August 6, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I'm curious, especially to the heavy posters here on SSC, do you guys respond when you get sent a private email?
The mechanism of sending the email keeps our address private, but if you respond, then whoever sent you the message now has a direct line to you. I don't mind helping people out, but I don't necessarily want to start up a dirrect correspondance until I know them better.
What do you guys do when you get these?
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
August 6, 2008 at 1:50 pm
I ignore all private messages. Not that I get many.
It might be good to have a setting to allow you to turn off private messages, so that people don't waste time sending them.
August 6, 2008 at 3:03 pm
The few I have gotten I have responded.
I got one today that the guy was clearly impatient as he had posted the same question in 2 forums already. My response was to be patient as someone had already responded to one of his forum posts.
If somebody decided I was there personal guru (highly unlikely) I'd probably send a final response that I have a job and while I like to help I will answer forum posts not personal messages.
Grant,
We just missed each other yesterday. I was over at End2End for the OPASS meeting last night and Andy mentioned you had been there for a couple days. Wish I'd have known as I'd like to meet in person. If your ever in the area again let me know.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
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August 6, 2008 at 8:10 pm
It depends. I tend to refer all questions for help to the forums so others can see the answer. I almost never answer something in email.
You can always go PM them online and answer them that way.
August 7, 2008 at 4:10 am
Depends on the mail. Mostly on what its asking and the way its been asked.
If the mail is rude or demanding or written in half-legible english it will get deleted. If the person is asking something small and fairly easy and they are being polite about it, I might answer.
That said, I may be a little more selective now seeing as the mail address is my own personal one, rather than my work address.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
August 7, 2008 at 5:27 am
Thanks for all the responses.
I got one yesterday, I think it was maybe the third one I've received over the years (I'm hardly one of the "go-to" guys). It was in pretty mangled English and on a topic that I'm not terribly conversant in (DTS). I went to answer, just to redirect the guy to the forums, but then I realized I'd be giving him my work email address. It's hardly proprietary information, but... It's good to know how others approach it. Thanks again.
Jack,
Yeah, I would have loved to have gotten together & tossed back a beverage. I'll definitely keep you in mind if I get back down there again. Hopefully I will. I had a good time working for Andrew & Chris & Brian on the thing that I can't talk about until after Sept 1st.
Are you going to PASS this year?
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
August 7, 2008 at 6:58 am
Grant,
Glad I didn't mention what you aren't supposed to mention. I'm not planning on going to PASS this year, but I probably will start saving up for next year so I can go. My current employer wouldn't pay for that this year and I'm working on a fairly large project that hopefully will be rolling out around that time. Of course just like MS we might have to push that back to 1st quarter 2009 ;).
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
Check out these links on how to get faster and more accurate answers:
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
Need an Answer? Actually, No ... You Need a Question
August 7, 2008 at 7:44 am
Grant Fritchey (8/7/2008)
I got one yesterday, I think it was maybe the third one I've received over the years
I don't get many emails. I may have had four in the last year. PMs are more common but not that much so, maybe two a month.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
August 7, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Jack,
Write me a few articles this year and we might fund your trip. We usually get a couple free admissions to PASS, one going to Jeff Moden this year, and give them out to authors.
August 7, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Grant Fritchey (8/7/2008)
Thanks for all the responses.I got one yesterday, I think it was maybe the third one I've received over the years (I'm hardly one of the "go-to" guys). It was in pretty mangled English and on a topic that I'm not terribly conversant in (DTS). I went to answer, just to redirect the guy to the forums, but then I realized I'd be giving him my work email address. It's hardly proprietary information, but... It's good to know how others approach it. Thanks again.
I got the same email from the same guy... I basically said that I wasn't his personal programmer and that I'd appreciate if he'd post the question on the forum so that others may benefit from the answer. I treat most PM's the same way.
So far as the PM's go.... Steve, my PM box is full and I'd like to keep all 100 messages, please. Anyway to easily download them?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
August 7, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Steve Jones - Editor (8/7/2008)
Jack,Write me a few articles this year and we might fund your trip. We usually get a couple free admissions to PASS, one going to Jeff Moden this year, and give them out to authors.
Sounds like a good deal for me Steve. The issue is topics. If someone were to shoot me some ideas I might be able to do the grunt work. In fact that isn't a bad idea for the site, a spot to post what members would be interested in reading about.
I just submitted one that was accepted today and I think I might have another idea in-line.
How about an editorial about Recruiters? I had a good discussion after the OPASS meeting this week that might make an interesting article/editorial as well.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
Check out these links on how to get faster and more accurate answers:
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
Need an Answer? Actually, No ... You Need a Question
August 14, 2008 at 9:52 am
don't get many, but i always respond
even traded linkedin/facebook invites one time
August 14, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I get a few e-mails every month from the links on this site.
A few have been private conversations that didn't belong on the public forums. A few have been urgent pleas for help. A few have been so incomprehensible that I couldn't tell what they were.
I don't have a problem with replying and giving out my e-mail address. It's a hotmail account, and it sends everything into the spam folder unless the person is on my contacts list. If I don't want to continue the conversation, it's very easy to take them back off the list.
I just don't have my work e-mail in my account data for the site.
I have probably missed a few e-mails at various times because of my spam filtering. I scan through the spam folder once a day or every other day. If a subject line looks like it's real, or the from-address looks vaguely familiar, I'll take a look. If it's legit, I hit reply, which adds the person to my contact list, and future e-mails come to the in box. If, on the other hand, the from-address isn't familiar, and the subject line looks like spam, I'll overlook valid e-mails and they'll get deleted.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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