# SDMB directory of expertise. "If you need help or have questions about \_\_\_, ask \_\_\_" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 12, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284 "2008-11-12T01:54:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/1 "2008-11-12T01:54:34Z")
What would you say your areas of expertise were in? A few things you should think about to form your answer(s) would be: 1. What do you do for living? 2. Do you have any hobbies or collections? 3. What sort of interests do you have? In replying to this topic, give me as many specific answers that you can think of and I’ll group them all together on a list of who to ask if someone has a question or needs help regarding a certain area. Not only will I keep the specific areas you name/mention, I will also create general categories and sub-categories. It will be a growing list over the years. And I’ll remake this topic once or twice every year (as I do with my “Ask the…” anthology) Please note: If you ever want off the list, just ask and I’ll take you off. And also, even if your “area of expertise” already has someone, feel free to add to it anyway. After all, we could always use other minds on the areas of things like Law and Gaming. Last thing: Please make sure you know enough about an area before being added to the list. Also, please mention only actual serious areas of expertise…not funny or jokey ones like “Procrastinating”, “Shoplifting”, or “Sex”. You can say sex, of course, but I’d hope that you’d really be a sex therapist then. 😉 It would be helpful if you mentioned what you do (jobwise). To start out: If you need help with… _ **Gaming** _ **Card Games** _Magic: The Gathering_ ask… [Mtgman](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) **Online Games** _Mafia_ ask… [Idle Thoughts](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [NAF1138](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) [storyteller0910](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/2 "2008-11-12T04:35:47Z")
You know you can pretty much search for the ‘Ask the [blank]’ threads and get the same results? That said, I can try to answer stuff about Renaissance literature or history. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/3 "2008-11-12T04:56:52Z")
Programming, Japanese. ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/4 "2008-11-12T05:00:58Z")
For me, it’s retail banking – checking, savings, consumer loans, etc – with a specialization in credit cards. Worked all of it front-end (customer service) and back (systems analysis), and lord knows I’d like my time there to help _somebody_. I’m currently (among other things) a [SCORM](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCORM) developer and e-learning instructional designer. I dabble in various other geekeries, but others here will far outclass me in those. And I suppose everyone already knows to contact me with any TFF-related questions. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/5 "2008-11-12T05:06:59Z")
Here are my contributions: **Web design** - _HTML, CSS, web standards, search engine optimization, graphic design_ **Knitting** - _basic knitting stitches, lace knitting, knitting socks_ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/6 "2008-11-12T12:34:02Z")
Crossword puzzles, other word puzzles ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/7 "2008-11-12T12:44:14Z")
Credit counseling organizations debt management program policy Mexico-U.S. immigration NAFTA’s impact on Mexico Friedrich Nietzsche existentialism applied Buddhism I also am somewhat knowledgeable about Latin American historical trends, Spanish literature, and how the former impacts the latter. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/8 "2008-11-12T13:03:30Z")
I’m an electrical engineer with about 20 years experience in hardware and embedded software design, so I definitely qualify as an expert there. I’m not the only EE on the board though so I’m just going to be one of many on this list. I play the piano, trombone, guitar, bass guitar, and many other instruments. I own and shoot a civil war musket. It’s a modern replica. I’d be afraid to shoot something that was really 150 years old. If you have a question about black powder rifles, I’m your man. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/9 "2008-11-12T13:06:18Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I play the piano, trombone, guitar, bass guitar, and many other instruments. > . Oh, hey, thanks for the reminder. I play the trombone too. The straight Dope is a veritable sea of expertise on trombone use, apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/10 "2008-11-12T13:07:58Z")
I’m a sculptor who has work available to see within Universal studios, Sea World, Budweiser, and Florida State University. I’ve also co-owned an exotic pet shop. Sculpture, Prop building, DIY, Gardening, Reptiles, fish and zoology (excepting birds). ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/11 "2008-11-12T13:11:00Z")
Iceland Sweden Norse Mythology (know more than most, but not that much more) That’s the problem with being a modern wannabe [Renaissance Man\*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath): I know less and less about more and more until I in the end know nothing about everything. - Aka, a dabbler in everything. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/12 "2008-11-12T13:15:40Z")
Programming with a focus on Lisp and Scheme General computing with a focus on Linux Retrocomputing and emulation The history of computers (mainly electronic digital computers) Programming languages (just in general, both broadly and in specific) ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/13 "2008-11-12T13:47:08Z")
Insurance is my specialty, specifically home, auto, health, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. I am licensed in all 50 states for various insurance type things. I wish my specialty wasn’t so damned boring. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/14 "2008-11-12T14:29:10Z")
World of Warcraft here. I’ve been around more or less constantly since the open beta, and my husband has not only been playing since release but is a huge lore buff as well. Between the two of us I could probably answer most questions. Long distance relationships. Somehow I never managed to fall for a local boy–and when I did, he moved. Although if you’re going to ask me for advice about it, my first piece would be “don’t”. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/15 "2008-11-12T14:37:24Z")
Hey, **Derleth** , I’d like to learn LISP. Where do I start? Download LISP through MacPorts for my Mac? Can you recommend a book to start with? **Roland** , does your knowledge cover outside the States? What do you think of this ‘Chip and PIN’ thing that’s starting to appear in Canada? Is it in the States as well? Me? Let’s see… Solar-heated houses. Structured FrameMaker. Esperanto. LabView, but not recently. Basic electronics. Umm… cartooning? How do I distinguish ‘expertise’ from ‘an interest in’? ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/16 "2008-11-12T14:43:49Z")
I know a fair bit about these things: Cooking/Baking Food and food-related customs Basic crochet techniques and stitches Medical ethics (plus related Canadian medical precedents) Costume history (primarily European) When it comes to work-related knowledge, the things I do know a lot about are very industry-specific and incredibly boring, which would make them pretty useless in a public forum. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/17 "2008-11-12T14:51:11Z")
Zymurgy and associated Black Arts Cooking Ethanol distillates ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/18 "2008-11-12T14:51:27Z")
Fundraising (all aspects but especially prospect research and advancement services). Qualifications: currently teaching a graduate-level course in fundraising, and will probably be teaching two a year starting next academic year. Lectured at several conferences. Helped our university raise over four times its previous best campaign mark. Early history of the Church of England. Qualifications: D.Phil degree (never shot and only dropped once) from Oxford. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/19 "2008-11-12T15:01:46Z")
Nerd Culture - Comic Books, Roleplaying Games Academics - I’m still a fair hand at Math, though I don’t do a lot of it these days. Computers - I’ve got a BS in Computer Science and … wow, seven! Seven years experience in the field, primarily database development and maintenance. Trivia - I have a mind for minutiae and factoids. Especially movie or TV trivia. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284/20 "2008-11-12T15:06:04Z")
I’m one of the biggest tennis fans on the board, so there’s that. Elsewhere on the board, if you have etymology questions, **samclem** is one of the best. **Gfactor** is one of our best legal experts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-directory-of-expertise-if-you-need-help-or-have-questions-about-___-ask-___/472284.md?page=2)