THWACK Monthly Mission - August 2020

[yumdarling]

We know you’ve seen them around—you know who I’m talking about. The Chosen Ones. The Venerated Few. The MVPs. Their capes flow behind them, their eyes shine with pride, and they hold so much knowledge inside.

For this month’s mission, we let them take over, write some questions, strut their stuff. Life hacks, tidbits, things they wish they’d known at the start. They’re THWACK^® heroes just doin’ their part.

AUGUST MISSION

Use the mission’s resources to complete the tasks and answer the questions for a chance to win!

Correctly answer each question during the week and you'll be entered for a chance to win the weekly prize.

Correctly answer all 20 questions over the course of the month and you'll be entered for a chance to win the grand prize.

150 points are being awarded for each correctly answered question. There are 20 questions, which means you can earn a maximum of 3,000 points for this mission.

PRIZES

Weekly Prizes & Drawing Dates:
August 10, 2020: Fitbit^® Charge 4 Fitness and Activity Tracker

August 17, 2020: Fire TV Cube^™

August 24, 2020: Samsung Galaxy^® Buds+ (Black)

August 31, 2020: FluidStance^® Balance Board for Standing Desk

Grand Prize:
August 31, 2020: 

Bose^® Frames Audio Sunglasses

MISSION RULES

A new question will open every day (Monday - Friday) starting on August 3, 2020. Once a question has opened, it will remain open until August 30, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Check the schedule below for exact open/close times.

MISSION SHORTCUT

Complete the mission shortcut between August 6, 2020 and August 30, 2020 to be entered to win an Oculus^® Quest^™ All-in-One VR Gaming Headset (64 GB)!

 Shortcut Steps:

1. Register to attend either SolarWinds Lab^™ #90: Live SolarWinds Academy Training or SolarWinds Lab #91: Customize the Orion^®Platform with the SolarWinds^® API and SWQL  here. 
2. Submit a screenshot of your registration confirmation here.

REGISTER HERE  SUBMIT SCREENSHOT

August Mission Terms & Conditions: US, UK, and Canada  | Germany  | Australia 

August Mission Shortcut Terms & Conditions: US, UK, and Canada  | Germany  | Australia 

[esajo]

Even though one can see 5 in the video the answer is not 5...

[xbod]

@esajo I was wondering if that counted as a step

[esajo]

@xbodif one thinks logically it is a step, but apparently logic was not applied here 😄

[jpfromit]

"How many steps does are there to using the Product Upgrade Advisor?"

I figured out how many steps does are takes to be am using the Product Upgrade Advisor!!

[silverbacksays]

Awww... shucks! 

Being a SolarWinds MVP is the crowning achievement of my career.

I'm sure I'm speaking for the rest of the crew when I say that I'm proud to be here! Feel free to follow and ask us questions, folks!

[shuth]

I echo the "awww shucks" sentiment...  I just try to contribute when I can. 😄

[fakeusername]

If I am running 2019.4, do I really need to do the steps in Kevin's video?

[monitoringlife]

Always look forward to the new mission and a new month to start on a clean slate.

[jeremymayfield]

The few, the insane, the MVP

#MVP

[KMSigma]

@fakeusername - you do not.  The Product Upgrade Advisor works for most (if not all) recent versions of SolarWinds Orion products.

[fakeusername]

@KMSigma 

That's what I thought. Thank you. You got me excited about the upgrade in some of your posts and your videos. I am scheduling the upgrade shortly, slowed, of course, by our change management process. 

[nickzourdos]

@fakeusername Change Management slowing your upgrades? 

This is the way. 

[OliviaP]

[alansmith]

Seriously i miss the snarky correct and incorrect answer responses can we bring those back??? 

[esajo]

I just wish for correctly formulated questions matching to answers 😄

I mean if one sees 5 steps on the video then the answer would make sense to be 5...

[yumdarling]

@esajo You're welcome to DM me to discuss in more detail. I'm interested to know where you're seeing your answer.

[schneiderstev]

Yumdarling,

   Questioning todays question, I feel like I got it right, but for some reason I have an X.  I'll understand if I didn't, just curious.

Steve

[yumdarling]

@schneiderstev DM me with the answers you picked and let's figure it out together!

[undesired_result]

For Monday's question, can someone help me understand where 5 Steps are listed/mentioned?
When I click the hint link, the splash screen clearly shows 4 steps, and in the first 5 second he verbally states 4 steps ... what am I missing?
Or is this pedantics about clicking the button?

[fakeusername]

@undesired_result

That was exactly what I was thinking.

BTW, great name. I thought I had an error message in my email. 🙂

[tigerr]

@undesired_result I assume some might be tempted to count the clicking of "Check Compatibility" as a step.

[tosborne3]

@yumdarling, I believe I answered today's question correctly as well, but have received an "X".  I have sent you a DM as I see you have said this to others previously.

[schneiderstev]

read the question carefully, or you will get the dreaded Red X like me..  Good Luck.

Steve

[robertcbrowning]

The nurture/tips videos are great 🙂

Just a minute or so with all the help you need for a specific topic.

& Kevin's matt grey glasses look superb. I must get some like that.

[undesired_result]

@fakeusername haha thanks, I was inspired by yours 😉
yeah based on @tigerr 's response, it sounds like a qualification error on what constitutes a step.

Altough, I've learned from my THWACK Monthly Mission travels, that they just want answers based on what is presented, with no room for alternate interpretation. I like that.

[yumdarling]

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

Starting at 12:00CT August 6 (the upcoming midnight), our August shortcut becomes available. Starting Midnight CT tonight, complete the mission shortcut for a chance to wiiiinnnnnn!

ALSO!! 

After discussing it internally, we decided to make a small change to question 1 to make it very clear what the question is asking for.

Marked 5 and want a reset? You know where to find me (cough cough in my DMs cough cough).

That is all.

Have a great rest of your day, friends. it's an honor to be your community manager.

[rj-smith]

Note for today's question (Aug 6), not sure if there's a simpler way, but you might need to change from the default setting for viewing dates in threads to work out the answer...

Edit my Profile > Preferences > Display > Display dates as: Absolute dates (e.g., 11-15-1966)

[nhkelley]

Agreed with rj-smith comments

[danram012]

I should have read the above I got the answer wrong because the times were not set on Thwack the way the wanted it answer I had 824 for time posted and 824 for first answer so I picked 15 min 

[trf]

Also in the question there is a hint for those who don't want to change all their settings, just hover your pointer over the 3 weeks and it will show you a detailed breakout.

Also the mission shortcut has me all excited about lab 91, teasing me when its not posted to join yet 😞 

[superfly]

@shuth you make an appearance in yesterday's question!! Love your work 😀

[zennifer]

Wow - I just caught up ... perfect week 1 .. been a long time I hate to say!!

[acmtix]

I thought i'd try and answer this weeks Monday question early. Looks like I was too early... It does not yet exist.

[janobi]

The link to the hint doesn't work...

[hroesch01]

Week 2 Day6

@yumdarling Link is broken.

@janobi:  if you use the visible link:

https://support.solarwinds.com/SuccessCenter/s/article/Use-SolarWinds-Query-Language-SWQL#NPM-

you can search the words.

[acmtix]

Golly gosh! Making me learn things without a hint! I feel like i've been cheated... 😂

[yumdarling]

I promise I know how to copy/paste

 

[melonizame]

#query Radio buttons or check box?

[ecklerwr1]

That's a funny picture for a Monday's are funday's Monday @yumdarling !  Ughhhh is right I came in to some SQL servers that didn't complete reboots after patching yesterday!  It's a Monday 4sure!

Bill

[fakeusername]

It is not clear from the article if scripts are supported.   /s

In all seriousness, after I got past the 10 line "scripts are not supported" disclaimer, which was repeated 10 times in the article, I found the information I was looking for. So ignore those sections, as they make the article look a lot longer than it is.

The article ends with: "Note: If you would have question about this, kindly post your question on the Thwack forums"  Someone might want to let the proofreader know about that.

[yumdarling]

@ecklerwr1 not that I'm happy that others are having a Monday, but like, I'm glad it's not just me. 

[alansmith]

The hint was not a very helpful hit today.

[dbriden]

Looking at the mission shortcut "SolarWinds Lab #91: Customize the Orion®Platform with the SolarWinds® API and SWQL" looks very interesting and something I would love to register for but I can't find anywhere to register for it.  If I follow the link in the mission shortcut or click on Solarwinds Labs under events its not listed.  Is this just a teaser of what's coming and registration is not open yet or is there somewhere where I can register?

[robertcbrowning]

Q7 11Aug

depends upon the time period you select. So I thought that as much as can be found would be the right answer. Bah 😞

Just re-re-re-read the question. Now it makes sense. My fault.

[smttysmth02gt]

Boooo!  I selected 15 minutes and ran with it.  That was a weasley one!

[melonizame]

So if I don't answer a question I don't see the dreaded red X.....   That's good right?

[fakeusername]

@melonizame  You can't win if you don't play, but you are right that you will not see the dreaded red X if you don't answer the question. You might wait until the end of the month and answer all the ones you question at that time, so you don't have to stare at that red X all month.

[tosborne3]

I like that this month seems to have some trick questions.  Actually have to do some digging to find the correct answers!

[OliviaP]

Hey @dbriden! Lab 91 registration will open right after Lab 90 wraps up -- so keep an eye on that registration page on Wednesday afternoon! 

[undesired_result]

questions must be good, no comments for a week!