I have been posting here for about 2 years now, and I just recently came back from SW world in MA. I got to meet some ppl from the group here...Wayne Tiffiny, MIchelli Pillers and some others. It was great to put face to ummmm letters I guess.
One of the topics that came up was posting questions in here, but do it at your own risk. I though about it and in some ways had to agree. On one hand we are helpful towards each other and helping out solve problems that we may be having. Though on the other I have seen ppl get sooooo flamed that their bodies could only be identified through their dental records.
Wheres the love ppl...hahhaha I jest. Seriuos though, I must say that this is probably the #1 place for me to go to get some answers, fast. VAR's, though nice, might not be as equipped, they are still a good resource as well.
Also in case any you dont know, there is a channel on MIRC on the EFnet servers called #soldiworks.
When I first started visiting this newsgroup it was for the abundance of information regarding how to help me do my job.
It was a great resource! Most of my time was spend sifting through the information (there was a lot of it) and cutting/pasting tidbits of knowledge into my SW snippet Word document. Modeling methods, URL's to great sites, techniques to do things I hadn't thought possible. And the sense that I was part of a global community whose members enjoyed doing what they did and were willing to share.
Over the course of the last year I have been spending less time reviewing posts on this newsgroup and selectively contributing to questions posted here.
Your post got me thinking as to why.....
I no longer anticipate logging onto to this group to find new insight into the application. Maybe its because I spend most of my time wadding through long rants covering the same topic for the umpteenth time. Or because the technical response to a valid question or inquiry turns into a slug fest between a bunch of individuals whose parents forgot to teach them basic manners about how to "agree to disagree" on a subject. Or how thoughtfull analysis of a problem and possible solutions has given way to cheap shots, snide remarks, and personal attacks on SW employees who are doing the same thing we are-- which is "the best they can with the resources they are given".
Do I have all the answer - absolutely not. Am I a SW expert - absolutely not - do I have some special insite into this newsgroup that other don't - absolutely not.
But if I am reluctant to visit this newsgroup ( and I consider myself fairly thick skinned) what about all the new users out there? Why would they want to post anything here?
And what about all the people I talk to in the local area who are oblivious to this newsgroup and are merrily puttering along with SW - making money using it and enjoying themselves doing so. Could it be they are the 90% of the users the program was designed to satisfy? The ones who don't need the extra expense of a surfacing program because they will never need one? Or a photo-rendered image? Whos mainstay is producing drawings as an output (or a PDF of it) or a structured BOM so someone can order the parts.
Or is it because they are using the right tool for the right job? Is ignorance bliss? Or are we forgetting it is just another software tool with all the inherent faults that software brings with it?
well Len you will be pleased to know that in a few days my participation here stops - hurray! cheer! -all those fearful and repressed individuals can come out from hiding - SW employees can walk upright again.... in fact I will nominate a date so that you can ring it on the calendar- 1 Feb. hope this brightens your whole year! cheers Neil
If you're jumping into a new package please tell us what it is. And then come back to give us an update on how it goes. Competition is a good thing and a we need to know how the other pkgs work. Even if you're "married" to SW it makes you a better person to know what else is out there and how it works. Please keep us up to date.
I will be leaving the ng... I have spent a lot of time here reading and trying to be helpful over the past 14 months or so and I wont have the time to do that into the future- some other things I want to pick up in life before I get too old for as well. no not Inventor..(yet?)..this year may well be the last I follow subscription though...haven't fully decided but SW is not really delivering the new stuff I want and the sp are to be honest,appalling...very hard for a one person operation like myself -I am sure I can find more productive uses for the money...even thinking I may scale back my CAD to part time/hobby status....well I'll see..thanks for asking.
Neil, take a break. No need to pack up and leave. I notice people do it all the time (myself, Bob Zee, etc.). Independents like ourselves can't always stay up to date and keep our sanity. I don't want to see anyone go on a bad note. You definitely seem ticked about something...but take a break from the newsgroup and come back later. No big deal.
And doing it as a hobby is a good solution too. Geez - I drink enough just working with SW in the evenings. I don't know *what* I would do if I used it in my main job! ;o)
I sitting here scrolling through hundreds of post and am hard pressed to find an abundance of the problem you are talking about.
Until a few selected people come out of the woodworks this ng seems pretty tame and respectful to me compared to most.
BTW, an IRC channel will never do what this ng can do. You'd have to have everybody online at the same time you need something discussed. Then try trying to find something in the archive about what you want.
Thin skins never do well when surrounded by hundreds of different personalities from hundreds of different cultures.
well that's nice of you Jerry... how are those fancy dishes coming along? you guys are so lucky to have opportunities like that - can only dream about projects like that myself. BTW did you get 2 monitors in the end ?
1)I have been in here about 3 years. And I know that you did not go through 3 years worth of post. Trust me and others when we say that this group can be harsh. It is still the best resource that you can ask for, but there are a bad few apples that have over the years not made it a plesant experience.
2) of course the IRC room is not going to replace the group. Never said that it would. It is just another possible way for us to communicate. Especially for some ppl that dont have NG readers and post through google or yahoo. That can take up to 9 hours to post. Granted not sayign that there are always ppl in the IRC room, it is building, growing and who knows what else.
been here over 3, so yeah, in a sense. I still say, the ratio is probably better than 1 bad post - 99 good post.
I'll take that anyday.
But obviously, some people are jacka$$es and using ng's you must be able to look past it. If that's not easy for someone, I suspect they don't socialize very well in any manner.
Arthur we are a pretty good bunch really....I have actually tried to encourage more people to post ..believe it or not....but I have also pasted a few too...jon...Rumanian software sellers...Armadillo Hunters...people looking for sp and tutorial folders for 'borrowed' SW...and yes lately good ol'maddening matt(grrr : ) ).... I have also defended this space for students, welcomed newbies and tried to bring some levity here on occasions- of course not everyone will share my humour.... Most of the time people will get at least one answer to their questions - i have often gone back to bypassed posts to make sure that happens if I can help. People vent and spleen a bit and sometimes say hasty things but people shouldn't shy away from coming here- there is only a small chance of being incinerated -if it happens it is almost always is for 'good' reason.... the content of this news group reflects users experiences well including the frustrations - at least you an accurate picture - people shopping for CAD know exactly what the situation is - they aren't going to get that talking to a sales person cheers hope to have many more people show up here soon including you again Arthur : ) neil
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