Forum mechanism and expectation

[frax84]

Hello,
i'm writing this post because i think that i'm missing something on how this forum works. Just to be clear: this is not a critique. It's just that sometimes i feel how there is an "unstable relationship" between users, advanced users and mod/admin/ESP guys.

Imho, when anyone writes a post, make a (stupid) question, some kind of feedback is expected from ESPguys if no one is able to help. Just to be clear again: "feedback" doesn't mean that someone has to solve/answer the problem, but in any case an answer that makes me aware that i've been read from some ESP admin should be auspicable. Answers like "There is work on this", "Actually it's not supported", "you're speaking non sense", "this post is against the forum rules" are all acceptable to match in someway the expectation of someone who writes a post.
If what i'm saying makes no sense for most of you is ok, it's just my way to intend the "community", but in this case i really suggest to pin a post on top the forum with some FORUM RULES: "don't ask for this, don't ask for that, read before post, etc. ". In this way i can imagine forum will be less spammed, everyone will lose less time in writing and waiting an answer and posts will match better with the expectations in writing it.

Thank you for your attention,
frax

[kolban]

I suspect that the vast majority of forum posts are indeed read. I think the primary intent is for community members to attempt to help each other. When we see a question where we can offer any guidance or advice, I think that by and large we do. Most of us leave our egos at the door and are willing to offer guidance (even if wrong) in the hope that by exposing an error, it can be corrected for next time. When I see a post that I have nothing to offer, I don't respond. It would be a bit pointless just posting "no idea". I also track threads by their posting ... so being "woken up" to a thread just to read "no idea" would be a detriment (to me).

If a post doesn't get a response in a week or two, Ive had good success simply by posting "bump" to it.

As for making posts, I usually go by a rule of thumb that says spend at least three times as long writing the post as you would like someone to spend contemplating it.

[ESP_Sprite]

You have a point there. In general, the forum is intended a less restricted form of communication where people help each other and we as Espressif people also see what we can do if someone comes up with a question. For the tiny details needed for production of many things on a deadline, it's usually better to contact the sales team or FAE, for bugs in esp-idf it's usually better to post an issue on Github. It's probably a good idea to put these expectations in a sticky somewhere; I'll see if I can work on something after the weekend.

[frax84]

Thank you all for the feedback,
@kolban: a "no idea" post is of course useless. I didn't even think to consider that as a feedback. My comments were mostly for ESPguys, considering that they have to be an idea by definition . By the way you're basically right: posts should have a context, refer to a particular problem and be written as best as the owner of post can.

@ESP_Sprite: i appreciate any guideline you can provide to make the forum works more efficiently.

frax