Intentional Misinformation

[Huckleberry]

I have been a lurker here for awhile and although there is a great deal of good, legitimate dialog, there has also been a lot of misinformation stated as fact in these forums. This comes mostly from a few select individuals (which appear to be somewhat knowledgeable in the field), who are intentionally misleading people - possibly to throw a curve ball to less experienced colleagues, or in some cases just because they are a jack-ass. This is concerning, as it seems some of this misinformation is being absorbed and restated as fact from a greater number of people, unintentionally, who perhaps don't yet have a great deal of experience.

There is no need to get into naming names and re-posting posts - all of you have seen them and know what I am alluding to. My question is, why haven't more of you come forward to correct the misinformation - especially when it is obviously deliberate? Some of you have been courageous enough to do so, but it doesn't seem to happen often enough.

[scratchy]

The problem Huckleberry is that what has been posted has worked for someone, then they try to be a good samaritan and try to help someone else. Where this goes wrong is when the second problem is not related the first and makes the problem worse. What you are seeing, is this type of amateurish help in a very technical field.

The professionals, (including myself) would always say something along the lines of 'if the data is important, take it to a data recovery company' and then we would get flamed for making such statements and it is implied that we are 'trying to cash in', which I suppose is correct, this is how we make our living, but it is also good advice.

I gave up posting to the main topics here, except the odd basic advice - check cables, etc.. and anyone that posts help on a forum without analysing the problem is not really offering any help, they are just reciting what they did when they had a similar problem or what they 'think' based on what a user says. Often a users description is not technical enough to make a diagnosis. I'm not saying all users are non-technical but hard disk engineering is totally different from bolting a computer together

[ppumkin]

Like scratchy says - its only brief advise per thread..

Any techniques and serious problems are "behind the scenes" - not information that any end user will benefit from any way- because they lack the tools to implement such procedures. These are people with real knowledge and serious about the job.

Allot of people are happy they found this forum because they could be directed to a local and trusted recovery centre and got the data back with a smile on their face, others found DIY tricks and saved a few bob and the rest are just people who think they can fix everything if some body tells them how to. (like bridging diodes..)

If you don't know the basics anybody can sell you any bull they want. At the end of the day- pointing a finger at somebody with blame always has 3 fingers pointing back at yourself.

[Zero Alpha]

Isn't it common sense that an internet forum is not scientific fact?

If you can't trust the internet then who can you trust?

[BlackST]

Isn't it common sense that an internet forum is not scientific fact?

If you can't trust the internet then who can you trust?

Us.