Recent trends...

In light of a recent trend - threads going completely off the wall, "new" members throwing around misinformation, etc., I had a couple thoughts that I wanted to share and get feedback and also provide a place for input, should any of you have some.

A lot of "new" users can just pop in here and start doling out advice. Is it possible to have a period of time after a person signs up before they have free reign to post anywhere in the forums? This will force new users to do some reading and become oriented with the forums, search functions, and other modules, before they start posting bad info they've learned elsewhere and asking the same questions over and over again.

Ok, so now you are thinking this: What about new users with an emergency question or new users (like corey woods who signed up today, WELCOME!) who hatch out bumblebees and post up eye candy for everyone? Answer: A "new users" forum for those people to introduce themselves, ask those emergency questions, or post pics of cool stuff. Keep in mind these new users should still be able to view all those forums, just not post in them. I guarantee that if all these new people spent 5 minutes browsing through the forums, they'd find at least 1 or 2 threads addressing their exact question.

I've never run a forum, so feel free to smack me down if you want, its just an idea that had enough merit to throw out there.

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Originally Posted by elevatethis

In light of a recent trend - threads going completely off the wall, "new" members throwing around misinformation, etc., I had a couple thoughts that I wanted to share and get feedback and also provide a place for input, should any of you have some.

A lot of "new" users can just pop in here and start doling out advice. Is it possible to have a period of time after a person signs up before they have free reign to post anywhere in the forums? This will force new users to do some reading and become oriented with the forums, search functions, and other modules, before they start posting bad info they've learned elsewhere and asking the same questions over and over again.

Ok, so now you are thinking this: What about new users with an emergency question or new users (like corey woods who signed up today, WELCOME!) who hatch out bumblebees and post up eye candy for everyone? Answer: A "new users" forum for those people to introduce themselves, ask those emergency questions, or post pics of cool stuff. Keep in mind these new users should still be able to view all those forums, just not post in them. I guarantee that if all these new people spent 5 minutes browsing through the forums, they'd find at least 1 or 2 threads addressing their exact question.

I've never run a forum, so feel free to smack me down if you want, its just an idea that had enough merit to throw out there.

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I think you are on the right track. I'd like to see what the admins think and if there is any way to reasonably do this.

It's a good suggestion. I'm new and just about every question I have had has been answered by search. The only thing is how would someone lose the reputaion of being new? Hopefully not by the number of posts since it is really easy to pad your post numbers.

Wow this should be interesting. I think this is going down the right track. Have something like after a certin amount of time or even Rep points or something.

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Originally Posted by RockSolid

It's a good suggestion. I'm new and just about every question I have had has been answered by search. The only thing is how would someone lose the reputaion of being new? Hopefully not by the number of posts since it is really easy to pad your post numbers.

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It could be done by time on the site...2 weeks maybe..

maybe longer. I still thinlk I have a long way to go since I've only had my BP a week. But that's just my opinion of myself.

Where's my salmon!?!?!?!

J/K Brad. "Ah feel your pain" as do most.

One potential outcome of that might be that all the misinformation you refer to would be all coralled together in that "new folks" forum or whatever it would be called - and if that is the only place to post then those who are inclined to will. So the misinformation is then funneled to those most likely to take it as face value or gospel truth.

I agree a lot of good basic info can be found in the forum-specific FAQs or by searching - and also agree as brought up by someone else recently the canned "Read the FAQ / Use the Search function" response can seem a little cold if that is the stock response every time (it is defintely NOT that way here and I love you all for that). But still . . i know what you are getting at.


Would that proposed forum then become one glut of threads titled things like "How many of you have snakes?" - would it make new people feel too much like second-class citizens?

No smacking down here - just weighing the considerations - have at it!





(EDIT: wow a lot of posts whiel i was writing that. In answer to earlier questions the most relaible way to make it happen would be by making it a function solely of # days registered.)

I agree with you guy's , thing's have been a little different.There's some real bad info being spewed.

Like I said, I've never run a board or have any understanding of issues with implementing this or the effects it would have.

I joined an aquarium board some time back that had this policy. The length of time was 3 days, and during those three days, I learned much more by searching and browsing threads as opposed to wasting my time making redundant posts and waiting for answers.

I'd like to see it happen too!