Newbs

[Pharynx]

Hey, I doubt many of you even notice the newbies at this site, but as a newbie, i feel like speaking up...this is in community talk and every thing goes apparently,

so, i've been here lurking for nearly a week now, and i've made one post, this being my second, and i am feeling a little overwhelmed, i have even been scared to post for fear it would be deemed as idiotic or fluff, this site seems kinda... harsh to newbies...probably to weed out the people who you don't want coming here...i'm planning on being here for a while, cause i want to learn from all of you who are way smarter than i am. i realize i am dumb as a door knob when it comes to the finer points of computer usage. i'm sure though that the great minds of this site could do something to help us newbs get started out right in this site. though based on what i've seen of some posts you regulars have made, you really don't care about the newbs...i can understand a little newb bashing for fun, cause it is fun. i agree...now i know this seems like a stupid post and most probably will think its a stupid thread, but i felt like speaking some of my mind and this seems like the only area of the site to do so.

ttyl

[Voltage Spike]

i'm planning on being here for a while, cause i want to learn from all of you who are way smarter than i am.

I'll keep it brief, because I am fairly new to the site as well.

From what I have seen so far, this is not a forum where people gather to create the latest hacks and discuss the technical details. The forum was started to support a social event that brings together those in the "hacking community", and, true to its purpose, it seems more social than anything else. People come here for technical support ... and are generally denied. People come here to learn how to hack ... and are generally denied with a vengeance. People come here to announce their latest project or the next meeting/conference ... and are accepted.

While this forum has many friendly and helpful people, most of them seem to come here so that they can kick back and relax. If you are able to learn something in the process, then kudos to you. However, you shouldn't expect the Defcon forums to be "hacker university". This is the teachers' lounge, and I don't think that is going to change anytime soon.

Good luck. :)

[LosT]

This is not a learn to hack site.

This is not a tech support site.

People seem to miss these points. The board is harsh because it gets tedious weeding out the crap and the crap posters that constantly show up because someone saw a reference to defcon on Tech TV or in the Futurama intro....

There *are* areas for technical discussion, but for OBVIOUS reasons the moment exploits or other such topics move from the strictly technical arena to the nefarious (even one bit) it puts this site into jeopardy; hence the swift retrobution.

And there is a default 20% idiot factor built in based on the fact that this is an internet group.

If you plan on attending DefCON, this is a good place to meet people. I started posting on this site prior to the con, met some people, and made some friends. That's what this place is for.

I think everyone should have to read one of the many FAQs (and possibly pass a quiz) before they can post here. I don't think people really read the FAQs/rules. It's evident when SO MANY first posts are completley idiotic.

LosT

[ck3k]

People gotta stop with the noobie manifesto stuff. We do support technical issues, there is a forum for it, however we are not windows support line, if someone wants to discuss the new jpeg expliot, that may be better suited for that forum. I was a noob here once, went through my hazing, but here I am.

[astcell]

Pharynx,

These board can be considered "for advanced users." You need to hit the ground running when you get here. By the time you get here you should know how to install software, cure computer viruses, and set up a basic network using IP addresses. You should be bored with AOL and Prodigy and want more. You should be at the point where you want to take apart code to see what makes it run. And if you have not done so already, compile a small e x e program and watch it run. The more you learn the more you should want to learn. That's what we do best. We are social to one another because we are a tightly knit group. We circle our wagons and keep out the inept. Sometimes we scare away a good guy who makes a bad post.

We always welcome more to the boards, but if you are having trouble with your AOL disk then we will refer you to a simpler board. Just because one can spell "college" does not grant access to one. Everyone, including the newbie, is much better off starting at the point of knowledge just over the next hill.

For many people, this is where they will land after years and years of study. And for a very select few, this is the starting place.

[noid]

I know it appears we're really rough on new users, but look at the users that we get rough with. Take yourself for example, you're new here but no one has jumped all over you. Thats because you didnt sign up and make your first post 'sum1 teech me 2 hax teh windowz computar!!!', you waited till you had something intelligent to say. Problem is, we have a lot of users who sign up and do just the opposite. We tend to take the 'iron fist' approach because if you start tolerating this kind of behavior even a little, you'll end up ass deep in it. If you ever want to see what the defcon forums would look like if we werent rough on the stupid people, take a look at some of the other 'hacker' forums out there. They're terrible, completely awash with stupid people asking stupid questions and getting flamed by even dumber people. We come down on some things for the same reason why you dont feed the neighborhood strays, if you do it a few times you'll end up having to keep doing it. We arent a tech support forum, so when people show up looking for non-security/non-hacker tech support, we send them packing. If we didnt and indulged a few, we'd end up becomming what we dont want to be. Overall, we get a fairly good number of new, clued, people every month; we just have to chase off the anklebiters in the process.

[skroo]

Hey, I doubt many of you even notice the newbies at this site, but as a newbie, i feel like speaking up...this is in community talk and every thing goes apparently,

Having read through the other replies, I'll say that they're pretty much spot-on. One thing I would like to add, though: it doesn't hurt to get to know other people in the area you're in who may have the same interests. Bear in mind that these folks are going to be your closest resource for expanding your knowledge, and also the same people who go to Defcon (and other conferences).

With that in mind, check out the links in the Local Meetings FAQ. Quite honestly, there's only so much you'll pick up from behind the keyboard; talking with people counts for a lot. Also remember that there are people with a lot of technical knowledge who don't attend your local dc-groups or 2600 meeting - LUGs and other user groups are also a good place to find similarly-minded folks but in a different setting.

[sp0k34]

baicall its a bunch of people (moderators) who lovvvvvve to talk shit, they work together to talk shit...i dont know why but its pretty fucked up. maybe they feek insecure :D

[bascule]

sp0k34, maybe they just have a grudge against people who spell so poorly as to be incoherent...

[Chris]

sp0k34, maybe they just have a grudge against people who spell so poorly as to be incoherent...

Yep, baicall you have it in a nutshell.

[Pharynx]

Thanks

Thanks everyone, i guess i wasn't sure what this site really is. thanks for clearing it up everyone. hey i suppose it would be alright to ask a question now, it might've stated it in the rules, but i'm not sure. Is dev/nul like, one step away from the really stupid people hall?...i hope not, i'll probably stick around for a while and see what this site has to offer. i'll try to make helpful posts, and try not to be annoying.

peace out

[LosT]

Is dev/nul like, one step away from the really stupid people hall?...

BINGO!

An it's not really stupid people hall, it's fucktard hall.


LosT

[sp0k34]

sp0k34, maybe they just have a grudge against people who spell so poorly as to be incoherent...

my point exactly^

[Chris]

my point exactly^

Bascule isn't a moderator. So...what exactly is your point?

[Gadsden]

baicall its a bunch of people (moderators) who lovvvvvve to talk shit, they work together to talk shit...i dont know why but its pretty fucked up. maybe they feek insecure :D

Considering half of your posts border on idiocy, and some of the others are you telling the mods what a good job they do and how you deserved to be smited down for being a dumbass, I would have to dismiss your teenaged ass as being the one that is being insecure.