A thought for newbies. Please read!
Jun 21, 2018 23:25:31 #
If you're a recent follower of the Hog, and have questions for the experts, self declared or real (of which there really are a lot!), may I suggest the following?
1) Use that search button! There may be many threads on the same topic, some of them recent. And they often have a few definitive answers or options. I try to research older threads, particularly the latest ones, before I post a new one. I'm sure that the regulars with extensive experience must get tired of answering the same question over and over again. If you've got a new wrinkle on an old topic, you may get new or improved answers, but doing the search first will help you evaluate the responses you do receive.
2) Please try to post a photo, with the original uploaded, if you're looking for answers on why your photos are undercolored, "blurry", out of focus, etc. etc. People will try to answer the question, but they can't really see what you're doing wrong if you don't post an image or two for analysis. Trust me on this - if you post the image you will get answers that are 1000% more factual and accurate then the idle speculation that a post without a picture will generate.
3) Evaluate the responses you receive. JD750 wrote, in another thread, that your responses will consist of:
He's not wrong. You will need to develop your own evaluation of those responses that you do receive. And the above is a good triage paradigm for evaluating them. If poster A says, "this sucks because it's a Cannikon and all Cannikons suck", you've probably got a (2). If you get a response that says "Yes" without any consideration of "Why?", you've definitely got a 50/50 or better chance that it's a (3). And if you can't figure out whether or not it's a (1) from the context, better keep reading till you see more experts, and hear their opinions.
When you get differing advice from people who seem to have expertise - keep on reading and make up your mind on the expertise that responders show in their responses. Sorry, but nobody can do that but you.
Responders - I'd ask only this. If you get the proverbial dumb question, respond like you're one of "The Crazy Ones" I mentioned elsewhere. I, and other readers, will thank you for it. But out of respect for the others reading the thread, please offer the "whys" behind your answer. For someone in need of information, the "because I'm the expert/professional/experienced" response without any further "whys" is useless. Personally I love reading something like "because it has less chromatic aberration and fringing, and a flatter field" a million zillion times more than "because it's a better lens". Those who defend their opinions with details and facts earn my eternal respect.
Next, channeling my inner grammar nerd, please try to write as clearly as possible! You don't have to spell everything correctly, but if it's difficult to understand your question, or needs, from your grammar, it would really behoove you to try to rewrite the question more clearly. I actually thought one recent poster was not a native English speaker. Nope; he just didn't care enough to try to state his question clearly, even in a subsequent post.
Finally, I ask of all those who post questions, whether silly or important, PLEASE let us know your eventual outcome or decision. People spend a lot of time and expertise providing you with options and alternatives. We'd really like to know what lens/software/protocol you eventually decided on, and why you came to that conclusion. It helps an awful lot for those of us who are still investigating alternatives and options in pursuing this wonderful hobby of ours.
No offense intended to anyone - I just wanted to try to make this great resource of UHH even more productive for many of us, especially my fellow recent converts to the wonderful world of digital (Is Walt Disney still the host?)
Peace out,
Andy
1) Use that search button! There may be many threads on the same topic, some of them recent. And they often have a few definitive answers or options. I try to research older threads, particularly the latest ones, before I post a new one. I'm sure that the regulars with extensive experience must get tired of answering the same question over and over again. If you've got a new wrinkle on an old topic, you may get new or improved answers, but doing the search first will help you evaluate the responses you do receive.
2) Please try to post a photo, with the original uploaded, if you're looking for answers on why your photos are undercolored, "blurry", out of focus, etc. etc. People will try to answer the question, but they can't really see what you're doing wrong if you don't post an image or two for analysis. Trust me on this - if you post the image you will get answers that are 1000% more factual and accurate then the idle speculation that a post without a picture will generate.
3) Evaluate the responses you receive. JD750 wrote, in another thread, that your responses will consist of:
Quote:
(1) Expert Opinions
(2) Strong conflicting opinions
(3) Completely wrong answers
(2) Strong conflicting opinions
(3) Completely wrong answers
He's not wrong. You will need to develop your own evaluation of those responses that you do receive. And the above is a good triage paradigm for evaluating them. If poster A says, "this sucks because it's a Cannikon and all Cannikons suck", you've probably got a (2). If you get a response that says "Yes" without any consideration of "Why?", you've definitely got a 50/50 or better chance that it's a (3). And if you can't figure out whether or not it's a (1) from the context, better keep reading till you see more experts, and hear their opinions.
When you get differing advice from people who seem to have expertise - keep on reading and make up your mind on the expertise that responders show in their responses. Sorry, but nobody can do that but you.
Responders - I'd ask only this. If you get the proverbial dumb question, respond like you're one of "The Crazy Ones" I mentioned elsewhere. I, and other readers, will thank you for it. But out of respect for the others reading the thread, please offer the "whys" behind your answer. For someone in need of information, the "because I'm the expert/professional/experienced" response without any further "whys" is useless. Personally I love reading something like "because it has less chromatic aberration and fringing, and a flatter field" a million zillion times more than "because it's a better lens". Those who defend their opinions with details and facts earn my eternal respect.
Next, channeling my inner grammar nerd, please try to write as clearly as possible! You don't have to spell everything correctly, but if it's difficult to understand your question, or needs, from your grammar, it would really behoove you to try to rewrite the question more clearly. I actually thought one recent poster was not a native English speaker. Nope; he just didn't care enough to try to state his question clearly, even in a subsequent post.
Finally, I ask of all those who post questions, whether silly or important, PLEASE let us know your eventual outcome or decision. People spend a lot of time and expertise providing you with options and alternatives. We'd really like to know what lens/software/protocol you eventually decided on, and why you came to that conclusion. It helps an awful lot for those of us who are still investigating alternatives and options in pursuing this wonderful hobby of ours.
No offense intended to anyone - I just wanted to try to make this great resource of UHH even more productive for many of us, especially my fellow recent converts to the wonderful world of digital (Is Walt Disney still the host?)
Peace out,
Andy
Jun 21, 2018 23:28:22 #
Jun 21, 2018 23:52:58 #
Jun 22, 2018 00:05:57 #
AndyH wrote:
If you're a recent follower of the Hog, and have q... (show quote)
Well said. Good advice.
Jun 22, 2018 00:23:31 #
Jun 22, 2018 04:10:50 #
Well spoken, AndyH! Know I’ve been rude and more than a little crabby in the past, but am consciously trying to alter that reputation with a little empathy and lots of judicious silence where called for.
Jun 22, 2018 07:21:29 #
And please use titles efficiently! Make them meaningful.
Searches are done on the title. Titles like "Help", "Printer Question", etc. are totally worthless for searching.
"Canon Pixma 920 Printer Question" would be much, much better!
Putting your "key" item in the title will help it show up in searches for that key.
If the keyword being searched is not in the title someone created, it will not show up in the results list.
If you use a title of "Location", we have no idea if you are presenting images from the place or are asking a question about the place. The same with "Camera Question", we have to open the article only to find that it is about a brand we know nothing about.
Jun 22, 2018 07:30:29 #
Longshadow wrote:
img src="https://static.uglyhedgehog.com/images/s... (show quote)
Yes. Yes. Yes! to this...
Jun 22, 2018 20:51:58 #
You put the "wise" in "wisdom" with this post. Although a newbie to UHH I have never opened a New Topic to post a question, because within just seconds of doing searches I have found my answer from others who had already asked. But I have chuckled often here because searches really are not necessary... every 2-3 days the same question will be asked again. Hope your post helps change that.
Jun 22, 2018 21:01:17 #
Just like when you use photoshop there are lots of ways to do the same thing , there are many ways to take the same photo . You'll get right answers and youll get answers that may be wrong for you but right for the person that posted it. Then you'll get answers that are just wrong period. Then you'll get the insults and thepeople that want to make themselves look special by cutting you up. .
Jun 23, 2018 07:26:14 #
bdk wrote:
Just like when you use photoshop there are lots of ways to do the same thing , there are many ways to take the same photo . You'll get right answers and youll get answers that may be wrong for you but right for the person that posted it. Then you'll get answers that are just wrong period. Then you'll get the insults and thepeople that want to make themselves look special by cutting you up. .
Yes to your first statement x ten!
When I first joined, it took a while to figure out which contributors offered the best advice. They are generally the ones who acknowledge bdk’s first statement in their responses, who actually answer the question (including the possibility that what you ask might be impossible), the ones who give more than a one line response without giving any reasons for it, and the ones who don’t feel the need to tell you what a noob you are and how stupid your question is.
Once I figured this out and learned which ones to pay attention to, my UHH experience improved a lot.
One warning though - even these great contributors may disagree with each other! (bringing us back to the first statement!) You will learn to make your own decisions better when this happens.
Enjoy this great resource!
Andy
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