Why so few profiles?

[ChrisParticipant @chris16039]

I wonder why so few users of this great web site include a profile. It is useful to know who members are and their interests, if they are available to help beginners etc etc. Even our editor and his staff seem to have dodged this page.

Regards Chris.

[ChrisParticipant @chris16039]

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

HI There

I have put some inf onto the profile bit.

Be warned, it is boring.

regards david

 

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Well, I’ve now put mine up. Good luck to anyone who want’s to read it – it’s nothing special. In fact, I wonder why I bothered.

 

Next thing will be to find a suitable photo. Usually it’s me that takes ’em, so I might end up having to do one specially. At least with digital it’s a lot easier than having to send off a film!

 

Regards,

 

latheman aka Peter G. Shaw

Edited By Latheman on 17/06/2009 21:24:32

[Alastair HParticipant @alastairh]

I’ve no room to talk, as I don’t have a profile, but Peter’s profile doesn’t seem to have viewing access. 

[Peter G. ShawParticipant @peterg-shaw75338]

Hi Alastair,

 

Thanks for the post – I hadn’t ticked the box ” Enable my public profile”. Perhaps it’s saying something!

 

Regards.

[Ruaidhri MurphyParticipant @ruaidhrimurphy46564]

OK, I surrender. Info posted (+avatar for approval).

 

I may have exaggerated the drinking & fighting bit, but the rest is true.

 

Cheers,

Ruaidhrí

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Hi all, resurrecting this as it seems that members are still reluctant to post a public profile. It would be helpful if everyone here put a at least a simple profile, background, county, general interests would be useful for all to see. You only put in there what you want others to see, lets start sharing our backgrounds, interests etc, then we may all be more able to collaborate on projects etc, it’s surprising what comes out of the woodwork when you share this kind of information.

 

regards

 

Graeme

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I’m loathe to put mine on as reading some of the others I’d have a hard job keeping up.

 

One person is obviously educated beyond stupidity

 

John S.

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Can’t say I’ve ever looked at anyone’s so I’ve never bothered. You can generally get a feel for someone by their posts anyway.

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Sorry John and ChrisI fail to see what you mean. A profile is intended to give a pen picture of the person. I have no problem in sharing my background and interests, why is it that the Brits are so reluctent to share their bckground and experience!

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

I have to agree with Chris. A posting often betrays a personality.

But just so I can’t be accused of not doing so – mine is now there to view. It isn’t quite my life story. There have been other things…

 

Diane

 

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

I do not understand your statement in your last posting. There is no betrayal in a profile, it is only what you want to expose about yourself,. A posting betrays nothing!!. Please explain!

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

The word ‘betray’ in this context is figurative. It means ‘to be evidence of…’ or ‘tells of’.

In other words “a posting often gives evidence of a person’s personality”.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Diane

 

[Steve GarnettParticipant @stevegarnett62550]

Not guilty, I’m afraid. I’ve had a profile (FWIW) up there for ages – even updated it a couple of times.

 

I quite like Diane’s, even though it looks for all the world like she’s tempting providence. Or is this just an attempt to circumvent Sod’s Law?

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Posted by CoalBurner on 20/05/2011 19:56:13:

Sorry John and ChrisI fail to see what you mean. A profile is intended to give a pen picture of the person. I have no problem in sharing my background and interests, why is it that the Brits are so reluctent to share their bckground and experience!

 

 

Why do you use`a username instead of your real name?

 

The less personal information you post online, the less likelihood you’ll get your identity stolen is a good reason. You could post false profile information but that defeats the object of having profiles in the first place. If I was honest, it’s probably just laziness on my part but also I judge people more by the manner of their posts than their profiles.

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

Posted by CoalBurner on 20/05/2011 22:19:08:

I do not understand your statement in your last posting. There is no betrayal in a profile, it is only what you want to expose about yourself,. A posting betrays nothing!!. Please explain!

 

 

Assuming the profile is true but we’ll assume most are.

 

A posting as in a thread can betray someone’s true attitude even if they’re claiming the opposite. It’s easy to tell when someone has an axe to grind or believes themselves superior because they have a certificate in something, often waving that fact as a means to elevate their opinion above someone else’s (which ironically I think undermines the validity of their argument because they resorted to that ploy in the first place). If an argument is sound, you don’t need to attempt to undermine someone personally. A simple explanation as to why you hold a particular opinion should be enough.

 

Taking swipes at people aggressively or passive aggressively also tells you a lot about the poster. The profile information tells you nothing by comparison.. There’s no harm if someone wants to put the information up but in my case, I’ve not been bothered either way. Nothing to hide. No conspiracy. Just can’t be bothered

 

typo’s

Edited By Chris Trice on 20/05/2011 23:36:41

[Sam StonesParticipant @samstones42903]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I asked a similar question a few months ago (22/09/2010), under the thread – `Shine a Light’. There were 65 postings with some interesting replies.

Generally, the most common excuse for not proffering one’s background, both here and elsewhere, tends to be “I don’t have anything to offer!”. With the exception of it becoming material for identity theft, as Chris Trice and others suggest, I would argue strongly that we all have something to contribute.

May I also suggest that most of us who were lucky enough to have been educated `beyond stupidity’ to use John Stevenson’s expression (or was that misuse John?), do have the potential to offer an interesting profile.

As for waving certificates Chris, my claim to fame is that, having spent too much time chewing off the full length of my wooden pen at primary school c.1948, failing the 11+ exam, not knowing what 7/8 was as a decimal, I only really began to start learning when I began my apprenticeship. Eventually, as a Fellow of two institutes, it shows that anyone can do it. It was also proof and a kind of apology to my father, who was one of natures gentleman, that I did have some intelligence after all. A bit like “Look mum, no hands!”.

I’ll go on to say that another gentleman who, at the ripe old age of 90 and confined to a wheel-chair was persuaded to begin writing his life story. Written in an ordinary notebook in rather shaky handwriting, it was full of gems which life can hand out. I was privileged to read it. Ironically, the last sentence describing his experiences on board ship at the age of eighteen and a half, ended unfinished. It was almost as if he had keeled over and died.

 

Regards to all,

 

Sam

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Chris Trice on 20/05/2011 23:21:46:first place). If an argument is sound, you don’t need to attempt to undermine someone personally.

Taking swipes at people aggressively or passive aggressively also tells you a lot about the poster

 

There’s an old saying: “argue the topic not the person”. Not always easy to achieve 100% but a fine aiming point.

 

And anyone who resorts to expletives, particularly on a personal level, just lost the argument imo (not a problem here in my experience but a big problem in other forums (fora?) )

 

Sorry, bit OT in this thread.

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi All,

I think giving approximate location is the most useful thing. Too many times people ask for a supplier for something. Without even knowing which continent they are on then there is no point in making suggestions. Also when someone needs help with something then knowing their location would allow others to offer help if a visit to see the problem was the best way to solve it.

Les.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

This is an information Forum and a ‘Please help me’ Forum and as such a friendliness accord is built up. It is nice to know that the depth of knowledge and the ‘Help’ factor is there in masses.

I do read profiles and find them interesting and give me an inside to the person.

It only needs a basic outline and if there is a query about it then ask. Simples.

Yes, I know there are Forum members who decline to put down a profile, but after all it is their choice.

It is not absolutely necessary to have a profile but sometimes it can be significant in the fact that it outlines a degree of knowledge in a particular area.

Identity theft is another area altogether and would need a great deal more knowledge of a person to perpatrate. You are not giving out Bank details after all!

There should be no snobbery in a profile and no flag waving or any need to quote degrees or certificates, in any case I have misplaced or lost all mine and at my age they mean nothing as experience takes over.

 

Clive

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Les Jones 1 on 21/05/2011 08:48:41:

Hi All,

I think giving approximate location is the most useful thing. Too many times people ask for a supplier for something. Without even knowing which continent they are on then there is no point in making suggestions. Also when someone needs help with something then knowing their location would allow others to offer help if a visit to see the problem was the best way to solve it.

Les.

Les makes a valid point and I do attempt to show my rough location on the forums i go on, usually in a sig line file.

 

I checked my profile on this site and it just said United Kingdom, went into details and the town was selected but it needs County / State to be entered to show in your profile if ticked.

I have now entered Nottingham as city and county and it now shows up.

 

Just a heads up.

[Steve GarnettParticipant @stevegarnett62550]

Posted by Clive Hartland on 21/05/2011 09:14:37:

There should be no snobbery in a profile and no flag waving or any need to quote degrees or certificates, in any case I have misplaced or lost all mine and at my age they mean nothing as experience takes over.

 

 

Quite agree – which is why I’ve never listed mine, and won’t. The only really significant thing I’ve discovered about learning in general is that if you keep an open mind about it, you realise that the more you study, the less you find you know, and the more there is to know. And that when it comes to something you don’t know about, the best thing to do is to keep in an enquiring state of mind about it, and not make any judgements until you have all the necessary information. The best tools you get from education are the ones that help you do this, and they are very rarely ones that are certificated.

 

All these certificates, etc prove is that either you could jump through a certain hoop at a certain time in a satisfactory manner, or that the people who were judging you couldn’t stand the sight of you any more and gave you one anyway just to get rid of you. And I am not joking about that – I’ve experienced it happening on several occasions, despite my objections about ‘devaluing the currency’, etc.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Good points Steve,

 

Other than 3 GCSE’s, Glue sniffing, ice cube rolling and grievous bodily harm, none of my qualifications are now recognised or know by modern employers since the advent of dumbed down qualifications like NVQ.

 

Add to this none of my previous employers are even around except REME who won’t answer any queries anyway so you can finish up life as invisible or just lie thru your teeth as it can’t be checked.

 

A friend of mine with 10,000 letters after his name went before a selection panel where all these letter can be converted into a doctorate if you can satisfy the panel. he arrived on said day to sit in a waiting room full of hopefuls.

 

First guy goes in and comes out 20 minutes later sweating and not looking hopeful, same for the second guy.

 

John goes in and is asked to explain why he wants to condense all these qualifications. Instead of listing what he’s done etc he just said “well it’s easier to get on one line of a form and I’d stand a better chance of getting a last minute flight “

 

There were looks of incredulity from one member to another, they then nodded and granted it. In and out in literally 2 minutes. Since then he’s still been studying as it’s needed for his position and at present his full title is Dr. Dr, Dr. John P***** but he only uses the one Dr.

 

John S.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Agreed

Qualifications on their own say only that a specified area has been studied to a level, and maybe (only maybe) understood, sufficient to satisfy an examiner at the time.

Many years ago I took, and passed with distinction, a course in the principles of microwave radio . I have never used this knowledge but I keep the notes. Pages of calculations, I don’t understand a word! I get it out from time to time – it reminds me of how little I do know. So I have a qualification in microwave radio but don’t take my advice if you have a query about it!

On the other hand I have absolutely no qualifications in mechanical engineering. i do, however have some experience. If something worked for me or if I have a suggestion on how I would proceed in a certain circumstance I am happy to share it. From the useful comments in general on the posts here I find others share this approach.

Profile ? My background wouldn’t help folk much but maybe I can think of a few things which might but for now – back to the decorating!

( You may notice rather more posts from me of late as this is an excuse for not getting on with it)

 

Regards

 

Norman

 

Edited By NJH on 21/05/2011 15:26:36

Edited By NJH on 21/05/2011 15:27:31

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