When I help people sometimes, I say, "download the data sheet that answer is there." Then seven posts later I find out he does not know what a data sheet is.
When I help people sometimes, I say, "Go to digikey.com, enter the part number in the search window at the top, push the red button that looks like magnifying glass. Pretend you want to order the part, there is a link called "datasheet" in blue, next to a picture of a .PDF. click, Go to page seven, line3." Then he posts back "what kind of a fool do you think I am".
--------------------------------------------------------------------
My first Home Automation computer was in 1980. (+/-) I have made several. Made the hardware, wrote the software. I almost know what I am doing.
I have a new one almost working in NodeRed. But I can't talk to the newest Sonoff hardware. Switches and lights and ......
I was talked into Home Assistant (HA) software. The install on Pi directions looked complicated. (was told it is simple)
I purchased HA Green computer (almost a Pi computer) because the program is installed. "Plug it in and go" That is true!
I added "eWelink Sonoff addon. So I could talk to my hardware.
Wonderful software, In a week I can do what I did in NodeRed, but, I cannot talk to any of the new hardware pieces, and I cannot make any changes. After a week on the forums I don't have permission to make changes.
I uninstalled the addon.
There is a "better add-on" (ALExx IT Sonoff). It is not called an add-on but different. (sorry don't know the words)
"download the file". Simple right. It takes a while to find out it is on Redex. Find the file. Download on the PC. Unzip, make changes, delete, rename,....
Most of the people on the forum run HA software on the PC under Windows or on the Pi so yes, but, No All this needs to be done on the "Green computer" not the PC in my case. Most people say download and some say no do not.
The Green computer does not have an operating system, it only has HA running. I cannot open up a window and download. There is no other window. But many people tell me I can, but they have never seen a Green computer.
Finly, I find someone that said just pick Sonoff off the list. (GUI) Which list? The list. No which list?
My list(s) is 2/3 as long as his, there is no Sonoff.
I found a page online where "plug in a monitor and keyboard and enter commands".
No signal.
Half the people say it has always worked and half say it has never worked.
"Download SSH, simple, that will work" No I cannot. But I found SSH is on the list. Don't know what SSH is but I think I can type in commands.
I read the readme.dm and I must be "privileged to use it". 20 minutes and I can't find out what privileged is or any button that uses that word or a similar word. "Just change your status, simple". I know how to change my name but not "privilege". Must be a different word.
The whole time I get comments "Just download, very easy".
I asked for screen shots and everyone has more "buttons" (sorry wrong word) on the left side. "You need those" How do I get those? "download".
--------------------------------------------------
It is clear to me, why people walk away from this forum because my help is not helpful and sometimes is wrong. Wife is right I cannot communicate.
I am not asking for HA help. Just, I know what it is like to not have the vocabulary to even ask questions. "my thing no work" I know what it is like to not know which answers are wrong. I hope to do better this year.

 

Then he posts back "what kind of a fool do you think I am".

That's a question I would have loved to answer.

 

--------------------------------------------------
It is clear to me, why people walk away from this forum because my help is not helpful and sometimes is wrong. Wife is right I cannot communicate.
I am not asking for HA help. Just, I know what it is like to not have the vocabulary to even ask questions. "my thing no work" I know what it is like to not know which answers are wrong. I hope to do better this year.

We should have a "Confessional" box to move it to !!

 

I resolve every year to play nice. But, inevitably, we get a combination of lazy, stupid, and arrogant that sets me off.

 

I resolve every year to play nice. But, inevitably, we get a combination of lazy, stupid, and arrogant that sets me off.

Stop doing that. Doing something time and time again expecting different results ...

 

A lot of the problems we find on AAC, or any other forum for that matter, is related to what is known as the “XY Problem”. To paraphrase:


The XY problem is asking about your attempted solution rather than your actual problem. This leads to enormous amounts of wasted time and energy, both on the part of people asking for help, and on the part of those providing help.

• User wants to do X.
• User doesn't know how to do X, but thinks they can fumble their way to a solution if they can just manage to do Y.
• User doesn't know how to do Y either.
• User asks for help with Y.
• Others try to help user with Y, but are confused because Y seems like a strange problem to want to solve.
• After much interaction and wasted time, it finally becomes clear that the user really wants help with X, and that Y wasn't even a suitable solution for X.

The problem occurs when people get stuck on what they believe is the solution and are unable step back and explain the issue in full.

 

It's impossible to be everything to everyone, that's just the way Life goes.

The fact that You are attempting to help others puts You in the top ~20% of Humans,
and at least half of the time,
You will receive zero acknowledgement or thanks for your attempts to help.

Some people do not deserve your help, so don't take their rudeness personally.
You are not obligated to help them in any way, especially if they are rude or ungrateful.

Sometimes You just have to walk-away, and forget the whole transaction,
but never "beat-yourself-up" for failing to help.
.
.
.

 

for failing to help.

I am an engineer. I fix things. Does not matter what it is. Many of us on the forum have this affliction. (curse) It is very hard for me to ask for help. I found it humbling, embarrassing and frustrating to ask.
Engineers want to leave the world a better place. All of us here don't do it for the money.

 

I think that You will find that if You come right-out and state that You don't understand something
that You will be doing someone else a favor by allowing them to help You,
and You will get help.
Just try to ask people who are "more likely" to actually have substantial experience
in the subject matter that You are inquiring about,
because the Dunning-Kruger-Effect is a very real thing, and may waste a lot of everyone's time.

The more detail that You provide regarding the overall problem that You are trying to solve,
the more useful the answers that You will get will likely be.
.
.
.

 

We should have a "Confessional" box to move it to !!

Or maybe a chaplain to punch our TS cards.

 

I resolve every year to play nice. But, inevitably, we get a combination of lazy, stupid, and arrogant that sets me off.

I've learned not to make resolutions I can't keep and that's one of them.

 

When I help people sometimes, I say, "download the data sheet that answer is there." Then seven posts later I find out he does not know what a data sheet is.
When I help people sometimes, I say, "Go to digikey.com, enter the part number in the search window at the top, push the red button that looks like magnifying glass. Pretend you want to order the part, there is a link called "datasheet" in blue, next to a picture of a .PDF. click, Go to page seven, line3." Then he posts back "what kind of a fool do you think I am".
--------------------------------------------------------------------
My first Home Automation computer was in 1980. (+/-) I have made several. Made the hardware, wrote the software. I almost know what I am doing.
I have a new one almost working in NodeRed. But I can't talk to the newest Sonoff hardware. Switches and lights and ......
I was talked into Home Assistant (HA) software. The install on Pi directions looked complicated. (was told it is simple)
I purchased HA Green computer (almost a Pi computer) because the program is installed. "Plug it in and go" That is true!
I added "eWelink Sonoff addon. So I could talk to my hardware.
Wonderful software, In a week I can do what I did in NodeRed, but, I cannot talk to any of the new hardware pieces, and I cannot make any changes. After a week on the forums I don't have permission to make changes.
I uninstalled the addon.
There is a "better add-on" (ALExx IT Sonoff). It is not called an add-on but different. (sorry don't know the words)
"download the file". Simple right. It takes a while to find out it is on Redex. Find the file. Download on the PC. Unzip, make changes, delete, rename,....
Most of the people on the forum run HA software on the PC under Windows or on the Pi so yes, but, No All this needs to be done on the "Green computer" not the PC in my case. Most people say download and some say no do not.
The Green computer does not have an operating system, it only has HA running. I cannot open up a window and download. There is no other window. But many people tell me I can, but they have never seen a Green computer.
Finly, I find someone that said just pick Sonoff off the list. (GUI) Which list? The list. No which list?
My list(s) is 2/3 as long as his, there is no Sonoff.
I found a page online where "plug in a monitor and keyboard and enter commands".
No signal.
Half the people say it has always worked and half say it has never worked.
"Download SSH, simple, that will work" No I cannot. But I found SSH is on the list. Don't know what SSH is but I think I can type in commands.
I read the readme.dm and I must be "privileged to use it". 20 minutes and I can't find out what privileged is or any button that uses that word or a similar word. "Just change your status, simple". I know how to change my name but not "privilege". Must be a different word.
The whole time I get comments "Just download, very easy".
I asked for screen shots and everyone has more "buttons" (sorry wrong word) on the left side. "You need those" How do I get those? "download".
--------------------------------------------------
It is clear to me, why people walk away from this forum because my help is not helpful and sometimes is wrong. Wife is right I cannot communicate.
I am not asking for HA help. Just, I know what it is like to not have the vocabulary to even ask questions. "my thing no work" I know what it is like to not know which answers are wrong. I hope to do better this year.

I feel your pain. It took a while to GROK (by looking at and understanding the source code and system design) how HA works at the software level. The official add-ons are usually solid but the user/vendor supplied stuff is a mixed bad that I stay away from.
I run HA supervised (Full Linux OS and HA software) on everything from an Orange Pi 3 to HPE enterprise server hardware. My solution is to try and use products that have full open source access (or have been reverse engineered) to the product like Matter compatibility for hardware and open protocols for communications. That way I can write my own code from the ground up instead of being dependant on others for what I need. I've never used the HA "Green computer" lock-box but will be glad to help if I can.


AMD64 Linux HA, main control server for Home Automation



ARM64 Linux HA (Orange Pi zero 3 4GB with custom Linux kernel built from trusted source, mine) low power testing server.
root@opiha:/usr/src# ls *.deb
linux-dtb-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb linux-headers-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb linux-image-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb linux-libc-dev_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb
root@opiha:/usr/src# ls -l *.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15048 Nov 13 00:08 linux-dtb-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 12560676 Nov 13 00:10 linux-headers-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 35427868 Nov 13 00:08 linux-image-_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1250532 Nov 13 00:08 linux-libc-dev_6.1.31+-1_arm64.deb

I have another Orange Pi zero 3 4GB (inside the small clear case) with the same custom Linux kernel without the HA
software setup as a normal Linux desktop for usage as a server monitor and remote control in the media home theater room.

 

Stop doing that. Doing something time and time again expecting different results ...

Actually I have changed. I walk away more often than not now.

 

These forums are like a wide canyon or river. On one side of the chasm there is “THE KNOWLEDGE”, and on the other side there are the people who wish to reach this knowledge.
I see myself and AAC’s fellow regular contributors as bridges, to assist the uneducated (said without a derogatory intent) reach the knowledge.

But, and this is the rub, some of those uneducated have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the destination where, our collective experience tells us, most likely will solve their problems.
This becomes exhausting and exasperating after a while.

 

It is very hard for me to ask for help.

Don't ask.

The best way to get the right answer is to post the wrong answer on the internet.

 

Hi R,
I have a natural ability when it comes to making thing, and repairing things, but even though I enjoy electronics, I will never understand it. It's a mental block.
Using these forums, has helped me with complicated electronic and programming problems.
The last proper project I worked on here, was unsuccessful after 5 ish years of 'development', and I recall you contributing to it. Along the way, I learnt about many peripherals, that I will always be able to use. Another earlier project, was a photographic lab, where I built the equivalent of where you would take your films/paper for developing. Absolute luxury, and some really good years of photography.
Also along the way I have annoyed members and tested their patience, but some kept helping.
I will always remember and thank all of you that tried to help, and hope you continue helping in the future.
C.

 

Hi R,
I have a natural ability when it comes to making thing, and repairing things, but even though I enjoy electronics, I will never understand it. It's a mental block.
Using these forums, has helped me with complicated electronic and programming problems.
The last proper project I worked on here, was unsuccessful after 5 ish years of 'development', and I recall you contributing to it. Along the way, I learnt about many peripherals, that I will always be able to use. Another earlier project, was a photographic lab, where I built the equivalent of where you would take your films/paper for developing. Absolute luxury, and some really good years of photography.
Also along the way I have annoyed members and tested their patience, but some kept helping.
I will always remember and thank all of you that tried to help, and hope you continue helping in the future.
C.

C, you are a special case in a good way. It's seldom I've seen a person try as hard as you have. I think some of use stopped because we didn't want you to suffer, not because we were annoyed.

 

C, you are a special case in a good way. It's seldom I've seen a person try as hard as you have. I think some of use stopped because we didn't want you to suffer, not because we were annoyed.

I could never help him because of his use of OshonSoft.

 

I could never help him because of his use of OshonSoft.

That's why I didn't want him to suffer.

 

C, you are a special case in a good way. It's seldom I've seen a person try as hard as you have. I think some of use stopped because we didn't want you to suffer, not because we were annoyed.

Hi N,
Thanks. It's not that I enjoyed the pain, but earlier, when I saw a stepper motor out of a 5inch drive go backwards and forwards, I was hooked.
I also think that I improved what I call mild dyslexia, by using forums and D/S.
Cheers, C.