I remember when this site felt like a godsend.... People were here to help and get helped. I really felt like most users had a common purpose.... to strengthen ourselves and others. Now almost every time I come on here and ask a question i get a response that says something like "this is not a physics question" or, "this is not a math question". Why is this happening? I really am grateful to all those that have helped me over the years..... I would honestly have paid for the help I have been given. I think some of you have lost sight of this sites purpose.

Question

amistre64 · Answer

the subjects are designed so that asking in the appropriate subject header will give a person a better chance of getting the specific help they need instead of their question getting drowned in a sea of another topic.

anonymous · Answer

^

mathslover · Answer

Well, I checked your questions history. http://openstudy.com/users/chrisplusian#/updates/53811a93e4b0973bc8fb8bc0 The question you asked was better to be posted in Physics so that you can get proper help. Though, I think you got help there.

amistre64 · Answer

checking profiles .... just seems so stalker like lol

mathslover · Answer

Haha lol! I will be a great stalker. :D

chrisplusian · Answer

@amistre64 you have helped me soooo many times over the last year or two... thank you for that....@mathslover if you checked my history you would see that I asked the same question in physics and in mathematics..... further investigation would show you that in Mathematics i was told I should refer the question to physics, and in physics I was told that  tis was not a physics topic..... I am a single father of of two children, I work almost 50 hours a week and attend school full time. If not for people like amistre64 I would never have made it this far... without exaggeration open study has saved me. When I study it is often late at night when my children are sleeping.... I can't depend on professors, or other students for help. I can't say "hey kids Dad has to ditch you somewhere while I study". My parental obligations come before all else. With that said I can still be a good student.... as a matter of fact I will be a senior after this summer and I have a 4.0 GPA still... after over 100 credit hours in an engineering program. Without this site I would never...never have made it that far. Now I know that many of the users are multi-talented, so I post my questions in multiple sections.... not with intention of drowning that subject, but rather I do it in hopes that I may find help within the time constraints of my schedule. I am simply pointing out that if your not able to help someone.....that is fine.... I really have a high respect for this site. When I get to where I have down time and nothing to do (which is very very seldom) I do not Facebook, or watch netflix... I too come on the site to help. I believe the person I help may NEED my help at that moment. I don't know their circumstances... they may be a struggling teen, a welfare mom, a single dad.... it doesn't  matter... they may be rich ungrateful kids that have no appreciation for the value of a dollar, and don't care if you help them or not. The point is that I don't know what situation they are in, just as those that have helped me did it without knowing who I am. I simple felt the heart of this site was to strengthen ourselves and others..... when I come on here now I am being referred from one subject to the next...... seems as though the "propriety" of use has superseded the intentions (maybe as I perceive them) of this site. It makes me a bit sad because this site felt unique in the fact it is free and the people on here seemed to genuinely care. Now I am getting help in the form of a directory for the site rather than the content of my question. I f I was on here helping and someone was in the math section asking how to use microsoft word I would not redirect them to computers within this site... I would simply help them in hopes that my contribution to their life would be as effective as the help as I too have received. Sorry to waist time on something so trivial.... just wanted to share this

chrisplusian · Answer

@mathslover

chrisplusian · Answer

@elementwielder

mathslover · Answer

@chrisplusian I understand your situation and context now. It has been a real problem for a lot of users who seek help on OpenStudy but don't get the expected help. Especially in the groups other than Mathematics. I can just say that,
Ambassadors (like me) , the moderators (like Amistre64)  and the administrators are working hard to get a solution for this problem.

mathslover · Answer

And it was not waste of time. Your feedback always matters to us.

amistre64 · Answer

while some people can come across rude when redirecting, I like to believe that it is the only way they know how to help.  Like saying, "I dont know anyone in this group that would know but these people might".  but then i tend to be an optimist.  i just graduated beginning of May and i am in the job search these days :/ lots of stress to say the least.  good luck

chrisplusian · Answer

@amistre64 good luck on the job search!!! and you are too much of an optimist.... again Looking at my question history.... there was a physics question that I cross posted.... A gentleman redirected me from math to physics..... I couldn't help but view his profile.... guess what.... he is a physics professor.... so I just gave him a link to the question in the physics section and asked him if he could help me if it was in the "physics" section..... call me crazy but that really felt out of touch with the purpose of this site. I can understand referring someone to another section if you felt there was no one on this section to help.... but if you are a physics teacher,..... why point out that this is not a math question? I am not upset I just am sad that what feels like "politics" is being added to this site. Why not have one simple stream of questions where a user could maybe include a "tag" on there question that someone trying to help could see on the screen? Then we wouldn't have to redirect someone to another section?

anonymous · Answer

you arent the only people in a tough situation... I go to XBHS and I may have to pull out from money constraints as well as my low grade scores... I rely on this site to help me to get better at a certain subject so I might be able to pull through with my scholarship

anonymous · Answer

so far i have had a good experience on this site, besides the constant updates, lags, and poor server, but people here are really helpful even if they dont know how to help you

chrisplusian · Answer

That is my point @elementwielder I don't know your situation nor do I know that of another user..... That is why I posted this... the site has always been awesome to me.... the last few times I have used it though I have been redirected about four or five times in three or four questions.... I am getting more help in the form of being redirected than actual help. I wish you all the luck in your journey @elementwielder

anonymous · Answer

thanks @chrisplusian same to you...

amistre64 · Answer

they used to have a tag option, but i believe it was getting abused so they discontinued that functionality.  they had a 'create your own subject' option that was getting abused and became unmanageable as well.  as for all of its flaws, they have settled on this version of things at the moment.  I find it best to ignore those who are blatantly trolling questions, and to tag people inside of your post to bring people into your discussions :)

anonymous · Answer

^

amistre64 · Answer

ive never delved into kirkoffs law .... guess the chance to do so never seemed pressing :)