How to deal with the Newbie problem

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-12-21 09:39pm

Kazuaki Shimazaki wrote:I know I had a fun time reading Wong's website. I don't know why you don't, Alyeska. I read most of the site within a week, and spent the other week looking at Hate Mail pages - which probably dimmed my impression of Trekkies a little more than they should have been. Even today, I look at the pages from time to time, just for the fun of it.

Did you notice that I just so happen to be on the hate-mail page? That also colors my view just Slightly.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2002-12-21 10:16pm

Why not a thread titled "READ THIS OR BE FLAMED" at the top of each forum with a link to the main site and the 5-min overview?

beyond hope · Post by **beyond hope** » 2002-12-21 10:45pm

Addition: in the "Announcements" forum with the "newbies please read first" note on it, there is a thread from GrandAdmiralThrawn entitled "READ THE MAIN SITE" with instructions on how to do exactly that and what at the minimum to read.

Anarchist Bunny · Post by **Anarchist Bunny** » 2002-12-21 11:46pm

I think mustard gas would work better.

macman · Post by **macman** » 2002-12-22 09:46am

How about giving us newbies the benefit of the doubt..I have read thru the site and still do not now that much so about this..if a newbie asks a dumb question try to correct them without flaming them..of course if they prove to be an idiot FLAME away, but so far I have seen this forum is no place for the weak....

Joe Momma · Post by **Joe Momma** » 2002-12-22 09:57am

Speaking as a n00b, I did the same with this board that I do with any other forum or mailing list: I lurked at first to get the lay of the land, to find out what I needed to know to not be a complete retard on various subjects (and what had been covered ad infinitum -- and ad nauseum -- before), what was acceptable and what was not, and so forth.

In short, I assumed the onus was on me to get up to speed rather than assuming it was the other members' jobs to babysit me.

That being said, sometimes a link to an appropriate page might resolve a things a bit more quickly that a simple "STFU and read the site", if for no other reason than the idiots end up asking "What site?" and you have to post the link anyway.

As far as the latest chimp that inspired this thread, I honestly can't tell whether porked-his-momma-in-a-69 is just another troll clownshoe in need of the "special attention" his dad used to give him before CPS intervened or if he's just another one of the Attention Deficit Disorder/chestbeating-imbecile-in-a-perpetual-state-of-arrested-adolescence" dipshits that are increasingly clogging the internet.

-- Joe Momma

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2002-12-22 03:15pm

In one thread asking about the defences of Corruscant i mad a mistake and snapped and called the guy eho asked an idiot. That was wrong. In a later thread some newbie wasabking about Ion Cannons so i posted a link to Mikes Turbolaser commentaries. The second approach was more civil and proper. If you flame EVERYONE who askes a simple question then this place is just asking for rabid trolls to invade.

Engineer_00 · Post by **Engineer_00** » 2002-12-22 03:33pm

It's honestly the mindset. Newbies like I, come here expecting something. When our expectations aren't met in our own vision, we get really angry - that's where the new-ness comes in. Since we never took the time to look over the site, we don't know how to react rationally, so we bitch and whine. This leads to flaming, which encourages more bitching. The cycle of "newbness" then is in motion.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2002-12-22 04:08pm

Why don't you people make it so that newbies can't post until they've had the SW vs st in 5 minutes page on their browser window for at least 2 minutes (to make sure they've actually read it), before they're allowed to post?

A little drastic perhaps, but apparently patience is in short supply here.

Cpt_Frank · Post by **Cpt_Frank** » 2002-12-22 04:22pm

Too complicated.
We would have less problems if everyone read properly through the announcements. I propose:
1. As suggested by 2000AD, in the registration email, advise the n00bs to read the SWvsST in 5 mins site (with link).
2. re-locate the Announcement forum to the top of the board, even above SW vs ST. That way, it is more likely to be noticed.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2002-12-22 04:28pm

Or you could make it so that when newbies activate their account, their window will automatically link to the announcements page.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-22 04:41pm

Forget that, simply moving the announcement page to the top would help a lot. As it is you have to scroll to the bottom to see it.

Specialist · Post by **Specialist** » 2002-12-22 05:01pm

Since I'm a partial newbie I would just a quick summary of what's covered in the site. Before I joined (I was searching for some ST vs. SW argument for a debate) I read almost all of the site. About before I joined and I have to say I completey forgot almost everything. Now if they know what's on the site when the situtation arise they might remember that it has been covered and look it up.

Hmm i'm done.

Specialist · Post by **Specialist** » 2002-12-22 05:04pm

Why can't I edit my post in this forum?

consequences · Post by **consequences** » 2002-12-22 05:59pm

Only mods have that power.

Glocksman · Post by **Glocksman** » 2002-12-22 07:45pm

Speaking as a n00b, I did the same with this board that I do with any other forum or mailing list: I lurked at first to get the lay of the land, to find out what I needed to know to not be a complete retard on various subjects (and what had been covered ad infinitum -- and ad nauseum -- before), what was acceptable and what was not, and so forth.

That's just what I did when I signed up.

The way I deal with newbies on the other board (4800+ posts over 3 years) that I frequent heavily is to be polite even when answering the simplest questions the first time around. Its if they keep asking the same questions over and over again that I get annoyed.

The key for success of any BBS is some new blood.
Otherwise, it'll stagnate and the topics just become constant rehashes of the same POV's from the same people.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2002-12-22 08:04pm

Specialist wrote:Why can't I edit my post in this forum?

To prevent people from saying something and changing it.

Darth Garden Gnome · Post by **Darth Garden Gnome** » 2002-12-22 08:17pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:No more forums.

In my opinion, we have enough.

Just make them read the SW vs ST in 5 min. article.

As many others have said this is an admirable plan, but that's not to say it has it's flaws. I assume most of you were around and have read the "wow, star destroyer" thread. In it I politley told him to read said article, and he came right back sarcasticly tossing the entire thing out the window.

Thusly, should the residents of this forum be polite to newbs, even when they show gross incompetence, and haven't yet looked at the site? Yes. Should we be polite to newbs when they have looked at the site, and are still complete idiots? No. Flame 'em till the sun comes up.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-12-22 08:19pm

I support the idea to move the Announcements Forum up to the very top of the Board Index.

Now if you don't mind, I'd like to bring up a few personal annoyances of mine:

1. Research

Newbies, please do your own research. While it's alright to ask which incidents occur in which books, it's not alright to make us look up everything for you. Many users don't like to do other peoples' research for them, nor do they like being ordered to look things up.

Want to know how many weapons are on an Imperator II Star Destroyer? Look it up. Want to know how much power is generated by the reactor of a Galaxy Class Starship? Look it up. It makes you look like an asshole to make others do your work for you, so please do it yourself.

2. Shoddy Scenerioes

When you want to find out how one ship/fleet/task force/character/army, etc... might fare against another, do it intellegently. Don't just throw us a scenerio with flimsy conditions and never come back, making us try to figure out what the hell you meant and do everything for you. Plan out exactly who you want to fight against each other, and exactly what the conditions of the fight are, remembering that you have to participate in the discussion to follow.

And by participating, I sure as hell don't mean doing the following, which is what one member did a few months ago:

Propose that 5 BOPs fight against 5 ISDs. Then after about five posts explaining that the 5 ISDs would destroy the 5 BOPs with ease, pop in and say "okay, now make it 10 BOPs vs 1 ISD." After another five posts explaining that the 1 ISD would destroy the 10 BOPs, pop in saying "okay, now make it 50 BOPs vs 1 ISD." After still another five posts explaining that the 1 ISD would destroy the 50 BOPs, pop in saying "okay, now make it 100 BOPs vs 1 ISD." And so on and so on and so on...

Don't do that. It makes for an insanely boring debate, and makes you look like a lazy idiot.

And now for a very personal annoyance, one that doesn't bother that many other members, but absolutely fucking pisses me off.

3. Posting in Dead Threads.

So it's 30 December, and you see a thread on page 3 or 4 that hasn't been posted in since 4 December. And you want to post what you think is a new issue regarding the subject that you skimmed through...

DON'T POST IN IT!!!!

For the love of God, don't post in a thread that's been dead for weeks. No one gives a shit about the issue anymore: that's why it's on page four. Most likely your post isn't bringing up anything new or notable, either. So don't fucking post in dead threads, or I'll bite your balls off for it...

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-12-22 08:39pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:3. Posting in Dead Threads.

So it's 30 December, and you see a thread on page 3 or 4 that hasn't been posted in since 4 December. And you want to post what you think is a new issue regarding the subject that you skimmed through...

DON'T POST IN IT!!!!

For the love of God, don't post in a thread that's been dead for weeks. No one gives a shit about the issue anymore: that's why it's on page four. Most likely your post isn't bringing up anything new or notable, either. So don't fucking post in dead threads, or I'll bite your balls off for it...

Spanky, why would you want their balls in your mouth? That's just... disgusting.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-12-22 08:48pm

To tear them off, duh...

data_link · Post by **data_link** » 2002-12-22 08:51pm

Wouldn't it be more efficient to use a dull knife?

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-12-22 08:55pm

Yeah, but it's not as effective.

*sigh* I believe I might be getting a bit rusty at flame combat, though. We need us a good one soon or I might have to retire my fireman's coat.

Cpt_Frank · Post by **Cpt_Frank** » 2002-12-23 09:19am

Posting in dead threads isn't bad if it brings up a revolutionary new point that hasn't been discussed before. But that is hardly ever the case.
What pisses me off more is someone creating a new threat that has already been done to death.
God I'd love to have a 'merge threat' option, but this board hasn't got one.

XaLEv · Post by **XaLEv** » 2002-12-23 10:35am

Spanky The Dolphin wrote: 3. Posting in Dead Threads.

So it's 30 December, and you see a thread on page 3 or 4 that hasn't been posted in since 4 December. And you want to post what you think is a new issue regarding the subject that you skimmed through...

DON'T POST IN IT!!!!

For the love of God, don't post in a thread that's been dead for weeks. No one gives a shit about the issue anymore: that's why it's on page four. Most likely your post isn't bringing up anything new or notable, either. So don't fucking post in dead threads, or I'll bite your balls off for it...

So, by that reasoning, any subject which has had a thread started about it, which has then fallen back several pages, is no longer of interest to the boards denizens and so should not be discussed at all, in any thread.

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

How to deal with the Newbie problem

Re: Not knowing everything and complete ignorance