Beginner Project advise

Thread Starter

Kenny

Joined Oct 11, 2004
55
Excuse me for create the previous thread and this last one, but simply I wanted to manifest my opinion.

Now I write because I want to show that I haven't made anything bad, my fault was ask for support in my attempt for design electronic circuits.

I get no scientific and non-sense solutions coming from senior members like:
1) "My solution is to just get a 2nd line for your kids to use. Were I the user of the "B" phone, I would rapidly become highly annoyed, and would figure out a way to turn the tables on the "A" phone users."
2) "This forum is not a free design service"

So ...:confused:, I wasn't kidding with my project, this design is my personal work made with too much effort. On the original thread I give a long explanation about my project, waiting for good advise, and, except for the resistor on the transistor suggestion made by "Bill_Marsden" that I thank, I get nothing.

The posts that I refer to are:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=12273
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=12408


The Projects Forum prays: Working on an electronics project and would like some suggestions, help or critiques? If you would like to comment or assist others with their projects, this is the place to do it.


Then, I ask: is this the help that you offer to the beginners, knowing that all of us are here thanks to the marvelous Tony Kuphaldt work and his philosophy of share knowledge?

To finish, I make clear that I'm not attempting to reborn my last closed threads in any way, just I want to set my opinions waiting that this situation doesn't repeat on the future with anyone. And for me, I wait that someday I can get the best of the Forum.

Thanks!
 
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Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,408
You have to understand this is a volunteer effort. If someone doesn't feel comfortable giving a reply, it is best if they don't rather than give bad advice. We can't always help, and a certain basic knowledge base is required to do advanced projects, such as how to bias a transistor correctly.

There are also forum rules, there have to be, otherwise it would rapidly become untenable around here. The mods enforce those rules, it is their job (which is also a volunteer effort, I might add)

I'm one of the members around here, not a mod. I looked for literally years before I found this site, and I've clicked comfortably into my niche. I am a firm believer in there being no stupid questions, there are folks in the internet community that believe they can build themselves up by tearing other people down. They do not fit well here.

I've seen nothing offensive in your posts, so I'm not implying or saying you've done anything wrong. The other hand is you shouldn't get upset because someone else doesn't want to jump in where you are in over your head.

I'm not familiar with all the terminology you used, such as a telephone pot. While I am pretty checked out on electronics, I don't claim to be a telephone tech. Instead of assuming people aren't willing to help, trying assuming they don't know what you are talking about. You have to break things down into simplest terms, and possibly restate it different ways. You will find this is more important than most at this forum, English is a second language for a lot of folks here (this being an international effort).

If you want to try it again, start with a component of what you are trying to do and work from there. For example, part of your design will have to use a timer with a relay, or some equivalent. Built it, test it, and if it doesn't work then bring the design (with schematic) here. I remember a comment by an old hand about another post that asked for help with a schematic that wasn't provided. Another old hand answered tradition. What may be clear as glass to you may be clear as mud to someone else.

This is a biggie, read the forum rules, and respect them. This site allows things that no one else will come close, such as editing a post you made 6 months ago. This is because we assume everyone here has integrity, and I have been pleasantly surprised overall. The rules that are enforced here aren't onerous.
 
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blocco a spirale

Joined Jun 18, 2008
1,546
Yep, when something is free and contributed to by non-payed members you really have no cause to expect that people have any obligation to assist with your project.

I'm new to the forum and I notice that many of the requests (or demands in some cases) for help would involve hours of work to satisfy the requirements of the person asking for help. It is up to you to provided as much information as possible and not expect people to do research for you or spend hours trying to work out what you are talking about.

Sometimes there is not an easy free solution to your problem and why would you expect that there should be? If someone helps you it is entirely at their discretion and if they decide they have better things to do then you have no cause for complaint.
 

beenthere

Joined Apr 20, 2004
15,819
That is the problem we all face when trying to reply to posts. It can be very difficult to understand just what the poster wishes. This can be because of too little information, both about the project and the ability of the poster.

Language is another area for misunderstanding. We find that many native English speakers are perhaps harder to understand than others because of bad habits (textspeak) and a very poor command of their language.

And then there is the sheer magnitude of the project. As blocco has mentioned, we are not here to satisfy demands for a product, but to answer questions and give advice. The more work the poster is willing to do, the more likely it is that he will get all the help and guidance he needs.

We should all remember that this site is purely voluntary. Nobody here is under any obligation to be more than polite in replying to posts.
 

RiJoRI

Joined Aug 15, 2007
536
Bill, you wrote, "I'm not familiar with all the terminology you used, such as a telephone pot."
I was of the impression the OP was trying to say "POTS" -- the "Plain Old Telephone Service."

HTH,
--Rich
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,408
Maybe, I had never heard the expression before. Acronyms are not you're friend when you are talking with people outside your circle. This is a case in point. Whenever using an acronym that people may be seeing for the first time I include the full phrase in parenthesis, so when I use it a second time they have a basis of comparison.

If people don't know what you're talking about at the beginning, they are a lot less likely to step up to help.
 
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Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
Kenny, I echo the sentiments put forward by those in response to this post; AAC is a completely free service where people can help others, however you must realise that is not anyone's right to have their problem solved by the members of this community. Where people can help they will, where they cannot they don't. It is that simple, no-one is under obligation here - we do it because we enjoy it and we want to help where possible.

With that in mind, I think in light of your frank and somewhat magnanimous post here, I understand that there may have been a crossed wire here. I need to be clear you didn't break any rules (hence why there was no ban) and you haven't done anything wrong; however you need to understand how this forum works and the limits of your expectations from what it has to offer. Therefore, I will retract my advice from the previous thread and reopen it. Be aware that you still may not get the exact advice you are expecting, but in light of what has been said here, I hope you appreciate and accept that fact.

This is also best moved to the Feedback forum.

Dave
 

Thread Starter

Kenny

Joined Oct 11, 2004
55
I apologize for my language errors. I try my best because I'm a spanish speaker.

The telephone POT is actually telephone POTS as RiJoRI said.

I understand all that you say, but I think that my project is not complex. As I said in my original post the project comprises: 1)Phone off-hook detector, 2)Enable or disable the line to the phones, 3)555 Timer in some way of astable mode. And all working in the behavior that I explain at the beginning of the post.

I must say that the circuit that I built do really works but I suppose that there are many faults on the design that I don't know (such as the transistor biasing that now I'll try to learn, or the coupling of the 9V independent source to the voltage of the telephone line?,???).

Thanks to all, and I hope to try this project soon.
 
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