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Asking Questions

01/01/2008 6:00 PM

This is geared toward software, but is actually a nice tutorial on asking questions in a forum like this...

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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#1

Re: Asking questions

01/01/2008 8:20 PM

Nice. Thanks!

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#14
In reply to #1

Re: Asking questions

01/03/2008 7:06 PM

europium: How many Californians does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Yes, I'm asking a question, but since it's actually a joke, I'm marking it OT. If you don't know the punch line, I'll provide it tomorrow. For now, I'm off to quaff some pilsner.

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#15
In reply to #14

Re: Asking questions

01/03/2008 7:43 PM

The same as the number of Floridians it take to screw in a bulb.

More madness from many of your favorites

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/14596

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#16
In reply to #15

Re: Asking questions

01/04/2008 7:44 AM

Floridians? This is the "sunshine state" - we don't even USE light bulbs!

Correct answer: None, silly, Californians don't screw in light bulbs - they screw in hot tubs!

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#17
In reply to #16

Re: Asking questions

01/04/2008 10:13 AM

As folks migrate, they eventually come to an edge or corner. They share a certain common traits, being the 1's who keep going till they run out of room.

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#18
In reply to #17

Re: Asking questions

01/04/2008 10:40 AM

And then, like lemmings (or is it oranges?) they run off the cliff...

http://games.funnygames.nl/lemmings/index.html

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#19
In reply to #18

Re: Asking questions

01/04/2008 11:46 PM

Or walk into the sea

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#20
In reply to #19

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 8:18 AM

No, I'm pretty sure these guys run off of cliffs into fijords. Any resident Vikings able to confirm this?

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#21
In reply to #20

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 11:47 AM

Please guys, this is such a grotesque misconception.

Look here!

Maybe you thought they all tried to leap over chasms in 2 bounds

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#22
In reply to #21

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 1:39 PM

"On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore."

Ummm...I am sure all I said was that I thought the lemmings jumped off cliffs into fijords. The misconception noted is about them "committing suicide", which I did not mention. I don't know of any non-human creature that does. Maybe THAT is what sets us apart from the animals - stupidity... But I digress. Lemmings also have a winter coat (see below) that is white to blend with snow. The previous post showed the summer coat.

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#23
In reply to #22

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 2:05 PM

They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff

That is not out of free will, it is because they are pushing from behind. No creature other than humans will jump from that high as it as against their instinct. The drive to survival is larger than their need to jump.

I have not got a clue why they seem to differentiate in that story between being pushed and jumping as it is the same thing in their case. See, this is how myths live on, reinforced by wiki.

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#24
In reply to #23

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 2:40 PM

Well, actually, they DO jump - I can't say out of free will, because it's instinct, and that's hard-wired in. The way it was explained to me is that they have an instinctual urge to migrate in a certain direction (whether this be guided by star position, magnetic field lines, or one of the other mechanisms by which various animals have been shown to navigate) when population pressure grows too strong. Over time, the fijords have been eroded into what was once essentially mountainside. The lemmings can't override the directional instinct, so keep moving even though they have to fall and swim. It's not all off the cliff - they also ford streams, cross lakes, and run through towns that weren't there but for the last few hundred years. And the end point of that is survival, because the overpopulation causes food scarcity, so they migrate looking for greener (literally) pastures. I'm sure some of them get pushed from behind, but even that isn't normal rodent behavior. Just ask Kris...

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#25
In reply to #24

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 3:14 PM

I don't ask Kris anything any more, last time we got over 1000 replies and no proof.

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#26
In reply to #25

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 3:42 PM

Was that the (in)famous < > thread? (Please note non-governmental censorship has been applied in the interest of the sanity of all here present.)

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#27
In reply to #26

Re: Asking questions

01/05/2008 5:38 PM

yup

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#2

Re: Asking questions

01/02/2008 12:42 AM

Thank you Steve S,

I went to that Site some time ago, bookmarked it, and lost the webpage reference during a Computer clean-up.

Now I have Bookmarked it once more, all fine information on "How to ask"..

Kind Regards....

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#3

Re: Asking questions

01/02/2008 1:31 AM

nice tutorial on asking questions - true. Thanks 've bookmarked it.

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#4

Re: Asking questions

01/02/2008 7:19 AM

Thanks. Essential reading for CR4 posters!

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#5

Re: Asking Questions

01/02/2008 1:13 PM

Thanks ,a good way to start the new year with good information. I'll also bookmark it.

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#6

Re: Asking Questions

01/02/2008 11:25 PM

Five stars to Steve!

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#7

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 2:27 AM

Dear all,

I fully agree this is very nice but.....isn't it just proper old fashioned common sense and courtesy?

Call me ostentatious, obstinate, pedantic or anything else that takes your fancy, I would like to think (wrongly, I know) that normal human beings should already posses these powers of normal conversational skills. So having concluded this fact "should" be true, what is the point of putting up a sign? You just ending up fighting the hoards of unbelievably arrogant, inconsiderate and often stupid , non-worthy peasants.

In one word I think this smacks of nannying and to be honest with you, I hate it. If you could not come up with common sense and courtesy in the first place, you are not worth a sign!

Yours sincerely (polite as ever)

Case491

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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 8:11 AM

Ostentatious, obstinate, pedantic......

Not trying to nanny anyone, nor am I putting up a sign. I found it interesting how many posts I found here that were described in this FAQ.

If some guest reads this and learns something, I have accomplished what I set out. I certainly am not trying to put together a set of rules, as I break some of them as well on a regular basis (spelling for sure...)

Sorry to get you irritated so early in the year!

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#9
In reply to #8

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 8:19 AM

Only mildly so dear Steve.

I realise this is all out of frustration and trust me, most of us have been there and we have ample threads in the archives to prove that point (I think)

In the end it is all down to self control and if you feel that some ass's dumb forum manners are getting up your nose you pull out, I know I do often. I always see the same people do respond and frankly I think they are saints as they manage their answers and sound very balanced and well mannered, I know I could not so most of the times I don't.

As far as your list goes I do not think that even if it hit them in the face at 70Mph they would bother to read it.

Take care and don't worry, I am not irritated by you.

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#10
In reply to #9

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 10:09 AM

Ahhhhh, but you're really a softie at heart. Your professed Sturm and Drang only partially hides a highly energetic and creative mind which (I think) enjoys teaching. I appreciate your participation in these many forums and I think your comments are as balanced and well mannered (well perhaps a little sharp at times LOL) as any other contributor.

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#11
In reply to #10

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 10:22 AM

Thank you, somebody likes... uhm, I mean, knows me

Sharp, petit moi? never! They always tell me I am blunt. Now figure that


p.s. next time you enjoy the many forums under my name that have NO responses, please just reply for the sake of it, I mean even as a guest. It would make me even happier

Only kidding

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#12
In reply to #9

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 11:30 AM

Whether sharp or blunt, but always a keen instrument... Personally, I thought the link led to a SWEET tutorial, and I bookmarked it (in my 'Mathematics' folder, no less). But that's me. You obviously don't need a nanny, but my nose sometimes needs a good wipe. Others might think it needs something else, but that's their problem, not mine. When it comes to precision of language, many folks couldn't (in the words of Roger Daltry under much different circumstances) hit a bull in the butt with a banjo. Others just seem to have a way with words. Whatever crutch you need to help you limp down this highway we call life, says I, it's there for the using.

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#13

Re: Asking Questions

01/03/2008 12:36 PM

Good link

here's another related discussion

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/11603

Just tell'm code requires a roof?

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