Answers User, Want To Contact Me? Please Read This First
Many people contact me directly with questions. I’m very flattered and very appreciative when that happens.
To ensure that I give you an answer you find useful, and everyone can share in that effort, I make the following requests.
Please post your question to Answers first, then e-mail me the question. That way, everyone can see the answer. Besides, I’m not the only person answering questions. If you post your question, you may well get a faster, or better, answer.
Once your question is posted, you’ll notice it has a little envelope icon right beneath your text. Simply click on that and follow the instructions to send the question to dhvrm@yahoo.com.
Please add your e-mail address in the Message field. Answers uses its own e-mail address to send questions, not yours; so I cannot contact you if you don’t put your e-mail address in the Message field.
I look at every question sent to me, but I cannot answer them all. I may not understand the question, know enough about the subject matter or you may have already received a good answer. Sometimes, I can’t answer a question immediately, especially if it is a request for code.
If you include your e-mail address in the Message field, I will e-mail you a reason for delaying or declining your question.
I do not answer certain questions.
- I don’t know enough about certain languages to answer questions:
- Java (That is, Sun’s programming language. It’s not the same thing as JavaScript.)
- Flash / ActionScript
- Ruby
- FORTRAN, COBOL or any other ancient programming language
- Questions about social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). People who ask questions that in any way relate to social networking sites are, in a word, assholes.
- Any question that asks how to steal software or other media, or how to violate someone else’s computer systems. I report all such threads. It’s perfectly fine to copy or tinker with what you own. It’s not OK to steal or vandalize.
- Most help-desk type questions, e.g., the meaning of a given error message, why your PC is doing something strange.
Please use descriptive subject lines in your e-mails. Again, if you want me to answer a question, you need to post it to Answers first. But if you need to e-mail me for another reason, please use a descriptive subject line.
Examples of bad subject lines, which will only get you added to my spammer blacklist:
- hello
- question
- please help
Examples of good subject lines:
- Some comments on your Answer about PHP sockets
- Why didn’t you answer my question about JavaScript?
- Thank you for answering my question
Please write good English. I realize that many people on Answers don’t know proper terminology or how to accurately describe the problem they have. And some people do not speak English well. However, I cannot answer if I cannot understand you.
Do not send unsolicited Yahoo! Messenger IMs or friend requests. If you do, I will add you to my ignore list.
I do not chat for free. If you want detailed help with a problem or to have a wider discussion than the Answers forum allows, I am happy to do so for hire.
My base consulting rate is $70 per hour; actual programming time is at a significantly higher rate, depending on the nature of the work.
I generally require new clients to pay a non-refundable retainer, usually about $1,000, before I provide consulting services. I generally require new clients to provide a formal request for proposal, letter of acceptance and a non-refundable deposit of at least 25 percent before I undertake programming work.
If you want to hire me, send me an e-mail.
July 12th, 2008 19:32
Rofl, I’m a fellow developer, I’ve done only a few Prog. languages.
- Java
- PHP
- JavaScript (Scripting, not really a programming language)
- HTML, XHTML, CSS
- C++, barely.
I completely agree with
“Questions about social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). People who ask questions that in any way relate to social networking sites are, in a word, assholes.”
I think the Programming & Design section should be split into two separate sections, considering higher level questions shouldn’t be with simple HTML questions, such as naive computer users’ questions.
It’s ruinous.
Anyway, I’ve just come to say that I agree, and would like to talk to a mind such as yours. Feel free to mail me, {snip: e-mail address} , thanks.
July 12th, 2008 21:03
Answers has a MySpace section but for whatever reason, the keyword filter won’t dump such questions into that category, but puts them in P & D. I and others have often asked Answers to place all MySpace questions in that category, but for whatever reason, Answers will not do so.
And just to clarify what makes social networking questioners assholes (recognizing that most of these questioners are 14-year-old dipshits, which of course makes them assholes by proxy):
Basically, every time I’ve answered some asshole’s question about social networking sites, he’s given me a reason to regret it.
If people want to waste time skinning MySpace when they could be out interacting with real people or learning real programming, they can do so without my support.
August 14th, 2008 08:48
Although i m jst a beginner, but i like programming specially java, html etc. but i like the way that is made up here i mean the way of supporting people who want to learn something about computer. It’s great, i will carry on.
August 25th, 2008 23:00
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