Pc Mech Rocks!-how Do You People Know So Much?

[mritech75]

Thanks to all you people that have been a great help in the past few years! How do I gain the knowledge for ME to help others on here? I've done a lot of reading: computer books, posts, etc. but I feel like I'll never be experienced enough to help others on here. Sure-I can help out family members that are barely computer literate- but I'd like to be an expert too! Are most of the more knowledgable members on here computer technicians,programmers,etc.? Or are they mostly hobbyists like myself that have built a ton of computers? Just curious. I'd like to be able to give back to the forums like everyone else instead of just searching and posting in the forums. Thank you for your input!

[spyder003]

I think the majority of people here are hobbyists. Knowledge comes with experience. You build a computer, encounter problems sooner or later, and learn from it. You would be suprised how much you can learn on these forums just from reading other people's problems.

[mritech75]

Thank you for your reply! I've learned a few things the hard way. I just don't think that those things are still perfectly clear in my memory. You're right though- you can learn a lot just by reading about other people's problems and solutions. Anyone else have any input?

[idolcrash]

I'd recommend asking on the things you aren't so clear about, and listening 10 times as much. Combing through posts out of boredom can teach much.

[bailey]

I think the hardest part is to remember everything.
also remember google is your friend

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by mritech75 I've learned a few things the hard way.

I cannot honestly think of a better way to learn.

[formerjudge]

i hate to admit this but we are not human beings, infact we are a computer and because we are a computer were able to store large amout of informatin

[mritech75]

That's what I meant about being clear on the things I've learned- remembering everything (specifically every step to solve a problem). Thank you for your posts! I'll keep reading!

[Cricket]

Computers are just a hobby for me. Been messing with them since 1994 when we bought our first Packard Bell (90MHz Pentium)...bought another one (100MHz Pentium) in 1995. Built my first real computer in 1997 (233MHz Pentium MMX) and have assembled about 70 computers to date...repaired and upgraded countless others over the years.

I used to read a lot of reviews and tech news on the web, but have slowed down lately. I used to hang out at 3 other tech forums besides this one and picked up information here and there...but I think I've learned most of what I know from just hanging out in this forum.

Cricket

[mritech75]

Thank you Cricket for your post! I've seen your name around quite a bit. Thanks to everyone that answered my post! You've built 70 computers as a hobbyist? That's pretty impressive. I would expect that to be a part time job! Do most of you guys look up info to answer people's questions? or you just know what to do? I'm finally building my first computer at 29! I've loved computers since I was a kid but didn't get one until I was 24.(sorry guys-it was a Dell). Definetly more exciting building your own! I haven't started it up yet but I've got everything installed but the wires from the front panel of my case. I found out you need to do some major zip-tying! All of those wires! Looks like a messy bird's nest! Thanks guys! Take it easy!

[bailey]

I have found that there is a lot of questions asked on hear that could easly be answered if the person would do a littel searching for them self.
there are many help sites on the internet that has the answeres.
google is your friend has been mention several times, now and then.
also webpedia is a big help too.
then there is the web site for each mfg that has all you would need for any single part, like the motherboard mfg, will even have the user manual as a free download for all to refer too.
sometomes I think some people are just too lazy to read ther own manual.

but that is why I have so much fun here, and it helps me to learn a lot more too

the good ones I print up and put in my file cabinet, if only I could remember where I put that now.

[idolcrash]

Originally Posted by mritech75 I haven't started it up yet but I've got everything installed but the wires from the front panel of my case. I found out you need to do some major zip-tying! All of those wires! Looks like a messy bird's nest! Thanks guys! Take it easy!

Sounds like mine, I put loom over most of my PSU wires (there is probably about 20 feet of loom in there), so now it looks like a there is an alien trying to break through my case window. I need to tie them up and stick the unused ones behind the mobo, if possible

[rjfvillarosa]

The first computer related product that I built was one of those build it yourself scientific calculators, advertised on the back of an electronics magazine, it was called the Sinclair Cambridge and was manufactured by A guy called Clive Sinclair, that was back in 1978. In 1979 I started working for the government in the UK in the highways department, we had a main frame IBM1900 running pascal and cobol languages, about 1981 it was upgraded to a IBM2900, I can still remember changing the mag tapes by hand so as to access files, at that time the gov started to allow small pc's to be bought by individual offices for specific tasks and we used to buy Apple/Mac's in kit form, (it's funny but there was no consideration for static in those days, just rip the box open and get on with it). Around 1978/9 you could buy a little handheld keyboard that plugged into your tv, it came with a tiny proccessor that would run in DOS and we used to program them with the game Hangman, at the time Boots the chemist's (the UK equivilent of Walgreens) started selling a cassette player that was "computer compatable" and you would store your files on cassette tapes, even back then they cottoned on to the fact that the unknowing could be conned with computer technology/speak, any cassette player could do the same thing as long as it had a line input.

[mritech75]

Thanks rjfvillarosa! Interesting stories! It's amazing how technology has changed in complexity in the period of 25 yrs! It's hard to imagine how things will be 25 yrs into the future! I can remember drooling over "Packard Bells" in the christmas catalog as a teenager!

[shadowbreaker513]

This site has also helped me a lot. When I registered, I had not idea about even what a psu was. Thanks to reading people's posts here and their help, last night I assembled my first pc for my grandparents and had it up and xp installed within about 5 hours.

[HAL9000]

I don't consider my knowledge anything more than average... it just comes from personal experience over the past 10 years.

[lil Jimmie]

I've gained a lot of knowledge from the countless threads I've read over the years; however I've always had the talent to do what my heart has desired.

Google and the willingness to search can take one farther.

[mc2phat]

My take on the knowledge of the skilled members of these forums is they gain it from study, research, and experience. It's a combination. Most of the best here are IT professionals; they have that knack that they may have been born with or perhaps learned. I wish I was wired the way they are sometimes. I include HAL in this group. HAL, I contend your knowledge is more than average.

[Jaggannath]

Totally agree Mc2phat.... HAL's just being modest, he has a great knowledge.
Some of the knowledge is common sense, some just tidbits you pick up, but most is by hard experience. You have a problem, have no idea, find the answer, and areso happy you fixed it yourself with a little help it sticks in your mind

[Cricket]

I found an article the other day that may explain HAL9000's remark about having average computer knowledge even though most of us here know his knowledge and skills are far from being just average...

"We've all had experiences with people who think that they are "above average" or "superior" - indeed, so many regard themselves as above average that it defies descriptive statistics. So often a majority of people will consider themselves superior to their peers at tasks like driving, working out finances, telling jokes, and socializing...but the more incompetent a person is at a given skill, the less likely they are to realize it, the more likely they are to overestimate their ability, and the less likely they are to realize that others' efforts are superior. But those who are superior, on the other hand, tend to rate themselves as only average."

Seems like the article was saying that incompetent people tend to be overconfident and boastful while people who actually are competent tend to be modest.

Cricket

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by Cricket Seems like the article was saying that incompetent people tend to be overconfident and boastful while people who actually are competent tend to be modest. Cricket

Amen to that....

[Tin]

most of my knowledge comes from first-hand experience and reading alot of the posts on here, as well as various other forums. i kind of stumbled into overclocking by accident back when i had a 1.3 duron. i was tinkering in the BIOS and seen FSB speed adjustments. i upped it a tad and thought "cool now my system is faster". ive been hooked ever since. ive only been building computers since i was about 18....only 6 years experience. before that i couldnt tell you the first thing about them.