How about a Genuine Techy List

Altahost

Antispam wrote: »

Another thing that occurred to me is if a person has to prove they are 'qualified' you might well put them off helping, as the advice is given out freely, putting obstacles in peoples way is a sure way of alienating those who want to give advice out for free

Would be a forum condition in this domain...wouldn't it? I never mentioned money.

Altahost

Antispam wrote: »

Just interested but which thread was the person who lost his/her data

this person started a thread earlier yesterday. After acting on that advice he started the followin thread:

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2227395

jbreckmckye

And anyway, so what if everyone on this forum were qualified? There are a thousand and nine kajillion other forums out there, and they aren't going to maintain the same standards. It's far safer for users to learn to take care when relying on internet message boards. I know it sounds harsh, but the alternative just isn't feasible.

Marty_J

Everyone is free to put their qualifications and/or experience in their signature if they so wish. Then it's there for all to see.

However, having a "qualified techie" board would seem to be a tacit approval of the advice received therein, which would raise liability issues. If one of the qualified techies breaks someone's computer, who is then liable for the damages?

Inactive

Antispam wrote: »

Another thing that occurred to me is if a person has to prove they are 'qualified' you might well put them off helping, as the advice is given out freely, putting obstacles in peoples way is a sure way of alienating those who want to give advice out for free

Spot on, there is an old saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Now I accept that no forum will ever come up with perfect solutions to all problems, this one does better than most that I have come across.

MSE is highly successful, but of course if anyone thinks they can do better, they could always start their very own forum, that way the could make their own rules up and use only " qualified individuals " to run it.

Altahost

jbreckmckye wrote: »

And anyway, so what if everyone on this forum were qualified? There are a thousand and nine kajillion other forums out there, and they aren't going to maintain the same standards. It's far safer for users to learn to take care when relying on internet message boards. I know it sounds harsh, but the alternative just isn't feasible.

this is true, the difference with this one is there is no material gain. Ever been in a classroom, been asked a question in front of your peers, you don't quite know the answer....do you just bs your way through it ultimately making a fool of yourself or do you simply say...I dunno.

This type of forum would nigh on police itself because I for one would be scared to death of providing bad advice in front of my peers.

I wasn't suggesting that MSE vet or indeed verify all so called qualified. I was suggesting that qualifications could be uploaded faked or not. How long would it take a room of techies, engineers, mechanics, builders worked out that one was not really all there.

The scanned copies are reference only for those that are undecided as to whose advice to take. simples

Inactive

Basically Altahost, your idea, however well intentioned is so seriously flawed to make it a dead duck, I would just give up on the idea, it ain't going to happen, it ain't going to work.

Face reality.

Altahost

Marty_J wrote: »

Everyone is free to put their qualifications and/or experience in their signature if they so wish. Then it's there for all to see.

However, having a "qualified techie" board would seem to be a tacit approval of the advice received therein, which would raise liability issues. If one of the qualified techies breaks someone's computer, who is then liable for the damages?

Brilliant question and surely a matter for law. Suggest TOCs would still stipulate the advice is free and risk is that of the person that asked for assitance.

Thank you

Altahost

Inactive wrote: »

Basically Altahost, your idea, however well intentioned is so seriously flawed to make it a dead duck, I would just give up on the idea, it ain't going to happen, it ain't going to work.

Face reality.

Once again...anything constructive to add?

Incidently, I have still seen little that would convince me that it would not improve results whilst still remaining free. Does it matter if it happens or not? erm...no, I don't think so. It was simply a question!

pendulum

I don't think someone posting on a free public forum, asking people for free advice, is entitled to risk free advice with a warranty attached! If you want a guaranteed level of service you should ask an IT professional and be prepared to pay for it. If you want to try and fix the problem yourself with the guidance of us here - and that's what the poster you speak of did do, he tried to fix it himself - then that's fine, but taking the advice and giving it a go is at your risk and everyone knows that.

Closing this forum to only qualified members would be a big mistake. Most problems are solved by members who probably wouldn't meet the "joining criteria" for a start. That's the first thread I can remember where a poster has lost data or had a problem made worse by a contributor here, and this problem's been caused by a software program "ComboFix" - may I dare to suggest that it might not even be the person who suggest this software's fault that the program appears to have caused a problem. Software screw ups do happen sometimes.