WordPress.org

1. hoppingghost
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   I understand the function of the forums and how users can help each other, and much of the time that does the trick. The HUGE problem with the current system, though, is that there is no guarantee you will receive an answer for your problem, whether from another user or from a WP tech professional. Or you may receive answers from your peers but if those solutions don't work, you may find yourself stuck.

   WP should have some kind of check system for the forums--say, if an issue is unresolved for X amount of days, a WP tech should respond and work with the person to resolve it. I'm aware that would require more on WP's part, but the effort would be worth it for the company because if people cannot get answers to their problems, they will leave and find another blogging system.

   If WP wants to keep their customers, they need to guarantee that their members' questions are answered one way or another. It's that simple. The sadly ironic thing is that this post I'm writing right now may not even be seen by a WP tech and it wouldn't surprise me!

2. moshu
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   this post I'm writing right now may not even be seen by a WP tech

   That's a 99.999999% chance, for sure :)

   (just a note: we never know what is solved because 99.99999% of the users never bother to come back and mark their posts solved)

3. whooami
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   "...a WP tech"

   uh, and what pre tel is that?

   Lemme guess, your pissed because you didnt get the reply you wanted regarding your header image?? Gosh.

   I'm a little surprised -- you would think that people would get the idea that they DID NOT pay for their software, therefore they is NO real and tangible obligation to provide anyone with ANY support.

   Want to go download LINUX? Feel free, but guess what, if you dont pay for it, youre own your own as far as finding support -- that is NOT to say it isnt available, because just like HERE, it is. but No-one owes you anything.

   Ill point you to another thread where someone else had some words for WP, I replied and just happened to mention another web app (they provide support if you pay, btw, and NONE if you dont)

   Other thread: http://wordpress.org/support/topic/85438?replies=7

   I dont develop this software and I dont moderate these forums but I have nothing but respect for the people that come back EVERY damn day to answer questions from ingrates like you. Like me, their sites are stable, they dont do anything but blog, they dont need to be here, but guess what, every day, they are.

4. Chris_K
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   I think the key issue here is that you may not realize 99.999% of the folks here are unpaid volunteers.

5. ladydelaluna
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   "If WP wants to keep their customers"

   Well, for one thing, customers are people who pay for a product or service. Pardon the bite, but no one's forcing you to stay here. You're not "stuck" with something...

   The other thing - everyone who offers support here in the forums is unpaid for doing so. The majority of people here who do help, are people who once came here just as ignorant to the functionality of the software as any other "newbie". We've learned, we've spent time here, we've taught and been taught.

   If you post a question, and it goes unanswered for a day or so, try re-reading your question, and see what specifics you may have missed. It could very well be that someone would be able to help if they had more information from you. If you really think you've got it all laid out there, just post a response to your first post, talking about where you've looked for information, what helped, what didn't, and why. That too is providing more information for the volunteers around here to be able to help you.

   The wordpress forums are not here to guarantee you an answer to any question you can conceive. They're here to help people with wordpress related issues. Answer the questions people ask you, even if you can't see the relevance. They're TRYING to help.

   "WP Techs" (which I assume you are using to refer to the people who programmed and develop the software) don't come here - they're tied up making sure that the next release of the software they're going to hand you at no charge is going to work properly. They're fixing problems in the last release, based on things they've learned since then, so that things are easier and better in the next one. They rely on the people who are familiar with the system to help others, the way that they were helped when they were learning. Rather than complain, why not go around and try to learn something, so that you can be the person who answers the unanswered?

   Not for nothing, but this post of yours made no sense, and appears to be an attempt at stirring up some sort of controversy or argument. Your lack of awareness of what WordPress is, how its managed, and what these forums really are about is more than apparent in your rant. Maybe next time you should ask questions rather than assume you know all the answers.

6. vkaryl
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   Well, "technically" there aren't any "wp techs". There are the devs. And there are the rest of us. The devs are actively involved in developing the next version of the program. The rest of us are end-users, some of whom have been here a couple of years or so, some of whom are pretty new.

   We all try to help. None of us knows everything there is to know about the program; all of us have areas where we're more able to help. Some areas don't seem to have anyone who knows anything which means that some people don't get the help they're expecting.

   That's how it is with free, open source software. And the reason WP is free for all to use (or not....) is because there's no high-priced tech support setup staffed by highly-paid "quasi-professionals".

7. moshu
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   Maybe assuming that you feel some kind of frustration based on your experience - is not far from truth.

   Let me see:
   started 4 topics
   posted in 4 + 1 topics

   topic #1. - pure CSS question; but I admit, it was abandoned after the first answer
   topic #2. - NOT WordPress question. It is CSS and the OP never answered the helper's question
   topic #3. - question answered
   topic #+1. - revived a June therad; went un-answered

   If you ask me, I am a great proponent of NOT answering any non-WP related question.
   WP is simple to install and start blogging.
   The trap is - if you want to modify it, you have to learn CSS and read a lot in the Codex.
   If you want to modify it - pick another theme than the default: everybody is sick of all the newbies wanting to modify it and failing.

   Considering all the above you didn't fare that bad...

8. ladydelaluna
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   He probably posted this and took off... won't come back for a week or something, and wonder why everyone jumped on his case.

   Makes so much sense to post a rant and run away, doesn't it hoppingghost? Makes you so smart, don't you think? My my, yes, this makes you so much more an authority than the dozens of people who come here every single day to help people with REAL problems, hmmm?

9. hoppingghost
   Member
   Posted 5 years ago #

   Thank you, moshu and HandySolo. I was unaware that most people here are unpaid volunteers. I never claimed to know everything, and being relatively new to WP, I'm sure there are a lot of things I have misunderstood but I am trying to learn as I go. I have actually been pleased with my overall experience with WP, but I suppose I should have posted that first as a caveat before making my remark.

   I'd like to point out that I never said I didn't appreciate the help that users give to each other; in fact, I said that most of the time the forums "do the trick," so clearly I do think it often works. I have read several threads wherein I found a solution to my question and was satisfied.

   I also do try to search for documentation on issues before coming to forums to try to read up first. However, not everything is answered there, which led me to my post. Even services you get for free should, ideally, provide some kind of guaranteed support. If that's not possible, so be it. But there is always a risk that people will turn to other systems if they don't get answers; that's true for any service under the sun, free or paid. Again, if that's not possible in this case, I understand, but it might be worth considering for the future. If there were a way to make it happen, it would make a great site even better.

   I'm very surprised by the remarks saying that I posted to start "controversy" and that I'm an "ingrate," because the last thing I intended was to start a flame war, and contrary to what may be believed, I have overall been pleased with my WP experience.

10. spencerp
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    EDITED* Damn! Replied late now!! Crap!! Go figure..

    WOW! Everyone pretty much covered what I was going to say originally.. nice job! ;) But..going sharing the below also.. ;)

    @hoppingghost, rather then complaining about the "support" here, why not try and actually help yourself for once too, ya know!?!?!?

    90 some percent of the "user/nOObs" here, don't even bother to read the replies, us "pros" give anyway. They don't bother trying to help themselves either.. why help those that are lazy..?

    NO ONE, wants to spoon feed the answers to someone's problem, especially if they don't even try to help themselves. It's a shame really.. really is...

    Most of us "pros" here, like ladydelaluna said a couple of replies above there.. that even "US/pros" have been taught, self taught or what not. We ALL learn as we go..

    Not everyone is going to be a WordPress PRO right off the bat, and just posting a pissy thread in here.. just makes YOU look like an azz. Sorry to say..but, it's the truth.

    Take these replies to the bank, and cash in! I'm done.. I have more important things to do.. tata..

    spencerp

11. vkaryl
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Er.... I don't think hoppingghost was whining. I thought s/he was making an observation/request based on some mistaken assumptions about the situation as regards the software....

12. whooami
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    "I'm very surprised by the remarks saying that I posted to start "controversy" and that I'm an "ingrate," because the last thing I intended was to start a flame war..."

    I appreciate you coming back to respond to the replies.

    Saying what you did made you sound like 1 of 2 things -- ignorant to how things go, or ungrateful (in my opinion).

    You stated: "I understand the function of the forums and how users can help each other.." I gave you the benefit of the doubt on that one.

    That left one other choice.

    I am admittedly sensitive to those sorts of posts since I am also an administrator as well as an active member of another blogging package's support forums. If youre grateful, thats wonderful to hear and I take back that remark.

13. moshu
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Not "most people". All :)

    And that said - I'd love not to see any more personal remarks, attacks. Let's move on.

14. spencerp
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Er.... I don't think hoppingghost was whining. I thought s/he was making an observation/request based on some mistaken assumptions about the situation as regards the software....

    Yeah, it wasn't "whining" per se, just while reading through at that time, seemed like it to me.. ;) =P @hoppingghost, didn't mean that whining part there..I'll remove that from my reply above there.. ;)

    Not "most people". All :)

    Lmao! Yeah..That's actually true. =)

    And that said - I'd love not to see any more personal remarks, attacks. Let's move on.

    I agree. =) ;) Me off to do WP installs again, gotta get back in the game here.. lol! =) ;)

    spencerp

    off topic/ vkaryl, if you replied to my last reply email, can you resend it again please, my hard drive died tonight sigh, on the gram's puter.. I'll be able to get it now.. ;) spencerp1 [at] gmail [dot] com

15. 7milesdown
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Its free software. If you were paying for it, I'd understand that you would want better support. ITS FREE!! Im just happy they put together great software like this for us. Im more than willing to spend time to dig around and find answers to my questions.

16. Michael Bishop
    Forum Concierge
    Posted 5 years ago #

    A few cents thrown into the mix (albeit a little late)

    I will say in no uncertain terms, that I often use o/s scripts/software, and WordPress's community is hands down the most responsive to helping one another. I certainly do not subscribe to the notion that

    Even services you get for free should, ideally, provide some kind of guaranteed support.

    Free is free. Doesn't matter what the case is. Offering guaranteed support for a free service is impossible, from where I stand (sit).

    But do know, there is a mail list for asking for paid support, or to hire someone to fix/adjust/fill in need here services.
    http://lists.automattic.com/mailman/listinfo/wp-pro

17. Alex Mills (Viper007Bond)
    Moderator
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Couldn't have said it better myself, miklb. :)

18. pizdin_dim
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    "If WP wants to keep their customers, they need to guarantee that their members' questions are answered one way or another."

    It's obviously already been stated that these forums are manned by volunteers so I won't go on about that. But you raise an interesting issue:

    Could paid support be an option? I'm not offering my own services, I'm instead thinking that perhaps it might be something useful. I know that you van currently get it through automattic.com but this website doesn't advertise that fact.

19. whooami
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    there are even more avenues for paid support - oddly enough, Ive been 'invited' to two seperate auctions on rentacoder.com for wp work, and Ive NEVER solicited my services there (i dont even know how the people soliciting the bids got my e-mail address). I can think of atleast 4 well-known plugin developers that do paid work.. And of course, like someone else mentioned most, if not all posts regarding paid work get directed to the wp-pros list.

    I too, though, thought about that after reading through this thread again.

20. Chris_K
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    wasn't there some sort of post about automattic offering "enterprise" (paid) support a few months ago?

21. HTT
    Member
    Posted 5 years ago #

    Every post I've made asking for support has been replied to and knowing full well that this is a free service, I think that's pretty damn impressive. I think far too many people want others to fix their problems for them and that's a culture that needs changed where open source/free web tools are concerned. I'd far rather be pointed in the right direction to lean what I need to do myself that way I get a greater understanding of what I'm working with, meaning my life will be easier in the long run and when I'm knowledgeable myself about WordPress I'll be able to give something back and point others in the right direction.

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.