What motivates those of you who answer questions?

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32 posts, Page 1 of 4

What motivates those of you who answer questions?

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marcia.j.wilson

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 10:16 AM

Valued Member

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:06 PM
Points: 74, Visits: 558

I've found a lot of helpful information on this site. Often when I can't find something in books on line (I suspect because I haven't learned well enough how to put in the right search words), I find it here.

This got me thinking about those of you who do answer questions on this site and wondering what most motivates you to help out.

Post #1307888

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 10:21 AM

SSC Eights!

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 8:45 PM
Points: 900, Visits: 2,289

I try and reply to stuff I have experience with because I've learned a lot from this site, also...a sort of "pay it forward" type of thing.

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Post #1307891

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 10:45 AM

SSC-Insane

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 11:14 PM
Points: 21,832, Visits: 27,862

I had already worked with MS SQL Server for about 8 years when I joined SSC and started getting active on this site. OVer the next 5 years I learned more about SQL Server than I had in the previous 8 years. The people that I have learned from here were (and are) willing to share their knowledge, experience, and time helping me (and others) to become better. As a result, I started giving back as well. But something else I have learned, is that I learn as much from helping others. I get the opportunity to hone skills that I may not use as much in my regular job, to explore areas that aren't currently being used but could be.

One of the things it really comes down to is sharing knowledge with others. This is one area that I think the SQL Server community excels at over any of the other database communities. We aren't hoarding knowledge, we are sharing it freely and without expectations. We want others to benefit from our experience because we benefit from theirs.

Cool

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Lynn Pettis

For better assistance in answering your questions, click here
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For more about Tally Tables, click here
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Post #1307912

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 10:45 AM

SSCoach

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Monday, June 17, 2013 1:45 PM
Points: 15,442, Visits: 9,572

I went through a very rough time when I was first learning how to work with SQL Server. Laregely, as you surmised, because you have to know what to ask before online search can try to answer. Also, online documentation has gotten a LOT better since I started as a DBA in 2001.

I like to help people, and I hated what I had to go through, so I try to ease the pain for others.

There's a LOT to learn to really master SQL Server and it's environments. Nobody can be a master of all of it. Thus, having a community like this one, where different people can help out in different ways, is important to all of us.

- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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Post #1307913

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 11:15 AM

SSCrazy

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 8:36 AM
Points: 2,681, Visits: 2,423

Two primary reasons. First, to help others through common difficulties we have all had to face at one time or another. Second, frequently I learn subtleties about something when answering questions, so I end up enhancing my own knowledge.

Over time I have also added a third reason. The more forum questions you answer, blogs you write, involvement in local SQL Server user groups, and the more involved you become in the SQL community at large, the stronger a personal brand you will develop. I am at an age where people (especially in IT) really fear being laid off. I think because of my activity within the SQL community that my profile is more visible and respected so that if I am ever faced with joblessness I would have an easier time finding my next job. I do know that if I were in a hiring position and any one of probably several hundred names I recognize from the SQL community were presented to me as a job candidate I would move them right to the top of the list.

Post #1307934

marcia.j.wilson

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 11:17 AM

Valued Member

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:06 PM
Points: 74, Visits: 558

And, by the way, I forgot to say that I am very grateful.

I agree with the 'pay it forward' concept and have done that with my knowledge in the past. Unfortunately, I think it's going to be a while before I can do it very much with SQL.

Post #1307939

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 2:23 PM

SSCrazy Eights

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:32 PM
Points: 8,980, Visits: 8,540

Some of the best learning comes through teaching. This has never been more true to a profession than sql server. The topic is so huge that nobody can master the whole thing. I learn a lot when answering questions. Sometimes the learning comes from working through the solution and other times it comes from others responses to the solutions I post.

My degree is as a developer and by far my weakest subject coming out of school over a decade ago was sql. I studied the forums on here a lot for a long time as a lurker until I started to learn more and more. Eventually I started posting answers to easy questions. The enjoyment of helping somebody through something they found difficult made the whole process a great thing. Eventually I started taking on tougher and tougher threads. I am still pretty selective in the topics I post about and I still learn a great deal.

The best thing about this forum is that the whole environment is one of knowledge sharing. Even when somebody posts something that is wrong, people will correct them and almost always in a professional manner.

Wait a minute...I thought we were supposed to be collecting a paycheck based on post count. I only do this for the money and the fame. Tongue

Tongue

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Post #1308007

marcia.j.wilson

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2012 4:46 PM

Valued Member

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 4:06 PM
Points: 74, Visits: 558

Thanks to all who replied for satisfying my curiosity. I have a lot to learn and I truly appreciate those who take the time to help.

Post #1308048

Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2012 12:47 PM

SSChampion

Group: General Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 3:07 PM
Points: 10,613, Visits: 11,959

I don't remember exactly when I started answering questions, but as almost everyone else has said, I did it because I first learned from this site and wanted to contribute.

As Lynn has said, I learned more once I started to contribute than what I had learned prior to that point.

Jack Corbett

Applications Developer

Don't let the good be the enemy of the best. -- Paul Fleming

Check out these links on how to get faster and more accurate answers:
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
Need an Answer? Actually, No ... You Need a Question
How to Post Performance Problems
Crosstabs and Pivots or How to turn rows into columns Part 1
Crosstabs and Pivots or How to turn rows into columns Part 2

Post #1308550

Posted Wednesday, May 30, 2012 1:29 PM

SSC-Dedicated

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Good question. Some days I ask myself that...

I started because I wanted to get better at SQL, to be faced with problems that I did not have at my job then (was very boring report writing job). You'll see problems here that you will never (hopefully) see at your own job. If you've solved them here, then if they do show up at your job, you look like a miracle worker.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008, MVP
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

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