Why Did You Become a Member of Vista Forum

[richc46]

I became a member in Dec 2008. I was having a problem with my computer and needed information. I enjoyed my brief visit and stayed to this day.
In May of 2009, Microsoft announced a preorder period for the purchase of Windows 7; $49.99
I knew that I wanted that OS for the price offered. I went to Amazon, and tax and shipping costs free, I paid $49.99. I was concerned after my purchase because I had never attempted anything like installing an OS.
I joined Seven Forums. Two members ZigZag and another member, Tom, held my hand for several months answering my questions. When the OS finally arrived, those two were right besides me helping (in my mind) as I installed. I was an avid forum fan at that point, and have repaid my debt by offering the best help that I could
Now, lets hear your story.

 

[mitchell]

As i said i hung around here for a long time before joining, my reason for joining was after learning so much from just observing & reading posts that i realized i was capable of chipping in and helping.

I think the greatest reward is the joy, relief & gratitude expressed by someone when when their problem is solved, I also get a great sense of reward in supporting fellow members where i can & this has resulted in developing some great friendships.

 

[Lorien]

In July, 2009 I became significantly disabled with COPD and could no longer work full time in my business. As I youth I had volunteered a lot and with my knowledge (20 years owning my own computer repair company), I thought I could help others with computer problems. At about the same time my XP system was causing me great problems so despite most opinions to the contrary and almost universal recommendations to the contrary, I elected to upgrade to Vista and it worked and solved all my problems - but I didn't know a lot about Vista.

To kill two birds with one stone (helping and learning) now that I had more free time, I decided to find a Forum where I could help others and learn about Vista. Unfortunately, I didn't choose the right one and although I ended up with over 9700 posts there in almost a year to the day, I chose to leave for a variety of reasons. I should have done so earlier but I procrastinated and going there had become a habit but in late August, 2010 I got fed up. While there, I discovered I was using many of the tutorials from this site in my answers, so I decided it would be the first place I'd check out, liked what I saw, and joined and started posting on 8/31/10. The rest is history. It was the best decision I could have made and should have been done much earlier - but that's water under the bridge.

So I guess the short answer for initially choosing VF (as opposed to doing this type of thing in general) was the tutorials.

P.S. Since I'm sure you're at least scanning this John, I think we all know why the owner became a member. Instead, I'd be interested in knowing why you started VF when there was already so much competition - especially from the powerful Microsoft (which is the forum I came from to here - so maybe I do understand that one). :D

 

[richc46]

Sorry about the health problem, but glad that you took the opportunity to contiue to help others, using the expertise that you have; truly a wise decision.

 

[Smurfyy]

I joined becuase I had a problem with Windows Activation *I think*. That first post is embarrasing. Lol.
Then I stayed around for a while, just looking at other members posts and stuff.
Any other forum I would have left, but I stayed here, and, I'm glad I did!

 

[Lorien]

Sorry about the health problem, but glad that you took the opportunity to contiue to help others, using the expertise that you have; truly a wise decision.

Modesty aside, I honestly think I have helped quite a few people in the 14 months on these Forums (maybe more than in my real job) - both of them even if this one is vastly superior in more ways than I can easily name (well, I could, but it would be yet another of my infamous long posts). LOL! Choosing to do this type of work was wise. Choosing Microsoft Answers first was not (though it seemed logical when I first selected it). Choosing VF was an educated guess based on the tutorials - I don't know if it was a wise decision, but it was certainly the correct one.

And I have learned a great deal in both forums, but moreso here. I actually think I could easily pass the Microsoft Vista MCP certification with only minimal study of sample test questions if even that (and though I never failed a certification exam, all the others took a great deal of time and effort studying manuals, guides, and online resources before I felt comfortable).

The only significant thing missing here is the opportunity to become an MCP even if many here deserve it (and I'll bet those here who have it didn't get it through here - they came from or still participate in Microsoft sites) since Microsoft doesn't seem to check outside of their own sites for people to invite no matter how well warranted.

 

[Shadowjk]

I was once an Administrator of a Forum from Vbulliten but Unfortunately It had some Sever Problems then there was a HTTP Error so I closed it down Within 2 weeks I was looking for another Forum to become a Member of and I then Found VF Were I decided to Join , Mainly for Learning Purposes only but I have found out that I am helping more People than Learning but I do still Learn from others

This Forum is a Forum I am Pround to be a member of

 

[Lottiemansion]

I joined after re-installing my operating system on my PC & found that the "Old" drivers I needed for my Epson R300 printer had dissapeared with the system & I couldn't find a fully functioning copy of them on the web.

Fortunately I found them on an old CD created in 2008, So I made them available to others from my FTP site. I now continue to help (?) others with their issues.

 

[niemiro]

I joined this particular forum because I liked the graphics and looks. I joined any forum because I had been messing around with the Windows Driver Development Kit, and managed to un-install every non-essential driver in Windows. Unfortunately, EVERY non-essential driver left me with no mouse, no keyboard, no network, little autorun, and no solution except re-install. Ooops! http://www.vistax64.com/drivers/264628-big-driver-problem.html

 

[asullivan]

richc46,

Great question !! Well heres our story....WE come from a very far off spot....A place, a wild place, just like the old west...Not for the faint of heart...thats for sure..That place is mostly geared for Law Enforcment Officers....I have over 10,000 post there...I am loved and hated, I confuse some and am like a intrinsic perfectly cut diamond to others...Meet Trigger, he is my faithfull and Noble horse...

He has many attributes that most horses do not have,,, He's kinda' the shy type, maybe he will show ya'll what we can do....A bit later...


Anyway back on track, Trig and I were just fly'in around one night and landed here, in this place, called Vista Forums...So we took a looksy and knew that the knowlge base was very deep indeed....

So here we stop then and thar', we learn sump'in everytime we come around....I used ta' cuss at the microsoft platform, but after being here for a spell....It's acually fun to learn and watch you microsoft genius do your thang'...

Now, I have programed ma'self to speak half way decent english, but I speak another language, They call it, "Sullian". It is a very strange vernacular that some people get, and some don't....Here, I gave ya's just a small sample of "Sullian".

Alas, I am a molder of minds, a professor of stuff..Mostly electronics and the laws of God...Physics...



Anyway Trigger really likes the great information and people here...He wants to make a homestead here....

Already got the important place built....:D No not fer' Trig, fer me.....


So thats our story, errr Some people call me tha' Admiral O' war, tha' Professor of Things, Sully, or cuss words...Don't make no difference to us...

 

[niemiro]

Geeks to Go is not too bad. It is a teaching forum, and everyone who comes out of either academy is a Staff Member = a lot of staff member. Some are excellent, Artellos of the Tech Academy is incredible - truly incredible, but quite frankly some of the Malware Removal Experts have a high view of themselves, but are utterly useless. Don't take against the forum because of one member - I didn't realise at the time, but I am still pleased that I found here - really pleased.

 

[britbakes]

I am technologically challenged (to say the least) and I joined for help

 

[Shadowjk]

Welcome to Vista Forums britbakes Please Enjoy your Stay and ask any Questions you have

 

[Lorien]

I am technologically challenged (to say the least) and I joined for help

I'll bet that's not as true as you say. Just being able to use a computer says a lot right there - I know many who can't even that or who have trouble with basic things and couldn't even surf the web as you have done. Also, you found this site, not excessively challenging, but you did and in the process you found and joined the best one on the net. And you're searching the threads and learning before you do a lot of posting - not a challenging thing but certainly a wise one that shows common sense (which is what's needed probably most of all in dealing with computers and software).

Besides reading the threads and using the Advanced Search function to find threads of interest, I hightly recommend the Tutorial Section where you will find hundreds of guides on a great many subjects that may not only help you learn about Vista but may answer your questions without needing to even ask them and may also help you configure your system more to your liking in ways you didn't know were possible (it did that for me several times). Plus in the Software Forum at the top as a sticky thread is a list of Free Vista Software that includes many products you may find will come in handly.

And, of course, any time you have a question or a problem, no matter how small or how silly it may seem, feel free to post and someone here will help you. Sometimes it's fast and sometimes it takes a while, but we try to reply as soon as we can.

Welcome aboard! In time, you too may be helping others with their questions and problems.

 

[Imperfect1]

I joined my first forum (Notebook Review.com) about a year and a half ago, when I was thinking of buying my first laptop. I had had a PC for years, and was pretty savvy about word processing (MS Word, primarily) but not much else. And I didn't know anything about the newest computers, let alone laptops. And to add to that, I was working on XP and wanted to learn about Vista. The Laptop Review forum has a huge section called "What Laptop Should I Buy?" which offers all kinds of comparisons and reviews and advice about choosing one laptop over the other --- which was just what I needed at the time.

So I really learned a lot on that forum, but I also noticed that a lot of the teaching references came from the Vista Forums tutorials. So, of course I had to check that out, and found that Vista Forums was not only equal to the Laptop Review forums in teaching and brain storming, but it was just a warmer, friendlier place. Plus, the Tutorials that are available here are outstanding! So I became a member here as well. Interestingly, (but not surprisingly) during the first many months, most of my participation was in asking questions. . . all kinds of questions! But little by little I realized that I was learning an incredible amount from all you folks, and I found myself reading many posts with problems that I had dealt with, or at least, knew something about. So now I'm probably more of a helper than a help seeker, but there are still plenty of times that I am totally stumped by my computer that seems to have a mind of its own!!

 

[MWRed]

I looked around a few times before joining. I didn't actually have a problem at the time. I figured that this might be a really good place to learn a lot and in case I ever did have a problem, it would be right at my fingertips.

 

[Imperfect1]

I looked around a few times before joining. I didn't actually have a problem at the time. I figured that this might be a really good place to learn a lot and in case I ever did have a problem, it would be right at my fingertips.

And you were right! :D

 

[MWRed]

I looked around a few times before joining. I didn't actually have a problem at the time. I figured that this might be a really good place to learn a lot and in case I ever did have a problem, it would be right at my fingertips.

And you were right! :D

Without a doubt.

 

[Joan Archer]

I joined on the 25th of August 2008, I came across Brink in the Vista newsgroups so came here for a look and stayed. I'm now a member of all 3 forums that John and Shawn are in charge of and find them all very informative and full of really friendly and helpful people.

 

[Chase]

I joined In August 2009 because I couldn't resolve an issue I had with my computer having blue-screens.

I ended up replacing the hard-drive, video-card, and o.s. and haven't had a problem since.