Thread: We need a new homework policy.

  1. #1
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    We need a new homework policy.

    Due to the recent flood, make that invasion, of homework posts we need a new 'unwritten board policy.'

    Regardless of whether or not you have shown any effort or copied that effort from a friend I absolutely refuse to help with any homework.

    The problem is that the assignments are the same - like the bank account problem I've seen on here about ten times and we end up answering the same questions about the same issue ten times. And we get the same response ten times.

    So if you want to join my campaign of no homework help so that we may rid the board of these posts.......please say so.

    They have become quite a nuissance.

  2. #2
    essence of digital xddxogm3's Avatar
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    I think that it is imparative to help the young flegling programmers to mature.
    granted we should be able to attack there posts with references to google and and the forum search option, but anyone that is truely trying should be helped. I have learned a lot from the nice and kind programmers from this site.
    "Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence;
    supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting."
    Art of War Sun Tzu

  3. #3
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    I'm not saying don't help anyone. Just not on homework. They are in classes so they can ask their prof.

  4. #4
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    All too often they aren't trying at all xviddivxoggmp3. I object to the posts that state the problem and ask us where to start. I think if someone is the kind of person who really deserves help, the homework-like properties of their post will probably be almost invisible. I don't think help on homework should be banned completely, but I do think that the idiots are invading once again. Count me in (for the most part).

  5. #5
    Software Developer jverkoey's Avatar
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    I'm in on this too, though I've already kinda been in on this in the first place, whenever I see a post about homework I just blow it off. Honestly, this site wasn't made to help people with homework, it was made as a learning source for C/C++ "Your resource for C and C++" not "Your resource for homework helping slaveworkers"

  6. #6
    Cheesy Poofs! PJYelton's Avatar
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    No offense, but lighten up a bit! Not helping with homework will in no way affect the number of posts. Most posts like that are from newly registered students who will not notice in any way that homework posts are not answered. If a person is trying really hard to understand something, why should we not help even if it is homework? Why even have the site at all? I'm not saying do their work for them, but if they have a legitimate question and put in some kind of effort into figuring it out we should help them understand. Lets face it, you'll probably learn far more talking with us here on the site than asking their prof who may or may not be helpful/available.

    Not saying you need to feel obligated to helping everyone and by all means, flame away at those people who just post their problem and hope that we write it for them. But to start a crusade against all students who just want to understand C++ kind of goes against the whole purpose of the site IMHO.

  7. #7
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    > No offense, but lighten up a bit!
    Then you'll get flooded.

    Personally, I think some of the senior members here and their "cut through the BS" attitude are a good thing. That's been one of the foundations of this board. "I'll teach you to help yourself."

    > Not helping with homework will in no way affect the number of posts.
    Well, most people will help homework posts, as long as the person asking is truly having trouble with a particular issue.

    >
    Most posts like that are from newly registered students who will not notice in any way that homework posts are not answered.
    <

    >
    Most posts like that are very lazy.
    <
    Fixed.

    >
    If a person is trying really hard to understand something, why should we not help even if it is homework?
    <
    I personally see no problem with exactlythat, but I decide nothing.

    > Why even have the site at all?
    A place to share juicy information, and help people that aren't just getting it for some reason. No helping "whankers."

    > I'm not saying do their work for them,
    Good.

    > but if they have a legitimate question and put in some kind of effort into figuring it out we should help them understand.
    I agree!

    >
    Lets face it, you'll probably learn far more talking with us here on the site than asking their prof who may or may not be helpful/available.
    <
    I agree again!

    >
    But to start a crusade against all students who just want to understand C++ kind of goes against the whole purpose of the site IMHO.
    <
    Unfortunately, almost any student that posts homework here is going against what the purpose of the site is. If you can't figure out the problem within the context of the course and school equipment, odds are it's going to be a tough profession for you.
    Last edited by Shadow; 10-07-2004 at 10:38 PM.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  8. #8
    Cheesy Poofs! PJYelton's Avatar
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    LOL I can't figure out if you are agreeing with me or disagreeing with me!

    To sum up my view:

    Posting homework hoping we will do their assignment for them==bad
    Posting question that they have tried hard to understand but a little extra help from experienced programmers==fine
    Ignoring homework questions will in now way stop the flow of them

    Unfortunately, almost any student that posts homework here is going against what the purpose of the site is. If you can't figure out the problem within the context of the course and school equipment, odds are it's going to be a tough profession for you.
    While this is certainly true of some, I think almost anyone here who has taken programming in college can tell you of how many terrible teachers there are. Just look at the Digipen thread to get an idea. So many teachers are those who programmed in the 80's and couldn't keep up with technology and so now teach instead of work in the field. They still teach programming as though its twenty years ago and have no idea how to properly use languages like C++ and Java. Many students ask here because there is no other way for them to understand and I think they should be encouraged to do so.

  9. #9
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    > I think almost anyone here who has taken programming in college
    Oh yeah, I started to realize that when one of my computer related instructors at tech school didn't know about the command prompt in Windows XP. While she was just a basic "computer concepts" instructor, it bugged me that she was trying to explain busses, and other things on the CPU when she did't know that!

    -edit-
    I expect teachers to be booksmart about their field. STUDY FROM HOME. Live the computer life. Family, single, whatever...do what it takes for your job.

    -edit 2-
    Oh yeah, more people than you think didn't put in the effort they could've. In another community, the only questions I've ever asked, I've never gotten a straight answer on. Apparently, the answers are a mystery(honestly), just my luck.

    Like I said, most computer stuff is on your own material. Computers are constantly changing, are you going to want to be instructed for the rest of your life as new technology develops? Of course not. Best to get the nack now as good as you can!
    Last edited by Shadow; 10-08-2004 at 12:31 AM.
    The world is waiting. I must leave you now.

  10. #10
    S Sang-drax's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shadow
    If you can't figure out the problem within the context of the course and school equipment, odds are it's going to be a tough profession for you.
    Not nearly everyone that studies programming plans to work as programmer in the future. For example, everone going to a technical university in Sweden has to take one programming course.
    I have no problem with people helping other people with homework related questions, as long as the question is a particular question and not an entire task.
    Last edited by Sang-drax : Tomorrow at 02:21 AM. Reason: Time travelling

  11. #11
    and the Hat of Clumsiness GanglyLamb's Avatar
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    Well i support Bubba completely, that is with people who just copy and paste their assigment without even looking at it themselves....

    On the other hand whhen they do put some effort into their assignment but are just stuck somehwere we should only be giving guidelines ( no full answers ). At the end of the day it is just a homework you can easily fail on some and still end up having good grades.

    Even most colleges and universities where they have any IT course will have their own board where they can post problems like that ... even my college has it and when i have a problem with the assignment ill just post it there, since everyone who has the assignment looks there, thus it is something like students helping each other from a distance ( even lecturers visit those boards and give replies or hints and tips ).

    And to cut my story, im am totally behind Bubba
    :: dances around like a squirrel on music of yanni the jazz master ::

    Greets,

    Ganglylamb

  12. #12
    the hat of redundancy hat nvoigt's Avatar
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    Programming is a lot about learning. The best practices of today will be obsolete with a new concept on the horizon just next year. If people show no dedication to what they do and just paste their assignment here in the hopes of dumb people answering anyway, that's just lazyness and should not be answered.
    If someone is looking for help with a task that is his homework, great. I'd rather have a coworker asking for help later than someone giving up or making mistakes.
    hth
    -nv

    She was so Blonde, she spent 20 minutes looking at the orange juice can because it said "Concentrate."

    When in doubt, read the FAQ.
    Then ask a smart question.

  13. #13
    Code Goddess Prelude's Avatar
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    >Due to the recent flood, make that invasion, of homework posts we need a new 'unwritten board policy.'
    I think the present policy works just peachy:

    Cprogramming homework policy:

    In the event of a homework thread, respond with any or all of the following:

    1) A reference to google.
    2) A sarcastic remark.
    3) A scathing flame.
    My best code is written with the delete key.

  14. #14
    Rad gcn_zelda's Avatar
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    For best results, try all three in one witty post. :P

  15. #15
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    I personally like the line I used when someone was asking for all sorts of things that are perfect for search engines (about the time GMail and the IPO were big things in news):

    Quote Originally Posted by me
    I believe there's one being marketed by a company called Google, but you'd better hurry - they're in the middle of a TradeMark dispute.
    If someone could make it a bit more scathing we could adopt it as the standard.

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