13 replies to this topic

[Zeiss]

I have a serious question: do any of the newer people even read the Important Topics area in the top right of the home page?  Have people even read the ID Posting format drew has listed at the top of the ID Request thread?  

 

I ask this because I've noticed many posts lacking these things over a good number of months, and I guess it hasn't really been addressed upfront.  

 

Maybe with this poll, something can be fixed to where new members can be directed to these helpful topics and improve the overall quality of their posts.

 

Any member of any membership length can take part or comment in this, to make that clear.

Edited by Zeiss, July 13 2018 - 7:33 PM.

[rbarreto]

Can't be too hard on them, sometimes they're just kids.

[Zeiss]

Can't be too hard on them, sometimes they're just kids.

That doesn't really matter, it's still proper to follow how you are supposed to use this forum.  I understand them messing up the first couple times, but some of them do not even try to read around.  

[drtrmiller]

Feel free to PM every violator you see, Zeiss.  Teach these kids some post etiquette.

[dermy]

Can't be too hard on them, sometimes they're just kids.

While I would agree with this, but most forums on the internet require you to be at least 13 years of age, or have a parents consent or something when registering. At the age of 13 you should be able to read, and you should be able to see "Important Topics" or "Rules" as Important things to read.

[Enderz]

Feel free to PM every violator you see, Zeiss.  Teach these kids some post etiquette.

Maybe if these children learn they could become helpful to this forum and add to posts or topics, instead of just clogging up the sidebar with useless "ID threads" in which no pictures or measurements are shown.

We are reduced to having to explain it to them in a reply over and over again, which can get quite annoying after a while but must be done (unless you just want a forum full of uneducated children).

[Zeiss]

Feel free to PM every violator you see, Zeiss.  Teach these kids some post etiquette.

Is it wrong to want others to know how to navigate the forum to their best abilities and gain the most from the vast amount of topics available for them?  Is it wrong to help others learn how to be helpful to themselves and everyone else?  I am not here to attack people; I am here to understand if there is anything that could be improved upon to enhance a new member's first experiences with the community while also making it easier on mods (or other members).  Consistently reminding those of the forum's rules or other need-to-know topics does get old over time.  Attempting to improve the overall quality of posts and the atmosphere of the forum can not be done if posts such as above are made.  Being a longtime member of this forum, I would like your genuine input on what you think can be done to make everything a bit more positive, possibly captivating newcomers to the hobby and world of ants.  

 

Obviously for a while that you seem to target me in certain topics, and I am not sure why you are behaving as such.  If I had done something in the past to upset you, I do not remember what that may have been, but it most certainly must have been childish and I apologize.  I admire how much effort and thought you put into your products and I think your products are of high quality and would like to get heading down a better path.  So please, if you have any quarrel with me, I would love to discuss it (in public or privately) and come to a conclusion instead of continuing what has been done and is happening.  

[gcsnelling]

All I can say is good luck. Todays crop of people posting want to do their own way, no reading or following posted forum rules. I think they should be required to read and agree to the rules before they can complete the registration process so at least they can't say "but I didn't know" when called out about something.

[rbarreto]

All I can say is good luck. Todays crop of people posting want to do their own way, no reading or following posted forum rules. I think they should be required to read and agree to the rules before they can complete the registration process so at least they can't say "but I didn't know" when called out about something.

I like this idea but I highly doubt they will even read it. I think the forum needs something like the picture below. The biggest problem is clearly the ID threads so why not make it mandatory to fill the 9 categories and post pictures before you can even upload.

[Zeiss]

I like this idea but I highly doubt they will even read it. I think the forum needs something like the picture below. The biggest problem is clearly the ID threads so why not make it mandatory to fill the 9 categories and post pictures before you can even upload.

I don't think a shipping address would be a good idea to be made public, just your county or city would be fine.  We would need people to read the "How to Post Photos" in Important Topics before any photos could be posted.  Even then, people get lazy and post links when it is so easy to embed their images.  

[Zeiss]

Also, for those who voted they do not care, what are your reasons to not care about any of these topics?

[rbarreto]

I was talking about replacing the current categories in the picture with the 9 required ones to create an ID thread.

[Skwiggledork]

 

I like this idea but I highly doubt they will even read it. I think the forum needs something like the picture below. The biggest problem is clearly the ID threads so why not make it mandatory to fill the 9 categories and post pictures before you can even upload.

I don't think a shipping address would be a good idea to be made public, just your county or city would be fine.  We would need people to read the "How to Post Photos" in Important Topics before any photos could be posted.  Even then, people get lazy and post links when it is so easy to embed their images.  

 

I think rbarreto's example wasn't supposed to be exactly what is required for an ID thread, just an example of what they were trying to say. There is a template for ID threads that very few people use, but is extremely helpful to figuring out what genus or species the op is looking at. If you took the template and made it like the shipping address where some fields are mandatory and some are optional, it would make it both easier for the person looking for an ID to follow the template and force them to include a minimal amount of information to post the request.

[Zeiss]

I understand now.  I agree, making the template something that needed to be filled out to post in the ID Request section would definitely make everything go over more nicely.