LK has just pointed something out here.
To a degree, we look at the profile of any new people here, to get an idea of where they are coming from.
If you have the least of information in your profile, as in, no e-mail address, no Occupation details, or to a degree even where you are from, we would assume that you are not intending to be here for a long time.
Can you really blame us for thinking negatively?.
This site works on turn-over of threads, but if we relied(sp?) on lots of threads that never got any replies, this site would die.
Don't get me wrong, you don't have to give your wifes maiden name here, but a bit more info would be cool.
If the regulars can do it here, why can't you?.
You have nothing to be ashamed of here folks!.

Oh and before you say anything, I've been here for 3-4 years and I've never been spammed from ECN, even though my e-mail address has been in my profile all that time.
I have been hit by the Fire Service Net here though, quite a few times.
Believe me, it's safe, just stay away from any fire-fighters from New Zealand.

I'm 35 years old, been doing electrical work since I was 20, and I'm just here to learn more about the trade. I visit the site daily and have learned a lot in the 6-8 months I've been coming here. So, in short, I'm just here to pick the brains of some of the best electicians in the world.

Mike,
Point taken, I've added my e-mail address to my profile. I never open 'em if I don't know the sender, in any case.

SM77, ditto your comments.

Alan

It's not just a simple thing, like "qualifications."

"Electric work" covers an enormous range of subjects- everything from High Voltage distribution to Plan checking to telephone lines to PLC'c. Not only do darn few folks have any special competence in more than two area, but the views of folks, looking from a slightly different perspective.....can actually result in my learning something!

As for the e-mail address, I have never been spammed either. Looking at the threads, sometimes I don't say things quite as clear as I should, with the result that someone mis-understands me. When that happens, I might want to drop them a note- rather than make a post for everyone to see. Or- someone might want to tell me I'm being silly!

I'm 47 years old and have been involved with electronics since I built my first regulated 4 voltage supply at 15. My mother hired the electrician that did work for her employer to rewire our house. I think it was my junior year in high school. He let me help him do the work on our house to save Mom some money. I ended up working for him after school and on vacations from college & tech school over the next several years. More importantly, I grew to love this great man like a father. I videotaped his 50th anniversary & flew down to Fl. to see them on their 60th.

Over the years, I've been a field service engineer for computers and transmitters, a systems engineer at a post-production facility, and a broadcast engineer at TV and radio stations. Now, I'm a Testing Engineer in transportaion and get to work with electricians on a day to day basis. It's almost like coming home.
Joe

[This message has been edited by JoeTestingEngr (edited 11-20-2005).]

I have lived in Hawaii for close to 30 years now. In the first few years I had several experiences of old high school "aquaintences" or friends of friends who used to just show up at my door with suitcases in hand. With that memory in mind, I for one choose to stay off the radar so to speak. Hope everyone understands.

"Not only do darn few folks have any special competence in more than two area, but the views of folks, looking from a slightly different perspective.....can actually result in my learning something!"

That's it John, we need to help provide information, but at the same time take care not to give direct, How to information, so the idea of an e-mail contact with the poster, will inform them of our position, and at the same time, with a short note of support, we can encorage them to come back and learn.

macmikeman,

What you may want to do, is use an alais e-mail address for contact purposes, to protect your privacy.

Been around a while, went to some 'other' sites, like some of us here. I think I filled in all the blanks when I registered. And, NO I have not seen any spam either.

As to the 'un-wanted' e-mails; can't say anyone sent me a personal e-mail, except the few guys that I 'talk' to. (Harold, Les, etc) Take my word, it's NOT a problem.

I, like the thers come here to read, learn, put my 2 cents in, & help if I can

John

Perhaps I am guilty of being the penultimate cause of this thread. I tie my own boots. Does this make me a DIYer? Or Dryer?

So how does one go about adding to one's profile?
~Peter

You know I'm in complete agreement Mike. When I see a post I check to see if it's from a contractor, inspector, electrician or engineer. If there's no information I don't know where they're coming from.

I've probably been around for a year & it's been a continuing education for me with all the shared information & experience. I've sent & received e-mails from a few of the regulars here, as well as chat rooms, and have appreciated it. Never any problems.

Dave

I'm 23 and just came off the family dairy farm, so this is definitely a whole new ballgame for me. Started my apprenticeship 1 1/2 years ago and am enjoying every minute of it. Joined this site a while ago but usually don't have much to add unfortunately. I've been going back and reading through the older posts on this site which have been very informative. The detailed explanations and code references on this forum sure makes it a lot easier to understand the reasons for doing installations a certain way.<----That information alone has been priceless!

Tony

[This message has been edited by Cow (edited 11-20-2005).]

I've been here for nearly 5 years now.
My profile has always had my info, and I've never had a problem because of it.
(I did get an invoice from another member once, but that was because I was in his MS Outlook address book, and had nothing to do with ECN)

It's an awful lot easier to understand or respond to a post if you know where the member is located. Things are done very differently, for example, on the East Coast vs here on the West Coast.
Also, it helps to know if you're talking with a first year apprentice, or a "Code Specialist"

There really is nothing to fear.

I've had my e-mail address in my profile since I signed up, as well as my location. Don't have much of a web page (just some low voltage bicycle lighting projects) so I didn't link that. As far as my occupation, there is not enough room for a proper description.

But it looks like this thread has become a 'who are we' discussion.

I am neither an electrician or an electrical contractor. My job is research on high performance AC induction motors, and I get to deal with the entire range of the research projects, from designing the motors, designing the logic level controls for the inverters, cobbling together the necessary feed circuitry, specifying test equipment, etc. I am here for many reasons.

I like the theory discussions. I am very curious about the _whys_ behind the code.

I want to protect myself from the trap of 'I know the theory, so I'll just do what I think is right.'

I want to learn what you guys have to deal with because hopefully down the road you guys will be installing systems that my company builds.

I like teaching the science behind electrical topics; I think that I have as much to teach about the theory and I have to learn about the practise

I like the puzzles that come up. (Alas, trying to come up with better wording 310.15(B)(4) will need to wait until the next code cycle...the best I can come up with is to stop thinking of the _neutral_ as special and instead focus on the _set_ of conductors where current on one means less current on another...but that is for another thread...)

I am a proponent of educated consumers and educated DIY (since I have no formal training or apprenticeship or licence for electrical work), and I would love to see the development of mechanisms where all electrical wiring is done properly and inspected, including DIY work. I'm saying this simply to describe where I am coming from; I don't want to steer this thread onto that topic, because I'm sure it will be a noisy one. Feel free to e-mail me or start a new thread.

-Jon

I too have been here for many years and I never had any problems with unwanted e-mail. I have also made many friends from around the country. Like Joe T., Bob, John, Redsy, etc. and I have even talked to most of them on the phone. I think it is a great place for exchanging ideas and getting others opinions of the NEC. There are times when we all laugh about something, and times when we cared about each other in times of need. ( such as 911, and the Gulf Hurricanes, London Bombing, etc.)I myself use my real name at all times and never had problems, I don't think my profile is up to date (sorry!) I just never thought about it. I will have to correct that.

I've updated my profile to provide just a bit more information... I most just browse around and post the occasional question. I'm an 18 year old university student.

I've had my profile since the day I registered, if anybody wishes to email, my addy is on the website.

Thanks for the reminder. I probably check this site daily and spend about a half hour or so each time sorting through all the old posts. Many of the things i do each day i lookup here to get other pespectives. I check what people have in their profile too. I want to kno if what they have to say is credible or not. way too easy to give bad advice on a site where really no one know you. I have only posted a few questions and every time you all have helped me out imediatly. thanks

It is fun to see where everyone is from. But if you wish to not disclose that info I don't care.