Maybe there should be a giant NEWBIE flag for this site

[yoda313]

Hello,

We've seemed to have gotten a lot of basic questions about video stuff lately. Maybe there should be a way for a giant NEWBIE flag to pop up for first timers. And then when you login it disappears??? Just a thought.

Kevin
P.S. I know people still won't read it but if it's REALLY OBVIOUS LIKE THESE CAPITAL LETTERS they might get it!

[menes777]

I have an idea...

Perhaps setup a quiz that newbies must complete correctly. At the end there is a special password unique to their login that allows them ask questions on the forum.

As a newbie myself (well I have been lurking on this forum for about six months now) I would gladly pilot this program.

[yoda313]

Hello,
I'm not trying to be mean or anything. It's just that there a lot of questions that are asked that could be answered by reading the FAQ. That's what it is "Frequently Asked Questions". Oh well.

Maybe an alternate to your counter-proposal would be to require the test BEFORE they sign in??? (I'm sure that would work, right? ).

Kevin

EDIT --- Sorry, you said what I just said at the end. Make there login available only after passing the test

[Savant]

How about if a new user registers and clicks to write their very FIRST post, they get redirected to a page that says "First time here?" and then proceeds to suggest that they check the guides or such. Only at the very bottom would be a link to continue and post as they wanted to. This way you could divert some of these people into the guides. (since many people don't bother to look around)

Alternatly, if possible, this could even be coded so that a person making their first post in the authoring forum would be shown a list of authoring guides. First post to DVD-DVDR forum shows a list of DVD-DVDR guides and so on. Then at the bottom you include a link to allow them to post. That way the guide are looking for may be right there in front of them.

Regards,

Savant

[tekkieman]

Maybe you should just start your own forums and decide who you feel is worthy to post. Ever notice the word "Newbie" on a couple of the forums???? It's there for a reason! If you don't like the content of the forums, you could just stay out of them!

[yoda313]

Hello,
Tekkieman - Yes I know there are Newbie forums. I'm just saying that maybe there should be a more OBVIOUS way for people to see the basics first. I'm still answering basic questions politely. It would just be nice for people to do some real reading first.

I was here two years before I signed up for the forum in June. I read the stuff first. I only signed in to help others.
Kevin

Savant - That's a good idea, force feed the guides on the "first" post.

[tekkieman]

You could take all the guides and FAQs, roll them up, and force them up....anyway, there are two types of newbies. The ones who will search for the information and try to help themselves, and the ones who won't. Each will be obvious by the content of their post. You could choose to help whichever one you choose or both. It is up to you. Nobody forces anyone to help anyone.

To even suggest things like an entrance exam, or being forced to read x number of guides before being allowed to post is ridiculous! If that is the turn this board takes, you might as well start banning members who don't think the way you do, or can't spell, or speak a different language...where should we stop?

Just one thought that entered my mind as I was about to hit submit. Take a look at the recent trend of members who have been here longer than a year, all of a sudden getting warnings for doing things against the AUP (warez mostly). It's not just noobs who do stupid things....

[Capmaster]

It does get frustrating when you see a question asked for the 25th time in a month. "OK ...I got this video card ..." is the classic beginning.

You have to be patient and point out to them that the best place to start is first the forum rules, and next, the guides. It's like the owner's manual on that new electronic toy you bought. Do you read it cover to cover before you turn the thing on? Me neither. But we're supposed to. Same with newbies - they're anxious to get started and learn this cool hobby called video creation, and they skip a few of the basics hoping to learn it on the fly.

[Baldrick]

I think I will replace the new topic link with a google search link. .

[thor of minoc]

what makes you lot so high and bloody mighty, you were all newbies once or where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

[tekkieman]

I think I will replace the new topic link with a google search link. .

Just not in OT (please!).

[yoda313]

Hello


WOOOAAA! WAIT a minute!!! I'm just making a suggestion. I'm still offering help. I'm being nice. I just wanted to say the faq might be a little more obvious.

I know there are newbies and forum veterans that do things that bug people. I was just offering a suggestion

Jeesh, I'm sorry for posting in the feedback.

Kevin

P.S. Baldrick, please no offense was intended. I love this sight and I'm just trying to help make it better.

[Treebeard]

where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

Yes we were :P as a sidenote you need to work on your spelling also.

[gitreel]

what makes you lot so high and bloody mighty, you were all newbies once or where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

The difference is that we can read and we do research to find the answers we are looking for instead of asking stupid questions and getting laughed at.

Google is not going to laugh at you.

[leebo]

I want to copy a DVD. I put my 25cents in the copy machine but nothing happened. Can someone please help?

[Treebeard]

I want to copy a DVD. I put my 25cents in the copy machine but nothing happened. Can someone please help?

You need to push the green button labeled start

[yoda313]

Hello,
Well at least some members have taken a lighter approach to this post. It wasn't meant in anger or malice to anyone. I just wish some people would read before they post. I do offer help when I can. I try to be polite about it. There, I've said my piece.

Kevin

[Capmaster]

Hello,
Well at least some members have taken a lighter approach to this post. It wasn't meant in anger or malice to anyone. I just wish some people would read before they post. I do offer help when I can. I try to be polite about it. There, I've said my piece.

Kevin

None taken, I'm sure. It would be nice to have a way of politely but firmly directing the newbies to the right area without hurting their feelings and driving them away forever. I've seen suggestions about a newbie forum where you must post 100 times before you "graduate" to the regular forums, suggestions that the activation time be lengthened to one week so the newbie can read all there is to read here before being allowed back in and hitting that "new topic" button. Each has its pros and cons, IMO.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Capmaster-I've seen suggestions about a newbie forum where you must post 100 times before you "graduate" to the regular forums, suggestions that the activation time be lengthened to one week so the newbie can read all there is to read here before being allowed back in

Thanks for the olive-branch (peace offering). I guess I'm slightly guilty of what I'm accusing others of . I should have read the feedback forum more closely and I probably would have seen similar comments.

Kevin

P.S. Though I guess I'm just responding to others issues with some of the "obvious" questions out there.

[Supreme2k]

I think that the problem is that you can't avoid the newbie posts. Comments like "You should stop lurking in the newbie forum if you don't like it" (not direted at tekkieman) are incorrect, as the front page is inundated with newbie questions, yet the originating forum is unknown.

Of course, this problem is unavoidable, so we just have to deal with it. I wouldn't want to jump over the same hurdles as the guy coming here just to make copies of his rentals. The solution? you make it simple to sign up and post across the board, since you cannot gauge what motivates a newbie, even if they're an "oldbie".

what makes you lot so high and bloody mighty, you were all newbies once or where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

This is the perfect example of why newbies get flamed. You suggest they read the guides,then you get the above, or "Thanks for nothing, jerk. Now, does someone have the actual solution?" Once an old-timer gets a few of these from the "kids", they cease to tread lightly and offer RTFM NOOB! for the over-asked questions.

Like I said, it's just something that's unavoidable. The person who has a cure for n00bz can buy Bill Gates. As long as there are message boards and people with internet accounts, there will be "what's better..."* posts





*dvd+/-
beta/vhs
kirk/picard
front/back

[yoda313]

Hello,

Supreme2k-Like I said, it's just something that's unavoidable. The person who has a cure for n00bz can buy Bill Gates. As long as there are message boards and people with internet accounts, there will be "what's better..."* posts

Point well taken. That's what's good about these boards, somebody else has already been through what you have.

That's another thing about the internet in general. You've got the good guys and you've got the guys making viruses , You just have to put up with the bad to enjoy the good.

Kevin

[Suntan]

yoda

A lot of us feel the same way as you. We really enjoy helping people when they have tried to get it on their own but get stuck, while getting very tired of the people that think we are here to be their own personal IT department/ don't respect the group enough to even try and figure things out for themselves.

Keep in mind some people just have to be the Knight in Shining Armor for said lazyass posters. They always have to come to their rescue...

-Suntan

[tekkieman]

Occasionally, someone needs to.

[Heywould3]

i only read the first few entries but i have a sorta cool sorta funny idea.. how about if for all noobies when they post a question in the forum it actually sends a search and points them to the correct "how to"

ok none of these ideas are really fair because lots of noobies do read the faq so its not fair.. but they should have a rating next to their nic that would determine if the post was sent to a search or topic. based on rating..

[Josef K]

One thing that always narked me about new posters is the topic headers in ALL CAPS. Maybe Baldrick can code it so pushing the 'Submit' button converts all cap content to sentence case or something? Would be nice...

On a related note: When people think they can be clever and enclose the subject in bold tags and all caps... can they get a result page with big, bright, bold, all cap words saying:

HAHA! STUPID!?

Hint, Baldrick, hint... :P

[menes777]

what makes you lot so high and bloody mighty, you were all newbies once or where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

I have to say that everyone is a newbie at sometime or another of any topic or subject, but the difference between a good newbie (or smart newbie) is that the smart newbie reads and attempts to gain knowledge on his own while a bad newbie (or lazy newbie) wants someone else to do all the work for them.

From I read of this post, some people are tired of the lazy newbie.

What should the saying be, give a newbie a fix and he will have one DVD, teach a newbie to use guides and he will have DVD's all his life?

[leebo]

May I suggest the following titles to go underneath the posters user name to the left:

Welcome Newbie
Lazyass Newbie
Paininass Newbie
Helpie Member
Smartass Member
Jackass Member
Doormat Member
Nolife Member
Etc.

These would be assigned depending on:
Number of new posts
Number of responses
Number of responses to lame questions
Number of responses to flames
Number of clicks on guides links
Number of emoticons used

Etc., and probably could be automated by some kind of script depending on a combination of the above and keywords.

[mh2360]

A nice big FAQ Link could be useful for classic questions like...

I want to watch an AVI file on my TV, what do I do?

Whats the best Encoder?

Where can I download <insert name> movie?

The usual audio sync questions...

And the always classic "can I burn DVD's with my CD-R burner"?

[jimmalenko]

It's good to see that I'm not the only one who gets frustrated answering very similar noobish (IMO) questions all the time.

I learnt many moons ago that a google search can solve just about all of life's problems. I have also learnt to use The FAQ, TFM, guides and the forum search before corrupting anyone with my noobishness.

Lazy and/or impatient NOOBs need to learn how to READ.

[indolikaa]

what makes you lot so high and bloody mighty, you were all newbies once or where you lucky enough to be born with all the knowledge already imbeded in your holyer the thou brains

Nah! Some of us were born with all that knowledge shoved two feet up our ass.