Just Curious 9

[JesseL]

I am kind of new to tek-tips, and I feel like I am intruding on company time. Yes, this site is extremely helpful. I am ALL for getting my work done! Tek-Tips has been kind of addicting when it comes down to getting a answer. Is it right for me to be replying to posts at company time? Do you guys post and reply on company time? I have noticed once or twice that I would read some posts because they look interesting. I am now posting and replying on breaks. Thanks! "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new".
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

 

[onpnt]

Hi there,
most of my time that I am on Tek-Tips is spent within work hours. Do I think this is a wrong thing to do. "No and Yes" Does work think this is a wrong thing to be doing, "kind of, but they turn their heads"
Of course I feel pretty lucky in that case. You should deffinetly abide by the work policies that have been set forth for internet surfering etc.. at your company. If they don't want you online during normal work times then you shouldn't be online during working hours.
However the reasoning behind my boss not minding the fact that I come so often during working hours is the fact of debugging being cut down to such a small amount of time by gaining the help of such a wide range of minds that are very good at what they do. After explaining that and showing her what was going on here, not only did she leave it alone but in fact now is member as well. If you're worried about it then (provided you don't have a ax for a boss) tell them or ask if the use of Tek-Tips as a help forum for situations that may occur in your work there is OK during normal working times.
A language that doesn't affect the way you think about programming is not worth knowing.

http://www.onpntwebdesigns.com

admin@onpntwebdesigns.com

 

[CajunCenturion]

Most of us have benefitted in one way or another from participating in Tek-Tips. One cannot argue that TT is a valuable development resource, that being having the ability to query other professionals for their advice and guidance in dealing with the everyday problems that we face in IT. It should be fairly easy to show the benefit to the company when you post a question(s) and due to the generosity of another member, are able to obtain an answer to your question. I think there is a real monetary savings to the company with respect to the total development cost.

On the other side, what about the time spent responding to other people's questions. My feeling is that when used properly, Tek-Tips is a two-way communication medium. Posters who use these fora to only get answers are taking advantage of the service, and may find answers harder and harder to come by, as the "experts" can see they are just giving away their time. Posters who don't respond, and who don't thank their benefactors, or who do not mark posts helpful are in the long run, cutting themselves off from the other experts. Its a give and take relationship, and those who only take, will be ignored by more and more, as others recognize that behavior.

My point is that to get the most out of Tek-Tips, you also need to put back into it. Answer some other people's questions. Express your gratitude to those who have answered your questions. Award stars when you think its appropriate. Those who "invest" in Tek-Tips find it much easier to get a return on that investment.
Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[Kjonnnn]

TT is a valuable resource. I read it on and off all day. Its the first site I open in the morning when I get in.

Its not like we're reading a novel or something. I think reading TT is the equivalent of reading a computer resource that was in book form. Should I never look up a problem in a book? TT is just on the net thats all.

I probably wouldnt be able to do my job as well without accessing TT and other sites on the net. Plus is saves my employer money cause they don't have to buy the resources I use.

 

[TomKane]

My problem is that I have something to finish for tomorrow afternoon and then I go on my holidays. However, I find myself saying things like I'll just reboot my PC once more and then I'll crack on or I'll just check Tek Tips once more and then...

I don't think it's tek tips per se - I think that we all need a break from what we're doing and it can help to look at other people's problems and of course sometimes we get stuck and need other people's advice - the trick is to maintain the discipline to not spend the whole day in here - I'm looking at myself when I say this

 

[JesseL]

Excellent Tips guys! You can all add a star to your calendar. I'm really happy you gave me feedback on this topic, hehe.. I don't feel as guilty now "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new".
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

 

[xutopia]

I find it ethical to ask question and get answers on company time but answering should only be done on personal time. haha ethically speaking of course! Gary

http://www.xutopia.com

Haran

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

If it is a valuable resource to you then use it. If you spend 30mins a day on here and it saves you hours of pain, then it has payed of.

That is my thoughts anyway! Mike Wills
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer

http://www.koldark.net

 

[Timebomb]

I have discussed this with my supervisor at various times over the past several months. People have stopped by my cube and seen me "surfing the web" and wondering why I wasn't working. My supervisor and I came to the wonderful conclusion that this is a part of my job. As the Network Administrator I have to keep up on issues, I have to be able to find answers to questions. If I only post questions and no answers I know that the answers to my questions will become fewer and far between. I don't get to post or read as often as I like, but I usually get at least a couple hours each week in Tek-Tips. As has been stated, if you can show value most supervisors will understand.

Tom Backus
Network Administrator
Hitchcock Industries
Bloomington, Minnesota.
backust@hitchcockusa.com

 

[ANFPS26]

I'm retired and spend a lot of time in these fora. My wife probably thinks TOO MUCH time. Ha. But I've learned a lot from Tek-Tips and occasionaly help someone else. If I was an employer I would encourage my IT people to spend time here to learn and to teach. I believe you improve your skills by teaching, also. "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing....."

 

[svanels]

Answering question of others is another way of keeping up to date, also seeing how many ways a problem can be solved, broadens your view. Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[Timebomb]

Steven van Els:

You are right, and as I re-read my post, I realized what I said and what I meant were two different things. On some of the questions I will actually open my app and try to find an answer for someone else if I have an idea. It helps them, and it helps me. All benifit. The part about how if you don't answer questions, you don't get answers, was how I explained it to my supervisor. It was the push that was needed to explain to him why I look at topics that don't directly effect me and my job.

Tom Backus
Network Administrator
Hitchcock Industries
Bloomington, Minnesota.
backust@hitchcockusa.com

 

[mudskipper]

Good thread!

Yeah, I surf it a bunch at work also. I try to freely give answers when possible. My supervisor knows that I do this, and I too am very fortunate in that they don't mind. When talking to them, I simply told them that I often find answers to my questions (mostly by searching through old threads). I also told them that my biggest reason for doing this is to 'stay sharp'. I do have to watch myself, though. It is way too easy to spend alot of time here!

By taking this job, I left the 'front lines' of PC building and repair to go into tech support for a company that tends to be a little behind the cutting edge. TT helps me to practice simple troubleshooting, and it also helps me to stay current with the problems that are out there (heaven knows that we will hit many of those same problems sooner or later). When explained this way, my supervisor(s) were all for it. After all, they were the ones that told me to use my spare time to learn all that I could, to stay current, and to use websites as my main sorce of information!

Did I mention that I love my job?

I think of tek-tips as a resource and a tool. It is just as important to me as that big ol' bag of tools/spare parts that I lug around!

By the way...in case anybody cares, the biggest thing that I constantly re-learn from T-T is that you should always look at the easy things first! I have had many-a-slap-in-the-forehead after reading the results of some posts!! Mudskipper
___________________________________________________________________________________

Groucho said it best- "A four year-old child could understand this! Quick! Run out and find me a four year-old child: I can't make heads nor tails out of this!"

 

[CajunCenturion]

xutopia - you stated I find it ethical to ask question and get answers on company time but answering should only be done on personal time. haha ethically speaking of course! .

With respect to my previous post, just how do you define the ethics that you're making light of? Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[xutopia]

Hey Cajun!

Ethics is something you can even learn in University in the philosophy. I was in a rush when I wrote that message so let me explain my point of view on the matter.

What I would find unethical in the loose term is to spend all my time on TT for fun and not for work. I answer questions for others not because I owe it to them but because it pleases me to do so. And I feel as though the tek-tips forum and the star system is made to be addictive. Getting public recognition (as a star) for showing your knowledge and sharing it with others can become a drug for certain people. I know it did for me!

Now TT for me on company hours might come in handy when I need to find something out without having any luck through Google. But as a general rule I can get answers myself when I did just a little harder. Essentially TT might save me time but it may not, and most times it doesn't (i'm just naturally good however and don't require help most of the time). Helping strangers is not what my boss pays me to do. So essentially I could see him not minding me asking questions and receiving answers on company time.

For me answering and getting stars is fun and doesn't help my boss out. I could consider that it is unethical for me to TT the way I generally do during work hours.

Sincere truth is that I still spend between 30 minutes to an hour each day on company time answering and reading posts on this site.

My arguments are that I need a break from my code and TT provides me with that break! I could even go further and say that because I help people out I will get help in return because I allow, in my personal way, that such a community as TT exists. And since I sometimes get answers there for my work it's a fair tradeoff! But that would most likely be a lie for many of us. All of us most likely spend way more time answering and reading rather than asking questions! I think Cajun from seeing you in some of the same forums as the ones I visit that you probably help out more than you actually get help from TT!

I hope this clears things out! Gary

http://www.xutopia.com

Haran

 

[cian]

Hi ksharp,

guess it depends on what kind of work you do!

All my time spent on TT and another forum (VT) is during office hours! Is it intruding on company time? Yes. Is this wrong? Yes. Because my job does not benefit in any way from what I learn on TT.

For my job to get some benefit I should spend my time on Eng-Tips but I prefer TT better!

If you work in a related business then spending a little time on TT can benefit you and also your company, because you can learn (by asking and answering Q's) and you can solve problems with TT's help rather than spending hours scratching your head alone in an office!

As mentioned TT is a valuable resource with many beneits. But are those benefits to you or the company you work for? Perhaps that's the question which should be asked first?


É

::

http://www.endamcg.com

::

http://www.endamcg.com/finland-gaa

 

[svanels]

I spend my (and company) time on both and don't feel guilty, my colleagues spent their time reading newspaper and CNN-sports on the net. google? they have never heard of it! Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[JesseL]

Hello all,

I am currently a VBA/Access programmer, and I use tek-tips when i am stuck at a specific problem. But i have found that it got to be addicting to look at other forums when i was trying to find a solution to that problem. I have been a programmmer for 1yr at this company. LOL, the first week i used this site.. i felt like a 13yr old kid on a website he wasn't supposed to be at Thanks for all the replies! "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new".
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

 

[garwain]

I'd have to say I see nothing wrong with spending a few minutes here and there reading different threads if they help you perform your job better. I wouldn't want to spend all day surfing and get nothing done though.

I have a few reasons for this.
1) I need to keep up to date on several topics that are discussed here because I work at several different tasks all the time
2) Everyone needs to take a few minutes break once in a while
3) sometimes just taking your mind off a problem for a few minutes will help. I will often spend a few hours searching the net for the answer to the problem of the day, I'll read several pages of information, try hundreds of suggestions and still get nowhere. Eventually I'll take 10 minutes or so to read through a few posts in one forum site or another (some that don't even apply to the job at all) and then when I look at the problem again, the answer will often seem so obvious that I'll end up banging my head against the keyboard for not seing it before.

Well, that's it for this break, back to the compiler...

 

[vaoldschl]

Check this thread too:

thread717-369569

I think it ties in to the whole discussion. Whether or not TT provides me with solutions to problems in my specific work environment I feel I'm paid for my skill set and production level. Since these consistently meet and/or exceed expectations I see no reason I shouldn't spend a little time playing in these forums. I can't say that TT, as a general rule, adds to my skills but I can say with conviction that the forums I look at reinforce my current knowledge of things I wouldn't necessarily think about on a daily basis were I not to help others with their issues.