Venting new members the rules and faq and resources pages are there for a reason ;w;

[dustbiter]

sooo many people come into this forum asking questions we cant answer bc its against the rules, or asking the same questions over and over again bc they havent bothered to poke around the forum even a little bit, bc if they had then theyd have found the rules and faq and resources!! qwq

im sorry, but seeing people ask for prices and sources and contact info and "what does N mean" "what does ctb mean" again and again is a little irritating ;w; i want to be accommodating but its also like…
please at least make a tiny effort to look at the resources and faq? theyre all right there, and theyre there for a reason ;w; not even difficult to find!!

 

[FuneralCry]

I agree with what you are saying. However I think new members do not get access to the search function straightaway (they have to write a few posts first) which could explain why many ask the same questions when they first join.

 

[dustbiter]

I agree with what you are saying. However I think new members do not get access to the search function straightaway (they have to write a few posts first) which could explain why many ask the same questions when they first join.

sure, but the resources thread is stickied at the top of this room, so they dont really need to search to find it! maybe the faq is a little harder to find, but even that is found just by going into news & announcements :p

as forums of old would recommend, lurk more uwu

 

[Smart No More]

I think the questions are understandable because people come here in desperation. They're not always in their best state of mind and its easy to overlook even the obvious during those times. What's probably more damaging is the people that have been here a week or so and answer the questions on the open forum. It's an unfortunate result of the nature of the forum and perhaps a bit of a result of the rules surrounding access to direct messages for new members. It doesn't take long to get access to dm's and honestly I don't see a way around it as I get why the rule exists. I think the divulging of info on open forums does need addressing, I'm just not sure how best to approach it. Perhaps a splash page for new members or an email or dm containing some simple guidance and golden rules and that is all they can access for a period before being allowed access to open forums.

 

[dustbiter]

I think the questions are understandable because people come here in desperation. What's probably more damaging is the people that are have been here a week or so and answer the questions on the open forum. It's an unfortunate result of the nature of the forum and perhaps a bit of a result of the rules surrounding access to direct messages foe new members. It doesn't take long to get access to dm's and honestly I don't see a way around it as I get why the rule exists. I think the divulging of info on open forums does need addressing, I'm just not sure how best to approach it. Perhaps a splash page for new members or an email or dm containing some simple guidance and golden rules and that is all they can access for a period before being allowed access to open forums.

those sound like good ideas :3 maybe a big READ THIS FIRST thread stickied everywhere or something •3•

 

[Smart No More]

those sound like good ideas :3 maybe a big READ THIS FIRST thread stickied everywhere or something •3•

Exactly, yeah. Just for long enough to be sure it's read and digested before allowing them to access the forum as normal. I think it's probably a tricky balance to strike though we're all about freedom of speech and choice and it would be a shame if it caused people in search of support to turn away.

I guess you could have to click through it a few times. And on each successive click a big "Seriously... MAKE SURE YOU READ THIS!". Perhaps introduce some kind of time out consequences for divulging sources followed by ban. So like a 1 or 2 strike system. Because lets be honest, there's no taking back those posts even if they're deleted quickly. It's detremental to peoples ongoing ability to obtain the items that allow them the power to chose their way out. Sources are becoming less and less.

 

[Sherri]

Some need some guidance like we all did when we joined. Thats why the same question is being asked. Let's take the initiative and guide them. We were all new here at some point.

 

[dustbiter]

Some need some guidance like we all did when we joined. Thats why the same question is being asked. Let's take the initiative and guide them. We were all new here at some point.

i dont want to take the initiative ;~;
when i joined, i read the stickied threads and made sure i understood the rules, its not that hard imo .-.
more power to those who are more helpful though ofc uwu

 

[Circles]

For some reason some people here are so impatient they want the answers NOW instead of doing the research. Even if you put a stickied thread saying 'Most questions have probably been answered before' I guarantee you most wouldn't even bother reading it.

 

[Callie Arcale]

As someone who suffers from low grade brain inflammation which causes, among other things, brain fog and troubles concentrating and processing information, I have a lot of patience for people who ask questions. I am one of them.

Yours truly,
Where did I put that? / Why can't I find that? / Where did that thing go?

 

[Imissyoumydarling]

I agree with what you are saying. However I think new members do not get access to the search function straightaway (they have to write a few posts first) which could explain why many ask the same questions when they first join.

Yep, I had no access to the search bar at all when I joined a few days ago. I knew there were people ranting about others not searching, so I didn't ask because I didn't want to be dogpiled on at a low point. A day or so later it suddenly appeared for me when previously there had only been a blank header.

I figured out a work around by typing a thread title to post, which then recommended other similar threads, but it was a hack and not at all user friendly. Especially because many of those posts didn't have answers, or had incorrect ones. And it would only recommend maybe three threads.

I was also only able to find the top stickied threads on certain topics. Not all the resources are listed.

It's definitely not a beginner friendly site. It would help if there was a big notification explaining that you cannot access the search bar until you do XYZ. I don't blame new users for being confused - they're literally restricted from searching or accessing threads.

 

[iwillforyou]

sooo many people come into this forum asking questions we cant answer bc its against the rules, or asking the same questions over and over again bc they havent bothered to poke around the forum even a little bit, bc if they had then theyd have found the rules and faq and resources!! qwq

im sorry, but seeing people ask for prices and sources and contact info and "what does N mean" "what does ctb mean" again and again is a little irritating ;w; i want to be accommodating but its also like…
please at least make a tiny effort to look at the resources and faq? theyre all right there, and theyre there for a reason ;w; not even difficult to find!!

Please please tell me, as a new member *where* is this mystical page of "resources" that identify the MANY acronyms used on this site or resources to acquire things which are supposedly listed also by initials?? Because I have looked through the FAQ and rules pages and the links offered are for "recovery" which I frankly wouldn't be on this website if I was in search of (although I will say that even just reading the posts of others here offers me more therapeutic benefit and feelings of community and understanding than any "professional" I've ever spoken to has)— nor does it say anywhere anything about the many acronyms on there..

I have tried to search but I am failing— and although I'm deemed a millennial with tech I'm definitely of the Boomer generation.
Sorry if that started off poorly/aggressively..

 

[Nightbird]

I think a lot of people come here to connect and participate and be in dialogue. Running keyword searches and scanning old posts might get these folks answers but do nothing toward engagement. Answering people directly (even if their questions are repetitive) is kind and supportive.

 

[iwillforyou]

sure, but the resources thread is stickied at the top of this room,

I do not see what you have suggested is there.

Please confirm deny my picture matches what you see on your screen.

What am I missing?

 

[IwanttodieASAP]

Do you think maybe this isent the biggest deal? Like we are all on here for a reason and one reason only. Does it really matter at the end of the day if someone asks what N means? Worst comes to worst, just don't respond and let someone else. Maybe worrying about how other people act on here os SI keeping you distracted from why you are on here in the first place