[Fried Rice Mofo]

Let me start off by saying that I realize we are all here at Crackberry to enjoy one of our favorite products in our lives, the Blackberry.

That being said, please learn to read the manual if you are not familiar. Items such as "What does the +/- sign on the side of my phone?" up to "How do I change built-in themes on my BB?" will be covered in the manual..

I understand that CB doesn't just cater to the advanced user.. But some of the questions that have popped up on here of late are just quite frankly, ridiculous, and have done nothing but waste the time of the community..

Kind of like this post.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[amazinglygraceless]

Thread title edited to make it less offensive and elitist.

I also beg to differ with the premise of this entire thread.
There are times when the manual isn't readily available and
the poster needs help. THAT is one of the reasons why we
are here and why people know they can turn to this site.

If you feel a question is a waste of your time, just move
along to another thread. There will be others willing to help.

[todbanner]

These questions are great for me because I get to participate and help with out being a CB genius I get to feel useful!!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Coruptyed]

Manuals now adays are not the least bit helpful its easier to come here and search the how to or ask..

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Blacklatino]

*Shrugs* I'm going on two years here and longer on other forums. I got over it a long time ago. IMO, I'd rather see someone ignore the question than belittle(as others have done in the past on here) another "person" over the 'net just because of a question.

[jberryg]

Manual? What manual?

[Reparkable]

Maybe someone is camping, like me, and the manual is back at home. Having this site, on the go, is very helpful. On the flip side, some of the questions are readily available by doing a simple search.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Bla1ze]

The manual is useless anyways.

[Denise in Los Angeles]

The manual is useless anyways.

The manual is also written in annoying techno jargon.

[LuvMyBB]

I do agree somewhat with the OP, though. I don't expect everyone will read the full manual. (Do they even print those anymore?) But if you buy a *new* phone in box, they all come with a quick start guide now. Ten minutes scanning through that will do wonders at answering the most rudimentary of questions.

Also, if we didn't expect folks to "help themselves" even just a tad, why do we post all the links to FAQs, noobs read this first, BB 101s, etc? I feel it's reasonable that we all try to help ourselves before asking help of others, especially for obviously basic questions and "what's this button do" posts. There are plenty of resources right here (if they don't have it in print) that don't require a new thread.

How many "search is your friend" answers do we see? Some of the same ones who may chastise the OP could be the very same ones who fuss at a noob for failing to use the search function, etc. Just sayin'...

Nevertheless, I help whenever I can.

Peace.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[keepit dry]

Why do these threads keep coming up? If you think a question is dumb or a waste of your time ignore the question.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Fried Rice Mofo]

I concur that the manual is largely useless, but last I checked, the manual does go over things like the button features on the phone, how to move/hide/show all icons on the icon screen, how to access "About" in the Options menu, how to lock/unlock your keyboard, etc.

I'm talking about basic features here, people.. Not even slightly more advanced issues like how to install a downloaded theme/app, etc. Basically, owning a phone like a BB or any other smartphone and not knowing how to change the volume is like owning a Ferrari Spyder and not knowing how to shift from 1st to 2nd gear. There's a manual for those basic operations..

Yes, if I were to sit here and say, "Well people that uninformed about phones don't even have any business owning a Blackberry!", well then I could see the argument that I'm an "elitist phone-snob". But I think when you own a smartphone, you should if not have the basics down (how to SMS, etc.), then at least know how to find the answer on your own w/o wasting everyone else's time..

I'll just go back to ignoring crap like that.. Don't mind me, I've had a bad week..

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[dictoresno]

i will agree that many of the simple n00b questions should be searched for first, before posting it up over and over. even to this day, as advanced as i consider myself, i still search for stuff before i post. as much as i dont mind helping out the new people, we can really cut down on the repeat posts if people really utilize the search, faq and 101 sections.

[amazinglygraceless]

See here is the problem. Most users with a problem do search.
They do it via Google and that invariably leads them here.

Since they are having what they consider "an end of the world"
they register and ask. I know, that's how I got here.

Rather than telling a newbie to search or RTFM, why not just
recognize we were all there at one point, help them and teach
them how to use the site to get the most from there phone.

When I came here in Dec. 2007 I had all kinds of stupid and
redundant questions and the members here help me along.
No one ever demeaned me, insulted me or told me "search
is your friend"
Now I try to pay that forward.

I always tell new members there are no stupid questions and
assure them that at some point, if they stick it out, they will
be surprised when they shepherd some newbie through a crisis.

Lighten up y'all. Post helpful answers and links where they
exist. If not, just hit the back button and leave the thread.

[Laura Knotek]

See here is the problem. Most users with a problem do search.
They do it via Google and that invariably leads them here.

I think a lot of Noobs to Blackberry are also Noobs to message boards. They won't understand how to search a message board if they have never been a member of any other message boards.

I am familiar with message boards. Before I joined here, I had been on several other message boards for 3+ years. I also am a moderator on another message board that has a completely different topic (pocket watches).

I belong to message boards dealing with computers, pocket watches, trains, musicians, and this one.

Somebody who has never belonged to a message board before might just be clueless as to how message boards work. "Search" to him might just mean Google. He could be clueless as to how to search on a message board.

[yfnumber5]

If the reason for this post is because you've had a bad week. Why not spread a little GOOD karma. It might surprise u that noob may be somebodys grandma give us a break if we were content to stay stupid we would never ask a question of ur superior intellect

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Motorcycle Mama]

I don't care necessarily that they read the manual or even search, but it would be nice if they were courteous enough to post using real words and at least a modicum of punctuation.

Reading a post like "n e 1 can hlp sum 1 plz" makes my skin crawl.

[DD1968]

I don't care necessarily that they read the manual or even search, but it would be nice if they were courteous enough to post using real words and at least a modicum of punctuation.

Reading a post like "n e 1 can hlp sum 1 plz" makes my skin crawl.

Couldn't have put it better myself... :-)

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Pilot Prop]

I'm ok with anybody posting any questions/statements they want...if I feel like its something I don't care to deal with then I just dont

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Dr.Sadistic]

I try my hardest to help new users. That is why my PIN is listed. I find it best to talk a person through somethings over BBM. Besides that, no one likes to feel stupid. If someone asks a question, than they, in earnest are seeking knowledge that could be potentially passed on to others. These simple gestures are a small part of what makes this forum great, and furthermore, makes me proud to be a member.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[amazinglygraceless]

I try my hardest to help new users. That is why my PIN is listed. I find it best to talk a person through somethings over BBM. Besides that, no one likes to feel stupid. If someone asks a question, than they, in earnest are seeking knowledge that could be potentially passed on to others. These simple gestures are a small part of what makes this forum great, and furthermore, makes me proud to be a member.

Now there is an attitude more people should adopt. Well said DrS, and thanks
for all you do.

[tmp3150]

I agree with the positive attitude of the people on here. If you can help someone, why not? I am a big fan of the pay it forward attitude.

if you don't like what someone post or you feel it is stupid, just pass it over. Don't be negative. If you can offer a positive tip to help someone out be nice and do so. In a small way it will make the world a better place for everyone.

[ChadsterDroid]

Lighten up y'all. Post helpful answers and links where they
exist. If not, just hit the back button and leave the thread.

Exactly! Something else I've found useful if I'm browsing the forum at home on my PC? Hovering my mouse over the thread title in the list. I get the first sentence or two of the initial post, and I can see if it's something I want to wade into for personal knowledge or a possibility to help, or if it's something I want to steer clear of for whatever reason.

I'm an old hand at message boards, so I happily search. But I know my mom (who is not a BB user, but rather uses the phone that shall not be named) would be lost in a setting like this. So, I just keep an eye out for people who need help and whom I can help with my limited (but growing) knowledge. Sometimes, I just voraciously read threads when I have the time, soaking up the information. Though still a "noob," having had my BB only since the end of May, I'm learning a lot, and hoping I'll be able to pay it forward.

Thanks to all the great people here who do what they do. I can see why some refer to it as "CrackBerry Nation," because it definitely feels like a cohesive, far reaching community -- though I guess it'd be more like "CrackBerry Planet"!

[Xanadul]

I'll have to admit I dont search like I should, but at least I try to figure it out first, and usually do, but posting "hey noob read the manual is why people learning this stuff is at times slow. It just makes it seem like you need to be genetically engineered to work a blackberry when in reality its not that hard at all....I will always answer the question no matter how droll, everyone was a noob at one time

[crackzilla]

Ever thought that there's alot of people that buy phones off Ebay and other online venues and the seller doesnt even have a manual.

I can understand where you're coming from to an extent but thats what this site is for w/o questions it wouldnt really exist and all we would see is the Rants & Raves forums

You get two snaps in Z formation.