Can You Believe This?

[viewer]

A few days ago someone posted asking for help understanding AC. Apart from ridiculing the username there were few replies. I wonder why?

That's not quite true.

I did say that some posters including yourself offered further help.

You, yourself linked to an explanation which was far more involved than even Eric or John would bother typing. For a subject and question like that, exploring Google would seem to be far more productive.

My point exactly - the depth of understanding required for the DIY poster to complete a safe and satisfactory task is not the same as a complete understanding of underlying principles. I'm not complaining that people did not try to help the AC poster- the suggestion of google is fine and a DIY forum is not the place for explanations of advanced physics. My key point was that to require a "genuine understanding" needs qualifying in the context. I am not against people being told that they need to understand the necessary circuit/safety/etc principles of the task undertaken nor to be advised to stop and get qualified advice. The question to ask is, "What do we want to achieve?" and the pragmatic instructions are more likely to give a safe outcome than a 'go and read' command where the poster may feel insulted, not have a good reading ability or be under pressure to finish the task.

Please explain the situation in the Middle East. A good example; this was used many years ago as an example of how not to write examination questions. The student could write, "I cannot explain the the situation in the Middle East". It would be 100% honest, 100% correct and therefore deserves 100% marks. Just like the unqualified genuine understanding comment the failure to properly explain what was required makes a nonsense of question and answer.

[/b]

 

[viewer]

Apologies for screwing up the quote system.

 

[mfarrow]

It's the forum software, it automatically puts the end formatting bits in when you click on the buttons to create them and then finish them yourself, so you end up with yours appearing as text.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Not exactly rocket science to put it right though, is it.

 

[Grizzly]

Use the 'Preview' button....?

 

[Lectrician]

It's the forum software, it automatically puts the end formatting bits in when you click on the buttons to create them and then finish them yourself, so you end up with yours appearing as text.

Not quite sure I understand that. You are meant to highlight text and then click a button. Quotes within quotes can be confusing, you just need to keep an eye on opening and closing tags.

If you use Google Chrome, the tags don't work properly due to a JavaScript error. You have to manually add them.

 

[viewer]

Ah; thanks guys. I use Comodo which is a variant of Chrome and it can do some funny things. Will swop to Firefox and use preview for any future missives.

 

[mfarrow]

Not quite sure I understand that.

An example then.

I have just used the B, i, u and Quote buttons to put tags on this sentence in Chrome. There are now stars against each of those buttons. I am about to manually add the 'slash' B, i, u and Quote tags to end the formatting by typing them in.

When I click on Submit, however, the software will think I've not completed the formatting properly (the buttons with the stars) and adds the end tags itself and the end of the message, screwing everything up.

I know you're supposed to select and then push the buttons, but like people have said, it doesn't work that way in chrome.[/quote][/u][/i][/b]

 

[mfarrow]

So one has to correct ones self.

I have just used the B, i, u and Quote buttons to put tags on this sentence in Chrome. There are now stars against each of those buttons. I am about to manually add the 'slash' B, i, u and Quote tags to end the formatting by typing them in.

When I click on Submit, however, the software will think I've not completed the formatting properly (the buttons with the stars) and adds the end tags itself and the end of the message, screwing everything up.

I know you're supposed to select and then push the buttons, but like people have said, it doesn't work that way in chrome.

 

[Lectrician]

Chrome is buggy with it. It isn't meant to add the tags to the end, it doesn't add them correctly, they are hidden, and appear when you post. I always add them manually when using chrome.

Chrome is not interpreting the JavaScript code as intended. Not a chrome issue so much, as the forum software not being fully compliant.

 

[SimonH2]

TBH, I've just got used to typing the formatting codes as I go. There aren't many common ones, and it can be as quick to just type them along with your flow as it is to break off and click on buttons - especially when you then have to go and correct things.