Suggestion for Administrator (or helpers), please

[crestwood]

Good morning:

I have been posting on the PC Forum Site for many years now. I have ALWAYS received excellent and tremendous help on this forum. Recently, I have had computer problems which I needed help with, and they were posted on the PC Forum Site. Because of the fact that the person that started helping me, was unable to get back to me in a timely manner, my problems were never resolved, and then if this same person would get back to me maybe a week or so later, and would give me different instructions rather than addressing the latest instructions he provided and the problems I was having, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE to get help as nothing remained fresh in a person's mind after a week or so time-lapse. Out of extreme frustration, I would start a new thread, hoping that the previous computer guys who helped me in the past would pick up where the original helper left off. Needless to say this didn't work and recently all of the new forums which I started were bunched together in one, and I couldn't make heads nor tails out of anything. This morning I received a message from the original person that was helping me (Crunchie) apologizing for not getting back to me and he said something about if I still needed help to post. I am reluctant to deal with this same helper again for fear that due to the fact that I am computer illiterate, that I will lose all information on my desktop. My suggestion is, for the great computer helpers availlable on this site, please do not start helping a person with a computer problem if you are unable to follow thru. I truly wish to thank all of the great guys who have helped me (and stayed with me, by providing easy to follow step by step instructions) in the past. This morning when I went on to my desktop, I was surprised to see that the problem that I needed assistance with recently has now been deleted. God bless.

[jlreich]

Sorry to hear this happened to you crestwood. :( I have followed many of your threads and know things are difficult for you at times.

Please don't hold it against Crunchie. The best of the members around here sometimes get busy, reply emails get overlooked, and sometimes threads simply get lost in the shuffle.

Though I often pass up threads that I could be of help with because I know sometimes I am just too busy to get involved and I don't want to leave the poster hanging, other times I reply with the best of intentions and end up not getting back in good time, or worse I can even totally forget about a thread. :(

I would suggest if after a day or two you don't hear back from anyone that you "bump" the thread. Meaning make a new post to the thread to bring the thread back to life and this will also send out reply emails again to those subscribed to the thread. Hopefully if nothing else this will at least get the attention of another member and they will pick up where the original helper left off and hopefully get your problem resolved.

[crestwood]

Thanks so much for your kind reply. I was not aware of "bumping" but believe me, when I say that I did post over and over again trying to get someone's, (specifically Crunchie's) attention. I will never give up on this forum, as too many people have provided tremendous and valuable help to me over the years and I will always be grateful to all of you for providing me with this help.

[crunchie]

Contrary to popular belief, helpers have real lives to live too and those lives come first.
People like myself who donate hours of our time to help people like yourself would never do so based on your premise (that one should not help if we are unable to continue to do so in a timely manner), because who knows what may happen tomorrow? I cannot base my present decisions on what might happen tomorrow. Do you?
Your thread that I helped in appears to have been deleted. It's a pity, because it would then be seen that most of your requests that you posted over and over again were on the same day, within a short period of time. (That can be seen again in this thread; http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=67391 where you have posted 3 times within 25 minutes, then again 3 times within 40 minutes). Hopefully you will not criticise those who are presently helping you because they cannot answer immediately.
I probably live on the opposite side of the world from you and cannot be online the same time as you.
I work 12 hours a day, then I come home to cook for my two daughters who I care for alone. When I have done that, I try to help online, where and when I can. Most people appreciate that. Some do not. Such is life.
I apologise again for not being able to reply the minute you had posted. Hopefully you will receive the help you demand from somebody else.

[crunchie]

reply emails get overlooked,
To date, I have not received any email notifications even though I have them set to instant notification.

[crestwood]

Thank you for your post. I understand and I remain grateful. Wishing you a beautiful and peace-filled day.