What Annoys You the Most About the Forum

[Mahares]

For me there are two:
1. I see on a daily basis @Erel or @DonManfred message:
'Please use code tags when posting code'. There are thousands of posts that have that message. Every new user should be excused once, but for the rest of us, it really needs to be enforced, particularly when there are several lines of posted code. I wish @Erel has a way to flag or alert the user before the thread or post is accepted into the forum.

2. Major typing mistakes, particularly in the thread title. For most of us English is not the native language and several speak several languages and errors are to be expected. Mistakes happen especially with a multi cultural and national forum like this one, but some of us do not make the effort to use the built in alerts feature or review their text because we are frustrated with an issue and consequently in a hurry to post our problem for others to solve. Good, sound writing helps everyone during a forum search.

 

[Cableguy]

I agree with the first in some extend.
A new user should be excused once, but being excused does not mean he shouldn't be alerted to the fact that such functionality exists and should be used. Until a forum-built-in alert is implemented, those alerts will happen.
I have made a few myself, specially about the existence and usage of the search engine.
Many, Many, many new users don' even try to first search for the solution to a "novice" problem... They simply ask...
And that just puts me off!

 

[NJDude]

What annoys me the most is the n00b who refuses to learn, they ask a question, you TELL them how to search, maybe a few lines of code to give them a clue, point them to the docs or resources, what they do instead? they post again asking: Can you give me the exact link to it?, can you write the routine for me?, can you...can you...can you? or even worse, after you guide them they start PMing you asking you the SAME questions they posted on the forums.

 

[Erel]

Overall I feel that the current situation is better than it was a few months ago. Especially with users posting in wrong forums or in "old" threads instead of starting new threads.
There is a delicate balance between allowing new members to post freely and enforcing strict rules.
I prefer that new members won't be afraid to post in the forum even if they do mistakes, over the strict rules.

Members who keep ignoring requests to follow the guidelines eventually become moderated which means that all of there posts require manual approval. Currently there aren't any such members however there were in the past and I find it to be a useful tool.

It can be frustrating to help a member who doesn't "try enough". My advice is that if you feel that this is the case, do not be angry and instead continue with the next question.

 

[XbNnX_507]

Those who post a problem without showing actual code, like how do you expect to be helped if you are hiding what is giving you problem?. I'm not by any means telling you should post your project online, but at least recreate in new project the actual piece of code giving you headache.

Not all of us here are experts ( like me), sometimes we need guidance on things that for a software engineer is silly. if you have not patient at all and just answering just to show off then just ignore and go on. let somebody really helps.

People who don't like to search before posting.

 

[JordiCP]

What most annoys me is spending five, ten or even more minutes answering a question (sometimes building a fast-test code) and, just some seconds before clicking on 'reply' button, a pop-up appears saying that new messages have been posted.View them?

Usualy they contain a valid answer equal or better than mine, but the other forum member has been faster!!

Forum wish: it would be fun if there was some kind of indicator saying "3 more members are also reponding to this thread. Hurry up!!"

 

[Daestrum]

Minor annoyance, having to switch into BB code editor when pasting code so I don't lose all the formatting, which then makes it harder to read. (Edge)

 

[konradwalsh]

I do see why those things are annoying.
I find in comparison to other Forums, this is by far the cleanest and well maintained. Its a credit @Erel for what he accomplishes.


It would be great if new users could not post until they conducted at least 3 searches.. LOL

 

[alwaysbusy]

Annoyance: After a post or two on the subject just starting to Chit Chat about something completely off topic. Very annoying for someone who is looking for an answer to her/his question.

Something we are luckely spared from here in this forum, but there are some forums out there who suffer severely from this. I think they leave them in there to have at least some kind of decent number of posts...

Agree with @konradwalsh, this forum has the most disciplined user base of all the forums I visit!

 

[LucaMs]

My own posts

 

[Eme Fibonacci]

What annoys me the most is not receiving feedback for helpful answers.

 

[Descartex]

For me is the fear people has of the search bar...
On a high percentage (up to 90% I guess) of my answers are based on a forum search... so I think I can change "fear" for "lazyness"

 

[KMatle]

Yep, but overall I'm very happy to be here. Nice people and of course B4x which is the greatest SW platform of all.

 

[DonManfred]

I see on a daily basis @Erel or @DonManfred message:
'Please use code tags when posting code'.

No, usually it is
Please use [CODE]code here...[/CODE] tags when posting code.

#include <Constants.au3>

; Add new data to the clipboard.
ClipPut("Please use [CODE]code here...[/CODE] tags when posting code.")

Sometimes i answer this

Please use [CODE]code here...[/CODE] tags when posting code.

#include <Constants.au3>

; Add new data to the clipboard.
ClipPut("Please use [CODE]code here...[/CODE] tags when posting code."& @CRLF&@CRLF &"

"& @CRLF &"

"& @CRLF &"

")

 

[DonManfred]

Yep, but overall I'm very happy to be here. Nice people and of course B4x which is the greatest SW platform of all.

i totally aggree to both

 

[Gentry]

Since the "create a new thread" demand is so common, instead of seeing a complaint against the infraction, if the forum allowed the user (or an admin) to convert the infracting post into a new thread, thus avoiding the negative feedback about what seems to be a performance metric that is in conflict with keeping information organized logically.

Also, the ability to change a threads topic area after the post, would avoid other negative feedback to the user and focus instead on solving problems. If an admin could change the topic area instead of repremainding the user for an error. Lots of breath and bytes could be saved.

 

[mrred128]

The code icon used to be directly above the imput post box. When it was removed, I assumed the functionality was gone. That is until it was pointed out. A newbie shouldn't be expected to know all the nuances of this forum software.

More experianced users should be more tolerant and let Erel deal with it.

 

[udg]

@Gentry : sorry I disagree, although I understand your point.
We all learn from our mistakes. So it's surely annoying to read all those "create a new thread" or "post to the righr forum area" messages, but that's the way to let each one of us learn how to do it right next time.
Generally, when someone is invited to create a new thread there's the explanation why it's desiderable: to ease the search by any other member.

Don't perceive those messages as negative feedback, they're not (IMHO).

 

[Erel]

Don't perceive those messages as negative feedback, they're not (IMHO).

That's true.
Nothing bad happens if you see this message.

This is not the admin job to create new threads for members. Creating a new thread means that you need to provide a title and enough context for your question to be clear (a link to another thread can be enough if the questions are very similar).

The code icon used to be directly above the imput post box.

I agree. It was better when it was directly available. Unfortunately it isn't configurable.

 

[Martin Larsen]

Now when we talk about it: Why is it so bad to reuse an existing old thread, provided of course that the question directly relates to the thread? For example, if somebody has a problem with a library, posting in that library thread means that if I look up that library, I will also see the his or her question which might be relevant to me. If it was in another thread, I might miss the question.

If the post it not related to the thread, I fully agree that the user should start a new thread.

I am myself a moderator of a Linux forum, and I personally have no problems with people using old threads, even if they are years old. As long as the question is directly related to the original thread.