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| Thread ID: 30149 | 2003-02-11 20:52:00 | smart comments to new users | starfish (3019) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 120373 | 2003-02-12 21:27:00 | Apart from the occasional *cough* burst of misplaced humour, I think that F1 is a very positive place and very few new users could honestly say that they have had a bad experience. I make two observations: Firstly, there is an old saying "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" Suggesting that people use Google or other search facilities or our own FAQ to find simple answers for themselves is a educational process and its value should not be denigrated. Sometimes giving the answer and telling how it was found is appropriate, sometimes pointing the enquirer to Google or the FAQ is more appropriate. It is a judgement call that we don't always get right, but we are not wrong often enough to worry about it to this extent. Secondly, we are all human and to be frank, some posts are incoherent, incomprehensible or occasionally downright rude. It would be nice if posters took the time to lay out their problem clearly and it would be equally nice if all replies were tolerant to the point of mindlessness. Having said that, I would be very very reluctant to criticise any person offering unpaid assistance to unknown users on a free forum in their own and valuable not-so-free time. To err is human, to forgive is divine! IMHO interminable attacks and arguments between experienced regulars over personally perceived morality based issues set a much worse example and are far more off-putting for newbies because they hang around at the top of the postings for an extended period, colouring the whole tone of F1. Such threads serve as very good examples of how not to behave in the playground and in my view our moderators are extraordinarily restrained and open minded in those circumstances. Warning: redneck rising!! Personally, I'd shut the post down as soon as the flaming aggro starts. Cheers Billy 8-{) :| |
Billy T (70) | ||
| 120374 | 2003-02-12 21:30:00 | Much agreed Tweak'e! I think the lack of details provided is why a few threads have sprung up asking that there be a sorta "Welcome to Pf1 - Here's how to use it" type of thing. I dont think that's really a good idea though, but rather the newbies need to come to Pf1, make a few posts, and they'll figure out how PF1 works here, how we work here, and how to help themselves too! As for people making a post and not coming back, I do agree, and it is very rewarding when somebody posts back letting you know exactly how they solved their problem in the end. It makes this sorta thing we do here extremely worthwhile! I know there are other forums that are extremely harsh with newbies. I've tried a couple of others, one just a few weeks back, and I got flammed off on my first post. :( This is a Very friendly forum here, apart from the occasional catching somebody after they've woken up on the wrong side of the bed, I can only think of two people who've deliberately stormed away from this forum. That's pretty good, but could be better ;-) Unfortunately, some people (Myself included at times), make a post very hastily and in the heat of the moment, make a rude reply. This happens, but shouldnt send people packing. Its nice though, watching new users become regulars and giving great input into the community that Pf1 has evolved into. That my two cents worth :-) Cheers Chilling_Silence |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 120375 | 2003-02-12 21:35:00 | > IMHO interminable attacks and arguments between > experienced regulars over personally perceived > morality based issues set a much worse example and > are far more off-putting for newbies because they > hang around at the top of the postings for an > extended period, colouring the whole tone of F1. > Such threads serve as very good examples of how not > to behave in the playground and in my view our > moderators are extraordinarily restrained and open > minded in those circumstances. Warning: > redneck rising!! Personally, I'd shut the > post down as soon as the flaming aggro starts. > I agree, and a few people might still be here if threads had been locked earlier. However, I think the mods want to be seen as contributors to the forum, not as killjoys by locking each and every thread that may turn nasty :-) |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
| 120376 | 2003-02-12 21:37:00 | i couldn't agree more billy :) | tweak'e (174) | ||
| 120377 | 2003-02-12 22:40:00 | Billy, i agree with you largely about: >Personally, I'd shut the post down as soon as the flaming aggro starts with one slight point i differ on. Tis better to have one long running moron magnet thread, than several being opened as soon as the first one is shut. Perhaps we could do with an icon to let us know that ceratin threads are where to go for a stupid arguement? (yeah gods i'm stepping on thin ice here) .Clueless |
Clueless (181) | ||
| 120378 | 2003-02-12 22:40:00 | Yea I agree with Tweake and Billy. Personally i think there has been only 1 thread where things got out of hand, and that was my my backing up game thread, But that was because of one individual who turned the thread upside down. I agree that telling people to search on google is educational also. |
roofus (483) | ||
| 120379 | 2003-02-12 23:36:00 | The problem I have with the advice "search google" is well, why do we need Press F1? You can usually find just about any answer via google, whether it be directed to another forum or to a technical article. Press F1 isn't the only source of info, but we like coming here for our answers because it is like a local community of people with an interest in computers and we get to know people online. So the advice to search google always bothers me, unless its to find a program or information beyond the expertise of people here. | Danger (287) | ||
| 120380 | 2003-02-12 23:40:00 | Also, people asking the question and then receiving a reply is informative to others, where if they just search google we arn't exposed to problems that may be informative and helpfull to ourselves. | Danger (287) | ||
| 120381 | 2003-02-12 23:58:00 | FAQs - these were written to cover questions that are asked over and over again. Believe me, a lot of thought and time went into writing them. I'll freely admit to thinking my problem is "unique" and appreciate it when someone points me to it. A short answer to "Check the FAQs" usually means that the same question has been asked at least 3 times in the last week. Google - Use it a lot but really appreciate it when someone can think of alternative keywords for a search there. Sometimes the brain gets "stuck" on a word and can't think away from it. |
Heather P (163) | ||
| 120382 | 2003-02-13 00:29:00 | Well Danger, Google is "as well as" not "instead of" so if a search doesn't help they can come back to F1. Personally I would only suggest Google where a clear error message was displayed or some other readily searchable criteria was available. If you were to ask, you would probably find that a good proportion of the answers supplied to such queries result from a search by the F1 regular. It is not humanly possible to know the answers to everything posted and I know I search the net for answers from time to time and I also search the F1 archives if I recall a similar question but can't remember the solution. Then I post the reply. Cheers Billy 8-{) :) |
Billy T (70) | ||
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