[wp-forums] How to correct wrong answers

[Lara at Anubis Marketing]

I'm with Kaf on this... And the others who have said this sort of thing.
I know that just the other day Podz corrected me on something, and it was a
VERY IMPORTANT correction. I was apparently wrong in saying "it shouldn't
hurt if you back up your database and wipe out your wp files and re-install"
- and I was called on it.

I don't mind ONE BIT that Podz jumped in and saved the OP from making a
possibly major mistake because of how I worded what I said. I'm grateful he
did, as it taught me something I didn't know before.

I only have a problem when someone comes in and basically negates what I've
said as if I'm a moron. And that's happened all to often to a lot of people
I think. Just because I try to help and happen to give a "wrong" answer, or
don't realize that there's a "better way" does NOT make me an "idiot" or
"moron" (and I think in a few of these posts to this forum on this topic
have been WAY harsh in using those words...)

It also goes into the realm of rudeness when you correct someone and don't
take the time to say "Hey ______, I don't know how you've gotten that to
work for you, but I wouldn't recommend going about it that way. The proper
way would be to..." but rather just jump right in as if that person hadn't
posted a thing. If you don't say something, the OP is left confused as to
who's right and who's not. But let's be gentle when correcting people -
because that's how we encourage them to learn more about what we've said,
and it also puts us in a higher regard, because we're not only smart, but
we're nice, too.

There's nothing worse than an arrogant intellectual... 


-----Original Message-----
A wrong answer is a wrong answer. It deserves to be corrected if you know
the right one.

Phrases like "ignore that moron" or "I have no idea what the previous poster
is talking about" are ones I'd try not to use, but I have no problem being
forthright and stating plain what has posted before you won't work (or may
make matters worse). I certainly don't want to see anyone hurt, but if
someone is wrong and you know it, you're helping no one by being
noncommittal, since the OP and any others may not be able to judge.

-Kaf