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"Difficult Questions" (or something equally/more descriptive)
The gist is that I currently have a REALLY tough question that requires a LOT of description, some code snippets, and maybe even some illustrations and downloadable files to aid in getting an answer (I've been working on formulating the question for almost four hours already). Essentially, it would be the same as an article but would actually just be a programming question.
What I plan on doing at this time is starting an article that poses the question, but that is not published, and then posting a link to the unpublished article in my "proxy" forum question, inviting interested/knowledgeable parties to participate in the answer process.
Another benefit is that we don't lose our questions in the flotsam that soon fills in at the top of the forum.
What do you guys think (especially the CP admin folks)?
EDIT =============
Well, my workaround won't work because not everybody can see an article that's not been made public. 
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly----- "Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997----- "The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
modified on Saturday, June 5, 2010 3:51 PM
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sure. I like the idea. A "Really Hard Questions" forum. Or a "VIP Tech Room" for technical questions by Gold+ authors/authorities only.
Actually, asking the question as an article is fine by me, as it offers good readability, images, downloads, and a forum.
Two conditions should apply:
1. being restricted to gold+ members (we don't want silly questions turned into silly articles, as has happened before);
2. getting a list of those, a separate forum or list page could be fine.
BTW: don't hold your breath, the CP admin folks have probably left already for Florida, TechEd, the week-end (choose one).
Now where is your problem?
I can only hope it isn't all Silverlight and WPF, as I haven't reached that stage yet.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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The problem is dealing with a WCF web service used by a Silverlight app that's deployed as part of an existing asp.net web site on a secure server.
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
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Hm. I might still read the first few sentences then, but don't expect to be able to offer a useful reply... I'm not an early adopter when MS is involved, I tend to give them a head start, and wait for version 3 or SP2.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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It's been posted and the kick-off message is in the WCF forum.
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
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So I read your message again, and suddenly remembered the "upload" facility that is available I think to gold+ authors. Can't you simply upload the article and its dependent files to your upload area on CP (see "Uploads" menu, near the top right of most pages), then create a message that links to it?
PS: Sorry for the idea coming late...
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Good question. I would have suggested simply posting this as a question in Quick Answers. I looked at your article and it's not exceedingly long. I don't think there's anything wrong with posting a question of that length and detail in Quick Answers. However, since Quick Answers doesn't currently support uploads that might not be the best choice. Though I don't see any uploads attached to your article. Maybe you no longer have a need for it?
Personally I'd like to see something like this ultimately posted as a tip/trick. We have a task to allow members the ability to turn questions into tips/tricks. I think your subject and content is more in line with this system than the article system.
But a lot of this is todo's and ideals. As the site currently stands I think you chose a good route - if you absolutely do need uploads in your article. If not I'd recommend posting this as a question in Quick Answers. And possibly even creating a tip/trick out of it after you've found the solution.
Of course, these are all just my preferences. Feel free to choose any method that suites you best.
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Well, it doesn't work too well, because in order to make it visible to a suitably large number of users, I have to make it editable by those users, and that's not something I really want to do.
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
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Well you could post it as a question in Quick Answers but I suppose that brings the problem of anyone being able to edit. But I don't think this is something you need to worry about. You could always revert the changes anyone makes. And I doubt your question would devolve into some kind of tweaking/revision war. It's even less of a problem if the question temporary. I.e. you make it into a tip/trick. At that stage you can set the edit permission to any member level (admin, editor, gold, etc.).
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What it comes down to is a request to allow files and images to be uploaded.
We'll be adding this for tips, and hence it's trivial to add for Questions and Answers.
But will it be abused? Or will community policing manage things?
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Of course it will be abused. This is the internet we're talking about. 
.45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"The staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - J. Jystad, 2001
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So that'd be a thumbs up from you for this feature, then?
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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I am confused! (Nothing unusual there then. )
I realize that the Q&A comments system is a work in progress and that upcoming changes may answer this, but it is obvious from a quick trip through Q&A that people are using the comment facility where it might be better to use an answer, and vice versa. Have any guidelines been published setting out the teams' vision of how these features should be used?
Take the example of when Albert asks a question which Horace answers. Albert doesn't quite understand and so comments Horaces' answer. The clarification is short and so Horace replies by commenting Alberts' question to ensure that Albert is notified. The clarification turns into a can of worms raising a short question on a slight tangent. There are two obvious ways that Albert has to raise this short question:
1) post a new question referencing the current one, if necessary.
2) comment Horaces' answer once again since Horace is obviously up to date with the situation and might know the answer.
Three guesses which option Albert goes for?
Turns out the answer to this short question is too complex for a commentary reply, needs code or something, so Horace posts a new answer.
By this stage it is obvious that the whole shebang would have been better as a question in one of the regular programming forums, however, it's too late by now and we have a convoluted sequence with two answers, which, because the second one is tangential to the original question, is very difficult to follow. (A bit like this post.)
[Edit]
The reality is actually more complex than this.
[/Edit]
I have only one idea about how this can be resolved, if it is considered to need resolving. Well, actually, I have loads but most would be impractical.
The only thing that occurs immediately is to allow answers to answers, which would at least maintain the chronological sequence in a more easy to follow way. I realize that this would turn Q&A into something more like the current programming fora but I feel that something needs to be done.
Maybe the problem is that folks are taking the 'Quick Answers' title to indicate the likely speed of response, rather than that the question should be more simple.
Henry Minute
Do not read medical books! You could die of a misprint. - Mark Twain
Girl: (staring) "Why do you need an icy cucumber?"
“I want to report a fraud. The government is lying to us all.”
Why do programmers often confuse Halloween and Christmas?
Because 31 Oct = 25 Dec.
modified on Friday, June 4, 2010 7:53 AM
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The preferred method is actually (3)
Edit the original question to update it based on the discussion, and then post an anwwer (or edit an existing answer) to address the refined question.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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Very philosophical.
Old Japanese proverb, "When the road forks, take the third way".
------------------------------------
I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave
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You've just made that up!
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What's new?
Who do you think sends new word suggestions to Webster, so he can later target them with some obscure CCC clue?
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Confusing forks and bifurcations is a common mistake. Even Neptune knew better, see here[^] and here[^].
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Henry (or should I say Horace now?),
please take this one step further, and suggest a truly hierarchical message system, such as sometimes implemented in really good forums.
When you do, I will have to nominate you for the next Nobel price, in a category of your choice.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Following on from a recent thread [^], it appears that the hamsters have adopted my suggestion for adding a sentence to "how to ask a question" point 9. [IMHO, Luc's suggestion was better...]
Fine, but I just noticed that the PHP forum has only the (old?) guidelines with ask/answer lumped together. I don't know how widespread this is, but it would be more impressive to someone who might be worth impressing if all the forums were consistent (except for lounge, backroom, soapbox and the other hangouts of us crazies, of course).
Besides, when future enhancements are deployed, less hamster fuel will be required.
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994.
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Hi Peter,
IMO those stickies should not be look-alike or would-be identical, there should be only one, that gets shown in all relevant forums. That way only one needs to be maintained. And such simplification would make improvements a lot easier to suggest and to implement.
Also their subject line should be consistent; it does not help at all that in some forums one is called "how to ask a question" whereas in others it is "how to get an answer". That makes referring to them correctlly (while editing a reply) needlessly difficult.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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Luc Pattyn wrote: there should be only one
Agreed. That was my point about saving hamster fuel...
Software rusts. Simon Stephenson, ca 1994.
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Luc Pattyn wrote: IMO those stickies should not be look-alike or would-be identical, there should be only one, that gets shown in all relevant forums
Unfortunately the forums have not been built to allow this. For now we make do with what we have.
As long as the message gets across I am satisfied, but I also know from experience that very, VERY few people bother reading such messages. Still, we try.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
The Code Project | Co-founder
Microsoft C++ MVP
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I don't give up that easily!
1.
I would then consider using a little script that copies the master from its forum to all other programming forums. The script could run automatically, either triggered by a change in the master message, or on a time base (say daily). The ROI would be great, you'd never have to edit more than one howto message then.
2.
Chris Maunder wrote: VERY few people bother reading such messages
Most people behave well, either because they have been well educated, or they have read them, or they mimic other's behavior. All that is fine. It is only the offenders that stand out, but they aren't that many.
For those who read, and for those who bother referring offenders to the howto messages, it is beneficial to have the howto's as clear and accurate as possible. So please keep giving your sheriffs adequate tools.
NEW: I also suggest you add a howto hyperlink to the edit message page; and/or an easy way for repliers to paste such link in their reply.
Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [Why QA sucks] [My Articles]
I only read formatted code with indentation, so please use PRE tags for code snippets.
I'm not participating in frackin' Q&A, so if you want my opinion, ask away in a real forum (or on my profile page).
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