Arch Linux

stabele

Member

Registered: 2008-12-22

Posts: 101

Newbie Corner is overused

My fellow Archer's, I am pretty new in Arch community so maybe I speak out of line now. But one things about forums I found making them less usefull - it seems to me that Newbie Corner takes many not-so-newbie posts that in my oppinion bellongs into other forums. I admit I did this myself - if you post question into Workstation User, Laptop Issues or Multimedia and Games chances are you get any response much later. On the other hand now in Newbie Corner if you don't get attention in few hours, your post gets lost under many new topics. It works like self-fulfilling prophecy - more people behave like there is only one Arch forum makes more other people to behave like this. It seems to me that Arch is getting more popullar fast, so there is many new users and it is great that many advanced users tends to help (us) newbies, but overusing Newbie Corner makes this harder.

I do not know if others share this opinion. If so, maybe some encouraging in sticky post and sometimes moving advanced topics to other forums by moderators can help a bit (I know they have other things to do than 24/7 correcting minor problems like this, but from time to time it can send message). And when replying to questions in Newbie Corner which seems to belong more into other forum just point it out with response.

Also Newbie Corner has now 9 (nine) sticky posts. They have important informations and rules, but I thing they could be boiled down to 2-3 (including Hello Everyone Thread), I guess it could make actually more people reading them and following them (wrong topics, not marking solved topics [SOLVED] is pretty often now).

edit: better topic + minor changes

Last edited by stabele (2009-06-08 10:09:19)

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

I agree, pretty much. Newbie Corner is very much over-used. Part of it, I think, is the 'one-size-fits-all' nature that 'Newbie Corner' implies.

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Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

scio

Member

From: Buffalo, NY

Registered: 2008-08-05

Posts: 366

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

Unfortunately, I tend to just view new posts since last visit, so I don't pay attention to what board they are on.  However, it does seem to be true from a quick glance.  I always encourage [SOLVED] in any thread that appears to have reached a conclusion since that makes it easier for everyone.

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

If I'm a newbie, I have a problem w/ sth network-related on my NB and I don't want to post on several forums, I'd pick the Newbie Corner.

stabele

Member

Registered: 2008-12-22

Posts: 101

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

Of course, that is why Newbie Corner is there. And it is great that Arch community is helpfull to new users. I am just saying that it is getting more and more used as one general forum for everything even by users I can hardly call newbies. And that encouraging to use more especially Workstation User / Laptop Issues / Multimedia would make more sense. But I know that decision to sent inquisition squad in the middle of the night to house of everybody who is suspected to be fake newbie posting at Newbie Corner may meet some opposition here;)

fukawi2

Ex-Administratorino

From: .vic.au

Registered: 2007-09-28

Posts: 6,224

Website

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

Unfortunately, I tend to just view new posts since last visit, so I don't pay attention to what board they are on.

Same here -- it's easier to not miss things that way, regardless of the section the posts are in.

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Are you familiar with our Forum Rules, and How To Ask Questions The Smart Way?

BlueHackers // fscanary // resticctl

jlcordeiro

Member

From: Portugal

Registered: 2009-05-23

Posts: 76

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

Thing is... you probably won't know if something is (or not) a newbie problem, until you know what the solution is...

dmartins

Member

Registered: 2006-09-23

Posts: 360

Re: Newbie Corner is overused

I agree that it is over used but the name of it invites that over use. How long are you a newbie for? The first 2-3 days you try to use Arch? The first year you are a linux user? Maybe if you're too lazy to research your problem yourself, you can get away with making a post to Newbie Corner (this makes up a large number of the posts there, IMO).

I say archive Newbie Corner. There are enough other sub-forums that people could always find an appropriate spot to post their problem.

Edit:
After having another look at some of the posts in Newbie Corner, I take back that it should be archived. Instead, I think it should become more of an informational forum for users new to or considering Arch (I'll call it Newbie Q&A) instead of the  "General Support" type forum it is mostly used as now.

Some recent threads which I think are appropriate for a "Newbie Q&A" forum:
What is Arch upkeep like? http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=73677
Migrating from Ubuntu http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=73661
Considering Arch http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=73570

Last edited by dmartins (2009-06-09 01:44:04)