Could somebody please put a sticky post like this at the top of the VB.NET forum? It's gotten to the point where people are now posting blocks of uncommented code and no actual question. It might help if the first thing at the top of the page was

"Read This Before Posting"

A more appropriate thread title for a lot of the posts lately might as well be

Here! You fix it!

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Posters with such disregard for order probably won't read the sticky, either. I feel your pain, but the only solution to this one is mild electric shocks through the keyboard.

It's not that I don't want to help these posters. I really do, but it would save time if, instead of replying by typing the same "please supply..." I could just post the link to the "Read This Before Posting" thread. These people just need to be broken of some lazy habits. And I am not necessarily opposed to the shock thingy.

Feel free to use this boiler plate for any posts that you deem could use it:

[boilerplate_help_info]

Posting requests for help must be well thought out if you want help quickly and correctly.  Your post did not meet the criteria for quality help. You may get some posts, but are they going to be useful?  Check your post with these checkpoints - what is it [i]you[/i] missed:
[list=1]
[*]Ask a question that can be answered. Do not ask
- What's wrong with my code?
- Why doesn't this work?
- Anything else that does not give us useful information.
[*]Post your code.  If we don't know what you did, how can we possibly help?
- Use [b]PROPER FORMATTING[/b] -- see this
- Use CODE Tags so your formatting is preserved.
If we can't follow your code, it's difficult to help. We don't care that you're still working on it. If you want us to read it, it must be readable
[*]Explain what the code is supposed to do.  If we don't know where the target is, how can we help you hit it?
[*]Explain what actually happened! If we don't know where the arrow went when you shot it, how can we tell what went wrong and how far from the target you are?
[*]If you have errors, post them! We can't see your screen.  We can't read your mind. You need to tell us what happened.
[*]Do [b]not[/b] ask for code. We are not a coding service. We will help you fix your code. 
    If anyone posts working code for you, they are a cheater. 
    If you use that code [i]you[/i] are a cheater.
[*]Do [b]not[/b] bore us with how new you are. We can tell by your code.
- Do not apologize. We were all new, and unless you are completely 
  brain dead you will get better.
- Do not ask us to "take it easy on you."
- Do not say "I don't know what's going on." That's obvious since
  you posted for help. Use that time wisely by [b]explaining[/b] as best 
  you can so we can help.
[*]Do not apologize for posting 'late'. We don't have any expectations on when you should be posting - 10 minutes or 10 days. We aren't timing your responses.
[*][b]Do not post your requirements and nothing else. [/b]We view that as a lazy do-nothing student that wants us to do their work for them. That's cheating and we [i]will[/i] be hard on you.
[*]Do not attach files except when absolutely necessary. Most of us are not going to download files.  Add the information to your post.
[*][b]Do not tell us how urgent it is.[/b] Seriously, for us there is no urgency at all. Many that can help will ignore any URGENT or ASAP requests.
[/list]
Think more about your next post so we don't have to play 20 questions to get the info we need to help you.

[/boilerplate_help_info]

commented: Wha- I'm supposed to _read_ all that? :) +0

I think I'll just save the permalink and post that with a quick "please read the following most eloquent post" or words to that effect. You get the writing credit and I save keystrokes. Much appreciated.

You don't type it in... You copy/paste it. Rather than save the link, save the text itself.

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