I'm a new arrival here, and as such should maybe keep my mouth shut, but from many happy years of mac-computering using the maccentral forum which is now seemingly toast, I can't help notice something: One of the features I really appreciated about that forum was that when people posted a problem they would also take the trouble to try to answer a couple of outstanding issues for other members - and in general you could almost invariably count on a useful resolution from other members quickly. I couldn't help but notice here how many threads just seem to peter out without any conclusions reached which seems a shame because collectively it's obvious there's an awesome knowledge base that can be tapped from the contributers. I don't know whether this is a function of layout or just pre-disposition but it would be nice to think that people who come to a mac forum, any mac forum, should be made to feel that their issues are getting met
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Shortage of replies for problems posted
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When the posts that I participate that peter out are usually because the OP fails to reply, so the thread is useless to anyone else as they don't know if the solution posted worked.
Also at this moment in time it seems there has been an influx of newbies who tend to just post their problems and not contribute. There is a wealth of knowledge already on here if the search function is used which a lot of these newbies do not do and it can get very tiresome to answer a question that has been answered hundreds of times before and sometimes even three or four times that day. So there is a dilution of the responses across the many threads that are created rather than them being all in one place.
Also at this moment in time it seems there has been an influx of newbies who tend to just post their problems and not contribute. There is a wealth of knowledge already on here if the search function is used which a lot of these newbies do not do and it can get very tiresome to answer a question that has been answered hundreds of times before and sometimes even three or four times that day. So there is a dilution of the responses across the many threads that are created rather than them being all in one place.
That is really annoying. Maybe the forum should auto-subscribe members to threads they have created (though you should be able to remove them if you wish) so they know that their problem has been flagged.
The forum system can do exactly that. It's the Default Thread Subscription Mode setting on the User CP Options page. Of course, users have their choice whether or not to use it.
I often see questions going unanswered because they are posted in the wrong forum or have useless thread titles such as "Need help". Avoiding those mistakes is the first step toward getting other members to offer assistance.
I'm sometimes puzzled when someone asks for help, then doesn't answer the questions posted by other members. Perhaps this happens because they solved the problem themselves and didn't bother to let us know.
Adding to my previous post, I think it should be possible to make it only happen automatically for threads you start (rather than every post), as I'm getting too much email with every post subscribing me.
With the Leopard upgrades, it is hard to nail down most of the issues.
Though Apple did a darn good job of collecting the troubleshooting fixes at...
http://www.apple.com/support/leopard/ <-- we probably should have stickied this long ago with a direct link to a lot of the following pages, but we didn't.
However, some of the things like the 802.11n wireless issue and having to downgrade the router to BG mixed likely won't make Apple's list.
But the OP not responding back to comments usually makes the thread die quick.
Though Apple did a darn good job of collecting the troubleshooting fixes at...
http://www.apple.com/support/leopard/ <-- we probably should have stickied this long ago with a direct link to a lot of the following pages, but we didn't.
However, some of the things like the 802.11n wireless issue and having to downgrade the router to BG mixed likely won't make Apple's list.
But the OP not responding back to comments usually makes the thread die quick.
Gotta be honest here. It seems that many of our recent long-term regulars who were the most helpful have moved on or curtailed their activities, for reasons that are known only to themselves.
We also have a constant stream of new arrivals who don't know the platform too well, as well as many people who are solely interested in the iPod or iPhone, which isn't much use for the Mac users.
It also seems to me that some seem happier flaming and bickering with others, instead of being of some use around here, which is a shame because they possess a wealth of knowledge that could be put to good use.
And finally, speaking solely for myself, there is also a bit of a stretch doing moderating and helping people out with their queries as well... so I'd ask people, where possible, to give as well as get; it's the season of giving and it makes the world go round.
We also have a constant stream of new arrivals who don't know the platform too well, as well as many people who are solely interested in the iPod or iPhone, which isn't much use for the Mac users.
It also seems to me that some seem happier flaming and bickering with others, instead of being of some use around here, which is a shame because they possess a wealth of knowledge that could be put to good use.
And finally, speaking solely for myself, there is also a bit of a stretch doing moderating and helping people out with their queries as well... so I'd ask people, where possible, to give as well as get; it's the season of giving and it makes the world go round.
added a few hints for people to search when starting a new thread. There's a search button now when you start a new topic.
arn
An excellent idea. I have to agree with others who have noticed an increase in "newbies" posting questions without searching first. I try to be as helpful as possible in return for how helpful everyone was when I first joined, but when the same set of questions keeps getting asked over and over again, I think people stop feeling the need to quickly respond.
Or those that do it after about 20 minutes or demand answers.
Or people who start a new thread with "this is my second time of asking".
Or people who wait for some answers and then maybe the next day start the same thread in another forum.
Needless to say I report them all.