General comment on the use of the Actinic forum

[Polly]

To respond abruptly or negatively in my opinion isn't necessary and says more about the person replying than the poster asking the question.

You can't change people. As with anything in life, if you don't like what someone says it's your choice whether you respond or engage. You can always ask someone else, there are enough of us to do that.

Thanks for that Louise. Thats the whole point that I was trying to make - a lot of the negativity isn't necessary and to my mind its better not to put anything at all if there isn't anything constructive to offer.

[leehack]

Personally, i think the same question answered in umpteen places is very bad on a forum, principally because i see a forum of this sort as a library, not a chatroom. I would never expect 15-20 copies of the same book in a library and i don't think you should in a forum of this sort. The more duplicate threads there are, the more difficult the pretty useless search is IMO.

If someone searches for "fragments displaying at the top", i think it is far better for both the forum and the searcher to be greeted with 1-5 threads on the subject as opposed to 15-30 threads. If you do not see 15-30 threads making it far more difficult to know which to select, as a 'problem', then you will never see things from the other side. And if you doubt that approach is the way forward, then i urge you to note the Google Analytics threads, which epitamises how central information in one place works so well.

There are usually vastly different opinions according to time spent on the forum and number of posts written. It is easy to come on after a few hundred posts and a concerted effort for a week or two to scoff people who have written thousands and been here for years. Everyone has a breaking point, answer or read the same post 50 times and it will become tiring to almost anyone who has a brain.

If i came to your house and the kids outside were kicking a football against the side of your house, it wouldn't annoy me anything like as much as it would you, if you had experienced the same thing for the past 50 days.

With that in mind, does anyone ever realistically think this problem could ever be solved, not a chance, the only thing you can say for sure is the longer you have been here, the easier it becomes to understand the attitude at times. People are only that, just people.

[leehack]

There's most definitely some truth in that Louise, the search terms you use are very important, you have to aim them at what people actually write, not what you think they should have. This is why i personally think anyone that writes "HELP, i'm stuck" as a thread title, should have their post removed without any notification. I don't mind helping, but the largest part of that has to be 'self-help' and adding to the vast resource we have.

I'm not a fan of the KB as it's own entity, i think it should be part of the forum personally, a true resource from a forward thinking company would have each of the following all directing into one place:

1. Get my fragments to show at the top
2. Change fragment position
3. How do i stretch a fragment across the page
4. Fragment in the wrong place
5. HELP! I can't move my fragment

A central Wiki could guide the user through something like:

Fragments > Fragment positioning > Fragment at the top or bottom

There are enough users and there is enough information to have this readily available nowadays IMO.

I am yet to see anyone who has put a concerted effort into solving a problem being treated badly, it stands out like a sore thumb when people have got stuck in. Anyone who fails to read the most basic fundamental rules on how to use the forum and what it is here for, deserves to be treated with the contempt, they themselves have displayed towards the forum IMO.

[wjcampbe]

I can't help feeling deja vu - did we not go through this same conversation (with a few more participants) just a few months ago with little constructive change resulting?

Back then we had one v8 forum with repeated repeats of the same questions and answers, and now we have several subforums with repeated repeats of the same questions and answers.

I still answer the ocassional post when I think the OP is genuine, but the days when it was a toss up whether myself, jont or drounding would respond first (and were usually all typing at the same time ) have gone.

[leehack]

I agree Bill, this subject was done to death just a few months ago and things changed because of that. The one thing that didn't change, was the level of moderation and to that end the chain is only as strong as it's weakest link IMO.

A genuine user who has tried and is now stuck will always get help on this forum. Although, I never thought I would see B&Q filling up the shelves at Homebase, like I did today.

[RuralWeb]

plebco

Sorry Louise - I was in a bit of a rush to go spinning.

As you say its easy to give an answer to many lazy posts and I used to answer every post in detail even if it had been answered before when I first started on the forum. BUT you soon realise that you are only encouraging the lazy posters and those who will suck you dry for knowledge. I now ignore posts where I know that the answer has already been posted as people will always take offence to a RTFM or search answer.

I always check every post for evidence of designers hiding behind the old "Im trying to build my site" routine - my view is if you are taking money from a client then you should not be trying to decieve the forum to gain knowledge. Now designers who post who clearly state what thier game is ie "I am designing a site for a client" I have no objection to at all.

The bottom line from me is if there is a self builder who posts with a genuine problem then I will help - unfortunately there are always those who will try and rip the forum off - now if I am rude in my replies then please report me to the mods.

Also may I remind people that there is a facility to block forum members so you dont have to see thier rude replies - please feel free to block me, I dont mind at all.

[RuralWeb]

Off thread a bit now - it always interests me that these rant type posts generate so much interest so fast. So while a minority of people may take offence it looks like quite a few are quite interested.

[leehack]

I think it has always been an emotive subject, web design is the only industry that i can think of, where rival businesses help each other out and provide a service to their possible clients FOC.

What i found the most interesting was that the OP (a designer herself), openly admits to having used the forum many times to assist with her work, yet not once did she ever join up and either add to the amazing help or try and assist with changing the negativety she sees.

More to the point, her first post is one having a go at the very people who have almost certainly helped her do her job - that for me is quite incredible.

If we gauge her first post against the one the other day giving a huge thanks (the sticky), it's not hard to see why there is never any agreement and it is a highly emotive subject.

[pinbrook]

http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=33373

[RuralWeb]

If we gauge her first post against the one the other day giving a huge thanks (the sticky),

Yes that was a nice post by Kirk and shows the difference between the DIY builder and this the designers rant.

It proves my point really.

[gabrielcrowe]

I know why she is annoyed at the forum.

On the website, she's trapped inside a jigsaw piece.

Can't be comfortable. Really.

Polly, I failed to note that it was your first post.

What i should have said was actually:

RTFM, noob.



Get some humour please, grumpster.

[gabrielcrowe]

My apologies, that last post was totally out of order.

[los_design]

I know why she is annoyed at the forum.

On the website, she's trapped inside a jigsaw piece.

Can't be comfortable. Really.

Polly, I failed to note that it was your first post.

What i should have said was actually:

RTFM, noob.



Get some humour please, grumpster.

LOL......................

Get off that fence Gabe...(I know you have apologised but it did make me chuckle.)

[gabrielcrowe]

I know she's talking about some of the things that I say.

Both leehack and myself (and others of course) are both guilty of ripping people up for saying daft things. But then, its not like I dislike these people, or bear them any ill will. Its all in thuthfull jest.

Perhaps Polly fails to realise the countless clever actnic gadgets i'v contributed to the forum? or the fact that mr hack helps dozens of noobs, every day without flinching?

Or perhaps she had a bad day, and right now, shes complaining to Actinic, and getting us all banned?

Polly, we're not ganging up on you. We've just been here before, lol.

[los_design]

I know she's talking about some of the things that I say.

Both leehack and myself (and others of course) are both guilty of ripping people up for saying daft things. But then, its not like I dislike these people, or bear them any ill will. Its all in thuthfull jest.

Perhaps Polly fails to realise the countless clever actnic gadgets i'v contributed to the forum? or the fact that mr hack helps dozens of noobs, every day without flinching?

Or perhaps she had a bad day, and right now, shes complaining to Actinic, and getting us all banned?

Polly, we're not ganging up on you. We've just been here before, lol.

Gabe, your contributions have been invaluable to many (including me) and likewise with Leeski, Jonty, Malc, Jo et al (apologises if you are not mentioned but you know who you are ;-)) have all helped out on the community spirit, after all, isn't that what it is for???

I make no apologises for my comments regarding the rudeness of Polly's first post, if you light a flame, you can expect to get burnt...but as you state, it has all been done before and as pointed out by Lee, it does get a bit tiresome.


On the other hand, it was a very clever way of boosting her site traffic for a day or two, but would that approach entice peeps to work with her?? (me being cynical? If Polly was a regular, she would know that I am )

I will let you, the paying public decide.

Have a nice day.