Clarification/Follow-up by hadenough on 12/22/04 8:52 am:
You weren't blocked for asking too many questions without rating them. You were blocked for several reasons:

(1) You ask question after question after question. It's like you've discovered a new toy and can't get enough.

(2) You never acknowledge the answers you've been given, except to ask another question.

(3) You never say thank you.

(4) You keep changing your name and asking the same question over and over again, hoping to get a different answer. While AW has many people who use the site, there aren't that many that we can't tell when the same person is asking the same question again, despite the name you give being different.

If another expert was unhappy with a rating you gave them, then that is something you need to work out with that particular expert. It is not a reason for not rating anyone else. Ratings are the only type of feedback that we get and it is only common decency to acknowledge when someone has done something for you.

You've asked if there are some written or unwritten rules. The only rule that applies is general humanity. The experts here take the time and make the effort to answer your questions without any kind of payment. The least you can do is acknowledge them and say thank you.

Let's look at your profile...you've been a member for just 8 days, and in that amount of time you have 18 answers that you've failed to rate, and 11 questions that haven't received answers yet. You've asked over 29 questions in 8 days! How many of those 18+ answers have you acknowledged? Have you thanked the experts who answered you?

Clarification/Follow-up by bluebags on 12/22/04 12:15 pm:
To anyone who'd answered so far:
I appreciate your sharing your thoughts. I understand better now.

Hello hadenough, for one thing, you're not letting me rate you by posting a followup, not an answer. It would seem that you are not giving me a chance, even though I have expressed a desire to handle this ratings issue responsibly by posting the above question.

I posted this question for greater clarity and understanding. I do hope I have not become an unwitting target for experts who are upset with not receiving rates to take out their frustations on. An open-minded, non-accusatory approach to solve any conflicts - I suppose "general humanity" would require that this be acknowledged too. I appreciate frank, honest feedback but not the angry tone, which I find offensive. I do not think I have asked you, hadenough, any questions before and I do believe it is not appropriate to use such an accusatory tone "You did... You..." as if pointing fingers at me. Perhaps such dissatisfaction could have been expressed on a relevant board for other members to read and understand, instead of only coming alive when one relatively new member (not expert) brings this up? If I understand correctly, there has been no previous posts on this board regarding this, and I am not aware of any other catergory this issue could fall into.

As far as "general humanity" goes, I'm not sure "rating" someone is an "understood" thing. Thanking verbally is more or less widely understood enough, but this is not equivalent to rating someone.

I do believe I've thanked almost everyone who answered my questions, just that I am aware that repeating too much isn't a good thing, so I don't necessary thank people on follow up answers(in whatever form). There are people who get irritated or angry when thanked, and when asked about it, the answers are to the tune of "can't you think in terms of the concept of unnessary?". I do want to avoid such situations as much as possible, and I wasn't trying to "take it out on others" as suggested. If I were, would I bother to clarify this on this board? It is rather offensive (intentional or not) to be seen in such bad light immediately without being given any benefit of the doubt. I did clarify my rating with the expert in question about the four stars, by the way.

I do hope that it is apparent that I am posting this question because I do wish to correct any unintentionally offensive behaviour and at least know what is generally expected. I want my stay in Answerway to be as pleasant as possible for myself as others. I would not want to assume I know what everyone is thinking without asking first. Different people/groups have different standards. I am trying to find out what the standards here are.

I also wonder, in a similar vein, if it would be a good idea for experts to inform people that they do not wish to reply to their questions? Perhaps that way I could immediately send my question to another expert and not have to send my question to a few people, only to receive a delayed reponse much later?

I hope this will, all in all, be a fruitful discussion. Thanks for all the feedback so far. It has been helpful.

Clarification/Follow-up by jocase on 12/22/04 10:10 pm:
Sorry, I misunderstood. You did not say that Answerway blocked you. Yeah, some people take things too seriously and block people for any reason.
I did block someone a while bck because he was asking the same exact question again and again, although I had answered him the first time. I guess he was just playing around. I unblocked him a few months later but never heard from him again.
John