new threads and this forum

I would suggest not to open a new thread every time but rather use older threads.

Why?

* Because ppl subscribe to a some threads and get informed of any new posting, but only in this thread
* Ppl dont have to read 20 different threads of more or less the same subject when doing a research or if they try to find the one fact that they have rad once
* If a thread gets a new posting it is in the first column, anyways, so you do not have to open a new thread to signal that there is a new article from you.

I find it extremly difficult to follow all threads and i would welcome it if subjects are chosen more carefully to enable a thread to be more general. of there is really something new, exciting nothing can be said against a new thread - but right now I only see chaos here and this is very time consuming.


Vinci

Go to your User CP, you can set it so your subscribed to threads by default - much simpler to keep up with a conversation if you get an email notification.

Also, you can add the Linux alpha forum to your RSS feed reader with the following link (or any other forum - change the forumids=263 part of the link)

http://forums.secondlife.com/external.php?type=rss2&forumids=263

...and you decided to make a thread about it. .....nice......

i dont want to sound unfair, and i must admit im very tempted just to say "stfu", but seriously. jesus. its a forum. people will start new threads so *they* can check the discussion of their topic. within reason, its understandable.

i check these forums about once every two days, sometimes more if theres a thread im intrested in, and it takes about 30 seconds - 3 minutes. i must admit i normally ignore your posts, so that cuts it down a fair bit =)

after attacking the forums, and the licence of the program, the groups inside SL, the meeting place of the linux users, and LL's way of producing the linux client, your well on your way up ma' christmas card list.

Is always nice to be attackend personally. Thank you.


Vinci

its not an attack, was just saying i ignore 'em.

Seriously, if Japan had *ignored* Pearl Harbor, World War II would have run a different course.

Anyway, Vinci... you're fighting a losing battle here. It's a forum, and a (relatively) unmoderated one, at that. Forums are chaotic, it's a fact of life. If you attempt to restrain the natural chaos that occurs with communication like this, the forum will die. I've seen it happen.

On most forums, it's all the mods can do to make sure threads end up in the right sub-forums...

Now THIS TIP alone made this thread worthwhile!

Any awards for making the forum more valuable?

btw, who actually mods the linux forum ? -- i dont think ive seen a mod action on this forum ever ;-/ apart from karen's odd posts about new releases.

We don't have our own ResMod if thats what your asking.

My experience is the opposit: In forums like in SL or any community meeting point it is important to further the discussion culture and the culture of interaction. What you say would mean that it is always better to not try to consolidate a culture. This from my experience leads to more frustration and to less common rules and unserstanding and in the end everybody does what he likes without respecting each other. And this is can destroy communities. I also know a forum owner (of the size of all of the SL forums and also user base)who had to tighten the rules more and more just not to let end up every thread in just random silly talk. This is chases away many users. I must think of Ahern Welcome Area in this respect. This ends up in just a few regulars that understand the rules or are very active. Everybody who is just a random guest will never come back, because the outcome for him- or herself tends to zero.

A good forum needs an active and positive discussion culture and ppl not thinking just about themselves (like: I want to be read, i dont care about other threads that might contain the answer already). I think a good thing would be to post a FAQ here regulary maybe with versioning. Some questions get asked very often - and I think most ppl are not visiting the SecondTux wiki. They are looking for answers here. And they will read a thread that promises answers.



Vinci

The "Search" function exists and seems to work again, so I don't see why people would need a posted FAQ in the forum. If they don't use "Search" they certainly won't use the FAQ. And we already have our sticky thread with lots of information inside...

Guess what: people don't read that either

I tend to post links to threads where a problem has been solved or more information is available. I often refer to the wiki FAQ, too. This is about all you can do to "regulate" forum usage.

As to keeping track of discussions: I've been actively reading and contributing here, and I'm yet to miss an answer posted to one of the threads I'm interested in. I get a mail each time someone answers, so I can't possibly overlook them.

to be fair, the sticky thread is really long. noone would bother to read it all.

but yea, like Zi said, i dont think i've missed a post on the forum, if you come back after 2-3 days there's like 3-4 active topics and it takes a few seconds to read those, thats all.

While all this is true, it's not something you can enforce. You might but helpful information and links in sticky threads, but they will inevitably be ignored. You can delete threads if the answer is already available, but that will anger and alienate users. The best alternative available is to link users to other threads that have the information they seek.

FAQ's are called FAQ's for a reason. Having them in a list hardly has an impact on the number of times the question will be asked in one form or another.

The best forums are the ones where the same questions are meet with the same kind personal response time and time again, by all means link to a thread and help direct people around - afterall, the regulars know where everything is, the newbies asking the FAQ haven't got a clue.

Having a list and just telling people to read the FAQ can come across as rude.

If this means the signal to noise ratio is a little high than so be it, this is a support forum afterall.

Well that I understand: Overlong threads get ignored also. If they are months old and you would have to read 200 messages.

This needs to be balanced.

Vinci

PS: i was not suggesting not to open new threads.