[wp-forums] Finding Codex Articles and Help

[Scott Merrill]

Michael B wrote:
> So I guess I'd like some more feedback from those that have been doing
> this longer as to the real "goal" of the forums.

My attitude is that I'd rather teach you how to fish than give you a 
fish dinner.

While many of the specifics of the questions in the forums are unique to 
the poster's problem, many of the problems themselves are generic enough 
to have been answered on the Codex.  It might take the poster a little 
effort to figure it out, but in almost all cases so far, the poster 
comes back to say "Oh!  I get it!"

That feeling of accomplishment is something very important to people 
struggling with WordPress.  They rightly feel proud of their work, and 
will be more likely (I think) to recommend WordPress to others as an 
easy-to-use and easy-to-understand system.

Sometimes a question won't have an easy answer on the Codex -- these 
usually involve plugins, or template coding beyond the examples provided 
(or maybe CSS -- I avoid those threads).  In these instances, I try to 
provide a reasonable starting point, without going so far as to entirely 
solve the person's problem.  Again, the "Aha!" moment is important for 
the poster.

Think of it this way: if I give you the specific answer to your problem, 
I help you.  If I help you understand how to solve your problem on your 
own, I help you help others.

-- 
skippy at skippy.net | http://skippy.net/

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