Do your Time Line

[Sinergy 3]

I dont agree with a waiting period either, omg a 7 day waiting period? some ppl dont have that long to ask for advice. Not saying its a crappy idea, but saying id go to another forum if that was the case and i was a noob.

However we have to stop flaming noobies. They are clueless, they are scared, they are nervous and they are worried. They may read the guidelines, but again some might not understand them. I know it can be hard to believe, but its true. We have got to stop making them feel like they are a disease or a waste of our time. They are here for our help, and they are not as experienced as some of us who have been here awhile. If we can remember that then we might be more helpful. If we see someone post something more than once, and its already been answered, i dont think its too hard to refer them to the link where its been answered. Its not like we are all THAT terribly busy, if we were we wouldnt be on VJ as much as we are.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Ionescu

[featherB 1]

I dont agree with a waiting period either, omg a 7 day waiting period? some ppl dont have that long to ask for advice. Not saying its a crappy idea, but saying id go to another forum if that was the case and i was a noob.

However we have to stop flaming noobies. They are clueless, they are scared, they are nervous and they are worried. They may read the guidelines, but again some might not understand them. I know it can be hard to believe, but its true. We have got to stop making them feel like they are a disease or a waste of our time. They are here for our help, and they are not as experienced as some of us who have been here awhile. If we can remember that then we might be more helpful. If we see someone post something more than once, and its already been answered, i dont think its too hard to refer them to the link where its been answered. Its not like we are all THAT terribly busy, if we were we wouldnt be on VJ as much as we are.

You are of course right. Flaming newbies and making them feel stupid = bad. But (IMO) pointing them in the direction of the guides/the form's filing instructions if it's patently obvious they haven't read them = in their own interest. I think a lot of the time (I know I do this myself), people just want to be reassured that they're doing things right, hence asking apparently 'obvious' questions - even if you've read everything there is to read on the subject, it's still nice to have someone else's confirmation that yep, that looks ok!

Edited July 10, 2007 by featherB

[Sinergy 3]

I dont agree with a waiting period either, omg a 7 day waiting period? some ppl dont have that long to ask for advice. Not saying its a crappy idea, but saying id go to another forum if that was the case and i was a noob.

However we have to stop flaming noobies. They are clueless, they are scared, they are nervous and they are worried. They may read the guidelines, but again some might not understand them. I know it can be hard to believe, but its true. We have got to stop making them feel like they are a disease or a waste of our time. They are here for our help, and they are not as experienced as some of us who have been here awhile. If we can remember that then we might be more helpful. If we see someone post something more than once, and its already been answered, i dont think its too hard to refer them to the link where its been answered. Its not like we are all THAT terribly busy, if we were we wouldnt be on VJ as much as we are.

You are of course right. Flaming newbies and making them feel stupid = bad. But (IMO) pointing them in the direction of the guides/the form's filing instructions if it's patently obvious they haven't read them = in their own interest. I think a lot of the time (I know I do this myself), people just want to be reassured that they're doing things right, hence asking apparently 'obvious' questions - even if you've read everything there is to read on the subject, it's still nice to have someone else's confirmation that yep, that looks ok!

Agreed, thats why i stated we need to be more helpful and stop complaining about it more. if we helped noobs as much as they are complained about, we wouldnt be so stressed. And yes they do at times ask before reading bc they want the answer fast, we have all done that at some point in our lives, and i understand them doing it, its a stressful and confusing process, and we just want it over with.

[Kym 0]

I was reading over this thread and figured that the best thing for me to do would be to just read it and to stay out of it. But I am at work right now and what else do I have to do…right? So, I thought I would throw in my two cents worth.

I can certainly see both sides to this issue. However, I generally have quite a bit of sympathy for the newbies that come on here when they feel as if they have no place to turn…even when they post questions that are in the guidelines. Not so long ago, I was a newbie, at my wits end, didn’t know where to turn. I found this site out of desperation. I had already spent hours making phone calls and trying to look up information on the net. So when I came here to ask my many questions that I had, it honestly did not even enter my mind to stop and read up on even more info before I posted. I jumped right in. The funny thing is that just a couple of days back, I went back to my very first post ( http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry690764 ) and the many questions that I had (which turned into an eight page thread) and almost got a chuckle at how naïve I sounded…and was. I have since learned so much and mostly due to this site. But we all have to start somewhere. And the comment that if someone is coming here with that many questions and that desperate then they should see a lawyer. Well, I did have a lawyer and it was the lawyer that indirectly caused all of my problems…and I had many!

And let me add that I owe a lot to this site and the many helpful responses I received during those first couple of days. Not once did anyone tell me to stop asking questions and go read more. People were so kind and jumped right in with suggestions, info and help. It was all very much appreciated!!! Many of which I see posting on this particular thread!

[featherB 1]

And the comment that if someone is coming here with that many questions and that desperate then they should see a lawyer. Well, I did have a lawyer and it was the lawyer that indirectly caused all of my problems…and I had many!

I know you did... your lawyer has to be the most incompetent halfwit I've ever read about on here! Just wanted to say... I made the 'lawyer' comment just because when the 'posting delay' for newbies has been suggested in the past, and someone has said 'but that would be unfair to newbies with urgent questions that they need to ask NOW', there will usually be a response of 'well then they should see a lawyer'. I thought I'd get that in in anticipation! Not for one minute suggesting that all newbies should get themselves straight to the nearest lawyer's office - I know I certainly didn't, and have no intention of doing so, either!

[rebeccajo 14]

I was reading over this thread and figured that the best thing for me to do would be to just read it and to stay out of it. But I am at work right now and what else do I have to do…right? So, I thought I would throw in my two cents worth.

I can certainly see both sides to this issue. However, I generally have quite a bit of sympathy for the newbies that come on here when they feel as if they have no place to turn…even when they post questions that are in the guidelines. Not so long ago, I was a newbie, at my wits end, didn’t know where to turn. I found this site out of desperation. I had already spent hours making phone calls and trying to look up information on the net. So when I came here to ask my many questions that I had, it honestly did not even enter my mind to stop and read up on even more info before I posted. I jumped right in. The funny thing is that just a couple of days back, I went back to my very first post ( http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry690764 ) and the many questions that I had (which turned into an eight page thread) and almost got a chuckle at how naïve I sounded…and was. I have since learned so much and mostly due to this site. But we all have to start somewhere. And the comment that if someone is coming here with that many questions and that desperate then they should see a lawyer. Well, I did have a lawyer and it was the lawyer that indirectly caused all of my problems…and I had many!

And let me add that I owe a lot to this site and the many helpful responses I received during those first couple of days. Not once did anyone tell me to stop asking questions and go read more. People were so kind and jumped right in with suggestions, info and help. It was all very much appreciated!!! Many of which I see posting on this particular thread!

Question out of pure curiosity ......

When you did come aboard and started asking questions (not stopping to look for info - your words) would you have looked for the info it it were more clearly designated on the homepage? Or if you have been linked to the info before you could post?

[jundp 191]

Yes, read the guides....but....all babies must be spoonfed at first. This whole process is overwhelming and the guides just aren't enough sometimes. If a newbie asks a question that annoys you...just don't respond. Some one else that has more patience and that really does want to be helpful will respond. Maybe a response of 'the answer is...blah blah blah.......... and you should also read the guides because they are very helpful and will answer a lot of your questions too' would be appropriate. When I was a newbie on this board, I never posted much because I saw how people responded to several posts. Who wants to get attacked for asking a question? Read the guides...yes it's important, but if all we had to do was read the guides, a forum wouldn't be necessary. VJ would only be a site with guides. This process can be overwhelming and even very emotional. No one is obligated to help, but it would be nice if only people who wanted to help were the responders of the posts. We're all only human. Just my opinion.....

I agree to a certain extent. When I first joined, I had read all the guides (even the ones that didn't pertain to me yet) and the USCIS website. No one on here has been rude to me directly, but I have seen some people get a bit rude to others. I purposely didn't post for a while because of responses I saw from others. When someone asks a question and a poster responds with a "read the guides" smiley....well, that can be seen as rude, IMO. Overall this site has been very helpful and I quite enjoy reading the posts from many people on here. Some, not so much, but I just ignore them and move on I also find now that I am a bit more knowledgeable in the area that coming here just to have contact with people who understand my situation is nice.

yes, to my mind there's a clear difference between wandering in somewhere new and saying 'please tell me all I need to know because I'm too lazy to look around a bit' and 'I've looked around and have some basic knowledge but now I need some clarification from people who are further down the road than me'

of course I confidently believe that my one or two questions since joining have been in the latter category...

I'm impatient to get my timeline going properly; problem is, there's nothing to put in it!

Me too! I won't be filing our I 129f for another 16 days....But I promise once it goes in the mail, I'll update my timeline!

[Kym 0]

Question out of pure curiosity ......

When you did come aboard and started asking questions (not stopping to look for info - your words) would you have looked for the info it it were more clearly designated on the homepage? Or if you have been linked to the info before you could post?

Honestly, I can't answer that question because I simply do not know. When I first posted, my original questions were more geared toward timing. After 8 months of waiting and getting no answers from our lawyer..and feeling absolutely lost, my head was spinning and I was not thinking clearly. And I guess I can't say that I didn't read up on anything before posting because I studied timelines...for a couple of days before posting. It was only after reading other timelines that I was beginning to realize that something was terribly wrong. Which lead me to post. And the more help I received, the more questions I had because it was like a snowball, I kept discovering more and more problems that I had. By that point, I had tons of questions and was not thinking about reading. Just posting. Not to mention, I was a little distraught for a couple of days after finding out we had waited all that time (almost 8 months) for nothing and had to start all over.

I will say this...if anyone would have posted a link and said to me..."here, read up on this, it may help you"....I would have jumped on that. I was wanting and willing to learn everything I possibly could...still am!

Seems I learn something new everyday...whether from other posts, links or just doing my own research. I love this site.

But my point to all this was...I was a newbie, I was naive, I was asking a lot of questions without reading the guidelines....and I was trying to get answers the only way I knew how...at the time.

[rebeccajo 14]

Question out of pure curiosity ......

When you did come aboard and started asking questions (not stopping to look for info - your words) would you have looked for the info it it were more clearly designated on the homepage? Or if you have been linked to the info before you could post?

Honestly, I can't answer that question because I simply do not know. When I first posted, my original questions were more geared toward timing. After 8 months of waiting and getting no answers from our lawyer..and feeling absolutely lost, my head was spinning and I was not thinking clearly. And I guess I can't say that I didn't read up on anything before posting because I studied timelines...for a couple of days before posting. It was only after reading other timelines that I was beginning to realize that something was terribly wrong. Which lead me to post. And the more help I received, the more questions I had because it was like a snowball, I kept discovering more and more problems that I had. By that point, I had tons of questions and was not thinking about reading. Just posting. Not to mention, I was a little distraught for a couple of days after finding out we had waited all that time (almost 8 months) for nothing and had to start all over.

I will say this...if anyone would have posted a link and said to me..."here, read up on this, it may help you"....I would have jumped on that. I was wanting and willing to learn everything I possibly could...still am!

Seems I learn something new everyday...whether from other posts, links or just doing my own research. I love this site.

But my point to all this was...I was a newbie, I was naive, I was asking a lot of questions without reading the guidelines....and I was trying to get answers the only way I knew how...at the time.

Makes sense. Thanks for answering.

[SqdnGuns 21]

Damn, what the hell did I start here...................LOL

[Dr_LHA 3]

Clearly we need to develop a language to alienate new users from posting.

For example, all first posts should be met with the words: "STFU n00b", so as to set up the clearly hostile environment that is VJ these days. We wouldn't want people to think we're here to help after all.

Instead of the friendly smiley guy (which apparently is rude), we should simply type "RTFG" as the answer to all simple questions, and thus actually be rude. If people get offended by friendly advice, then I suggest we all be genuinely offensive in future, so as to avoid confusion.

Only when people post genuinely vexing questions, or someone posts some plainly wrong should we rush in to flex our knowledge muscles.

Edited July 10, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[Yodrak 7]

SqdnGuns,

You started a timeline crusade.

Someone else wasted no time in hijacking your thread and turning it to their own pet peeve.

Yodrak

Damn, what the hell did I start here...................LOL

[Sinergy 3]

SqdnGuns,

You started a timeline crusade.

Someone else wasted no time in hijacking your thread and turning it to their own pet peeve.

Yodrak

Damn, what the hell did I start here...................LOL

Does it surprise you?????

[Mags 112]

Filling in timelines = Good idea.

Newbies = If you are of the opinion that they are asking a stupid, and rather obvious, question no one is making you type an answer. In fact, if they are ignored they are more inclined to actually go out and do the research themselves.

Edited July 10, 2007 by mags

[no name 1]

I you.

Clearly we need to develop a language to alienate new users from posting.

For example, all first posts should be met with the words: "STFU n00b", so as to set up the clearly hostile environment that is VJ these days. We wouldn't want people to think we're here to help after all.

Instead of the friendly smiley guy (which apparently is rude), we should simply type "RTFG" as the answer to all simple questions, and thus actually be rude. If people get offended by friendly advice, then I suggest we all be genuinely offensive in future, so as to avoid confusion.

Only when people post genuinely vexing questions, or someone posts some plainly wrong should we rush in to flex our knowledge muscles.