Where can we go for real help?

P

Paul MacFarlane

Maybe I just don't understand. I've been using these newsgroups for a few
years and more often then not I am disappointed with the results....
And those results are generally that after cursory responses, my posting is
ignored.

This is NOT a slam on anyone, and as I said, maybe I don't understand the
role of Microsoft employees on these newsgroups...

My latest posting about messages disappearing is an example.
I research this on the web, msdn, AND this newsgroup before posting my
message.
I outlined in my message what I had tried (everything that was previously
mention for similar posts).

The reply I received was to try things previously recommended. Not helpful.
Rather insulting - apparently my message was not really read and an
assumption was made that I didn't try the previous solutions.
And, to their defense, most people don't review and try previously offered
solutions.

I replied within a few hours indicating that I did indeed try what was
suggested and further explaining the investigation steps I took.
There has been no reply for 4 days.

Is this expected? Do they not have a clue as to the answer?
Is this what happens when you have a problem they don't want to talk about?
When I get here (these newsgroups) it's because I've done some research and
can't find an answer.
99% of the time it's because of something "weird".

Where can I go other than to spend hours on the phone being passed around
just to receive the same answer....?

Thanks,
Paul
 
R

Roady [MVP]

It is possible that indeed we do not know the answer. Unfortunately that
happens as well. In some cases there could be so many factors involved that
it is just impossible to answer it without "hands-on" (sometimes a
screenshot helps as well) experience on the affected machine. In these cases
the discussion is mostly left open instead of answered with "Don't know".

Note that Mcrosoft Employees don't have any role in these newsgroups. When
they are here answering posts they do this out of their own free will. The
MVP's you see are all people who do not work for Microsoft but spend quite
an amount of their spare time helping out. Microsoft recognises these people
with an MVP Award. For more info on this see
. And of course there are a lot of other
enthousists hanging around here.

Ignoring people is not in our nature. Consider the above and the high volume
of posts and the amount of newsgroups most of us attend it could also very
well be that messages just slipped our attention.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-FREE tool; QuickMail. Create new Outlook items anywhere from within Windows
-Properly back-up and restore your Outlook data

-----
Maybe I just don't understand. I've been using these newsgroups for a few
years and more often then not I am disappointed with the results....
And those results are generally that after cursory responses, my posting is
ignored.

This is NOT a slam on anyone, and as I said, maybe I don't understand the
role of Microsoft employees on these newsgroups...

My latest posting about messages disappearing is an example.
I research this on the web, msdn, AND this newsgroup before posting my
message.
I outlined in my message what I had tried (everything that was previously
mention for similar posts).

The reply I received was to try things previously recommended. Not helpful.
Rather insulting - apparently my message was not really read and an
assumption was made that I didn't try the previous solutions.
And, to their defense, most people don't review and try previously offered
solutions.

I replied within a few hours indicating that I did indeed try what was
suggested and further explaining the investigation steps I took.
There has been no reply for 4 days.

Is this expected? Do they not have a clue as to the answer?
Is this what happens when you have a problem they don't want to talk about?
When I get here (these newsgroups) it's because I've done some research and
can't find an answer.
99% of the time it's because of something "weird".

Where can I go other than to spend hours on the phone being passed around
just to receive the same answer....?

Thanks,
Paul
 
P

Paul MacFarlane

Thanks for the clarification Roady.....

Roady said:
It is possible that indeed we do not know the answer. Unfortunately that
happens as well. In some cases there could be so many factors involved
that
it is just impossible to answer it without "hands-on" (sometimes a
screenshot helps as well) experience on the affected machine. In these
cases
the discussion is mostly left open instead of answered with "Don't know".

Note that Mcrosoft Employees don't have any role in these newsgroups. When
they are here answering posts they do this out of their own free will. The
MVP's you see are all people who do not work for Microsoft but spend quite
an amount of their spare time helping out. Microsoft recognises these
people
with an MVP Award. For more info on this see
. And of course there are a lot of other
enthousists hanging around here.

Ignoring people is not in our nature. Consider the above and the high
volume
of posts and the amount of newsgroups most of us attend it could also very
well be that messages just slipped our attention.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-FREE tool; QuickMail. Create new Outlook items anywhere from within
Windows
-Properly back-up and restore your Outlook data

-----
Maybe I just don't understand. I've been using these newsgroups for a few
years and more often then not I am disappointed with the results....
And those results are generally that after cursory responses, my posting
is
ignored.

This is NOT a slam on anyone, and as I said, maybe I don't understand the
role of Microsoft employees on these newsgroups...

My latest posting about messages disappearing is an example.
I research this on the web, msdn, AND this newsgroup before posting my
message.
I outlined in my message what I had tried (everything that was previously
mention for similar posts).

The reply I received was to try things previously recommended. Not
helpful.
Rather insulting - apparently my message was not really read and an
assumption was made that I didn't try the previous solutions.
And, to their defense, most people don't review and try previously offered
solutions.

I replied within a few hours indicating that I did indeed try what was
suggested and further explaining the investigation steps I took.
There has been no reply for 4 days.

Is this expected? Do they not have a clue as to the answer?
Is this what happens when you have a problem they don't want to talk
about?
When I get here (these newsgroups) it's because I've done some research
and
can't find an answer.
99% of the time it's because of something "weird".

Where can I go other than to spend hours on the phone being passed around
just to receive the same answer....?

Thanks,
Paul
Click to expand...
 
B

Ben M. Schorr - MVP

You can always call Product Support Services (PSS). They'll charge you for
the call, but they'll stay with you for as long as necessary to resolve the
incident.

With regards to your previous question (I had to go back and look it up) I
recall reading your question before but not having any ideas that struck me
off the top of my head, specifically because you seemed to have already
tried most of what I would have suggested. If I get some time I'll read it
again and see if anything comes to me.

Naturally I'm far more responsive to clients who are actually paying me to
answer their questions. :) When I do it for free the questions I choose to
answer are somewhat more subject to my whims at the moment and whether or
not the Chargers won that weekend.

--
Aloha,

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, OneNote-MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
Microsoft OneNote FAQ: http://www.factplace.com/onenotefaq.htm

**I apologize but I am unable to respond to direct requests for assistance.
Please post questions and replies here in the newsgroup. Mahalo!
 
R

Roady [MVP]

....and whether or not they play would effect the amount of posts answered?
;-)

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-FREE tool; QuickMail. Create new Outlook items anywhere from within Windows
-Properly back-up and restore your Outlook data

-----
You can always call Product Support Services (PSS). They'll charge you for
the call, but they'll stay with you for as long as necessary to resolve the
incident.

With regards to your previous question (I had to go back and look it up) I
recall reading your question before but not having any ideas that struck me
off the top of my head, specifically because you seemed to have already
tried most of what I would have suggested. If I get some time I'll read it
again and see if anything comes to me.

Naturally I'm far more responsive to clients who are actually paying me to
answer their questions. :) When I do it for free the questions I choose to
answer are somewhat more subject to my whims at the moment and whether or
not the Chargers won that weekend.

--
Aloha,

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, OneNote-MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
Microsoft OneNote FAQ: http://www.factplace.com/onenotefaq.htm

**I apologize but I am unable to respond to direct requests for assistance.
Please post questions and replies here in the newsgroup. Mahalo!
 
P

Paul MacFarlane

Thanks Ben....

I take it your a San Diegan - won't hold it against you 'cause here is Santa
Barbara we have no teams..<g>

I'm glad you and Roady cleared this up - for a long time I thought MVP's
were MS Employees...
 
R

Roady [MVP]

Thought that first as well. Funny enough Ben was the first MVP that helped
me when I was doing Beta testing on OneNote 2003.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-FREE tool; QuickMail. Create new Outlook items anywhere from within Windows
-Properly back-up and restore your Outlook data

-----
Thanks Ben....

I take it your a San Diegan - won't hold it against you 'cause here is Santa
Barbara we have no teams..<g>

I'm glad you and Roady cleared this up - for a long time I thought MVP's
were MS Employees...
 
B

Ben M. Schorr - MVP

Ah, you younglings. :) I remember the beta of Outlook 98.


--
Aloha,

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, OneNote-MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
Microsoft OneNote FAQ: http://www.factplace.com/onenotefaq.htm

**I apologize but I am unable to respond to direct requests for assistance.
Please post questions and replies here in the newsgroup. Mahalo!

Roady said:
Thought that first as well. Funny enough Ben was the first MVP that helped
me when I was doing Beta testing on OneNote 2003.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
www.howto-outlook.com

Tips of the month:
-FREE tool; QuickMail. Create new Outlook items anywhere from within
Windows
-Properly back-up and restore your Outlook data

-----
Thanks Ben....

I take it your a San Diegan - won't hold it against you 'cause here is
Santa
Barbara we have no teams..<g>

I'm glad you and Roady cleared this up - for a long time I thought MVP's
were MS Employees...


Ben M. Schorr - MVP said:
You can always call Product Support Services (PSS). They'll charge you
for the call, but they'll stay with you for as long as necessary to
resolve the incident.

With regards to your previous question (I had to go back and look it up)
I
recall reading your question before but not having any ideas that struck
me off the top of my head, specifically because you seemed to have
already
tried most of what I would have suggested. If I get some time I'll read
it again and see if anything comes to me.

Naturally I'm far more responsive to clients who are actually paying me
to
answer their questions. :) When I do it for free the questions I choose
to answer are somewhat more subject to my whims at the moment and whether
or not the Chargers won that weekend.

--
Aloha,

-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, OneNote-MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
Microsoft OneNote FAQ: http://www.factplace.com/onenotefaq.htm

**I apologize but I am unable to respond to direct requests for
assistance. Please post questions and replies here in the newsgroup.
Mahalo!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
K

Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]

When our pets were the beta testers for Net Folders? Those were the days <g>
 
B

Bob Eyster

Hi Paul,

I have found that if someone does not have an answer to your question you
will not get a reply. If someone does reply with an answer and it doesn't
work they stop replying.

It will appear that your question is being ignored.

Bob Eyster
 
C

Cody Wheeler

well I dont always reply to a post because I not always have an idea on how
to try to help people.
 
B

Bob Eyster

I don't always have the answers either. But I try to make some kind of an
attempt to let a user know their message have been received, I give my best
shot. Most of my support I do is in the Corel NG's, it's not much but I try.


Bob Eyster
 

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