[cessna140]

My .02.

First, I am a vB user with a site to run and not a hacker. I haven't posted much because I don't have time to hang out. The only reason I come here is to search for solutions to problems or hunt for hacks that will make my site better and more functional. This community is the beauty of vBulletin! vBulletin.com & .org ARE the reason I decided to purchase vB.

Since purchasing vB, I have lurked on these boards in an effort to get a feel for the community and to determine who was really here to help and who was not. Unfortunately, from the start, it was clear to me that newbies & their pesky questions were not appreciated. From what I have seen when evaluating several of these boards, I guess this is as professional as it gets in this business although some are worse than others.

In my opinion it is alarming to see the large number of questions & requests that are ignored or impolitely dismissed. This is too bad because it leaves many vB users without help which is exactly why this place exists, correct?.

I disagree with the notion that paid hacks are a bad thing. If paying for it is the only way I can get a needed hack done, I will gladly pay for it provided it is finished in a timely manner and done correctly the first time. Please, don't take that option away from us, it may be the only way to get some hacks done. Just make the process easier.

Perhaps a real solution is to separate all the "paid" hacks from the "freebies" by confining them to a "Hacks for Sale" forum. All business/whinning can be conducted there. Then change the current "Hacks" database to "Free Hacks". Additionally, it would be a good idea to do away with all of the advertising in the sigs.

Furthermore, establish a "Paid Hack Request" forum where anyone willing to pay for a hack can post a request. Of course, this would be separate from the regular request forum and for most, would be a last resort.

As previously suggested, maybe ALL hackers should be rated on the Quality of their hacks and/or the Service provided, instead of the number of hacks produced? This would provide the non-hackers a way of determining who to approach to get quality work done. I think this would separate the men from the boys in a hurry!

Lastly, if a hacker agrees to take on a job, paid or otherwise, they should make every effort to complete the job in a timely manner or at a minimum, give regular updates as the job progresses. I don't think that is unreasonable and would help solve the problem that was mentioned above by a Hacker that was tired of being harrassed.

Case in point, one hacker (namless) has committed to several hacks I have requested and I have yet to see one of them completed. I haven't had any progress reports and have no way of knowing where the project(s) stand because I do not want to harrass him. He did not have to take them on, he chose to... Because he was the only one to respond to my queries, I am afraid to inquire as I do not want to anger him into quiting. I need the hacks and no one else volunteered. What's a newbie to do?

Anyway, thanks for all the work, despite its drawbacks, it is the best forum software out there!