When new people sign up....

[Jasonisback]

Would it be possible to link them straight to the Q&A thread and then like make them do a test question before they can post new topics ect?

Ensures they read it and don't post pointless threads, like this one. Maybe if i had the Q&A page linked to me before i was able to post after i signed up i'd have never posted this

[mrpaul]

Why not just leave the makings of a forum to the pro's and leave the pointless ideas out?

[OneZeroOneUK]

You mean like a citizenship test?

'Welcome to Ameri-, I mean Soni forums'

Errrm, I think not.

[kazz]

erm... i actually kind of like parts of this post.



maybe we could have a hints and tips guide for new posters. not test questions or anything but the basics about where things are and we could link them to forum rules and that lecture thing that tom made. (i forget what its called).

you know, make it more friendly for those who haven't posted here or even anywhere before.

like a wee section for newbies. and you get linked on to it on the first activation of you account. (main sections all locked) but with a seperate wee help thread in case they get stuck.



i don't know, i just thought parts of it sounded like a good idea but meh...

[mrpaul]

Possibly putting the important information bit on the main page after you click on United Kingdom would do?

[kazz]

just had to check to make sure you weren't being sarcastic and that it didn't already exist.



but yeah, even something like that. just to explain the general layout of the forum. would save the mods some work of moving threads around (hopefully). also save on duplicating threads.

example: thread on metallica in confirmed acts section. new person comes in, looks on general soni thread and starts a new one on metallica.

this is happening on newly announced bands quite often now.

but yeah, even just an important info bit at the start. at least then we can direct newbies to it if they are confused.

[mrpaul]

just had to check to make sure you weren't being sarcastic and that it didn't already exist.

It's got to the point where I can no longer give serious advice or compliments without people thinking I'm being sarcastic

[kazz]

no. i thought there was maybe one there and i just hadn't seen it before.

you know how bad i am for not noticing things.



(those rolly eyes are just for you paully).



i apologise for thinking you were being sarcastic.

[Retard]

I think that would put a lot of people off you've already got the frakking approve post gooseberry on and these forums aren't exactly thriving maybe if you cut all that gooseberry this place would take off you are already showing restraints for people.

[mgtrock]

I think the FAQ needs refreshing a bit.

I'm new to this forum but by no means new to forums and i've hit a brick wall. My posts are awaiting approval i assume as i'm new, fine apart from the fact that it doesn't seem to happen quickly, and it seems other new users posts are appearing automatically in threads.

Looked at the FAQ and it say's "contact a site administrator if this is happening", not a problem apart from i can't message anyone because messaging is blocked!

I can't find anything in the FAQ's that say newbies will have to wait until they've made x amount of posts before auto approval occurs. If the FAQ suggests contacting an admin, and the only way to do that is to send a message, then maybe messaging shouldnt be blocked as standard??

/rant

[triaxis]

I think the test question idea is flawed on so many levels and we don't want to discourage people from joining and posting on here

With the moderated posts system, unfortunately it is one of a few things we adopted to counter the problem of 'spambots' who post spam and make the forums look messy. It has been successful in that there hasn't been any spam that we know of since implementing it. However, if there are other ways of dealing with them, then the team would like to know

I wasn't aware as to whether PMing a member of the Admin Team was blocked as well if you had posts that required approval - is that the case?

[mgtrock]

dont get me wrong, i fully undertstand why it is needed, however i think there should be a little more info available on it for newbies to the forum. I think someone has changed something now anyway, as messaging is now activated and this post will be the test of whether or not everything is still going through the mods lol

and yes i couldnt pm anyone at all, even mods or admins.

[jonowev]

What is this, a nazi concentration camp? It's an internet forum mate, who cares if there are a few duff threads. Just don't post in them.

[Ziltoid]

With the moderated posts system, unfortunately it is one of a few things we adopted to counter the problem of 'spambots' who post spam and make the forums look messy. It has been successful in that there hasn't been any spam that we know of since implementing it. However, if there are other ways of dealing with them, then the team would like to know

I'm a moderator on another phpbb3 forum and we have an approval system that allows people to post, but if they have less than 5/10 posts and it contains a link, then it needs to be verified by a mod. Maybe something like that would cut down on the spambots, and allow genuine new people like my good self to contribute from the start?

[rockgeek]

Problem is a lot of our spambots don't pot links straight away. It's mostly in their sigs