Using the Ask Channel

[Oghma]

Understood, mine is sort of an idea centered around it becoming a chronic problem. I support your suggestions in the meantime.

[Mele]

Apparently this needs a bump.


Please do not use the ask channel only to close your own question without so much a word to your answerer. It's incredibly rude and unnecessary. Even just "all right" will suffice.

[Skeas]

remove the ask end from being able to close questions while the answer end has the power to do so.

this seems like a favorable c.o.a.

[Kallias]

This thread is about closing your question with no echos of wait time at all, simply closing it because you the asker feel you're done, while your answerer is not.

Shoot them an otell and finish the answer. I don't get the problem.

[Lathlain]

Shoot them an otell and finish the answer. I don't get the problem.

It's more a matter of taking the time to thank the person who's answering your question, thus bringing it to a close before terminating it. If you've done that, then it's not a problem - and as you say, further answers can be otold if necessary

It's all a matter of common courtesy - something which, I'm glad to say, most players of FK have no difficulty with.

[Kallias]

Just seems silly.

I'm all for common courtesy, but I'd certainly rather be snubbed a thank you than be lectured on the importance of thanking. I mean, if you asked a pleasant stranger for directions and you forget to say thank you after receiving it - and then he pipes up, "Well aren't you going to thank me?"...what would you think of that person?

It very likely means nothing at all if they don't thank you...I'm pretty sure the coded "thank you" response when the askee closes was put in to the begin with - to show that even if the player doesn't appreciate you, upper management definitely does

I'd be 100% against locking a player into an ask - any player should be free to avoid speaking to any other player, you don't know who you get when you ask a question, and if it's someone you've decided you don't wish to associate with then you shouldn't be forced to.

It's a volunteer position. Volunteer positions in all facets of life are inherently thankless. The satisfaction has to come from within, not from praise.

[Lathlain]

something which, I'm glad to say, most players of FK have no difficulty with.

[Mele]

I don't think anyone should have to justify why the following is rude:

You answer Sue 'The answer is tangerine. :)'
Sue asks 'I no longer need an answer to what is my favorite fruit, thanks anyways!'

It's not about a thank you. It's rude not to respond to a person who is taking the time out of their role play to respond to you.

If your opinion is you would not mind, that's great. I'm glad for you. But there's a majority of a council that does mind, and they're not wrong simply because of a differing opinion.

[Kallias]

I understand, and it is rude. But making a big deal out of it, I promise you, will only increase the likelihood of it happening. Rude people exist. They aren't going to become less rude because you tell them it bothers you.

I believe Jay-Z says it best with "get. dat. dirt off ya shouldah!"

Brush it off baby, ain't no thing.

[Lerytha]

Can't believe there's a debate even about this, but there we go!

I think this thread is just largely to remind people to be polite. That's never a problem. Sometimes we all get so caught up in MUDing we sometimes go "ask Blah blah blah?" So-and-so answers, "Blah-blah." And you close your own question before realising what you've done. What this thread does is ask you not to do that:

a) Because you might miss something more important
b) Because its just darn polite

Now having a philosophical discussion about whether or not people respond to requests to be polite or not, is singularly pointless. We'll never agree. But just having the above points mentioned is, I feel, just fair enough.

Its not hurting anyone, just accept that politeness has been asked for.

I mean, maybe its because I'm British and we queue a lot but what's wrong with asking for politeness? Its just polite, isn't it?

[Gwain]

There is nothing wrong with asking for politeness especially when the staff works hard to be polite and understanding to those asking a question. Argument for the sake of argument leads to nothing but more problems. Chances are that if you are someone that closes questions without thanking the answerer, then you are probably not someone that reads the forums often. If you are someone that takes the time to say thank you or close a question properly then you should not have to comment here and support those that do not do so. These postings show them the way they could behave and show them that we are aware of their potential. Nothing to debate on really. Though the ideas on changing and adding to the answer/question process seem interesting and I welcome them.

[Kallias]

I say just throw up a sticky on ask etiquette. That way the lessons won't be lost to time, or require maintenance, without the danger of running the risk of coming across as scolding or self promoting. Any player who is doing these serial ask abuses, shoot them an otell requesting they read "help ask".

In that help file it states you shouldn't close your own question, highlighted in red. If the player continues to abuse it, post in the report thread on it, and have it be dealt with just like any other player who isn't following the rules.

I believe this will most effectively minimize the problem with the least resources. You then have the rules on the board for board readers, and immediately address the problem with offenders who may or may not have understood they broke any rules to begin with.

But all this seems a lot more difficult than just playing that Jay-Z song in your head after it happens.

[Skeas]

But if you consider Jay-Z's music intolerable, the whole helpfile/sticky idea is a good one to go with.