I Want To Know What You Would Think of This Please (contextless post titles)

Siderz · May 4, 2014

Use the title box properly, stop writing completely unspecific things in there like "Can I get your opinion", "Is this possible", "Can iMovie Do This" etc. (Yes those are literally titles I've seen here)

You either waste people's time who click it but can't actually answer it (They wouldn't click it if they knew they didn't know how to answer it) OR you miss out on people answering because they're not gonna bother clicking it, but may know the answer (They would click it if they knew they know how to answer it).

I know this isn't relevant to digital video but someone's got to mention it...there's no point whatsoever in having a title if you can't be bothered to put context into it. Most people actually use the title box properly but there are people who don't, and it needs to be addressed.

Edit: I had this in the digital video section but it's been moved. I was mainly addressing digital video but I've definitely seen this happen in other areas of the MacRumors forums.

Meister · May 4, 2014

well that was well worth reading

Apple fanboy · May 4, 2014

Siderz said:
Use the title box properly, stop writing completely unspecific things in there like "Can I get your opinion", "Is this possible", "Can iMovie Do This" etc. (Yes those are literally titles I've seen here)

You either waste people's time who click it but can't actually answer it (They wouldn't click it if they knew they didn't know how to answer it) OR you miss out on people answering because they're not gonna bother clicking it, but may know the answer (They would click it if they knew they know how to answer it).

I know this isn't relevant to digital video but someone's got to mention it...there's no point whatsoever in having a title if you can't be bothered to put context into it. Most people actually use the title box properly but there are people who don't, and it needs to be addressed.

Don't forget,
Help please
I need help
I have a problem

Duff-Man · May 4, 2014

Duff-Man says....or more simply put - read the forum rules and guidelines - as users should do anyway...oh yeah!

macs4nw · May 5, 2014

Siderz said:
I Want To Know What You Would Think of This Please Use the title box properly, stop writing completely unspecific things in there like "Can I get your opinion", "Is this possible", "Can iMovie Do This" etc. (Yes those are literally titles I've seen here)

You either waste people's time who click it but can't actually answer it (They wouldn't click it if they knew they didn't know how to answer it) OR you miss out on people answering because they're not gonna bother clicking it, but may know the answer (They would click it if they knew they know how to answer it).

I know this isn't relevant to digital video but someone's got to mention it...there's no point whatsoever in having a title if you can't be bothered to put context into it. Most people actually use the title box properly but there are people who don't, and it needs to be addressed.

I know you're trying to make a point here, but you might get more attention if you had used "annoying non-specific forum titles" as your heading, rather than "I Want To Know What You Would Think of This Please". Many people ignore headlines like that.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

macs4nw said:
rather than "I Want To Know What You Would Think of This Please". Many people ignore headlines like that.

That's the exact point I'm trying to make...showing just how damn irrelevant some titles can be. I'll add it in though.

SandboxGeneral · May 5, 2014

If you feel a thread title is too ambiguous, you can report the thread to us with your suggested title for it and we'll consider updating it to be more specific.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

SandboxGeneral said:
If you feel a thread title is too ambiguous, you can report the thread to us with your suggested title for it and we'll consider updating it to be more specific.

Could it also be a rule that posters must use context in titles?

I think it's worth going under the "minor problems" section.

Shrink · May 5, 2014

Siderz said:
Could it also be a rule that posters must use context in titles?

I think it's worth going under the "minor problems" section.

As SBG mentioned above, if a Title is uninformative, simply send a Post Report suggesting that a Title might be changed, and possibly suggest a better Title.

It seems to me this action precludes the need for a Rule change, since even with a Rule change a Post Report would be sent, making the Rule change superfluous.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

Shrink said:
It seems to me this action precludes the need for a Rule change, since even with a Rule change a Post Report would be sent, making the Rule change superfluous.

I'm one person and have things to do, I'm not gonna go through the entire forum reporting posts, I'm not going to go through the entire forum to tell people to report posts either. I shouldn't be the only one told that they ought to report posts.

SandboxGeneral · May 5, 2014

Siderz said:
Could it also be a rule that posters must use context in titles?

I think it's worth going under the "minor problems" section.

I don't believe a rule change is needed. This is even less than a "minor problem" in the greater scheme of the forum.

A simple Post Report is all that is needed.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

SandboxGeneral said:
I don't believe a rule change is needed. This is even less than a "minor problem" in the greater scheme of the forum.

A simple Post Report is all that is needed.

Then how will posters know to consider their titles, and how will other people know to report posts? I shouldn't be the only one to have to know this...

SandboxGeneral · May 5, 2014

Siderz said:
I'm one person and have things to do, I'm not gonna go through the entire forum reporting posts, I'm not going to go through the entire forum to tell people to report posts either. I shouldn't be the only one told that they ought to report posts.

No one is asking you to. You just report things as you see them in your daily browsing - if you feel like it.

The forum gets along just fine without having to search every thread for potential ambiguity in it's title.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

SandboxGeneral said:
You just report things as you see them in your daily browsing - if you feel like it.

My point being that other people should know that it's worth reporting posts with ambiguous titles, not just me or those reading this post. I don't see a better way to get people to know this without making it a rule, I'd say it's almost as bad as bumping just not as common.

SandboxGeneral · May 5, 2014

Siderz said:
My point being that other people should know that it's worth reporting posts with ambiguous titles, not just me or those reading this post. I don't see a better way to get people to know this without making it a rule, I'd say it's almost as bad as bumping just not as common.

Adding it as a rule is not likely to help people be aware of it. Most people never read them, though they agree to follow them as part of the registration agreement, and thus will not know about it. I don't see any benefit to adding another thing of 'what not to do' to our rules for this particular thing.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

SandboxGeneral said:
Adding it as a rule is not likely to help people be aware of it. Most people never read them, though they agree to follow them as part of the registration agreement, and thus will not know about it. I don't see any benefit to adding another thing of 'what not to do' to our rules for this particular thing.

It won't get many current users to know about it, but it'll get new users and perhaps people who check over the rules every so often. I don't know what the harm is in making it a rule.

DeltaMac · May 5, 2014

I don't think that "making a rule" will force people to use more informative titles, when they may think their particular title is pretty relevant already.

(at least, in their own mind)
I remember working at a call center a few years ago, taking computer tech support calls. I always liked the folks who thought "It's not working!" gives some useful information.
It then becomes very relevant for the first reader to ask a couple of efficient questions to expand on those vague titles.
One certainly doesn't need to "police" the whole forum - but you can provide suggested title changes on posts that YOU are interested in.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

DeltaMac said:
One certainly doesn't need to "police" the whole forum - but you can provide suggested title changes on posts that YOU are interested in.

I'm not saying that that's what people are asking me to do, I'm saying that people may as well tell me that since the suggestion is being limited to just this post.

The point isn't that I want the all clear to report posts with ambiguous titles, that'd be ineffective, the point is that I want people to stop doing it altogether. It's a waste of my time to click posts which I find out don't interest me, I'm not gonna waste any more time having to report the post.

It's like putting up CCTV cameras with no signs versus putting up signs but no CCTV cameras; in some cases people are gonna read the signs and not commit a crime, but if there are no signs then they will feel more inclined to commit a crime.

DeltaMac · May 5, 2014

My point is - a rule about ambiguous thread titles would likely fall on deaf ears anyway.
What should we do here? Ban posters who can't come up with an eye-catching, concise summation of their idea or question?
Tough enough for some with a language barrier to post in the first place, without also struggling with the potential "thread-title rule"

You have a good idea, I think, but one that not everyone will share the same level of experience to use your idea. Fix the worst, let the others live, as is.

Siderz · May 5, 2014

DeltaMac said:
What should we do here? Ban posters who can't come up with an eye-catching, concise summation of their idea or question?
Tough enough for some with a language barrier to post in the first place, without also struggling with the potential "thread-title rule"

No, not ban people, just get some to understand that they need to consider their titles more, and get more people than just me to report posts that don't have good titles.

Good point with people who have trouble with English, but then they'd just be reported and fixed anyway. I'm not saying putting the rule there will suddenly stop it overnight, just that it'll help prevent it to some level.

It seems foolish to me that a huge part of posting on a forum is to write meaningful titles but people aren't doing so, and it seems even more foolish to me that the mods aren't interested in putting much effort into fixing this. Maybe if this was a rule then people wouldn't feel the need to bump posts.

dejo · May 6, 2014

Siderz said:
...and get more people than just me to report posts that don't have good titles.

I just wanted to state that there are a number of members who frequently report threads with ambiguous titles. You are not alone!

Maybe if this was a rule then people wouldn't feel the need to bump posts.

Would you care to elaborate on this point? I'm not sure how ambiguous thread titles and bumping are related.

Siderz · May 6, 2014

dejo said:
Would you care to elaborate on this point? I'm not sure how ambiguous thread titles and bumping are related.

If people don't click posts because they have ambiguous titles, then they're less likely to get replies, and people will feel the need to bump.

DeltaMac · May 6, 2014

A new rule will not help folks with their patience. (or, rather, lack of patience

)
Even that catchy, relevant title will neither prevent bumps, nor compel someone to read, then respond.
And, you will still get bumps anyway.

I am deeply upset and shocked almost to the point of extreme mental distress! You would think that with that great title for my (dope) thread, that I would get all kinds of responses How long since my thread started? 2 hours? (bump) (bump)

Siderz · May 6, 2014

DeltaMac said:
A new rule will not help folks with their patience. (or, rather, lack of patience )
Even that catchy, relevant title will neither prevent bumps, nor compel someone to read, then respond.
And, you will still get bumps anyway.

You will still get bumps, and you will still get ambiguous titles.

The idea here is to lower the amount of times it happens...nothing is going to bring it to a complete halt. You're not thinking about this properly if you can't grasp that.

Shrink · May 6, 2014

DeltaMac said:
A new rule will not help folks with their patience. (or, rather, lack of patience )
Even that catchy, relevant title will neither prevent bumps, nor compel someone to read, then respond.
And, you will still get bumps anyway.

This demonstrates that another Rule regarding poor Titles would be unnecessary and ineffective, since there is a Rule against bumping, and that doesn't stop folks from doing it anyway. Just a one can Report a bump, one can report a poor Title, and another Rule would not, IMO, change that.

I Want To Know What You Would Think of This Please (contextless post titles)

macrumors 6502a

Suspended

macrumors Ivy Bridge

Contributor

macrumors 601

macrumors 6502a

Moderator emeritus

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G3

macrumors 6502a

Moderator emeritus

macrumors 6502a

Moderator emeritus

macrumors 6502a

Moderator emeritus

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G5

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G5

macrumors 6502a

Moderator emeritus

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G5

macrumors 6502a

macrumors G3

Our Staff