Comments on: Getting help anonymously http://www.guru.net.nz/blog/2008/05/getting-help-anonymously.html Random stuff from a Dunedin (NZ) based web developer, beer drinker and dad Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:42:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: GuruBob http://www.guru.net.nz/blog/2008/05/getting-help-anonymously.html#comment-530 GuruBob Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:07:26 +0000 http://www.guru.net.nz/newblog/?p=179#comment-530 I'm sure lawyers have strong relationships with their industry peers that they call on to discuss matters of interest. I guess they have the luxury of professional conduct because they're all qualified and the repercussions of discussing information with those they can't trust is pretty high. As for us web developers, the bar is so low that johnny-come-lately can run his Windows computer with his torrented version of Dreamweaver and make websites - well, try to make them. If they can't work it out from Google then the only place they have to turn to is their peers which are normally found on the web or mailing lists. Where does one draw the line? I would say that it's entirely appropriate to use a pseudonym at all times on a mailing list or forum, so long as you conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner. A pseudonym is not a license to abuse or flame others. Of course, if your company has a product that is attracting attention from the community (let's say you have an extension for Drupal or something) then it is the right thing to do to use your real name and represent the company your work with/for. It's a marketing tool in that case too. Speaking of which - <a href="http://www.turboweb.co.nz" rel="nofollow">www.turboweb.co.nz</a> will sort you right out :) I’m sure lawyers have strong relationships with their industry peers that they call on to discuss matters of interest. I guess they have the luxury of professional conduct because they’re all qualified and the repercussions of discussing information with those they can’t trust is pretty high.

As for us web developers, the bar is so low that johnny-come-lately can run his Windows computer with his torrented version of Dreamweaver and make websites – well, try to make them. If they can’t work it out from Google then the only place they have to turn to is their peers which are normally found on the web or mailing lists.

Where does one draw the line? I would say that it’s entirely appropriate to use a pseudonym at all times on a mailing list or forum, so long as you conduct yourself in a professional and courteous manner. A pseudonym is not a license to abuse or flame others.

Of course, if your company has a product that is attracting attention from the community (let’s say you have an extension for Drupal or something) then it is the right thing to do to use your real name and represent the company your work with/for. It’s a marketing tool in that case too.

Speaking of which – http://www.turboweb.co.nz will sort you right out :)

]]> By: Aaron http://www.guru.net.nz/blog/2008/05/getting-help-anonymously.html#comment-529 Aaron Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:45:15 +0000 http://www.guru.net.nz/newblog/?p=179#comment-529 Hmm interesting. Seems like a good approach if you know you are going to ask lots of silly questions and may appear to be dense. It is, more often than not, best practice to go read the documentation or forums or search for it first. However I know that if I ask a lawyer something they don't immediately know they will go away and look stuff up to check and/or reference within their own community asking other lawyers. It almost seems as if asking the "dumb" question every now and then isn't acceptable. So where does one draw that line, or is that a dumb question? :) Hmm interesting. Seems like a good approach if you know you are going to ask lots of silly questions and may appear to be dense. It is, more often than not, best practice to go read the documentation or forums or search for it first.

However I know that if I ask a lawyer something they don’t immediately know they will go away and look stuff up to check and/or reference within their own community asking other lawyers.

It almost seems as if asking the “dumb” question every now and then isn’t acceptable.

So where does one draw that line, or is that a dumb question?

:)

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