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You made a good start with your suggestions, and I have added a few more.
The best things in life are not things.
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Hey All,
I just logged on for the first time in quite a while and man ... I haven't seen such a dodgy collection of articles awaiting approval ...
I reported a couple of horrific plagerisations and there are a few 'articles' that really aren't worth the bytes to store them.
I mean "New Features of C#3.0" posted today ... ! WTF?
Hmm ...
Cheers,
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What's happened is we changed the approval process so that it takes 5, not 1 vote to approve an article. This means the dodgy articles are more likely to be trapped in the moderation queue so that suggestions to the author can be made without risking the article going public prematurely.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Gotcha. That makes a lot of sense! Thanks Chris.
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That's good and appreciate the improvement. Developer community round the globe search CP for guidance and such a process will strengthen the faith in CP's quality.
Thanks....
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Sir;
I have written two articles; Confirm Message Box[^] and Message Box Control[^]. They have been saved under the section 'Uncategorised Tips and Tricks'. I want to move them to 'Web Development>Custom Controls' section as they are talking about costom controls.
Regards;
Help people,so poeple can help you.
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I recently wrote an article, Managing Your JavaScript Library in ASP.NET. It's written in C#. However, all of my coworkers are more familiar with VB.NET, so I'm thinking I should provide them (and others) the VB.NET version of the code snippets. I want your help to decide how to do this.
What I am thinking is that I'll post individual code snippets in the forum at the bottom of my article. That way, I can just link to them from just above each C# snippet in the article. I can probably also toss in some anchor tags and link back to the C# snippets from the VB.NET snippets. I can also provide a different download for VB.NET, so that part shouldn't be too difficult.
What do you think? What approach do you multi-programming-langauge-authors usually take? I'd rather not put both the C# and VB.NET inline, as I feel that bulks up the article and makes it look more intimidating than it actually is.
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A while ago when contemplating different paths to take in which articles could be presented I stumbled across this thought:
How would one go about giving authors the opportunity to create differenct views of their articles? One such option would be to enable the reader to have more than one set of code sammple if he/she so chooses (and if the author cares to provide them of course;)).
I'm pretty sure that this would most probably require a wholly different approach from the current one in how articles are entered and maintained, but I just thought that I share this idea with you.
Cheers!
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Manfred R. Bihy wrote: How would one go about giving authors the opportunity to create differenct views of their articles? One such option would be to enable the reader to have more than one set of code sammple if he/she so chooses
You mean like this? 
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I remember 5'ing that post...lol 
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Now we just need Chris & Co to implement it. Until then, I'll find some hacky way to get the VB.NET in the article.
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Why programmers are so poorly valued in their work, do a lot of code but the end result the client does not care only see the mistakes and has no idea of all that is behind it
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Are you planning to write an article on it? If not, then this topic would probably be better suited to the Lounge.
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As Pete says, there are more appropriate forums for this, since it appears you want to have a philosophical discussion.
OTOH, if you're warming up to do an article, then it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how the reputation of the construction industry (for example) compares to that of the software industry, or what a house would be like if built by software engineers.
But please don't respond here; put it into an article.
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Hi. Im fairly new to certain aspects of using codebehind to create things like gridviews etc. So, like all 'beginners' I tour the internet looking for articles to improve my knowledge. I thank all the authors for taking the time to write the articles but I have a plea, or rather several pleas.
1. Please test your examples before publishing, understanding that 'newbies' will often be trying to follow along. I have come across so many examples where code is reproduced incorrectly, and as a beginner that causes immense problems because basically I don't know what is wrong! So I spend a lot of time trying to work it out. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.
2. If certain steps have to be taken prior to using an example, say for instance, setting up datasets?, then I think that should be mentioned at the top of the article, with maybe a link to an article which explains that process. TEst your examples to see if they do work 'out of the box' and if not please explain what is needed to make then work. What is the point of providing examples if thay don't work. I have downloaded so many 'get the source code' and set up so many 'example's only to find that they fail this week alone it is unbelieveable, last week I wasted a complete working week and acheived very little.
I have downloaded this week from various forums etc, examples which should work , in theory, out of the box? I have to say that out of 40 examples only 2 actualy did work out of the box, while 15 were totally unuseable despite hours spent trying, and also reading other articles to try to help find why 'this' example doesn't work. Yes I have posted questions direct to the authors of the articles but most just don't bother responding.
An incomplete or non-working example when posted is in many ways useless, so I would rather such articles were removed so that articles 'returned' from searches are good articles.
I wasted approximately last week alone 48 hours trying to get examples to work; this week looks to be on par with that. This grip covers most forums, including things like jQuery c#, vb, slq matters and so on, it is not just a Code Project problem, but I must say that many of my 'Asp' examples have come from yours.
To my mind, the owners of these sites do themselves no favours by allowing authors to publish articles which do not 'provide' what they say they do. In the longer term that must detract from your reputation. Now that when I see an example returned from a search that shows your site as the provider I now skip them in favour of others that just might work.
Thank you for your time.
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I think you're exaggerating a bit or have been a bit unlucky with the articles you've found.
Most articles that allow you to download the source do compile.
Most compile errors occur because the target framework has been changed and it needs a small fix.
Code mentioned in certain articles tend to be a bit confusing for the beginners.
When an article mentions the TcpClient class, beginners don't know they need to add 'Using System.Net' at the top, so you've got a point there.
It's also not always mentioned when you have to add a dll reference to a project though a quick google on it usually reveals the secret.
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Under No circumstances am I exaggerating. Right now I am struggling with an example which is throwing error after error after error. I've been at is since 6.30 am today and it is now 11.29. As of 3 minutes ago, I decided to give and search again! 5 Hours wasted.
If you regualrly tour the web and use provided examples as I do as a learning aid you will soon see exactly what I mean. If you don't then do not waste my time, or anybody elses, by answering a point for which you have no knowledge.
Doing so is an example of the sympton I am trying to explain.
Thank you for your response
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RayH1066 wrote: if you don't then do not waste my tikme mby answering a point for which you have no knowledge.
nbgangsta's answer was perfectly reasonable; I see no reason for you to be abusive to someone who is trying to offer his view on your complaint.
The best things in life are not things.
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Hi, I am not being abusive, I am explaining clearly, yes maybe stringly, that articles if they claim to be 'out of the box examples' then that is what they should be!. If a 'iuser' has to google etc then that is not a complete example. If the user has to use an 'import' / System using then that should be stated. BUT, if the code is a complete example including .aspx.cs pages then all that should be there.
I am sorry that you feel I am being abusive that was not my intention, but the fact remains, your argument actually agrees with me but at the same time you want to disagree, so you got a strong reply. If details are missing from an article then that article is in theory useless, isn't it?
Thanks
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RayH1066 wrote: If details are missing from an article then that article is in theory useless, isn't it?
True, but the only way to find out is to try it; this is an open forum where anyone can post articles, tips, tricks, blogs etc. As I said in my other response it is impossible to check everything that is posted, we just have to rely on the authors doing it properly. If you have problems with either the content or the code then tell the author; posting a general whine in this forum is unlikely to be seen by the people you are having a problem with.
The best things in life are not things.
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It is a point, a valid point and not a whine! That could be considered insulting because it shows that you are unable to emphasize with 'newbies' and that is sad. I am looking to see if 'a general plea' might just raise ideas of what is expected.
I do agree with you over the number of entries etc, I understand totally the difficulties the masters of this site must face, but they designed the site and they manage the ideals of the site and the objectives of the site. Maybe from time to time these values need revising? It is the users that kick thoses revisions off. If we just accept that rubbish will be posted for all to see then that is a losers attitude, where as a possitive guide to authors - ,maybe an email reminding them of the problems associated with untested solutions etc, might that make them think before that hit the 'post' button?
I am raising the issue because it needs raising here as well as elsewhere.
Thank you
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RayH1066 wrote: It is a point, a valid point and not a whine! That could be considered insulting because it shows that you are unable to emphasize with 'newbies'
Well there you go, whining again; you don't like my answer so you accuse me of insulting you. I think, as a newbie, you need to take a good look at your attitude.
I think you are really failing to understand how this site works. This is an open site which is largely policed by the thousands of members who visit every day. If something is wrong with the structure or availability of the site, then we report it to the site owners who do their best (and generally succeed very well) to fix it. If there is something wrong with the content that is submitted by the membership then all we can do is report it back to the person who posted and ask them to correct it. But with the amount of questions and answers, articles, blogs, tips & tricks that get posted every day, it is an impossible task to check and validate everything. There are guidelines for new members to explain how to post questions and answers, how to write an article etc, but again if people do not bother to read the guidelines there is not a lot that can be done.
It is far better to have an open site with lots of good and well presented information and accept that the odd bad article gets published, than to start imposing rules that would be difficult to enforce and drive away some of the people that actually make useful contributions to the site.
As you can see, not many people read this forum so I am going to post a link to this in the Lounge to see what some other CPians feel about the points you raised.
The best things in life are not things.
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Actually, I've had quiet a few replies considering how long this has been posted.
THe points I am raising - should you care to read them - are exteremly valid. While you might find then distasteful, as you so obviously do, it does not remove the validity, in fact your underlying attitude (mine is very open and fair minded and evenly levelled and I do understand all the problems wyhicfh can and do beset forums - see some of my answers) shows to me that no matter what the problem is you would defend it rather t han saying, hey, maybe there is a point here?
There was once a train company in the dear old USA that was going bust. The Directors could not see how to halt the decline in rail users and were wringing their hands in desperation. Along came a clever chap who in stead of defending the general state of all the rail links in the USA he looked at the companies articles and saw that they had declared themselves to be a transport company. To his mind that included, space craft, buses, cars, bikes, motorcyles, skateboards etc. The company , went, oh, oh, oh, and changed lol and hehold a bit of creative thinking and willingness to asccept that there is an laternaitive view / point/ etc and there fortunes turned good.
Closed minds are destructive.
Good day to you
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RayH1066 wrote: THe points I am raising - should you care to read them - are exteremly valid. While you might find then distasteful, as you so obviously do, it does not remove the validity, in fact your underlying attitude (mine is very open and fair minded and evenly levelled and I do understand all the problems wyhicfh can and do beset forums - see some of my answers) shows to me that no matter what the problem is you would defend it rather t han saying, hey, maybe there is a point here?
There you go again, "I can't argue with the guy so I'll insult him".
Like I said before, you really don't understand how this site works.
The best things in life are not things.
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Hi
Im not insulting you.
I am questioning a blithe acceptance of sloppyness. I do understand how the site works. I do understand that most, if not all of the contributions are voluntary and of course I thank very much the diligently produced articles. Nether-the-less if St Johns Ambulance People tied a bandage around a leg to fix a broken arm then we would have the right to raise a point and to comment on it without being told, hey, this brigade is voluntary therefore stop moaning.
That is what I am arguing about, and I will always argue against intraction.
Thanks for your reply
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