When is one no longer a newbie?

There's a caveat about Noobism that we must cover before going much further and that is the idea that everyone at one time is a Noob to everything.  Believe it or not, this simply doesn't hold up because some of us are better at finding information and incorporating it into our skillsets.  And other people could not find the broadside of the barn if the barn hit them in the face!! 

I play MMORPGS from time to time on the interent whenever times are slow.  The first thing I do is I read the Terms of Service [do YOU actually READ that???!!! ], followed by the manuals, the popup helpful hints screens, and then I look for the hints/FAQ/Guides sections, along with the FORUM!  I might spend an hour doing this research, but by the end of this orientation I find I know more about the game and how to play it then some people who have been playing for months.  The Noobs, meanwhile, sit on the global chat blasting the communtiy with these questions that make the thought of stabbing toothpicks through one's eyes to be a relieving sensation.  There and in itself you have the definition of "Noob."

Noobs are too dumb to figure things out forthemselves.  OK ok, I'm being harsh!  Noobs have been too ENABLED by Others to Figure things out For themselves!  THERE!  By this mark I do not believe that noobism is based upon IQ or upon actual intelligence but by learned behavior.  It is likely this behavior began when the person was young and someone else, frustrated in watching them struggle in learning how to figure things out on their own, simply gave them all the answers.  I knew these kids in grammar school, because while they had all the answers on their homework, they had not a lightbulb behind their eyes when it came time to discuss the worksheets.

So you don't want to be a noob?

The first mark of noobism is a person who doesn't read directions and note the obvious conceptual details of their immediate surroundings.  Want to appear noobish to a reference librarian/? Ask where the bathroom is.  Seriously, it is suddenly very important to you, but if you look around in most libraries, there are very very plain signs pointing towards the bathrooms. 

You can also spot a noob when it comes time to assemble a kit or a device.  The noob reaches for the weird dangly sparkly object and the black bar and stare off into space as if they just got hit by the broadside of a barn.  Obviously the parts aren't going to tell you how they go together...yet!!  that would be funny, a kit that yells "PUT THAT DOWN!!!" when you pick up the wrong part one too many times out of sequence!  So if you don't want to look like a Noob, reach for the instruction manual first and read it!

The final mark of noobism is to be hesitant to do ANYTHING at all until someone else tells you to do it.  I realize in Kindergarten they taught this concept as a method to instill a Followship of students and "Following directions," but ultimately always waiting for some one else will simply induce a state of helplessness reliant upon someone bigger than you for instruction.  Eventually there comes a day when you must embrace your own decisions and live with them, and for most of us that day comes when we become adults.  For true noobs that days never comes.   So if you don't want to be a noob, start doing and stop wallowing in self pity about your lack of innate knowledge about construction techniques, product quality, and material choices.  You will figure that all out by jsut by doing for yourself!!  Just don't be surprised if you build a module with ten different innovative designs in it only to discover that 1) someone else has done ALL of them, 2) ALL of them appear in the RR press and 3) EVERYBODY wants to talk to you about your innovative ballast work ["HUH???" you say?  But that I just DID and it HAPPENED!!!!]

Now I read your comment about the NMRA MMR requirements being Draconian.  Perhaps this comes as a misunderstanding that this scale measures all modelers, from the starter lightweight to the climber on top of the mountain.  If you want a top of the mountain rating, you have to - well, CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN!!!  That isn't Draconian, that is Experience!  And no amount of "looking at pictures and describing that experience as if you were on the summit" isn't going to suffice as the same experience! 

I realize that in a more politically correct world we have to take all of the climbers difficulties in mind, depending on their personal ability level, and by these weights and measures ALL climbers are equal.  They both climb, right?  So there's no need to introduce a class-level-rating competition becasue this is all for fun any way, RIGHT??  Sometimes trying to point out the obvious to these people can be quite a triteful experience of encoutnering human [counter?]intelligence!!!

Regardless, there are people who are more knowledgeable, more skillful, and destined to reach higher heights than you or me.  The trick of the ticket it to STOP looking at THEM and START looking at YOURSELF against the standard - NOT the other people!  You want to be the BEST model railroader you can possibly be?  Then pick up those "Draconian" MMR requirements and challenge yourself to do complete the course.  If you don't finish it in this decade, it should give you a good idea what you can and can't do today, and what you have to work towards in the future.  And even if you don't ever finish the course, it will help you appreciate the work that goes on in this hobby and appreciate the people behind that work.  You'll be far unnoobed for having attmpeted the course too!

That's my take on Noobism.  It is a condition quite independent of the challenge, meaning some can people skip this level altogether.  It's not a permanent condition but it can be dehabilitating if it is learned early and strongly reinforced.  The only way to escape this level is to learn how to do for yourself - don't laugh, for some people this would be the equivalent of climbing the empire statebuilding in a helicoptor.  But this skill is alone the most valuable skill any human can develop, so do not be so hasty to help someone Avoid the learning curve!.

Ryan is now an experenced Model Railroader

Ryan the set of questions you found in Wiki book sounds very much like the Boy Scout Merit Badge Test for Model Railroading. 

Back in 1966,67 & 68 as an Explorer Scout 4 of my friends and myself spent every Fall for those 3 years teaching Boy Scouts this stuff for their Model Railroad Merit badge toward becoming Eagle Scouts. It is also the first test toward becoming a Master Model Railroader of which I couldn't tell you exactly all you need to know or what the steps are just that there was Novas (Newb), Journeyman, and Master Model Railroader.The award of master Model Railroader is achieved by NMRA contests and building or scratch building engines and cars that are exact to scale and super Detailed and if you win first prize in their NMRA convention they would award people the Honor of being called a Master Model Railroader.

as far as being a newb the day you threw away the little short pieces of brass track that came with your train set and retired the little 4 inch square power pack and bought a Momentum or DCC controller used 3 foot lengths of silver track or hand laid your first piece of rail, you at that moment passed the realm of the Newb(short for New Boy). Everything after that is simple Your a Model Railroader and for the rest of your life you will get better hopefully.   Joe would more than likely hit the realm of Master Model Railroader. He has gone beyond just playing with trains to making an Art of it and then recording His Knowledge on DVD to help teach others the many secrets he has acquired and make a little profit along the way to feed the railroad he has built. 

Very nice article Ryan it brought old memories of when I didn't have the slightest idea that a frog isn't always green and can't swim . As far as DCC I'm a Newb and have a lot to learn and as far as the old Cab control I was way beyond Newb. Actually you can end up being a newb at any moment and not even know it.

Dan

MMR and Merit Badges

NMRA has its Master Model Railroader and the Boy Scouts have a railroading Merit Badge - Let's leave it at that.

Unless you are hiring someone to build your layout what do you care?  How can it matter?  This is a hobby - let's keep it that way.  No more ranking and no more bureaucracy.

This article properly dismissed the idea.  Let's save the MRH space for something useful.  There are enough new ideas in the hobby to keep most of us at the beginner level in some aspect.  An expert in scenery might be a beginner in DCC.  There's nothing to gain by trying to score the difference.

Artarms

A beginner only stays a

A beginner only stays a beginner if he refuses to take that first step.   First step is getting involved in the area.

From that day one, one is a Novice.

Once they have gained enough experience, they can tell another person why one solution works and why other aolutions are less desireable - or describe each solution and the benefits of each solution - and their words have actual credibility.

For some, the competition is just another part of the hobby.  In most places regardless of what the interest is, Outside Feedback, particularly critical analysis on a empiracle absolute scale, is one of the most strengthening factors in making something Better.

Self improvement in the hobby

There are many paths to becoing a better model railroader and no holds to the key to any particular path, Benny. Each of us is free to choose whether we grow or not in the hobby because it is truly a function of the various factors a person brings to the layout. People should be and are free to set their own pace without anyone judging them because you don't know what constraints they have to deal with. Some of us have to work and that may cause a time constraint. Lack of money may be another constraint. And finally lack of talent and skills may be another. One can do something about lack of skills and talent but one may require money to take care of it especially if you need to hire somebody to build your model railroad for you.

To tell you the truth, there are times I wish I could hire somebody to do certain tasks for me. I don't have the money to do that but I do have the time to do it myself even if I need to lear or develope a certain skill to get a particular task accomplished. But first one has to realize what needs to be done and what is required to get it done. Sometimes questions need to be asked of those who may have gone through the same process before. But what does one do if you don't get an answer of the answer you get is totally unworkable?

That's when its time to experement. Sure it may cost more in the edn this way, but you'll learn a heck of a lot more that way as well.

Irv

Thanks for your comments!

 Guys, thanks for your detailed and thoughtful comments.  I agree with all or part of each of the above statements. Please understand, that I was not claiming to be anything thing but a noobie in this hobby.  I use the word "noobie" often (and sometimes loosely)  on my show, so when I was approached by someone who stated that I am no longer noobie, I thought it would be interesting to see if I could find a way to measure it.  Now I did not spent a great deal of time researching it, cause I am a noobie, and really because I am not all that interested in what my skill level status is for the hobby.  However, I do enjoy just about every aspect of this hobby.  I only wish that I had found it sooner, so that I could have been enjoy it along.

Experience Levels . . .

Hi, Ryan:

Welcome to the growing list of modelers, and don't ever let old-heads put you down just because you still have dark hair, youthful appearance, and can write for the magazine. This is good.  All of us were newbies some time in our lives.

I am one of those old-heads, with just a bit of white hair, am crippled from severe heart-attacks, and am limited in what I can do and when. So, apply your mind and strength to the challenges and privileges you have now, and keep learning, even if no one offers you a certificate of craftsmanship.

Although I did not have a model railroad for 60 years (now 75 years old), I read magazines and checked books out of the library to expand my basic knowledge of railroading. My family was in reailroading, and I even worked as a switchman for the Texas and Pacific Railway 50 years ago. All of that is in my baggage, but I still lack the "learning" that comes with hands-on experiences on a model railroad. Some folks may like trains, but may not have practical understanding of the massive machines and weight in motion on flanged steel wheels rolling on smooth steel track. Modeling may not require that much experience to play with trains.  That's still part of the fun of playing with model trains, we may all experience it, as with other pleasures in life.  Also, this may explaing why each modeler may differ from what other modelers do with their trains.

While developing craftsmanship skills in modeling, also learn much about real railroading so you understand why they are the way they were or still are.

Appreciatively,
Dick

F. Richard Burt
Brazos Valley Railway
...through the Heart of Texas

http://mysite.verizon.net/BrazosValley

BrazosValley@verizon.net

.

Noob

Maybe it's a cultural thing, but I have a hard time equating "Noob" to this hobby. To me, It's a term that has a genre specific meaning. Once of the nice things about this hobby, is that there are a wide range of skills and knowledge involved.

Someone can be new to the hobby (but that doesn't mean without experience) and can still bring some of those related skills and knowledge to bear. Malcolm Furlow would be a prime example.

I wonder, is anyone, ever, going to shout out "pwnd n00b!" when you put a car on the ground? I kind of doubt it, as there is, from my limited experience in the hobby, a greater amount of tolerence towards deviation from the accepted standard.

Of course, if there is anyone to shout that out in an OS, it's probably going to be me....

There are certainly a number

There are certainly a number of pictures of the internet of cars on the ground or blowing up with !!PWND NEWB!!!" written on them.

It's kind of like the Nelson "Ha-Ha!"  It's probably a generational thing.