This forum vs. Ask SSC

  • I tried searching for some explanation before posting, but I found nothing close to what I'd like to know. Ask SSC seems to be a board-type question site here on SSC. My question is, what is supposed to be the differences between this forum and Ask SSC (besides the obvious layout and asking/answering structure)? In other words, why post/answer here as opposed to Ask SSC and vice versa? Why do both exist?

    Thanks! And again, if this has been hashed out before I apologize for the copy.



    Twitter: @SQLife
    Email: sqlsalt(at)outlook(dot)com

  • AskSSC is more of a simple ask a question and get an answer type site. You won't find the kind of discussions there that occur here on ssc. I think you will find this site much more like a community wth the same ups and downs as a real community or work place.

    Also, the forums here are pretty much open-ended. Even if an OP gets answer, there is no way to close a thread or mark a specific answer as correct. One of the things that can happen is someone else could come along later, see the question and answer and either ask additional questions since they may have a sililar issue, or they may have another alternative answer to the problem and provide it.

    We also go off on tagents at times, but we normally keep it fairly professional, and if we stray to far, we've all been called to task and we come back more to fold. Many of us have in fact developed friendships here even though many of us have yet to meet in person.

    Other than that, I'll let others add their two cents.

  • One huge difference is the basis on reputation. ASK SSC is a stack overflow model that depends on up-votes and OPs marking the question as answered.

    I find the forums on this side to be more conversation invoking. Each system has its merits.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
    Learn Extended Events

  • The basic idea behind having both is that some people absolutely loathe the conversations that take place here on SSC. So, a place has been provided where a specific question can be asked and a specific answer can be provided. The idea is to avoid the conversation entirely.

    We've got both in an attempt to make people comfortable with whatever approach they prefer.

    "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

  • Short answer: my boss wanted the StackExchange style forums on the site

    Long Answer: my boss made us implement the StackExchange style Q&A, which I think has merits. As Grant, Lynn, Jason noted, the quick question/answer/voting style is something many people want. They want a hard answer to a question.

    For me, I think that there are a domain of questions that fit that model, but often we have nuances about what choices should be made, and there is a why as to how a choice is made. When I read StackExchange sites, there often is a discussion buried in comments, but it loses it's flow when questions are edited too much and the order of answers moves, IMHO. I don't like that. I like our single threaded discussions here.

    We disabled multi-threaded discussions because I think they lose flow as people reply to specific posts at different times.

    Ask works well, but I think it depends on the questioner asking a pointed, fairly specific question.

  • Ok that makes sense. Thanks for the explanations!!!



    Twitter: @SQLife
    Email: sqlsalt(at)outlook(dot)com

  • Thomas Stringer (5/16/2012)


    I tried searching for some explanation before posting, but I found nothing close to what I'd like to know. Ask SSC seems to be a board-type question site here on SSC. My question is, what is supposed to be the differences between this forum and Ask SSC (besides the obvious layout and asking/answering structure)? In other words, why post/answer here as opposed to Ask SSC and vice versa? Why do both exist?

    Thanks! And again, if this has been hashed out before I apologize for the copy.

    I don't very often post on ASK or any similar type of forum because anyone with enough points (you don't actually have to be smart or right to get points) can edit my stuff. Whether I'm right or wrong, I prefer to be right or wrong on my own without someone changing what I said.

    The other reason is that I don't do this stuff for points, reputation, or the "right" to edit someone else's stuff. I do it because I like helping others.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

  • Jeff Moden (5/17/2012)


    Thomas Stringer (5/16/2012)


    I tried searching for some explanation before posting, but I found nothing close to what I'd like to know. Ask SSC seems to be a board-type question site here on SSC. My question is, what is supposed to be the differences between this forum and Ask SSC (besides the obvious layout and asking/answering structure)? In other words, why post/answer here as opposed to Ask SSC and vice versa? Why do both exist?

    Thanks! And again, if this has been hashed out before I apologize for the copy.

    I don't very often post on ASK or any similar type of forum because anyone with enough points (you don't actually have to be smart or right to get points) can edit my stuff. Whether I'm right or wrong, I prefer to be right or wrong on my own without someone changing what I said.

    The other reason is that I don't do this stuff for points, reputation, or the "right" to edit someone else's stuff. I do it because I like helping others.

    I am sorry, but that is just wrong if someone can edit what someone else wrote. And let me guess, there isn't any way to know what was changed and by who either, right?

  • Lynn Pettis (5/17/2012)


    Jeff Moden (5/17/2012)


    Thomas Stringer (5/16/2012)


    I tried searching for some explanation before posting, but I found nothing close to what I'd like to know. Ask SSC seems to be a board-type question site here on SSC. My question is, what is supposed to be the differences between this forum and Ask SSC (besides the obvious layout and asking/answering structure)? In other words, why post/answer here as opposed to Ask SSC and vice versa? Why do both exist?

    Thanks! And again, if this has been hashed out before I apologize for the copy.

    I don't very often post on ASK or any similar type of forum because anyone with enough points (you don't actually have to be smart or right to get points) can edit my stuff. Whether I'm right or wrong, I prefer to be right or wrong on my own without someone changing what I said.

    The other reason is that I don't do this stuff for points, reputation, or the "right" to edit someone else's stuff. I do it because I like helping others.

    I am sorry, but that is just wrong if someone can edit what someone else wrote. And let me guess, there isn't any way to know what was changed and by who either, right?

    What was changed? No. By who, oh yeah. It's posted there. I don't think I've had any of mine edited by others. I don't edit others either, especially not answers (occasionally I'll clean up formatting on a question). But yeah, it's a possibility.

    "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

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply