5 replies to this topic

[maystro]

If anyone tells me to look at this God written scripture again, I am going to bash them with it!!

 

[cal844]

Its actually a necessity for wiring diagrams etc....

[tiger99]

The thing is that many people come on here asking the most stupid questions, when what they need is properly explained in Haynes. In particular, there are cases where they really, really, really need to see the pictures (we all need illustrations sometimes regardless of experience) yet they somehow expect a magic written answer to appear. We (any forum member) DO NOT work for you (any other forum member). We only answer because we like Minis and we want you to continue to like yours. We are not your slaves. We may try to help, but YOU are going to do the work.

After a trivial question, 20 or 30 responses down the thread, the conversation is often still stupid, and you realise that they still have not bothered to read Haynes and have not got a clue about what they are doing. You have given a well-considered and logical sequence if things to check, and they have insisted on going about it piecemeal, and omitted the one check that you emphasised was the key to the whole thing. (Often clutch problems.) Why do we bother?

Ignorance is OK, it is remedied by education, which is what we do here, and mostly enjoy doing. People with a good attitude take delight in having things explained to them, even if they don't grasp it all at first. But wilful ignorance is another matter and in all walks of life is utterly contemptible. And so is abusing the forum and the people on it by expecting them to do what you could have done for yourself. Not applying that to you, it is just one of a number of stupid behaviour patterns that can be seen on forums.

Just because someone like me has some idle time and gives an answer to a trivial question does not mean that the question should have been asked. For instance "what is the price of a Minispares rubber cone?" is a disgraceful waste of other people's time because you could find out the answer as quickly, if not quicker, than typing the question.

I have of late given links to, usually, Somerford's web site to answer people who have innocently asked such questions, in the hope that they will learn how to find out stuff for themselves, and learn to spend their forum time in more constructive discussion. Beginners questions must be assumed to be innocent, both as regards Mini knowledge and proper use of the forum, but lazy slobs are quite different. An exception is someone who has a Haynes but It is somewhere else and just needs a quick torque or bearing clearance. These are ok, the same people largely contribute to the forum. But someone who wants to know, in minute detail, how to swap an engine, is not, in my opinion, playing fair. "Read Haynes twice and then ask us for clarification where needed" might be a suitable answer.

I am very interested in what others have to say. I know that many give good advice and in some cases they are just wasting their words as the person concerned has made their own mind up, incorrectly, before asking the question. Spammers are often in that category.

[Rorf]

As they say - Google is your friend, and it will inevitably bring you to this forum anyway, which after all is one of the better mini forums around the world

 

Do not be lazy.

[Northernpower]

If anyone tells me to look at this God written scripture again, I am going to bash them with it!!

 

Is that because you know it back to front?

[maystro]

No because it is a soft covered manual and I wouldn't  want to hurt anyone

Edited by maystro, 20 May 2017 - 09:01 AM.