ChrisM@Work (7/30/2014)
patrickmcginnis59 10839 (7/30/2014)
Grant Fritchey (7/30/2014)
patrickmcginnis59 10839 (7/30/2014)
Its sort of a free market thing, if people decide that SO/SE isn't useful, it could go away. I'm hoping it sticks around because it is really useful in my opinion, its an awesome site with an incredible coverage of subject matter, I've gotten lots of information from their postings. But yes, if people want to hate on it, I need to let that happen too.While I don't recommend going back and re-reading this insane thread, if you were to (again, don't bother), you'd find that we can be pretty self-critical at times as well. This thread has been used to call out bad behavior in general or even in particular to the people who occupy it. Are most of us the top posters on the site? Yeah. What's that worth? That and $3 will get you a cup of coffee. But we try hard to police the site to maintain a ourselves as one of the best places to go for information on SQL Server (not the only, and not the single best, one of, which includes SO).
Is there criticism of SO/SE at times? Yeah, but let's face it, SO/SE is not perfect. It's good. It can be useful. But it's not the be all and end all. I'd say the exact same thing about us. We're absolutely far from perfect. But we're good. We can be useful. But we're not the be all and end all.
Early in this discussion the people who posted some sophomoric comments (and I suspect everyone is guilty of this at one point or another, the gods know I am) about SO apologized, but you really seem to be carrying a torch on this one. I'm just not sure why. You can read back through all the quotes. In many places people have said that SO fills a need and does it well, but... Is it the "but" aspect that is carrying you so hard down this road. I'm just trying to understand why it's so important to you personally that we acknowledge the usefulness of SO.
It doesn't need to be all that important that YOU folks acknowledge the usefulness, for all that matters its not even that important that I can come here and protest in favor of that site.
If you think its "carrying me so hard down this road", then maybe it IS important that I DO NOT come here and protest in favor of the site and thats fine. its a sore subject here, and certainly I don't need to come in here and ruin the watercooler for you guys.
These subjects are interesting to me, but they're not mandatory by any means.
I'm just trying to understand why it's so important to you personally that we acknowledge the usefulness of SO.
Thats really more like "why is it so important that Patrick chat at the water cooler" and you're right, I shouldn't be so invested in it.
The folks who've commented are those who give a monkeys one way or the other.
I probably shouldn't have, my mistake! If someone calls SO/SE an expletitive, it doesn't need to be my business, nobody needs to know about any counterpoints I would possess, especially my admiration for the site and the folks who built it and run it. I get it.
The silent majority don't. I don't much care for SO/SE. Years ago, around 2004 I think, when I was deciding on a decent source of reference material for SQL Server, I touched SO/SE and SSC and found SSC way more useful because of the discussion, which likely as not pushed the "best method" to the surface. That decision still stands. SSC promotes "best methods", SO/SE don't, and can't. If all you want is a fish for your tea, go to SO/SE, and there's an argument for sending back some of the idle muppets who land here 😀
I think they're awesome, but I can certainly keep this to myself. Lesson learned!