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- #1
Drew has just raised an interesting point, regarding a sticky on an old, and constantly repeated, query.
It is a topic which has troubled me for some time now. But, you can take the horse to water etc... How to get newbies (and a few others) to read stickies before asking a question.
Like many, I was using Betas from the start of the Windows 7 era. We could even include Vista in the argument, as many problems are common to both systems.
Since the public release of Windows 7, forums such as this have become inundated with requests for help, which have been repeated in the sites many times, over several years. I feel inadequate, merely linking them to a previous thread discussing the issue - but what else to do?
It is just as frustrating to reread long advice and help on the subject, from willing and enthusiastic members. Without such offers, those asking would , I imagine, quickly become disillusioned with the site they are on.
There is another odd spinoff to this. Over the years, I have built up a Dbase on my computer, with solutions to many of the problems. Some are reworded from the original, some are purely drop and drag from the original. Worst case is a couple of .reg files I constructed myself about 5 years ago.. I was recently embarresed, on a forum, with a subsequent post to my contribution and attachment of my own .reg, quote "thats old stuff - everyone knows that" lol.
But, I digress. How would you "nip it in the bud" before the posting event. No way that I know.
There is also a "chicken and egg" situation on the web. One could easily google, and find the answer to most problems, however imponderable. But from where would those answers come? From forums such as these.
But, imo, there do exists the ultimate forums where, if a solution exists, it will be posted up. As our member JessicaD too frequently points out, the Microsoft Technet forums is one such. On a side note there, however, any of you readers ever tried to navigate there? I am a frequent user, and ofet drop out of the site in pure frustration. Its immensity is its downfall.
Perhaps, as is on another well known site, a Windows 7 specific Tutorial section would fill the bill. Then, if enthusiastic helpers would keep up to date with it, they could merely quote?? This may not get them too many experience points, but the mission would be accomplished in a one liner.
To emphasise the point, and my reference, at the start, to Drew's comment. Today for example, when I first opened the site, there were five unread pages of new posts. Eliminating about 4½ of these pages (News and Watercooler links) as not relevant to this blog, there were ten genuine requests for advice and help. eight of these had previously been discussed in the forums.
Is there a solution? Maybe, as Windows 7 matures, the enquiries will naturally drop off. I doubt that, however, as, on another site I visit, I still see requests for common help with XP!!
It is a topic which has troubled me for some time now. But, you can take the horse to water etc... How to get newbies (and a few others) to read stickies before asking a question.
Like many, I was using Betas from the start of the Windows 7 era. We could even include Vista in the argument, as many problems are common to both systems.
Since the public release of Windows 7, forums such as this have become inundated with requests for help, which have been repeated in the sites many times, over several years. I feel inadequate, merely linking them to a previous thread discussing the issue - but what else to do?
It is just as frustrating to reread long advice and help on the subject, from willing and enthusiastic members. Without such offers, those asking would , I imagine, quickly become disillusioned with the site they are on.
There is another odd spinoff to this. Over the years, I have built up a Dbase on my computer, with solutions to many of the problems. Some are reworded from the original, some are purely drop and drag from the original. Worst case is a couple of .reg files I constructed myself about 5 years ago.. I was recently embarresed, on a forum, with a subsequent post to my contribution and attachment of my own .reg, quote "thats old stuff - everyone knows that" lol.
But, I digress. How would you "nip it in the bud" before the posting event. No way that I know.
There is also a "chicken and egg" situation on the web. One could easily google, and find the answer to most problems, however imponderable. But from where would those answers come? From forums such as these.
But, imo, there do exists the ultimate forums where, if a solution exists, it will be posted up. As our member JessicaD too frequently points out, the Microsoft Technet forums is one such. On a side note there, however, any of you readers ever tried to navigate there? I am a frequent user, and ofet drop out of the site in pure frustration. Its immensity is its downfall.
Perhaps, as is on another well known site, a Windows 7 specific Tutorial section would fill the bill. Then, if enthusiastic helpers would keep up to date with it, they could merely quote?? This may not get them too many experience points, but the mission would be accomplished in a one liner.
To emphasise the point, and my reference, at the start, to Drew's comment. Today for example, when I first opened the site, there were five unread pages of new posts. Eliminating about 4½ of these pages (News and Watercooler links) as not relevant to this blog, there were ten genuine requests for advice and help. eight of these had previously been discussed in the forums.
Is there a solution? Maybe, as Windows 7 matures, the enquiries will naturally drop off. I doubt that, however, as, on another site I visit, I still see requests for common help with XP!!