[Equest-users] eQUEST Help Desk Funding

[Harakhlaal]

Having a free eQuest forum is no different from having professional
associations for engineers and architects. They are a meeting of educated
minds. It still involves a certain art and innovation and is not completely
dependent on experience.

Just because Carol/Pasha have experience doesn't mean they know how to
simulate all of the custom systems which eQuest isn't designed to simulate,
however energy modelers share and compare methods only through dialogue and
discussion, not through paid consultancy amongst each other. This is how
knowledge develops and evolves. Otherwise as a community we stop learning
and growing.

Maybe we should start charging for the exchange of emails and a fee for each
post to the eQuest group now also.






On Thu, May 27, 2010 at 12:50 AM, David Eldridge <dse at grummanbutkus.com>wrote:

>  It has always been offered if someone asked, it is only a new phenomenon
> that someone has advertised.
>
>
>
> Seems to be a help to the community.  It would only be a detriment if we
> start to get these announcements on a daily basis from everyone, or if Carol
> or someone else follows-up with each and every poster whether or not they
> mentioned any inclination for a paid consultancy.
>
>
>
> A separate post from Gordon S. after I started this one compares eQuest
> with HAP/Trace with paid help – there are still plenty of people out there
> who don’t need assistance on a regular basis, and enjoy using eQuest for
> free.
>
>
>
> If the user was inexperienced and knew they would need a lot of help, then
> we’re talking a different story – but that doesn’t cover the majority of
> practitioners.  Hopefully most of those entering the market are working with
> established modelers, but I guess there isn’t a rule that you can’t enter
> the industry starting from scratch.
>
>
>
> Personally I hope to offer advice from time to time when I’m able (for
> free), and hopefully someone out there will be willing to offer me a tip or
> two when I’m in need.
>
>
>
> As long as we don’t become inundated with commercial requests I think the
> list will remain quite viable…even lively!
>
>
>
> David
>
> *
> *
>
>
>
> *David S. Eldridge, Jr.**, P**.**E**.**, LEED AP BD+C, BEMP, HBDP*
>
> Project Manager
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> *From:* equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:
> equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On Behalf Of *Haynes, Glenn
>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 26, 2010 3:03 PM
> *To:* Dakota Kelley; Carol Gardner; eQUEST Users List
>
> *Subject:* Re: [Equest-users] eQUEST Help Desk Funding
>
>
>
> I do not have a strong opinion on this issue because it offers a service
> not currently available.  But to me the issue is one of effect on the whole
> eQuest community.  My fear is that once this service is offered, many who
> have spent their valuable time offering free advice will tend to back off
> and let the paid services take up the slack.  This will probably reduce the
> usefulness of the current list and leave small firms and individuals without
> extra cash out.  This may eventually reduce or destroy the value of the free
> list service.  The future of DOE2 and eQuest depends on young beginners who
> currently have little money and need the free help.
>
>
>
> This list is one of the few truly valuable free services available in the
> world today.  It provides a forum for old codgers like me to mentor those
> younger and less experienced (those who need help the most and can afford it
> the least), and, currently, I am in good company.
>
>
>
> Glenn
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:
> equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On Behalf Of *Dakota Kelley
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 26, 2010 2:14 PM
> *To:* Carol Gardner; eQUEST Users List
> *Subject:* Re: [Equest-users] eQUEST Help Desk Funding
>
> Carol,
>
>
>
> Let me cut through the philosophical stuff and set a starting bid: were I
> to find myself in need, I would pay $125/hr for one-on-one, pay-per-use,
> phone/WebEx-style assistance, billed in 0.25 hr increments or each fraction
> thereof, with a minimum charge of 0.5 hrs.  This assumes the person
> providing the help has both a mechanical engineering degree and years of
> eQUEST experience, which appears to fit your description.  If Portland has
> not eliminated your Canadian accent, I would gladly pay aboot
> $126/hr..what’s another loonie, eh?  Naturally, there would be a high
> expectation that you should be able to solve nearly any issue somewhat
> quickly, and you would have to determine how you want to handle issues you
> are unable to resolve.  However, I have no qualms about charging or paying
> for one-on-one help…it’s called “consulting”.  In my early days I posted a
> couple questions and received no responses – I could’ve just as easily been
> talking to my HP DeskJet while printing “I hope that helps” messages to
> myself.  Having an alternate, fee-based help resource would have been a
> blessing.
>
>
>
> If I may enter the philosophical arena for a minute, I’m amazed by the
> eQUEST users who will comfortably charge their clients thousands of dollars
> for a model, using “free” software, but *expect* free assistance and get
> up in arms when anyone brings up the idea of fee-based help (or that it
> would be brought up on a forum created *for* eQUEST help).  There has been
> talk about helping for “the greater good of the modeling community”, but I
> don’t find it to be intellectually honest.  Such a notion is predicated on
> an equal contribution from all participants, but the reality is that there
> are far more help-seekers than help-providers, and such will always be the
> case with voluntary forums.  Quick questions that can be answered in five
> minutes are not an issue, and the forum is wonderful for that, but when it
> turns into me taking an hour or two to go through someone’s model for free,
> while they get paid for my findings, is not inherently good for me or the
> community.  It has been done for me in the past, and I have paid it
> forward.  However, there are not enough active participants to make this
> standard operating procedure.  I also refute the notion that having an
> alternate help source undermines the forum; the two are not mutually
> exclusive.
>
>
>
> So, Carol, please put out your shingle.  I might break my model just for an
> excuse to call you.
>
>
>
>
>
> *                        DAKOTA KELLEY*
> **
>
>                                 Project Designer
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>
> *From:* Carol Gardner [mailto:cmg750 at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, May 25, 2010 4:45 PM
> *To:* eQUEST Users List
> *Cc:* Benville, Jim; ed.wall at ee.doe.gov
> *Subject:* [Equest-users] eQUEST Help Desk Funding
>
>
>
> All,
>
> For the right amount of money, a dedicated land line, and a dedicated
> computer, I will function as your dedicated Help Desk. Let me know who is
> interested in funding me to be this resource. Let me know how much you think
> this resource is worth. As you all know by now unless you've been sleeping,
> I am a self-employed professional that takes time to answer your questions
> but must quit giving my time away for free.
>
> --
> Carol Gardner PE
>
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