What is it with teachers using ListBoxes for homework?
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Is it just me or do there seem to be an inordinate number of ListBox questions coming from self described "I'm really new to VB" people with obvious homework questions on the forums? In particular I think I've seen three questions regarding multiple ListBoxes (2 and 3!) on the same form where the user needs to do some math with the selections. I really have to wonder if there's not a better way to get students to learn logic and algorithms than having them wrestle with controls at the same time - especially controls that are being used in ways that you never see in professional UI. In other words, if you're really just trying to teach the algorithm then why not just use collections directly rather than do the calculations on the controls' collections... especially when UI is not even a part of the lesson?
Maybe it's just this time of year that gets on my nerve on the forums.
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Not to defend them, but maybe they are using a ListBox for the simple matter of the students can "see" the items in the collection? For myself, sometimes it helps to see the items, rather than having them hidden - I don't know why, maybe I can visualize what the code is doing better that way...
The thing I notice is you'll see 3 or 4 posts in a span of 5 minutes, asking the same question...
Speaking of getting on my nerves...
Did you see this post:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vbgeneral/thread/c419df62-2d24-40f2-a261-653867b1798c
I actually had posted the answer to his problems - the Random was not the only issue - he was also doing it in the KeyDown and TextChanged events. In the time it took me to type it out in the IDE and post, he had posted a couple of rude messages. I saw those, then deleted my post - no way I was going to help someone behaving like a 2 year old, and being ungrateful at that. Then he was like "where'd that post go?". I thought that was pretty funny
I almost sent a post that he had, in one thread, likely managed to alienate a good portion of the people that could help him with a lot of his problems. And why was he surprised nobody was helping, when he is demanding an answer, not being grateful that there are people here to help on their own time, and displaying infantile behavior by threatening to "spam" the Forum if no one helped him. I reported one of his posts as abusive and before I could compose my above message, the thread got locked. -
I did see that thread... I couldn't believe what I was reading. Doesn't he know that IT doesn't respond to idle threats (we're inured to it from mangement, right?
) -- I beleive the officially sanctioned approach would be to offer a plate brownies and some Jolt.
Anyhow, glad it got locked - I hope that guy was deep sixed from MSDN. I have to give credit to Matt Wise for trying to placate and scale things down a bit. I think his calling should have been in the ambassadorial arts.
But to the point - I agree with you that its a visual thing. It was just buggin me. -
Definitely.
I think that one guy posted 3 threads today, all of them saying Urgent in the title.
If he does one more, I'll come up with a good response, like "Urgent, I need to go pee. In the meantime, maybe you can Urgently post some code that shows you are at least trying to do your homework."
Then there was another one today about declaring a Form wide Integer variable. After I posted a response, there was another post right there by the same OP that Jeff answered a couple of days ago, asking how to declare a Form wide String variable.
Should have posted something like "I guess since this is an Integer variable, it is done differently than a String variable, as in your other post"
Do any of these people think for themselves anymore? -
Yeah - I got suckered into this thread...
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vbgeneral/thread/388144a4-c398-4125-a1fc-3b7360b03c75
and after 11 solo posts I just had to call it quits. As I said, it felt like he was getting an exclusive personal tutor for free. However, I think at least this guy is trying to learn some of it on his own -he seemed to figure out the debugging tools as I instructed - which is why I stayed on as long as I did.
But I am very weary from holding his hand. -
You are to be commended for your time and effort in helping him
But I understand why you kept going as long as you did. It really did look like he was trying to understand it and put some honest effort into solving the problem by himself. When they do honestly attempt to work it out, I tend to put more effort into it - I feel that even if I write a good portion of it, they will at least look it over and learn something from it. At least he made some changes and came back with different errors - not some lame "It's not working" after a couple of minutes.
Those are the ones that drive me nuts. There are a few people now, who post frequently, that I won't answer their question. Because from their previous posts, I know that I'll do all the work, with the only response from them is "It's not working" or "I don't understand" or some other BS. And then they'll post another question, and another...
I swear there are a couple, especially with databases, that people on the Forum have pretty much written a complete database app with a fully functional UI.
I also notice they ask a question that gets answered. Then a couple days later they ask another, different but somewhat related, question. If they just put some thought and effort into it, they could figure it out. -
"jwavila":
There are a few people now, who post frequently, that I won't answer their question.
I always say I'm going to remember their names and then I promptly forget. I probably should have written them down. But then, these are mostly people who take a single comp sci class and are never heard from again here.
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