@GoBruins
Afterwards, it is $12.95 per month. It is free if you, yourself, answer 50,000 points per month. Believe it or not, in seven years, I have answered maybe one question. It's like competing with Sandeep, lol.
I use TechNet as well. There used to be a SBSNation or something like that. Susan Bradley used to hang out on there a lot. If you don't know Susan Bradley and you use SBS, it's like the Chicago Bulls being your favorite team, but not knowing Michael Jordan. She IS Small Business Server. Even Bill Gates asked her questions. Just Google her.
Anyway, I digress. First, the offer still stands. And, you can't ask Who makes Lenovo, lol. I understand Jack, but here's a few benefits to EE.
Yes, if I do a search on there, I will get similar questions, sometimes get the exact answer. Have to admit, I am usually lazy and just ask my own answer. I find being involved in the question and asking other questions after gives me a better answer. I also seem to have very crazy issues. Once, I was using a Cisco PIX 501. As you may or may not know, Cisco is consider the best in firewall/routers, but they can be a bit difficult. Out of nowhere, we started having four random computers out "x" many computers not accessing the Internet. If you rebooted the router, you would get other random computers but more than likely the same three or four. I threw up the question, and to this day, it is my longest question both in number of posts and number of days. There were nights where everyone would say, going home to get a beer, let's get some rest and tackle this tomorrow. Rob was trying to help as he is, as I have said many times, a super networker. This is where I met Rob. Rob has sent me 14% of my emails to date after becoming friends. I stayed at the office every night trying to figure it out. Finally, I set up a proxy server on the server and connected the four computers through the proxy. This solved the problem but added more with email routing, etc. But, it did provide a big tip, although even the experts couldn't see it.
Finally, on the eighth day, an expert who hadn't posted at all prior came on and said, "You have a 501 which comes with 10 licenses. If you access the Internet one by one, after ten you can't get through." Bingo. Then, ironically, I went to my Cisco book, which is 10 times harder than Microeconomics, and found the paragraph, "You can only use 10 Internet connections with a 501." Just like Cisco to make you get a 505 or upgrade your license to 50 to run more than 10. So, I ordered a 50-user license and somehow figured out how to upload it into the Pix. Problem solved. Now that question has probably been Googled to. But, I would never have found that question. Well maybe.
Another good thing about it is you can save all your answers. Chances are you may need the answer again.
As far the format is concerned, you can't beat it. Almost every other forum I have been on for tech questions, for some reason I will never understand, they repeat the question like an email, so you have to read each question and answer in the subsequent post. Plus, so many times, I have seen these and there is a two month gap between answers.
One other benefit is that you sometimes make friends. In general, it is a rule that you can only email one of your favorite experts to a question. You can't ask them in the email. But, at times, you do end up getting into a conversation, and you end up with a Rob or a Raja. Raja is the gentleman who has help quite a few users on here with SQL. He has fixed a major problem with SQL on my server a couple of times. He remotes in and works his majic. Not free of course. So, over the years, I have met Gary, who is a home theater and computer guru, Rob, the networking guru, Raja, SQL, Tim, SQL, an Exchange guru, a SharePoint guru (who totally saved by [censored] from a staff mutiny. With most of these guys, I can just email, but obviously I do have to pay for remoting in. I already know that when I move Sharepoint to SBS 2011, I have my Sharepoint guy. Sharepoint is difficult to upgrade.
The format on EE is perfect, and there are moderators to ensure that no expert is out of line.
It's just hard to explain. If you are looking for a Tech Support Forum, EE is simply unmatched.
So, do the 30 day trial. Use it for a hard question. Show me the link, and I'll send the wine if it gets answered.
Just to be up front. Most of the time, an expert will answer in the time they have predicted like 32 minutes. There are times though that none of the experts like like question. And, keep in mind, forever reason, a lot of these guys are from England.
You can check the profiles on these experts. They will blow your mind with their experience. A tip to the wise: If you have an Exchange Question, then email Sembee2. The guy is an Exchange Server genius. Maybe the smartest on any given category. But, he can be a little rough around the edges. He also used to have, by far, the most total points on EE. Until he gave them away. And, then gave them away again. Like I said, he's a bit different. You can tell by his user name with the 2 at the end that he changed at least once.
