Like a bull at a gate I usually rip off the packaging of my latest tech purchase be it hardware or software and start to play. Inevitably after a few minutes or some hours or days I hit a Hurdle.
Thankfully Help is at hand in the form of a Help button or link or a set of included instructions on CD or in print. My faves are the little Quick Start Guides that are often included in the packaging with my new toys.
With my Haphazard organisational skills I cannot sometimes quickly find those lovely manuals that came with my products. Sometimes when I can find these guides the indexes are so hideous that they render the resource useless or sometimes the "If things go wrong" sections are inadequate. Manufacturers and developers do not seem to have crystal balls that indicate the issues their users may encounter (and besides that their products never fail).
It's then that I turn to cyberspace for Help. Cyberspace is populated by people just like me who have encountered Hurdles when using various products; these people may be helpful or frustrated. Either way they often write about issues and their resolution in various User Forums and Groups on the internet. Some people just haunt the help forums of their favourite products waiting for hapless people like me to happen along. No sooner does one post a plea then some being with superior knowledge comes back with an answer. It is worth seeking out and joining the forums for the products you buy before anything goes awry.
When I need help I often just type a question into my Google search box and hit enter. If I don't get an immediate response I reword my plea and try again. On most occasions from the Hits that I get I am able to find a resolution to the issue confronting me.
The lesson for this week's challenge is:
When all else fails go for help
This post first appeared on the Geniaus Blog
With my Haphazard organisational skills I cannot sometimes quickly find those lovely manuals that came with my products. Sometimes when I can find these guides the indexes are so hideous that they render the resource useless or sometimes the "If things go wrong" sections are inadequate. Manufacturers and developers do not seem to have crystal balls that indicate the issues their users may encounter (and besides that their products never fail).
It's then that I turn to cyberspace for Help. Cyberspace is populated by people just like me who have encountered Hurdles when using various products; these people may be helpful or frustrated. Either way they often write about issues and their resolution in various User Forums and Groups on the internet. Some people just haunt the help forums of their favourite products waiting for hapless people like me to happen along. No sooner does one post a plea then some being with superior knowledge comes back with an answer. It is worth seeking out and joining the forums for the products you buy before anything goes awry.
When I need help I often just type a question into my Google search box and hit enter. If I don't get an immediate response I reword my plea and try again. On most occasions from the Hits that I get I am able to find a resolution to the issue confronting me.
The lesson for this week's challenge is:
When all else fails go for help
This post first appeared on the Geniaus Blog
That sums it up rather well. :-)
ReplyDeleteJill, you make me laugh with this post! One of the first "tips" for beginners in genealogy is HUMILITY, i.e., ask for HELP! We grownups tend to be perfectionists as well as think we ought to figure it all out by ourselves. Such independence in actions wastes a lot of time and energy. Thanks for such a great post!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great topic Jill.
ReplyDeleteI'm always asking for help, and as such, I never stop learning.
I'm indebted to so many who have helped me out with valuable information or suggestions in my family history journey. And I know I wouldn't got this knowledge without asking along the way.