Repetition

[NB Willawaw]

I can't help noticing that there are a certain number of topics which keep popping up again and again and I admire the patience of the respondees who diligently go through the same old answers again and again.

 

While I use the "search" function and find it very efficient, I'm sure many people can't be bothered to look back to see if a topic has already been covered.

 

I just wonder if there is a way of improving this by short-listing familiar topics when they become popular in some form of reference list.

 

The thing is that I believe that people respond whole-heartedly with detailed explanations on the first round, but often run out of enthusiasm on the repeat performances (I know I do) which means that those repeating the question often get short changed.

 

So, in essence, some form of archived index would not only avoid people having to repeat, I say; repeat themselves, but it would also give the reader a better quality of answer.

 

It would also be nice to see those taking information from the forum spending some time giving assistance back. I've noticed a few people asking questions, collecting as many answers as possible as if it was a free consultancy service and then not returning until they have more questions. For any community to work, there has to be a degree of give and take. Just a personal observation.

You know who you are !

[Jon]

OK, when I get the change I'll compile a list of 'Frequently Asked Questions' accross all categories and place in the resources forum. Any suggestions?

 

Jon

[Yamanx]

I would suggest you definately require an electrical biased forum. Many, many questions on these boards are electrical and repeated often.

 

Charging, wiring, fridges inverters etc etc.

 

Just my two peneth.

[wynd lass(nb.Black Pearl)]

having been a 'member' on here for some time.....one does indeed become a bit weary at answering the same stuff over and over, re inventing the wheel, as it were....

[bottle]

<SNIP>...one does indeed become a bit weary <SNIP>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Blo##y hell thats a bit posh.

 

But perhaps the main page could have 'search' more noticeable. I admit that when I joined it was not noticed for some time.

[John Orentas]

People should also be encouraged give some feedback, it can be a little irritating when someone spends a good deal of time responding to a problem and making suggestions on how to overcome a difficulty, only for the topic and sometimes the enquirer to completely disappear. It would be nice if a subsequent reply would say "problem solved", "complete waste of time" or perhaps something in between.

 

Like many others when a new member is registered I like to look at their profile to see where they are, have they got a boat, do they play the trombone in a brass band. More often than not there is no information whatever.

 

Obviously you can't compel people to say something about themselves but perhaps a few words of encouragement could be inserted somewhere.

[steveh]

People should also be encouraged give some feedback, it can be a little irritating when someone spends a good deal of time responding to a problem and making suggestions on how to overcome a difficulty, only for the topic and sometimes the enquirer to completely disappear.  It would be nice if a subsequent reply would say "problem solved", "complete waste of time" or perhaps something in between.

 

Like many others when a new member is registered I like to look at their profile to see where they are, have they got a boat, do they play the trombone in a brass band.  More often than not there is no information whatever.

 

Obviously you can't compel people to say something about themselves but perhaps a few words of encouragement could be inserted somewhere.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

When i first joined, Maffi sent me a PM welcoming me. Maybe apart from a standard email from the system how about the admins sending a welcoming PM?

[wynd lass(nb.Black Pearl)]

maffi........awww thats so him, isnt it:)

hehe

i think people are paranoid about posting ANY deatils whatsoever about themselves......whats up peeps, we can't all work for Mi6.....can we?

[bottle]

maffi........awww thats so him, isnt it:)

hehe

i think people are paranoid about posting ANY deatils whatsoever about themselves......whats up peeps, we can't all work for Mi6.....can we?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote

 

 

Whoa.................................look who's talking we do not even know when your birthday is.

[NB Willawaw]

I've read all your comments and thoroughly agree with all of you.

 

However, I think its very hard to make hard and fast rules or to expect the Moderators to wave a magic wand at it.

 

I have taken the stance of self-policing. If people provide feedback and enter into the spirit of the thing, I continue to respond to them and encourage them.

 

On the other hand, if people repeatedly pump the forum for information and then as John says disappear, until they have another difficult question they cannot answer, then I simply give them a curt reply and don't put myself out for them.

 

At the end of the day, some of the replies to technical issues have to be thought through carefully as there are safety considerations, etc so they can take a lot of time. I thoroughly enjoy my time spent chatting on here but I also like to spend my time boating.

 

Obviously, its up to you individually how you respond, but I would urge you to consider each poster on their individual merits and if you feel you are repeating yourself a lot, then refer people to links of past threads.

If the thread doesn't fully answer their question, they can at least then ask a reformed or modified question.

 

Best Regards

 

Mark

NB Willawaw

Sonning, River Thames

[Bernie]

People should also be encouraged give some feedback, it can be a little irritating when someone spends a good deal of time responding to a problem and making suggestions on how to overcome a difficulty, only for the topic and sometimes the enquirer to completely disappear.  It would be nice if a subsequent reply would say "problem solved", "complete waste of time" or perhaps something in between.

 

Like many others when a new member is registered I like to look at their profile to see where they are, have they got a boat, do they play the trombone in a brass band.  More often than not there is no information whatever.

 

Obviously you can't compel people to say something about themselves but perhaps a few words of encouragement could be inserted somewhere.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree John, and there is also an introductory thread, some seem to use it and some don't. Also where some topics have been repeated they can be merged by a moderator as well as a previous thread being pointed out.

Edited April 20, 2005 by Bernie

[Jon]

I am trying to sort out a welcoming PM - needs a modification made to the forum software. Shouldn't be too much of a problem when I've got some time.

 

I'll see what I can do about making the 'Search' function more obvious.

 

Thanks to NB Willawaw for the PM.

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[DHutch]

I also aggree there should be a electrical sub-forum in the maintainance forum/area.

 

- As for why people dont fill in there details, i dont know, i did, maybe there jusr lazy!

 

 

 

I am trying to sort out a welcoming PM

 

Will all the existing members get a PM to compensate for the lack of one before?

 

- I wanna welcoming PM!

 

 

 

Daniel

[Big COL]

having been a 'member' on here for some time.....one does indeed become a bit weary at answering the same stuff over and over, re inventing the wheel, as it were....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This will continue to be a problem in as much that there can only be so many problems and questions to be asked relating to the construction / environment of a narrowboat. In the past 6 months there have been members actively involved in fitting out their own boats and the questions have come in thick and fast covering everything related to a narrowboat, and more besides. The answering of these has been educational and amusing and at times war like. It's inevitable that the same questions will arise time and time again, as new members join, with their new boat due for delivery,which they are going to fit out, the same questions will be asked, this leaves you with a choice to either answer them direct or refer them to previous posts, to do the latter I believe would be a mistake as it would tend to turn a live forum into something like a reference library( the answer's in here somewhere mate if you do a search for it) To do this you miss the opportunity to set up a rapport with someone and miss out on their character, their sense of humour and all their idiosyncrasies.

To the regular reader when a repetitive question is asked, they must think not that old chestnut again, which to them it is, but not to the person asking. If it's not answered live and is referred to previous posts then the postings on the boating categories will decrease as members retire to the pub to keep associations and friendships going, and the postings in the pub will increase as that's where all the action is. Perhaps the way to go is to answer simple questions outright and with the more intricate ones strike up a rappport, give them a Link to the answer and reassure them to ask again if they are still unsure It's important to keep the life in the main forum and not just in the pub. Where does a teacher get the inspiration from to have to teach the same thing year after year after year I can only think that they gain satisfaction from seeing their knowledge being absorbed, and they have actually helped somebody. It's not a job that I would want to do, but the feeling must be the same when you help someone on the forum, but as John has said a little feed back would be nice at times. So let's keep on reinventing the wheel.

[ChrisPy]

it would be great if the building and equipment forums (fori ?, fora ? ) were subdivided including sections on inverters, wiring, alternators, engines, pumps, heating, painting, etc. Is there any practical limit to the number of subdivisions?

 

On other forums using a similar format to this I have seen dozens of subdivisions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.................. apart from anything else, this may help 'one' to avoid getting weary. (are you sure you're not the Princess Royal in disguise, Wyndy?)

[John Orentas]

You can only go so far with this, can your really separate alternators, inverters and wiring, they all make up one system.

 

There will be so many exceptions and overlaps as to make the whole thing meaningless, if that is not enough we will still have someone giggling and fishing for compliments.

[nichimyo]

Where does a teacher get the inspiration from to have to teach the same thing year after year after year I can only think that they gain satisfaction from seeing their knowledge being absorbed, and they have actually helped somebody. It's not a job that I would want to do, but the feeling must be the same when you help someone on the forum, but as John has said a little feed back would be nice at times. So let's keep on reinventing the wheel.

 

You're pretty much right there; it's the lightbulb phenomenon - when you see that someone has found out something they didn't know bfore, doesn't matter how many times you have said it to other people - it's always the first time for the person who hears it.

As for me, I don't have a lot of time for browsing so I like to just see what's new. I don;t have a boat yet, but when I get to the point of gettong one, I've no doubt I shall have to ask lots of questions, and I know I won't have time to retrieve the answers from deep in an old section of the forum/s, so I shall be immensely grateful to anyone who takes the trouble and patience to answer...

[DHutch]

Is there any practical limit to the number of subdivisions?

 

Well, if you do to much sub-dividing the forums becomes "bitty" and fragmented, and people end up posting in the wrong place anyway!

 

- I dont think you can, or should, split it into any smaller catogorys "Electrical" its about as small an area as you could have, especailly on a relatively diverse, low turnover forum such as we are.

 

 

Daniel