A must read thread(s)..

TheBoss

TheBoss

Well-known member
I would like to suggest that there should be a must read thread(s) before new members are allowed to post....

1st topic could be...
What is NOT planned as core features for XenForo..
This should stop or at least cut down the amount of threads asking about CMS, Bloggs & Galleries.

I cant be the only who gets sick of new threads covering the same questions over and over again.

A 5 minute read is much easier than taking 10 mins to post something never mind actually using the search function...

A timer and check box could be handy for the must read threads too..

Regards..
 
A better alternative could be XF's hiring a good developer to develop these addons (my wish, XF might not have enough budget for that).
 
TheBoss said:
I cant be the only who gets sick of new threads covering the same questions over and over again.

A 5 minute read is much easier than taking 10 mins to post something never mind actually using the search function...

A timer and check box could be handy for the must read threads too..

Regards..
Click to expand...

Why stop at a timer and check box for confused newbies who just need help and reassurance? Why not electrocute them, or shoot them? Problem solved and it will send an important message to other newbies who dare to ask the same questions over and over :eek:
 
Ingenious said:
Why stop at a timer and check box for confused newbies who just need help and reassurance? Why not electrocute them, or shoot them? Problem solved and it will send an important message to other newbies who dare to ask the same questions over and over :eek:
Click to expand...

I LIKE this! And I thought I was hardcore! :D
 
MrC said:
A better alternative could be XF's hiring a good developer to develop these addons (my wish, XF might not have enough budget for that).
Click to expand...
I think it's about more than a budget. In this business, it's not that easy to find someone that meets certain standards and understands the product well enough so they can be trusted to work at it. And even if you do find that person and can afford his/her paycheck, perhaps they simply do not want a third developer to be involved at this point in time.

OT: what about a welcome conversation containing some links including a pre-sale FAQ?
 
Ingenious said:
Why stop at a timer and check box for confused newbies who just need help and reassurance? Why not electrocute them, or shoot them? Problem solved and it will send an important message to other newbies who dare to ask the same questions over and over :eek:
Click to expand...

Please refer to both lines of my signature...:whistle:

The second line IS MY firm belief, always has been and always will be...

Maybe I am just old school or just getting too old who knows.?.. No harm in asking questions at all , that is THE WHOLE idea behind forums in the first place.
To share knowledge.. AFTER you have read rules and used the search function, that is what it is there for, to make answers easy to locate, read and digest.
And its not always Newbies that fail to grasp forum etiquette (old school of course). Majority here are Admins of forums or people considering becoming a forum Admin/Owner..

Regards..
 
There are sticky threads in a lot of the forums.
I list the FAQs and help manual in my signature.

Yet the same questions are asked over and over again.
It is the nature of forums.

You could have huge notices telling people to read certain threads and they would just ignore them.

More importantly, it seems the search function is very rarely used as in 99.9% of cases the answers can be found within a few second.

Unfortunately the one thing forum software still can't do (even XenForo) is force people to read threads and use search.
 
It wouldn't matter what you did, the whole forum_list could be a FAQ page and it would be ignore and still the same questions are going to be asked. Make the forum_list one big search box? You'll still have people asking "where can I find this?". Not having a dig at those who ask questions I think it's easy for experienced users to somewhat overlook that new members should know where everything is and although a quick search will yield results you'll always get people asking the same questions, asking where something is.

I don't really mind answering the same questions anyway when I can. I was there once as was everyone else, so although I would say members will learn, you'll always have new members asking those same questions. No problem "More waiting is required" when we see the day and everything and everyone knows there's a search and conducts some leg work to the stickied, faq pages dotted throughout the forum.

I'm fine with it. At times it gives people something to do and gets us away from such things, like styling. :)
 
Well this old time Admin begs to differ with the majority that has responded so far...

But like any good Admin I also bow to the popular opinion of the masses.. respect.(y)

Regards...
 
TheBoss said:
Well this old time Admin begs to differ with the majority that has responded so far...

But like any good Admin I also bow to the popular opinion of the masses.. respect.(y)

Regards...
Click to expand...

While RTFM is always good, it doesn't matter how many times users are smacked on the nose with the newspaper. Call it the "instant gratification" syndrome. Users want the information spoon fed to them and heaven forbid they actually use a brain cell or two to do their own research. So no matter how often you tell them to look it up, they're still going to ask the obvious.
 
Biker said:
While RTFM is always good, it doesn't matter how many times users are smacked on the nose with the newspaper. Call it the "instant gratification" syndrome. Users want the information spoon fed to them and heaven forbid they actually use a brain cell or two to do their own research. So no matter how often you tell them to look it up, they're still going to ask the obvious.
Click to expand...

hahahaha :LOL:
 
Biker said:
While RTFM is always good, it doesn't matter how many times users are smacked on the nose with the newspaper. Call it the "instant gratification" syndrome. Users want the information spoon fed to them and heaven forbid they actually use a brain cell or two to do their own research. So no matter how often you tell them to look it up, they're still going to ask the obvious.
Click to expand...

Sorry but to me teaching a future Admin the correct ( old school ) way is nothing like smacking them on the nose..
Would you class your first English teacher who taught you to read a tyrant for doing so, if someone HAS to be pointed to use the search feature you are doing them a long term favour. Search will bring up a good few similar threads of the same vein and if they read them they will in all probability learn even more than they bargained for, thus doing them a good turn..

Being directed to a post containing some guidance ( rules & info ) would be classed as good practice in days gone by...

If that future Admin cant comprehend the basics of being an Admin and understanding some guidance then his forum is in chaos from day one..

Regards..
 
TheBoss said:
Sorry but to me teaching a future Admin the correct ( old school ) way is nothing like smacking them on the nose..
Would you class your first English teacher who taught you to read a tyrant for doing so, if someone HAS to be pointed to use the search feature you are doing them a long term favour. Search will bring up a good few similar threads of the same vein and if they read them they will in all probability learn even more than they bargained for, thus doing them a good turn..

Being directed to a post containing some guidance ( rules & info ) would be classed as good practice in days gone by...

If that future Admin cant comprehend the basics of being an Admin and understanding some guidance then his forum is in chaos from day one..

Regards..
Click to expand...

I dunno, I think biker is onto a good thing with hitting the member on the nose with a newspaper approach. If I had to improve upon that, I would ensure that the newspaper used is the Sunday edition, as they hold more pages to effectively get that point across when a member refuses to read and he/she gets belted on the nose with the extra thick, more paged sunday editon. (news of the world) comes to mind. :LOL:

Personally, I think I admire Bikers approach. And to extend on that where Maddox said it best but I'll change the wording slightly
​
If your members don't look like this when your log onto your site, your failing as an admin​
1984_cowering.webp​
 
Brogan said:
There are sticky threads in a lot of the forums.
I list the FAQs and help manual in my signature.

Yet the same questions are asked over and over again.
It is the nature of forums.

You could have huge notices telling people to read certain threads and they would just ignore them.

More importantly, it seems the search function is very rarely used as in 99.9% of cases the answers can be found within a few second.

Unfortunately the one thing forum software still can't do (even XenForo) is force people to read threads and use search.
Click to expand...

All true, but the poor search function (of all forums) is definitely a culprit. I search a LOT here and elsewhere and only by going to google can I find the answers.

If I, with 18+ years online, need to so that - you can only imagine the world through the eyes of a regular "civilian".

On my own site, I use goog custom search in addition to ES and also...for those "prime" subjects, over the years we have used stickies that say "Read this before you ask us which stove to buy", etc.
That did away with maybe 3/4 or more of the repeats, without angering the mob.
 
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