Pam,
P J Medlin wrote:
TO: HAROLD FUCHS at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Harold, thank you for your reply. I'm so, very, very sorry for . . .
The "Please have > someone answer ..." is therefore not appropriate . . .
HELP PLEASE . . .
Harold is very helpful to many people...
But I had had 7 replies, at my last count, to my request from "volunteers
without pay in their spare time from around the world" with open office.
My guess is that they also copied the list so that others could benefit
from your replies. As a side note, if you used the OOo Forum
(http://www.oooforum.org), you can post a question question and place a
check in a box that causes you to be notified every time someone posts
an answer (so it is almost a best of both worlds).
They were all so very helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable
That describes almost everyone on the list but me, you know, grumpy, not
helpful, and I usually feel like I don't know a single thing
that being from the south in the U.S., I thought they were all from the south
since they
definitely know about "southern hospitality" and manners,
Grew-up north of Detroit, I live further south now.
and even more amazing, they were all guys !
The list emailers are indeed predominantly mail. I can but speculate as
to why.
In the future if I have any questions or
require any help, I'll be sure and make my inquiry to one of them. Knowing
now that ya'll are all "unpaid volunteers from around the world who do this
in your spare time" makes me appreciate THEIR replies and expertise even
more.
I have a specific skill set and visibility that causes a large number of
personal requests for help to be emailed to me directly before other
avenues have been explored. I am also on a large number of mailing lists
(which are automatically sorted to appropriate locations). It is,
therefore, not uncommon for me to have around 1000 unread email messages
waiting for me.
1. It is very common for the personal requests to be questions that I am
able to immediately answer. Sure, sometimes I find the question
interesting so I spend an hour (or four) trying to solve the problem and
creating a solution. It is common, however, for me to refer people back
to the list or forum (especially if I do not already know the answer).
It is also common that I know the answer and I simply answer them.
2. If I answer a question using personal direct email, then the only
person that knows the answer is the person to whom I responded. Lets
face it, you are not an idiot so if you had the question, then someone
else probably also had the question. after the question has been asked
in public, I can frequently point to the solution and say "please read
section 5.2.1 from ......" and be done with it. If the question was
tricky and interesting, then I probably document it and then refer back
to the newly documented solution.
My points above do not mean that you can not email them directly and it
does not mean that the people mind. Just be aware that some people do
receive numerous requests for help. I used to spend a few hours every
day providing email support to others. Just be certain that using your
sweetest southern way, to politely inquire as to their feelings
regarding direct requests. Most people will say that it is fine, but you
are off the hook.
Finally, if they are unable to answer your specific question, be certain
to come back to the list or use the forum, you will find polite people
in either location.
But thank you for your info, too. I hope there's more sun than London fog
and rain in your future. You take care now, ya hear.
Pam in Tennessee in the United States
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Fuchs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Cc: "P J Medlin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: [users] HELP PLEASE by e mail reply - - - !!!Fw: Help for 'fit
to page' in spreadsheets when printing
Guy Voets wrote:
2007/3/11, Thomas E Webb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Please have someone answer my question below. I haven't heard
anything
since I sent this e mail on 2/12/07.
Thank you, Pam Medlin
Just to let you know that this support group is run by volunteers around
the world working without pay in our spare time. The "Please have
someone answer ..." is therefore not appropriate.
--
Harold Fuchs
London, England
Please reply *only* to [email protected]
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