The problem of bad answers
 

I'm sure a lot of people must check the zero-reply threads to see if they can help. It's really annoying, therefore, when someone rushes in and gives a useless reply, making a thread look answered. You get people who advise you to do exactly what you said didn't work, or who even start by saying "I've never done this..." and proceeded to prove it.

Does anyone have an idea for a solution? Of course, if we all marked solved threads as solved there'd be no problem, but few of us do (says he, looking embarrassed).

I tell you what, find your own answers, then there is no problem. People try to help, don't come here expecting an exact solution. If you ignore your error messages, then maybe you will never be able to do things on your own. The messages are actually quite useful, even if you've never done it before. It's called logic - get some.

smoker;
I suggest that you lighten up a bit---I don't think the question is totally absurd.

David*;
From my perspective, this is not a huge problem at LQ. What I have seen is that someone will generally jump in and correct misinformation that gets posted. Further, anyone who makes a habit of posting things that are unhelpful and/or wrong will eventually be disciplined....

The only real solution for members at large, including the OP, is to proactively question things that just don't look right.

Somehow, I am reminded of my high-school and early college years---tinkering with cars. I can't tell you how often someone would say "It's probably the carburetor." ---based on the vaquest possible description of the symptoms.

@pixellany
I am quite relaxed thanks, but I object to someone I've tried to help complaining (repeatedly) because I tried to help.
I know not to help him now, but I reserve the right to answer the objections.

Ah---so you two have a past...

For anyone listening: Issues with another member are probably best handled by filing a report on the specific post in question.

Let's all move on.......

I'd just like to say, I've repeatedly had this problem also. It's especially annoying when someone comes along who isn't convinced your question is worth asking. Like so:

OP: How do I do such and such in Emacs?
A1: I don't like Emacs. Use Vim.

or:

OP: How do I do such and such without relying on library X?
A1: What's wrong with library X?

I don't know if there is anything practical LQ can do about it, but it is still annoying. It would be kind of cool if there was an "ignore first post" button, so my thread would still show up as a zero-reply thread. But I don't know how hard that would be to program.

[QUOTE=CoderMan;3902364]OP: How do I do such and such in Emacs?
A1: I don't like Emacs. Use Vim.[quote]
This answer sucks and should not happen. Then again, Linux users are stereotypically assumed to answer like this:
Q: I have a problem with my Windows XP system
A: Install Linux, problem solved!

Grey area: is it that the library mustn't be used or does the person have a problem with that library? Gettign the answer to this can save a lot of work further down.

Unfortunately, smugness and unhelpfulness can't be legislated against. At my workplace, I am trying to persuade my boss to let me use murder as a teaching tool, but to no avail. I suspect that Jeremy will have the same attitude. :)

At the risk of revelling in redundant repetition: If there is a clear pattern of bad behavior, we can take action. Still, the best response is the local and focussed one from peers---mostly just correcting (politely) misguided responses.

To pursue the philosophy side of things: Have you considered the implications to society of the discovery of a cure for stupidity?

If you get a non-helpful 1st response, don't be disheartened- it's not often that posts get solved in just one post. If you keep the thread activity up it will float to the top of the forum, even if it's not on the 0 reply list any more.

TG

Smoker, there are sometimes people that we can't get along with. They won't listen. They won't acknowledge efforts to help. They won't give the output of critical commands that you request. And sometimes, it's the other way around: you may violate some social or cultural issue that they have. In any case, LQ has an ignore list, and I've personally found it very useful in keeping me off of the moderators' @#$list - err, keeping me from getting into flame wars. And I'm sure there are a number of people that have me on their ignore list, as well. ;)

And, pixellany, it probably was the carburettor, anyway. :)

In their defense no one should be using Emacs and should only be using VI...

;)

-C

No--in my experience, it's usually the points---unless of course it's the condenser.....;)

I second the fact that it was the carburetor.
Anyway, i have not noticed any useless posts on the OPs thread history.

Often they are your family and you live with them :)

I wanted to tell another related problem that I often have when asking a question:

When someone replies and the post is either unhelpful or has no real sense in replying to, the last post will not be by the OP.

And the problem is that other members don't often reply when the last post was not by the OP.