I have an extremely simple question that I can't figure out...

[Descartes]

If I can't figure it out, how am I able to determine that it's an easy question? I see this in a lot of AT threads (e.g. "Easy math question--help!"). Do they not realize they're essentially calling themselves an idiot?

I'm a software developer who primarily consults, and I have a lot of clients who like to disagree with quotes because they feel it should be easy. Nothing is worse than someone who knows enough to ask a question, but not enough to answer the questions themselves.

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

 

[illusion88]

Originally posted by: Descartes
If I can't figure it out, how am I able to determine that it's an easy question? I see this in a lot of AT threads (e.g. "Easy math question--help!"). Do they not realize they're essentially calling themselves an idiot?

I'm a software developer who primarily consults, and I have a lot of clients who like to disagree with quotes because they feel it should be easy. Nothing is worse than someone who knows enough to ask a question, but not enough to answer the questions themselves.

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

all right....

 

[MrChad]

 

[slycat]

WRONG!

Example i am a computer expert but know sh!t about finance...i have a question: What is depreciation?
Yes, that is an incredibly easy question that even Econ101 people can find in their texts but since i suck
at econ/fin i dunno what it really is but i do KNOW its an easy question.

capische?

 

[xyion]

that is not always the case. in a recent homework assignment, i asked my friend for the value of a constant. it was extremely simple, yet a question of mine nonetheless.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: slycat
WRONG!

Example i am a computer expert but know sh!t about finance...i have a question: What is depreciation?
Yes, that is an incredibly easy question that even Econ101 people can find in their texts but since i suck
at econ/fin i dunno what it really is but i do KNOW its an easy question.

capische?

do you need to know about book depreciation or tax depreciation?

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: slycat
WRONG!

Example i am a computer expert but know sh!t about finance...i have a question: What is depreciation?
Yes, that is an incredibly easy question that even Econ101 people can find in their texts but since i suck
at econ/fin i dunno what it really is but i do KNOW its an easy question.

capische?

An easy quesiton to the econ pundits, yes. I just think that one feels something is so easy, then they should be able to find the answer themselves.

I understand there are exceptions, and I was embellishing a bit in my statements; however, I think you'll find this is largely true, especially when the questions get more complex. I once had a customer who would actually give ME the quotes based on how long he thought it would take me to complete something. One time he submitted a quote that said it would take me 15 minutes to do something, but it really takes about 8 hours; the other time, he gave me a quote for 10 hours on something that took me 15 minutes.

Anyway... twasn't to insult anyone for asking ostensibly simple questions

 

[StageLeft]

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

I think in the vast majority of cases you are quite right. There are some cases however where I know that I used to know the answer to a question but no longer can. Based on this I can remember that the answer is quite simple - I simply do not remember exactly what it is. Or, if I think my knowledge of something is at level 3 but believe that the difficulty of something is level 1, it doesn't mean I need to always know everything about level 1 of a subject matter, but I can still make a good guess as to where it should be.

Case in point: Let's say I forget the syntax to a simple function like the Split() function. I know that it's an easy answer, but I can't remember it!

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

I think in the vast majority of cases you are quite right. There are some cases however where I know that I used to know the answer to a question but no longer can. Based on this I can remember that the answer is quite simple - I simply do not remember exactly what it is. Or, if I think my knowledge of something is at level 3 but believe that the difficulty of something is level 1, it doesn't mean I need to always know everything about level 1 of a subject matter, but I can still make a good guess as to where it should be.

Case in point: Let's say I forget the syntax to a simple function like the Split() function. I know that it's an easy answer, but I can't remember it!

Yeah, I agree with you there, but the difference is that you are qualified to answer the question yourself provided the time to look it up. I guess I should've further qualified my rant to include those who are simply not qualified to do so. I am not a lawyer, so it would be absurd for me to think that I could tell my lawyer what is a simple case and what is not.

My rant was more directed to those that have absolutely no clue, yet they feel qualified to tell you that it's easy. Maybe this occurs more in the software world than others; I'm sure you can empathize with that

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: Descartes
If I can't figure it out, how am I able to determine that it's an easy question? I see this in a lot of AT threads (e.g. "Easy math question--help!"). Do they not realize they're essentially calling themselves an idiot?

I'm a software developer who primarily consults, and I have a lot of clients who like to disagree with quotes because they feel it should be easy. Nothing is worse than someone who knows enough to ask a question, but not enough to answer the questions themselves.

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

ya, i have clients like that to. they are more than willing to charge patients for THEIR knowledge, but they don't like it when i charge them for mine.

 

[isaacmacdonald]

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

This is an intuitive, but I think ultimately false assertion. It's actually quite possible to appreciate the approximate complexity of an issue without understanding all the detailed mechanics. Skilled managers don't need to understand precisely how things happen, but must understand the complexity of a problem to efficently administrate.

 

[Mookow]

Originally posted by: isaacmacdonald

Lesson for the day: if you can't do it yourself you are unable to discern the level difficulty.

This is an intuitive, but I think ultimately false assertion. It's actually quite possible to appreciate the approximate complexity of an issue without understanding all the detailed mechanics. Skilled managers don't need to understand precisely how things happen, but must understand the complexity of a problem to efficently administrate.

Well, I think "skilled managers" is an oxymoron, so there!

 

[DT4K]

It is very common in software dev, that customers really have no idea how easy or hard something is to do.
Of course, this goes both ways. Sometimes it sucks when people assume something should be easy to change and it actually involves a substantial redesign and takes a week to do. Other times, it's nice when people think a project should take a week and it really only takes a couple of hours of coding. Gives you plenty of time to hang out on ATOT and still have your boss think you are working hard.

At my job, most of the requests for software changes come through our application support people because they are the ones on the production floor, working directly with the software and the users.
We have now prohibited our app support people from using the words "just" and "only".
They kept coming to us and saying things like "can't we JUST change the program so it does this and that". Or "It's ONLY a change to one form".