Un answered posts
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Ol'fogasaurus
- Posts: 17881
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm
Un answered posts
Every so often a question gets posted where there is no response. Could a place be created to collect these posts where people could look who may not necessarily be interested in the forum that they originated? A notation could be added to the original post that it was moved to the new location for general comment and then the question answer(s), if any, back loaded. This might keep people from being disenchanted with STF.
Lee
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
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Ol'fogasaurus
- Posts: 17881
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm
I am aware of that part of the site, but not everyone uses it. This is why I said "posts where people could look who may not necessarily be interested in the forum that (in which) they originated." Also, posts get old after a short time and are forgotten as the subject matter on that forum grows. This way it could be kept a little more in view if someone on that forum doesn’t keep “bumping” the un-answered message up. Maybe it is not a good idea but I thought it should be discussed.
Lee
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
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Ol'fogasaurus
- Posts: 17881
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2006 10:17 pm
When I started this string, I had not noticed the "unanswered posts" line before (Even though david58 had pointed it out, I still swear all that was showing here were the top two lines ). I had seen "new posts", "your posts" but not the third line of "unanswered posts". Then, during the last set of site problems, all that was showing (when I could log in) for several days running was the "unanswered posts" line and not the others. I had already started this string so I felt pretty foolish when I looked at it and I saw how many and how long the "unanswered post" string was. I meant well though.
Lee
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
My opinion is worth slightly less than what you paid for it.
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david58
- Moderator
- Posts: 14100
- Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 6:14 pm
Don't feel bad. I look at the unanswered post several times a day. Most of the unanswered posts on the first few pages are classifieds and stuff that are not related to the poster seeking info. You can always look thru them and answer a question or bump it up. I do it. 
Hot, humid air is less dense than cooler, drier air. This can allow a golf ball to fly through the air with greater ease, as there won't be as much resistance on the ball.
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doc
- Site Admin
- Posts: 3589
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:38 pm
However this was started, I feel like there is a good idea here somewhere. I often worry as i review posts that some go unresponeded to. I always feel that we are letting these members, often newbies, down. This problem is exacerbated by moderators who check their forums sporadically. Posts can be days old before the moderator even has the opportunity to help. Newbies may be long gone by then. In many ways, these greener members may be the most important members for STF's future.
But now you have seen the GIANT unanswered post list that the software keeps automatically. We could scrub that list down to, say, unanswered in the last x days, I think. Or we could actually start a new forum for unanswered. But that would be a lot of work for one or two people and still a substantial amount of work if all the moderators could be coerced into doing the front end screening from their individual forums. Any way I think about it, it is a lot of work and ongoing. So, it would take a big commitment.
Here's a place we might start. When I get on the forums, about the first thing I do is click the "New Posts" link. This shows me all new posts in all forums since the last time I logged on. That way, I "review" every post made on the forum. I don't read every one (obviously or many of you would have been tossed long ago
) but I look at the title and decide if I want to read. There are lots of clues about the post right there in the list - how old, how many have viewed, how many have responded. You can get pretty good at picking out offenders or topics you may be interested in with a little practice.
For those of you who are just going to 1 or 2 forums, you might try my method. Perhaps you can assist with your knowledge and experience in other forums.
This issue also brings up how important thread titles are. Please encourage everyone to use indicative and searchable titles. "brakes" is much better than "vw problem". "Front brakes" is better than "brakes" and "front wheel cylinders" is better than " front brakes". The more indicative the title is, the more likely it is that the right people will find it to answer and that it will come up down the road in a search.
More thoughts and ideas welcome.
doc
But now you have seen the GIANT unanswered post list that the software keeps automatically. We could scrub that list down to, say, unanswered in the last x days, I think. Or we could actually start a new forum for unanswered. But that would be a lot of work for one or two people and still a substantial amount of work if all the moderators could be coerced into doing the front end screening from their individual forums. Any way I think about it, it is a lot of work and ongoing. So, it would take a big commitment.
Here's a place we might start. When I get on the forums, about the first thing I do is click the "New Posts" link. This shows me all new posts in all forums since the last time I logged on. That way, I "review" every post made on the forum. I don't read every one (obviously or many of you would have been tossed long ago
) but I look at the title and decide if I want to read. There are lots of clues about the post right there in the list - how old, how many have viewed, how many have responded. You can get pretty good at picking out offenders or topics you may be interested in with a little practice.For those of you who are just going to 1 or 2 forums, you might try my method. Perhaps you can assist with your knowledge and experience in other forums.
This issue also brings up how important thread titles are. Please encourage everyone to use indicative and searchable titles. "brakes" is much better than "vw problem". "Front brakes" is better than "brakes" and "front wheel cylinders" is better than " front brakes". The more indicative the title is, the more likely it is that the right people will find it to answer and that it will come up down the road in a search.
More thoughts and ideas welcome.
doc