== Tips for being helpful to others in ##PHP ==

== Tips for being helpful to others in ##PHP ==

The following is meant as a guide to cater to those individuals whom contribute to the channel by helping others. Being helpful to others in the channel, as well as being in good standing with the majority of our users, is an important part of making ##PHP a quality resource. Remember, this document should serve more as a reference for tips guiding-points rather than a set of strictly enforced rules. We hope that ##PHP is a resource for giving and getting help with the PHP language, but we also hope to be as courteous to others as possible in the process. No one should feel oppressed or antagonized in the channel just because they aren’t knowledgeable. The general ideology is that you are not required to provide help at all, but if you would like to contribute it is more helpful that you don’t contribute with negativity where possible. Remember that the burden of help is shared between those asking for help and those providing help. So be respectful above all.

The following is meant as a guide to cater to those individuals whom contribute to the channel by helping others. Being helpful to others in the channel, as well as being in good standing with the majority of our users, is an important part of making ##PHP a quality resource. Remember, this document should serve more as a reference for tips and guiding-points rather than a set of strictly enforced rules. We hope that ##PHP is a resource for giving and getting help with the PHP language, but we also hope to be as courteous to others as possible in the process. No one should feel oppressed or antagonized in the channel just because they aren’t knowledgeable. The general ideology is that you are not required to provide help at all, but if you would like to contribute it is more helpful that you don’t contribute with negativity where possible. Remember that the burden of help is shared between those asking for help and those providing help. So be respectful above all.

Below are a few examples of when you probably should '''not''' jump in to the conversation:

Below are a few examples of when you probably should '''not''' jump in to the conversation:

''This would be the opposite of when a question has gone unanswered or when the answer provided may have been inaccurate or incomplete. Adding to the discussion benefits all parties involved, because if someone else in the channel has the same question they would probably benefit from getting a more complete or accurate answer out of the discussion as a group.''

''This would be the opposite of when a question has gone unanswered or when the answer provided may have been inaccurate or incomplete. Adding to the discussion benefits all parties involved, because if someone else in the channel has the same question they would probably benefit from getting a more complete or accurate answer out of the discussion as a group.''

'''(c)''' the person is being belligerent or particularly aggressive towards you

'''(c)''' the person asking the question is being belligerent or particularly aggressive towards you

'''(d)''' the person is asking for you to do their work for them instead of asking for direction or assistance - ''we sometimes refer to this as spoon-feeding''

'''(d)''' the person is asking for you to do their work for them instead of asking for direction or assistance - ''we sometimes refer to this as spoon-feeding or hand-holding''

'''(e)''' the question this person is asking is considered off topic and should be directed to another channel or resource.

'''(e)''' the question this person is asking is considered off topic and should be directed to another channel or resource.