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Apr 12, 2001
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As noted by 9 to 5 Mac, Apple has announced what it is calling a "major upgrade" to its support forums, bringing increased social aspects to the site. The changes, which are simply said to be going live "very soon", will see the "Apple Discussions" forums rebranded as "Apple Support Communities".
Very soon a major change will be taking place here at Apple Discussions. To help you prepare we have created some documents to give some insight and instructions on this major upgrade.
Apple has also posted a series of documents highlighted by an introduction to the new support community. While many of the items seem to describe enhanced versions of features already present in Apple Discussions and no screenshots showing how the user interface will change have been posted, a focus does seem to have been placed on socializing and customization.

While users are currently able to fill out some basic profile information, it appears that Apple will be offering additional support to help users identify themselves within the Apple Support Communities. In addition, users will be able to take advantage of more customization options such as widgets that will offer them easy access to areas of the discussion forums that interest them most.

A discussion thread on the changes suggest that the new format has been in beta testing, although it is unclear just how widespread the testing has been.

Article Link: Apple to Roll Out Revamped Support Discussion Forums
 
I don't know if others agree, but apple's discussion boards are where people with limited knowledge about apple products are given advice by others with often equal limited knowledge.

That's not entirely true, there are some knowledgeable people on there as well, but the noobs outnumber them, no doubt.
 
Would part of these social changes include deleting unflattering reviews?

Not arguing for Apple, but I'm knit-picking the word "review." I actually want my support threads to be helpful and find answers. I've read too many support forums that are just venting and complaints and don't have any real information that might help.

Maybe that's what prompted the change in focus form a "forum" where all topics are considered to a "support community" where people find help.
:)
 
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Haha, this is getting ridiculous. :D

OK. My wishlist. Short. Less Deleted Posts. Active Official Staff. Empowered Forums.
 
I don't know if others agree, but apple's discussion boards are where people with limited knowledge about apple products are given advice by others with often equal limited knowledge.

Or posts from Apple staff that you finally awaken from their slumber...! Wow, we finally did it, after 30 pages of discussing some widely known issue. OK, so let's see their words of wisdom, sitting on detailed hardware plans and deep technical knowledge of their products: "Thanks for discussing in this thread, but it has grown too long. Please continue in this thread that I have started for you."

(OK, so the moderators don't have that knowledge, but my point is that they do things any third-party board does equally well, if not better *sigh* I can't help but get the feeling it could be so much more)
 
Will this mean an end to self-promting "experts" spamming every new problem with meaningless voodoo solutions just to up their post-count?

eg: "Repair permissions before and after every update" :rolleyes:
 
Will this mean an end to self-promting "experts" spamming every new problem with meaningless voodoo solutions just to up their post-count?

eg: "Repair permissions before and after every update" :rolleyes:

There are plenty of "repair permissions and zap PRAM" folks here too. Also funny is people who recommend an SMC reset for something other than sleep/battery/fan problems. Just what DO they think it is? A magic stability charm?
 
Would part of these social changes include deleting unflattering reviews?
Probably. They want control over the information flow, but places like MacRumors have the upper hand because they offer a social aspect that Apple can't match. By offering the same 'liberties' on the official forums they hope to lure everyone into that fold where discussions can be shaped into Apple's liking.
 
Not that I use Apple Support Discussions unless I need to find something I can't get answered here, but MR Forums is THE place to get answers.

And by Social I hope Apple is not further pushing that FaceF@(%, Tw@tter, and other garbage further on us. It's bad enough that some of that has crept into iPhoto and other desktop/iOS Apple apps.
 
There's a big difference between "discussion forum" and "support communities".

Once Apple (or any company) throws out the word "support", it designates that Apple will help you...will support you. Not Steve the 14-year old-who-thinks-he-knows-it-all. Apple.

I agree with numerous folks here...the Apple discussion boards, that I've used since 2006, pale in comparison to the knowledge base that exists here at MR. I'm also not a fan of Apple's discussion boards timeliness/thoroughness.

I also wonder about where Apple will draw the line on people venting about bugs, reporting bugs, posting topics that shy people away from The Apple Way of making a buck (like recommending a competing Apple software/hardware product).

-Eric
 
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