Provide option to specify level of difficulty of the Question

[dhstein]

In the Microsoft forums, it might be useful to allow the Poster to specify
that it is a basic question, moderate, or expert level. This might help
people to understand better whether they can or should try to respond.
Sometimes, less experienced people might respond to a post - trying to be
helpful - but in fact they just misunderstand the question. The problem with
that, is that sometimes when a question gets answered, other people don't
bother to read it - even though the answer may have been wrong or otherwise
unhelpful. Thanks.

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http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...3-b52b09e3eb65&dg=microsoft.public.excel.misc

 

[JLatham]

Unfortunately the concept of "basic, moderate or expert" level is rather
subjective, and although it might provide some guidance, it just as equally
might not. I know for me if I can't do something, I want the expert <g>.
This is one of the reasons that the discussions are broken into the various
areas such as General Questions, New Users, Worksheet Functions, etc. At
least that gives an idea of what the question is about and people with
expertise can look where their experience gives them the best opportunity to
provide an answer; I know I seldom check out the Charting group because it's
one of my weaker areas in Excel.

I agree with the problem of having received some answers, but none of them
providing a solution - people see responses and perhaps assume a solution has
been provided. I get especially concerned when I reply to a question for
that very reason, and yet often I do when I know I don't even have an answer;
perhaps with an inquiry for more information from the OP. I realize that the
posts here feed from many sources and often those reading them don't have
access to the feedback buttons of "helpful" and "the answer!" - those are
only helpful if they are available to people and then only if they use them.
Not much to be done about that.

In a way it's too bad that these groups are often viewed with newsgroup
readers rather than via the HTML pages - because for once HTML provides a
much more robust communication media. If you look at some of the
help/discussion forums at www.BroadbandReports.com you'll find they've
tailored them to provide almost exactly the type of features you've
suggested. I suppose that site kind of spoiled me - but that's what happens
when you get a good system set up that's attended by numerous MVPs and many
MVP quality people in various areas such as the OS, many Office apps and
general areas such as Security.

Anyhow, I hope Microsoft gives your suggestion some serious thoughts and
comes up with a way to improve the help that can be provided here. Keeping
the "service unavailable" messages down to a low rumble would be a good start
<g>.