Really frustrated with Stackoverflow and need to vent
The first one I made is here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/48603662/java-printing-out-strings-on-separate-lines-using-a-variable/48603818#48603818
I basically ask on how to use a method to print out strings. Sure, it was an extremely simple question. However, I was extremely new to java at the time. I gave all of the resources they needed to answer and apparently I got downvoted five times for using wrong terminology or whatever. So, at first I felt ashamed, thinking I should have researched even more or just learned on my own. The Andreas person, however, was ridiculing me telling me to see: how to make a good question. Simply because I didn't use the word "compile". Another user instantly understood and gave a proper response.
The second post I made is here: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/48798215/formatting-and-organizing-sections-in-my-code
This is where I lost it. I asked for people just to give me an answer and not nitpick, and a person edited out that statement (fine) then downvoted it. Waited a while and got two answer, both of which weren't too useful. I made a rant an answer about how the power hungry people on there are, and how if they didn't fix it would ruin the site. Sure, it was extremely uncalled for and unprofessional, and I understood I was going to have the post deleted or put on hold. However, after that happened, I got this message:
Hello,
I'm writing in reference to your Stack Overflow account:
https://stackoverflow.com/users/9308010/drew-hedgecoke
I wanted to let you know that we've observed some rudeness in your latest activity. We get it; anyone who's ever tried to engage with others online has probably been tempted to lash out at someone else. This is just a friendly reminder that we require all participants to act in a professional and civil tone when using these sites. If another user has wronged you in some way, please do not respond in kind. Simply flag the content for moderator attention and move on.
If this is a simple misunderstanding, no harm done. Sometimes it is helpful to remind ourselves on occasion that keeping things friendly and constructive doesn't have to be at odds with being right — so enjoy the site, bring your sense of humor, and please be tolerant of others who may not know everything you know.
Regards,
Stack Overflow Moderation Team
They've accused me of being rude when the staff team itself was rude to me. Really? I totally get being punished for the uncalled answer, but what I said was not out of hate - it was out of frustration of being ridiculed by these people. I wasn't lashing out - they were lashing out on ME. And the moderator only replied to me after I made that message, not when I asked the question. Which means he's only on the site for the reputation - he could care less about the new people coming in to learn. After that, he told me the reason my post was downvoted was because it was an open-ended question that had more than one answer - which, I relented and I sort of understood that. He said he wasn't the one who disliked, but I highly doubt what he said.
Now, here's the icing on the cake. I did a little bit of looking (literally looked at the right of my post to similar threads) and found this post: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2796833/how-should-i-organize-my-java-gui?rq=1
He asked nearly the same exact question as me, but received 7 upvotes. So obviously this infuriated me. What was so different about him and me? And that's when it clicked - the reputation points.
And finally - simply because I got downvoted for simple terminology mistakes or for the fun of pressing a button for downvote, for asking an open-ended question that recieved 2 downvotes before I posted my retaliation message, I get this:
You have reached your question limit
It looks like you might need a break - take a breather and come back soon!
You've asked 2 questions recently, some of which have not been received very well by the community. Everyone learns at their own pace, and it’s okay to make some mistakes. However, the reception your questions have received thus far might ultimately block your account from asking questions entirely.
It's been 1 days since you asked your last question. We ask that you wait 4 days before asking again. Use this time to revisit your previous questions, editing to address any issues that folks have pointed out in comments.
Recommended reading:
- tips on asking great questions as well as our guidance on
- which questions are allowed here
Additional advice
- Examining highly-scored questions in the tags that interest you is a great way to study how to ask better questions, that also get better answers much sooner!
- We don’t demand perfection, but please make sure you use proper grammar, spelling and capitalization, it really helps!
- Improve downvoted questions rather than deleting them.
- Do not delete your account, create new accounts, or otherwise attempt to circumvent these restrictions.
- Do not contact us regarding these restrictions, they cannot be lifted.
And as the moderator who edited and more than likely down-voted my post said, people's actions are out of my hands. So why, pray tell, am I being punished for someone else's actions and those people going home free without any punishment?
To summarize, this site comes across to me as a dictatorship. Harsh to say, but on how upset I am and how humiliated they made me feel, its truly how it comes across to me. Never in my life will I associate with that site again. If any of this is wrong, please tell me.
"If you ain't first, you're last." - Ricky Bobby
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You maybe able to find some answers to your questions and/or ask some beginner questions here https://coderanch.com/f/33/java at the Beginner's forum.
This forum is not just for beginners either, but it can be a place to start.
I do hope that you find CodeRanch to be a positive, welcoming, knowledgeable and sharing community.
Not only is Java discussed, but other subjects like Linux, C, JavaScript, HTML and more as there are many people with varying knowledge set that visit this site.
Two choices: A) Learn from mistakes. B) Don't make mistakes.
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Do as I do: use SO as the fantastic knowledgebase that it certainly is, and put your questions here, or at other more mercyful sites ( like Dream in Code, JavaForums, ...).
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"If you ain't first, you're last." - Ricky Bobby
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Drew Hedgecoke wrote:And as the moderator who edited and more than likely down-voted my post said, people's actions are out of my hands. So why, pray tell, am I being punished for someone else's actions and those people going home free without any punishment?
Unfortunately this is a process which isn't specific to SO. For example: if your child is bullied at school, probably nothing will happen to the bullies. But if your child retaliates, then Rules have been Broken and your child will be punished for that. I could go on but you already get the picture. Since it's such a widespread phenomenon it's unlikely it's going to change any time soon.
As the others have already said, we try to treat beginners better. It even says so right next to the moose. As a result this site tends to cater mostly to beginners, and the problems being encountered by people who can describe them properly go to SO. Anyway, welcome to the Ranch!
Tim Moores wrote:SO is a different kind of site with a different kind of etiquette than this one. And just like you'll get pulled over here for violating our rules, you'll get pulled over on SO for violating their rules. IMO, the rules here are much better than the rules over there :-)
When I was new, I found it easier to figure out what the rules were around here.
I can respect their attempts to keep topics non-redundant and on-point, but a lot of times they do more harm than good. People are routinely chastised for asking questions that only look like they're the same as other, not-quite-related questions, for volunteering information and opinions considered outside the discussion, and other trivialities. This makes it look unfriendly and the sheer quantity of moderator chatter is a distraction.
Moral of story: if you want to ask an innocent question, you're better off asking at the CodeRanch. We don't care (much!
) if you're asking the same question as 97 other people did or if it's a "stupid" question. We don't call ourselves the Friendly Place™* for nothing.
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* No, we didn't really trademark "Friendly Place". Although maybe we should.
An IDE is no substitute for an Intelligent Developer.
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ras oscar wrote:Online forums are kind of like neighborhood bars. There are some where I fit in to and some I don't. I have read several threads on SO which show results similar to yours and as a result I choose not to post questions there. No derision on SO, no comments on myself. It simply isn't "my crowd"
Tim Driven Development
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The second is clearly an automated message based on the system they use. A site of that size can't me manually moderated.
How do you know you were the only one to receive a warning message? I know at work if we discipline someone, we certainly don't go telling everyone else... but often people say 'why am I the only one!' when ofcouse everyone is being dealt with.
I do agree this is a great place to ask questions though. SO is massive, so you would get a quicker answer, but many people doing the answering have some sort of superiority complex, hence the down voting if you've done something slightly wrong
Use SO for reference, use here for questions
