How to Do Anything: Curious... If y'all are reading How to Books, are you expecting them to be full of questions by the title? "How To ......" used to be an explanation of how to do...

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Curious...
If y'all are reading How to Books,
are you expecting them to be full of questions by the title?

"How To ......" used to be an explanation of how to do something.

Now it seems to be predominantly a question, How do I ......

80+% chance of being a question, 20-% for actually being instructional.

Oh well.........

Things change. Just look at society.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I've always liked all sorts of How To books and articles. I like to learn something new every day. YouTube is loaded with all kinds of instruction, and I find it interesting, whether I plan to fly a 737 or not.

I haven't noticed the situation you mentioned, though. If I came across something like that, I'd just move along.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I personally use the difference between the two as "how to" when I know little to nothing about the subject that I have an interest in. I use the "how do I" to solve a problem or answer a question with something that I have.

Here's an example: I changed the carburetor on my string trimmer two years ago. It would run great for about five minutes and then bog and quit. For two summers I would frustrate myself with this darn thing. Being stubborn I would not let it win and of course, I did nothing but cuss each time.

THEN...just this week I was searching blogs about string trimmer problems and I found one where a fellow was asked in his thread, "Check to see if you have the carburetor gasket turned the right way for if you don't it will block the tiny relief port and it will stall out after awhile". OMG...! That was it. Two years of cussing and a sore arm from pulling the starter cord all because I had put the gasket on upside down. I was conflicted to either feel like an idiot for doing it or a genius for fixing it.

Muddyvalley Loc: McMinnville, Oregon

sippyjug104 wrote:

I personally use the difference between the two as... (show quote)

Did you punch another relief hole in the gasket, so it would work either way you put it back on in the future?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

sippyjug104 wrote:

I personally use the difference between the two as... (show quote)

Basis of my post.

If not telling "How to <do something>",
much clearer if "How do I <do something>" is used. I KNOW it is a question.
Or at least end the title with a "?".
Otherwise it's 80/20.

But, I myself try to be clear when I speak. Works the majority of the time.
(Except when I'm speaking tongue-in-cheek.)

I suppose they don't teach Communication 101 any more,
not even 100.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

I've always liked all sorts of How To books and articles. I like to learn something new every day. YouTube is loaded with all kinds of instruction, and I find it interesting, whether I plan to fly a 737 or not.

I haven't noticed the situation you mentioned, though. If I came across something like that, I'd just move along.

Notice that they're never "question" videos???
They always instructing you How To <Do Something>....

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Longshadow wrote:

...I suppose they don't teach Communication 101 any more,
not even 100.

Not even 1.

Nor 0.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

DirtFarmer wrote:

Not even 1.

Nor 0.

Funny, people know what they're thinking and don't understand that others don't know what's in their head...
They speak like others know what they're talking about.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

My biggest frustration is that I will be conversing with someone and suddenly without warning they change the subject and make a statement that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. I have to guess the new subject.

I find myself saying "What?" frequently.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

DirtFarmer wrote:

My biggest frustration is that I will be conversing with someone and suddenly without warning they change the subject and make a statement that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. I have to guess the new subject.

I find myself saying "What?" frequently.

I know what you...
SQUIRREL!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

I've always liked all sorts of How To books and articles. I like to learn something new every day. YouTube is loaded with all kinds of instruction, and I find it interesting, whether I plan to fly a 737 or not.

I haven't noticed the situation you mentioned, though. If I came across something like that, I'd just move along.

Really????
Here's a sample of titles found here at UHH:
- How to resize
- How to upload photos
- How to flatten old badly curled B&W photos
- How to Calculate Long Exposure Times
- How to avoid Galling of Aluminium Filters
- How to edit a photo for best results in a print
- How to delete an account
- How to retrieve photo's from memory card
All ASKING how do I..... None actually saying how to do something.

One would think they could at least put something like "I'd like to know" in front or end the title with a "?".

HOHIMER

DirtFarmer wrote:

My biggest frustration is that I will be conversing with someone and suddenly without warning they change the subject and make a statement that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. I have to guess the new subject.

I find myself saying "What?" frequently.

I have that same situation with my two grown daughters….each in a different way.
I‘ll be having a serious face-to-face conversation with my one daughter and she will look attentively in another direction or past me. Sometimes she will even take a step to the right or left to look around me. I’ll say, “What?” She will say, “I thought I saw something.”. Conversation over!

The other one, during an active discussion, will look at, and start tapping, on her phone without any apology for the diversion from the discussion, mid sentence, or acknowledgment that she has just unceremoniously excused herself from our conversation. I just walk away!

And they get very upset with me for my actions and try to make me feel guilty!
BTW- I do not own or use a mobile/smart phone.

Maybe it is the ‘modern’ way of handling a situation they do not wish to deal with or discuss.
I will admit, it is an effective way of halting an earnest discussion and putting a damper on one’s elegant presentation of unwanted information.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

DirtFarmer wrote:

My biggest frustration is that I will be conversing with someone and suddenly without warning they change the subject and make a statement that has nothing to do with what we were talking about. I have to guess the new subject.

I find myself saying "What?" frequently.

Sounds like my wife.

Will

aphelps Loc: Central Ohio

Longshadow wrote:

Curious... br If y'all are reading How to Books, b... (show quote)

Or product reviews that are mostly unboxing and opinions on the color or texture of the item.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Ah, semantics--reading these types of posts and the ensuing comments is fun. They remind me of my old students trying to justify their wording choices.