to laddies point

[avenger79]

Laddies made a great point in the other thread. he is a mech and willing to help people on the site with mechanical issues. other people post answers not knowing what they are talking about.
how about giving folks recognized as mechanics or at least very experienced with a particular engine configuration a title that would identify them as such.
that way if a question were asked the poster could make his own decision who's advice to listen to. not saying non mechanics don't know the answer but if shade tree mike (not a real name) says crank it tight and leave it and mech tom (not a real name) says lightly seat then back off maybe tom has some real experience that should be listened to.
this of course would be at the discretion of those being labeled, also not sure how we could "prove" their qualifications.

anyways just a thought.

 

[Bondo]

Re: to laddies point

how about giving folks recognized as mechanics or at least very experienced with a particular engine configuration a title that would identify them as such.

Ayuh,.... I've already got 1,....

Jack of All trades, Master of None....

 

[robert graham]

Re: to laddies point

Weigh all answers with at least a grain of salt, that is unless they're coming from Bond-O or Rodbolt! Many answers are just opinions based on folks personal experiences and when taken as a group, I find are very interesting and informative.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: to laddies point

Anyone can claim to be a mechanic.

Heck I'm a licensed airplane mechanic and in aviation forums my opinions are weighted the same as non-pilots and non-mechanics.

It's just the internet, I guess. And don't let post count fool ya, a high post count just means that individual is quite proud of his opinion, the quiet mechanic may be the good one.

 

[robert graham]

Re: to laddies point

Yep, And I find several different opinions or experiences on a given subject is worth a lot to me. There's some serious good information on here!

 

[LadyFish]

Re: to laddies point

I actually made a suggestion for reputation levels and titles months ago based on bonified proof that our 'helpers' helped. It was voted down by the guys. I guess they thought people would choose ONLY those with titles for answers and they would be bombarded. Truth is there are many good helpers on here without titles.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: to laddies point

I'm living proof that post count is NO indication of expertise.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: to laddies point

I'm living proof that post count is NO indication of expertise.

Same with me ezmobee...

There are many good mechanics on here including our Oracle Mr. Don.
Anyone who reads posts and spends some time here will be able to tell who are the good ones..Combine them all together and you get so much experienced knowledge it is unreal.

 

[aspeck]

Re: to laddies point

I'm living proof that post count is NO indication of expertise.

Amen ... and Me, too!!!

 

[JB]

Re: to laddies point

My problem with some of the above posts is this:

A suggestion that you don't like or disagree with is not necessarily wrong and doesn't necessarily come from someone who doesn't know what (s)he is talking about.

There are many solutions to a given problem that work. Yours, regardless of your credentials, is almost surely one that will work but is very unlikely to be the only one that will work.

Referring to people who are trying to help as incompetent or not knowing what they are talking about is something we are simply not qualified to judge. We might be arrogant enough to judge what they say or do, but not who they are.

We must keep our egos out of our posting and out of our judgement of others' postings.

This topic is at the very root of the recent rash of bad tempers and bad manners in the forum. We need to refine our skills at disagreeing agreeably.

 

[aspeck]

Re: to laddies point

Once again, the wordsmith, JB, brings to the forefront the crux of the issue and eloquently points us in the correct direction for solution and amicability. Well done, sir, well done!

(Now please remove your feet from my toes. Thank-you!)

 

[Cofe]

Re: to laddies point

My problem with some of the above posts is this:

A suggestion that you don't like or disagree with is not necessarily wrong and doesn't necessarily come from someone who doesn't know what (s)he is talking about.

There are many solutions to a given problem that work. Yours, regardless of your credentials, is almost surely one that will work but is very unlikely to be the only one that will work.

Referring to people who are trying to help as incompetent or not knowing what they are talking about is something we are simply not qualified to judge. We might be arrogant enough to judge what they say or do, but not who they are.

We must keep our egos out of our posting and out of our judgement of others' postings.

This topic is at the very root of the recent rash of bad tempers and bad manners in the forum. We need to refine our skills at disagreeing agreeably.

You have my total agreement JB.
I know at times I have butted heads with you and others on this forum. It may be my lack of knowledge, or we are just guessing at a inconclusive problem.

At other times I may know some new technology that a pro may not know.
Sometimes I try to help people that no one else helped, because they are waiting on a answer. Sometimes my answer is a question to their question.

But all in all, I like to learn from experience, and there are many experienced mechanics here, and they get tied up on other issues, or are involved with daily life and cant log in. My motto is if you can correct me, then correct me, I learn sometimes from mistakes. And we are only human. This IS THE BEST BOATING FORUM ON THE NET.

 

[Laddies]

Re: to laddies point

Re: to laddies point

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My problem with some of the above posts is this:

My problem with JBs post is he has misconstrued the point of the post:
Here are the points that were brought up that I disagree with

1. A suggestion that you don't like or disagree with is not necessarily wrong and doesn't necessarily come from someone who doesn't know what (s)he is talking about
The point that I was bringing up is that there are people on the forum that give poor or unsafe advice regularly.

2. There are many solutions to a given problem that work. Yours, regardless of your credentials, is almost surely one that will work but is very unlikely to be the only one that will work.
True, but I certianly did not say mine were the only way to repair a problem, that was JB. But I do think that unsafe practices should be avoided and repairs done properly.

3. Referring to people who are trying to help as incompetent or not knowing what they are talking about is something we are simply not qualified to judge. We might be arrogant enough to judge what they say or do, but not who they are.
I don't recall calling anyone incompetent, I said there were people giving poor advice and some one needs to address the problem.

4. We must keep our egos out of our posting and out of our judgement of others' postings.
Thats a hypocrite talking.

While some eloquent speakers may be able to use their position of authority to get others to agree with their interpretations of most everything because they are high on the hill of life. In a repair forum they should be well enough versed with the subject matter to see when poor advice is being given a have the nerve to comment on it, so one who is having a problem and needs help gets a answer that does not cost them time or money. I have tried to give correct answers to problems on this forum and sick of the jabbing that goes on by some. If you have something to say it.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: to laddies point

My problem with JBs post is he has misconstrued the point of the post:
Here are the points that were brought up that I disagree with


I don't recall calling anyone incompetent, I said there were people giving poor advice and some one needs to address the problem.

My irritation is with the people that answers for people that don't even know the color of a mercury outboard, they waste time and money for the people that need the help of this forum with their inept answers

So, the difference between incompetent and inept would be....??

 

[avenger79]

Re: to laddies point

well this was obviously a bad suggestion on my part.

Laddies I apologize for using your name in the title it seemed a good idea to me at the time and your's was the only name I knew of that was a mechanic. it wasn't meant to say other's weren't fit to answer only a way we could discern between who may be saying they've seen it on their boat and remembered how they fixed it once and who was saying they've seen an issue a hundred times and knew how to fix it.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: to laddies point

My problem with JBs post is he has misconstrued the point of the post:[/I]
Here are the points that were brought up that I disagree with


I don't recall calling anyone incompetent, I said there were people giving poor advice and some one needs to address the problem

iboats has freely helped tens of thousands of boat owners for the last ten years. This is, and always has been free information.

And though I hope that one day we can have a system in place that at least identifies our helpers, there will always be good, honest people who are ace mechanics who jump in from time to time to help out with questions. Others, well, not sure why they would intentionally give bad information unless they just want to feel important. Hopefully they get caught by one of our tech weenies and are corrected in open forum about it.

This is the deal...this is free information everyone, our helpers are not paid, they do it out of the kindness of their hearts and have answered hundreds of thousands of questions. Don't you think that at least some of the responsibility should lie on the person posting the question.

If someone just pops in to get one question answered and its wrong, what is it that you suggest iboats does? They really cannot control that.

If a doctor tells you you're gonna die, wouldn't you at least get one more opinion?

IMO, our helpers and tech weenies are fantastic more often than not and a proper thanks never hurts their feelings.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: to laddies point

I actually made a suggestion for reputation levels and titles months ago based on bonified proof that our 'helpers' helped. It was voted down by the guys. I guess they thought people would choose ONLY those with titles for answers and they would be bombarded. Truth is there are many good helpers on here without titles.

I would definitely vote against that too, LF.

How do you know who helped who? There are 10's of thousands of lurkers on this forum daily. They read, but don't post. I could post something that nobody on here gives me any credit for, yet 2500 people were helped by that post. But on the forum, my "reputation" level would still be zero.

You can't quantify "help" and so it should remain like it is, IMHO.

I'd also like to point out that there are different ways of accomplishing mechanical objectives. For instance, a thread with the title, "What's the best way to change a spark plug?" will garner a dozen different answers, and all be acceptable. I do it one way, my uncle and father do it their ways, and in the end the spark plug is changed using all 3 ways.

I think it boils down to people thinking their way is the best way, or that they are right, and unable to be proven wrong. I've seen posters on here say something, without evidence or proof, and when proof is shown, they start attacking the poster who called them out. Well, who's fault is it? The guy who posted the incorrect information, or the one who called him on it? That's up to the mods to decide.

What I think the moderation staff here needs to realize is that there are WRONG answers and incorrect information. There is advice that is given that can end up endangering life or property and I think that immediately calling this information out should not be looked down upon as "flaming." We're not discussing crochet in here, we're talking about people's lives with some of this stuff, so not all advice is automatically "ok" simply based on "everyone is entitled to an opinion." If someone suggests brake fluid to clean bugs off the front of a vehicle and they are called out on that, that is not wrong, IMHO. That is correcting incorrect information, not a personal attack on the poster of the incorrect information. People take things personally too much. If I say, "Hey, that's wrong and here's why" I'm not saying "go to hell you stupid son of a *****" Its nothing personal, how do you know if it's personal? If someone can't pick you out of a lineup, then it's not personal!

I guess the mods will chew me out for this, but its what I learned as a moderator on other forums. Take it with a grain of salt if you wish. I'm not telling anyone how to do their jobs.

 

[LadyFish]

Re: to laddies point

crochet HA Funny. (that was a pretty disrepectful remark)

WITF, you really need to read what I just wrote.

Track this information, is really quite simple. There are mechanical sites that DO charge for this type of assistance that ask you to rate their helper in several different categories.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: to laddies point

Hey, I got nothing against crochet, I was only pointing out that bad advice on that subject won't end up with harm to life or property.

And how will you know who helped who? Who rates it? If you have 3 pages of answers, who does the rating? The OP? Why only the OP? Others may have been helped too. See what I mean? Since this is free information, it needs to remain non-quantified.

You and I were banging away on the keyboard at the same time, so some of my post seems a bit redundant to what you said right before that.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: to laddies point

The problem, and we're getting back into the closed threads territory here....is that people on here seem to have a real problem disagreeing with someone without insulting them. I would certainly hope that incorrect information would be corrected but people need to do it nicely.