work with inferences a lot better to decide what the user is trying to do. From actual responses, I think I'm above 50% on my "educated guess" of intent these days, but there is something to be said about clarity or a total lack thereof. I have to apologize to those folks whose English is SO poor that they cannot communicate the question, but for various reasons I have lost my German (through non-use), never took Spanish, and nobody posts in Latin any more. (The answers would be chiseled in stone if they did, I guess.) Which only leaves my fractured Cajun French or English. And even there, determining what is wrong sometimes is on the same order of difficulty as pulling teeth from a fully conscious and unrestrained Bengal tiger.
 
Jack
Can you tell me what a lustrum is to save me looking it up as well? ;)
Just kidding - that's certainly a word I've not heard in the 5 year period I've been a member of this forum!
 
I have answered questions but I m often unsatisfied with my own answers. I often make the effort purely because I think I learn as much from answering as asking. I do accept that if I am going to ask a question I should if possible create a worked example of the starting point and the target end point simplified to the absolute max except for the imporant points. That nearly always gets an answer. These days those questions tend to focus on correct SQL to try and infer a result from a starting point. I think generally answering a question is likely to be more useful for the solver thant the question proposer. There appears times when a question is asked someone writes an answer and yet the questioner still hasn't got a clue.
 
I've received a lot of great code and suggestions here. I like links to tutorials because even at my age, I'm eager to learn.
 
Not everyone who ventures onto this forum has the need or desire to learn VBA or the logic behind it. Some folks have been assigned a task by a boss to solve a particular issue. Others might be trying on their own to help a team member or a non-profit organization. They're probably are not looking for a new career in programming.

A few months back I had a check engine light on my dashboard. I have an inexpensive code reader I plugged into my dashboard. It turns out it was the MAF sensor. I quickly googled it and found out that if I got some CRC electrical cleaner and cleaned the contacts really good I would not need a new $100 dollar part. That invaluable information came with no strings attached.

My point is I'm not looking to become a professional car Mechanic I just wanted to fix my current situation. Not everyone is looking to be the next best programmer, circumstances brought them here and they may never return. They might just need a little help to get over an issue not of their making.

You guys and gals do a great job at solving problems, keep up the good work.👍
 
What strikes me as funny is when a newbie ask for help, gets help from an experienced user and then starts arguing about, probably without even checking whether the solutions works.
 
Pat Hartman said:
A lot of it is just plain experience. The rest is because I've made most of the same stupid mistakes myself. My blessing or curse depending on how you want to look at it is that I remember my errors and usually the solution as well.
Click to expand...

Pat, that simply means you are experienced. You recognize your mistakes when you make them again. ;) ;)
 
I have also noticed that many beginners already have created a database and they attempt to use it like you would a spreadsheet. Just because you use tables and fields that have columns and rows, they think ACCESS shoud behave like EXCEL. If you ever read my responses, many have the same theme. Design it properly to begin with, and many problems never even happen. And this is also why I like to have the OPs attach at least a sample file. I really don't mind fixing or designing a file. Many times, it is much easier than actually trying to explain (in English) what needs to occur. Sometimes it is better to help them with the file itself and then point them to what you did when the file is opened. I know, I know, some say that is not helping them learn. But it is helping them learn if they can see for themselves how to construct a query or create a form or report. But that's just me. ACCESS and VBA is sometimes very difficult to explain in words (no matter what language you speak). So it doesn't bother me if they attach a file and ask for help.

Another issue is many new users want to use ACCESS in a manner which the designers never intended, and they get frustrated when it can't do something they think it should. They come in this forum and complain they can't get it to do this or that. And then, it is especially frustrating for both the OP and responder if English is a second language. Constucting a sentence that is understandable is often the problem. Than add to that, the ACCESS error message system. Many error messages are so general as to be meaningless to users even if they meant something to the design engineer.

I like ACCESS and this forum. I have learned so much over the years and for the most part, the responders have been very helpful and respectful. It is not always apparent how much experience, or what experience, the OP has. It's a crapshoot sometimes just how much information to give or how much they really need. I was never a programmer to begin with. My focus was always operations auditing and how to improve productivity using technology. From the very first time I opened a LOTUS 1-2-3 spreadsheet, I knew we can use this to help us (that was about 1983 or 4 I believe). I was also on the Microsoft user testing team in Redmond when EXCEL was first developed. They gave each of us a free copy for helping them test and give feedback. My first ACCESS introduction was 1999. I don't remember what version that was, but I converted an EXCEL file over and was hooked. A lot has changed since then.

At the end of the day, we all are trying our best to help others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Not verified? Not welcomed.
Replies
11
Views
653
Isaac
Isaac
D
Detection of Duplicate Question at Posting
Replies
3
Views
505
DaveMD
D
B
Automating browser operations from MS Access
Replies
3
Views
1,183
Bennet
B
S
|Python| To learn? How to Learn? Vibe coding? Assisted coding
Replies
6
Views
905
Isaac
Isaac
S
When did you started Access development? Are you still into Access? And Why?
Replies
18
Views
659
DickyP
DickyP

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Back
Top Bottom