[Uncle Erik]

My challenge to all of you who have been here awhile as well as those with experience: help or greet a noob every time you come to Head-Fi.

Every month or two griping about repetetive threads erupts and there are inevitable proposals to curb certain questions. I don't want this thread to turn into a discussion of that, either.

Instead, I think members should focus on helping out newcomers. With every visit, you should offer help and/or encouragement to at least one person trying to find a way into the hobby.

One post isn't asking for much, and that is the best way to grow the site and grow this hobby.

So instead of complaining or ignoring an obvious question, step in and help out.

P.S. Four years at Head-Fi! Has it really been that long?

And many thanks to everyone I've had the chance to meet or talk to over the years!

 

[uraflit]

I have to agree with this.

It takes the same time to type a short and simple response as to writing something like "use the search button you n00b."

Many noobies actually DO use the search function, only to get even more confused. I remember doing that myself awhile back... new responses = possible updated info!

 

[soozieq]

I totally agree. The 'search' feature can be daunting when you're hew here. It's just as easy to provide a helpful link as it is to rant about using the search feature. If someone doesn't want to help, then fair enough, but don't post a scathing reply just for the sake of it - just don't post.

 

[Zuerst]

man, this kinda post again? stop reposting this type of thread... use the search function and you'll see there is like 420 threads like this in the past. what is wrong with you?

 

[KingStyles]

Quote:

man, this kinda post again? stop reposting this type of thread... use the search function and you'll see there is like 420 threads like this in the past. what is wrong with you?

It never hurts to ask people to be courteous and friendly. It can only improve an already great site for headphone newbies. People tend to remember 10 bad things to every 1 good thing someone says to them.

 

[BIG POPPA]

Go beyond this and help the newbies at meets too. It's amazing to answer questions in person.

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingStyles /img/forum/go_quote.gif It never hurts to ask people to be courteous and friendly. It can only improve an already great site for headphone newbies. People tend to remember 10 bad things to every 1 good thing someone says to them.

sigh... Zuerst was making a joke

(that is my helpful hint of the day)

 

[KingStyles]

Quote:

Go beyond this and help the newbies at meets too. It's amazing to answer questions in person.

BIG POPPA is the one who really took the time to answer my questions at my first meet which help make my first meet that much more enjoyable and educational. Getting your answers answered by some of the senior members here on this site also makes you feel that your welcome and that they arent to "big" for you. No one likes to feel like an outcast or misfit just because they have less experience, knowledge, cash, etc..
Quote:

sigh... Zuerst was making a joke (that is my helpful hint of the day)

I wasnt sure if he was sarcastic or not. There are a few grumpy ones around here that would post that. I guess you kinda get used to seeing the smiles when people are joking.

 

[kunalraiker]

I feel we should pass the knowledge we all obtained from others

 

[Drag0n]

Newbeez should been seen and not heard!!!

Ok, im kidding. I help a few newbeez per day actually. Some can be frustrating, especially when youre more experianced and 5 newbeez with 25 posts each suggest the FOTM and all agree with eachother against what you suggested, and you know that you have a better answer, but the newbee went with the popular vote, not even checking post count, age, and how long everyones been at this hobby.

But i guess they have to live and learn from their mistakes also....so keep trying.

 

[Armaegis]

I think I've made some reasonable contributions in my short time here. I've learned a lot, and tried my best to give back to the community. Yeah I do see a lot of the same threads pop up; some days I'm in a good mood and I'll answer them, others I'm tired and just don't bother, but I won't complain about it. I figure it'll all balance out in the end as new users cycle in and out.

 

[krmathis]

I totally agree as well.
It may be hard when the exact same question have been answered 178637 times already, last 2 days ago, but one should at least give it a try.

 

[superpiper]

TBH, IMHO, this board lack any serious form of moderation whatso ever. I don't ever remember any threads being merged, or anything.
So we get a proliferation of the same threads asking the same thing.

Couple that with the nebulous layout, the commercial saturation, and we end up where we are......

 

[catscratch]

I would agree with this, except that a lot of us have been doing just that for years, and have had nothing but frustration in return. I appreciate the goodwill you're putting into this, but I wouldn't ask anyone that's become fed up with HF to go back to what made them fed up in the first place.

Still, when I do visit HF, which isn't often these days, I do what I can.

 

[DrBenway]

I agree that the search function can be frustrating, confusing, even misleading for newcomers.

Here's a suggestion: why not create a "Noobs, start here" forum? Maybe the mods and some of out most prolific posters could come up with a list of topics that address most noob issues, and those topics could be made into informative stickies in the noob forum. Most of us can reel off a list of topics that have generated endless repetitive threads; these are the topics that the forum would contain.

The other piece of the puzzle would be letting newcomers know that this area of the site exists, and shepherding them toward it. This would be a much more manageable area of the site, and would allow people to browse the topic list visually, without having to resort to a search. Maybe newcomers could get a PM alerting them to the existence of the noob forum, and suggesting that they start there.

Just a thought.