[lawilson2]

I read this board thru my Google RSS reader, the latest posts and such. Lately, there has been a plethora of really BASIC questions of people, many of whom are apologizing in advance but stating they couldn't find the answer in a search. I think they just chose not to search and found it easier to post on it.

For the most part, you all have been prettty forgiving, not slamming every person with "do a search, you dumba$$."

How can we make the FAQ better known to new visitors so that we can avoid constantly reading these really basic questions that have been asked here 10's of times? I'm just looking to make this process a bit more efficient so that reading this board is enjoyable again.

 

[GoHokies!]

For the most part, you all have been prettty forgiving, not slamming every person with "do a search, you dumba$$."

Sorry, I've been really busy with my new job.

Seriously, there really isn't way without some seriously heavy handed moderation.

People will automatically assume that they are the most important thing since sliced bread and that they have every right to come in here and ask whatever they want because, you know they're all important and stuff.

 

[edrock200]

Why not just skip the threads that you don't want to participate in? I'll never understand why people get so worked up about "newbie" questions. If you don't want to help someone who hasn't searched/read the FAQ, simply move on.

 

[stahta01]

Why not just skip the threads that you don't want to participate in? I'll never understand why people get so worked up about "newbie" questions. If you don't want to help someone who hasn't searched/read the FAQ, simply move on.

+1

If you have the time and desire, I would suggest linking to Answer in FAQ.
After a while, most people realize their is an FAQ.

Tim S

 

[tase2]

The mods have spoken on this subject.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=5440601&&#post5440601

 

[GoHokies!]

Why not just skip the threads that you don't want to participate in? I'll never understand why people get so worked up about "newbie" questions. If you don't want to help someone who hasn't searched/read the FAQ, simply move on.

Because thread after thread of newbie questions drives the more in-depth and interesting discussions off the first page.

I would much rather read a forum filled with interesting discussions about cool Tivo things and not have to wade through thread after thread of "What's SDV?" and "Will my new S3 work with DirecTV?"

Tase2, different forum, different rules. If Mike had thought that it was a problem in here, I would think that he would have posted it in here.

The sticky threads and FAQs are there for a reason and should be the first source of information for folks looking for answers.

 

[edrock200]

So, just so I'm understanding, it's too difficult for you to find threads that aren't on the front page? This thread was designed to help people, the fact that other interesting information comes about is a cool side effect, not its primary purpose. Your forgetting that you too were a newbie once, and I'm sure you asked your share of newbie questions.

I find it hard to believe it's an inconvenience to click the "next page" button at the bottom of page one. Forum snobbery IMO is far worse than "newbie" posts.

 

[megazone]

How can we make the FAQ better known to new visitors so that we can avoid constantly reading these really basic questions that have been asked here 10's of times? I'm just looking to make this process a bit more efficient so that reading this board is enjoyable again.

I've been online since 1989 - BBSs, USENet, mailing lists, web forums, blogs... If you can find the answer to "How do we get newbies to use the FAQ and/or search?" you'll be the first person in history to solve that problem. ;-)

 

[lawilson2]

I've been online since 1989 - BBSs, USENet, mailing lists, web forums, blogs... If you can find the answer to "How do we get newbies to use the FAQ and/or search?" you'll be the first person in history to solve that problem. ;-)

Then history I shall make!

 

[kosherbacon]

Then history I shall make!

Be sure to have a patent lawyer on retainer, because if you solve the problem there will be people lined up to buy/steal it. Good luck man!

 

[GoHokies!]

So, just so I'm understanding, it's too difficult for you to find threads that aren't on the front page? This thread was designed to help people, the fact that other interesting information comes about is a cool side effect, not its primary purpose. Your forgetting that you too were a newbie once, and I'm sure you asked your share of newbie questions.

I find it hard to believe it's an inconvenience to click the "next page" button at the bottom of page one. Forum snobbery IMO is far worse than "newbie" posts.

No, I'm saying that forums cluttered with noise are no fun and don't provide much value. Your ideas on the purpose of this forum (not thread) are wrong - the "help center" would be the place where people go to get help. This forum should contain a little bit more higher level discussion. Obviously this was enough of a problem that Mike takes the time to sticky various threads to help keep the relevant info viable and the discussion of those topics contained to a single thread. If Mike takes the time to do the moderation, and folks like MZ take the time to put together the great FAQs that he does, shouldn't we respect that and not ignore their work and just blindly post "Will my S3 work with DirecTV?" thread because it's too hard to follow the rules?

That isn't "forum snobbery", it's following the wishes of the moderators and everyone doing their part to help things run more smoothly.

 

[RoyK]

The initial posting of the question starts the thread. Not much that anyone can do about that. Once that's done the time required to answer a newbe's question = a few seconds and usually the thread quickly dies.

Time required to tell a newbe to find the answer himself = a few seconds and then a debate like this ensues which keeps the thread on the front page.

 

[andrews777]

Things that seem easy to find in the FAQ by someone with experience in the area may not be so "simple" for someone new to the terminology. I spent some time reading through the FAQs and such here, but even then I am sure I have asked some "dumb" basic questions.

The real question would be:

How do we make people spend hours and hours looking through what is already posted to make sure their question has not already been asked. :/

Brad

 

[cbrofm]

Before you all go nuts on us newbie users, maybe you can help. I've been trying to search FAQ for three days, and I get zero responses to any search terms. I've reported my problem this morning.

It may be just me, but I'm a fairly experienced computer user and if I'm encountering a problem searching FAQ using terms like "series 3" then maybe there's something wrong?

If you get a chance would someone check and give me a clue as to my FAQ problem?

 

[GoHokies!]

Welcome!

What're you looking for?

 

[andrews777]

Before you all go nuts on us newbie users, maybe you can help. I've been trying to search FAQ for three days, and I get zero responses to any search terms. I've reported my problem this morning.

It may be just me, but I'm a fairly experienced computer user and if I'm encountering a problem searching FAQ using terms like "series 3" then maybe there's something wrong?

If you get a chance would someone check and give me a clue as to my FAQ problem?

That tends to be a root issue.

It becomes a question of "How can we get users to know the material in the FAQ as well as I know the material in the FAQ?"

While some simple questions really are at the start, many are buried in and knowing the proper search terms (something unlikely for a newcomer) is the key element.

Brad

 

[cbrofm]

Thanks GoHokies...

I just got a Series3 HD and eventually answered all my questions about the cable card by spending time reading a lot of posts. (thanks TiVo community)

But now I have a TV related question, which is that my video is now coming through on Video 1 input, so when I turn the TV on, it defaults to normal video and I get no signal.

I'm using a plain old CRT Sony (still shopping for HD), with the RGB and audio cables, also an S video cable. One M-card.

This isn't a show stopper for me, just darned annoying. And I don't have any knowledgeable TiVo-ites to ask. Any ideas?

Thanks!
B.

 

[gdomeier]

+1

If you have the time and desire, I would suggest linking to Answer in FAQ.
After a while, most people realize their is an FAQ.

Tim S

+2 then the time spent chastising them to search, which take about the same amount of time as posting an answer to their question.

 

[GoHokies!]

You're saying that when you turn off your TV and turn it back on it doesn't stay on the same input? Sounds like a pain in the neck. I guess you could get a universal remote that does macros to have one button that would turn on your TV and switch it to the proper input.

You may want to head over to avsforum (not trying to give you a brushoff, but that's a much better source of info) where the super TV geeks hang out and do a search for your TV's model number. It'll produce more information than you ever thought existed about your TV and this issue may be discussed.

 

[cbrofm]

Thanks again GoHokies,
I'll go over there and see what the supergeeks can tell me.

And for the rest of you, I can't get ANY results on ANY search terms, so I don't think it's a matter of knowing what to search on. Could it be it's broken? Has anyone tried it? Shouldn't I get an answer using the word "cablecard" or "cable card" or "series3" or "series 3"?

Thanks all.