Some forum suggestions

[Zarxrax]

Ever since the removal of the off topic forums, it does seem that the ammount of spam topics in other forums has increased significantly. Now I'm not sure exactly what is planned to be done about this, perhaps there is thinking that it will blow over with time and calm back down. I think a lot of the spam is actually honest questions and comments though, and the people posting it just don't know any better. While I know the forum rules are available when you register, it can be easy to forget about them. So I think that there should be a sticky at the top of every forum that contains the site rules. This way if someone posts something that is out of line, a mod can just lock the topic or whatever and point to the rule that has been broken.
Next, I think there DESPERATELY needs to be a FAQ that contains answers to the most frequently asked questions on the forums. I would be willing to help compile this FAQ if necessary.
Also perhaps some new rules need to be added. For instance, when asking technical questions, the person should make a reasonable effort to use the search feature before asking the question.
Finally, I think it might be a good idea to add a "Newbie" forum. This forum could reside at the very top of the forums list so newbies wouldn't have any difficulty seeing it. This forum could be for answering basic technical questions, it could serve as a repository for stickies like "How to make your first AMV" and "Hosting and the like" and "AMV Software Lists". It could also be a place where newbies can post things like "How do I download videos" or "Hi, Im new here" or "What program should I use". It would basically be a place where newbies can ask their questions without fear of being flamed to death.

Hopefully some of these ideas will be considered if they haven't been already. I know you guys are already doing all that you can for the site and I really appreciate it. I'd be glad to help out with anything at all if its ever necessary.

[Moonlight Soldier]

Ever since the removal of the off topic forums, it does seem that the ammount of spam topics in other forums has increased significantly. Now I'm not sure exactly what is planned to be done about this, perhaps there is thinking that it will blow over with time and calm back down. I think a lot of the spam is actually honest questions and comments though, and the people posting it just don't know any better. While I know the forum rules are available when you register, it can be easy to forget about them. So I think that there should be a sticky at the top of every forum that contains the site rules. This way if someone posts something that is out of line, a mod can just lock the topic or whatever and point to the rule that has been broken.
Next, I think there DESPERATELY needs to be a FAQ that contains answers to the most frequently asked questions on the forums. I would be willing to help compile this FAQ if necessary.
Also perhaps some new rules need to be added. For instance, when asking technical questions, the person should make a reasonable effort to use the search feature before asking the question.
Finally, I think it might be a good idea to add a "Newbie" forum. This forum could reside at the very top of the forums list so newbies wouldn't have any difficulty seeing it. This forum could be for answering basic technical questions, it could serve as a repository for stickies like "How to make your first AMV" and "Hosting and the like" and "AMV Software Lists". It could also be a place where newbies can post things like "How do I download videos" or "Hi, Im new here" or "What program should I use". It would basically be a place where newbies can ask their questions without fear of being flamed to death.
Hopefully some of these ideas will be considered if they haven't been already. I know you guys are already doing all that you can for the site and I really appreciate it. I'd be glad to help out with anything at all if its ever necessary.

I think that's a valid suggestion. Perhaps to be taken into consideration....

[J-0080]

It just sounds like a mix between all about me and software and video help.

[azulmagia]

Ever since the removal of the off topic forums, it does seem that the ammount of spam topics in other forums has increased significantly. Now I'm not sure exactly what is planned to be done about this, perhaps there is thinking that it will blow over with time and calm back down.

Probably same thing as last time - lock all the threads both innocent and guilty.

You idea is not too bad though. It is a bit unseemly that General AMV appears to be the new locale for "Hi, I'm New" threads. Not to mention "Merry Christmas" spammage.

[J-0080]

Maybe a weeks bannage will show all those AMV makers that their Christmas cheer is not appreciated in any non-video related format.

[AbsoluteDestiny]

Ever since the removal of the off topic forums, it does seem that the ammount of spam topics in other forums has increased significantly.

Its increased from not many in the regular forums to a few in the regular forums.

I personally don't see them as a big problem - then again I just remove them. There's only one or two a day and it's much easier mod work than reading through the pages upon pages of stuff that would appear every hour in the old OT forums.

I agree that there isn't a place to introduce yourself... and I don't think I'd object to a forum forum just that purpose. As for the other spam posts, they're pretty minor and to be honest I dont think they're much more than before.

[Zarxrax]

Well as far as a forum just for introducing yourself, I don't see that as being really a neccessity, and was just a minor part of my idea for a newbie forum, though perhaps I didn't stress enough what my main points are.
Essentially, orgnization is the best way to achieve clear discussion on forums such as this. With the same questions repeated over and over, much organization is lost. Spam posts aren't so much the objective for reducing, so much as the "clutter". The clutter being someone asking for the 500th time how they can use dvds to make a music video, asking how to download music videos, or asking what to do with the login information they recieve when they want to upload to the golden donut.
This is the idea behind the newbie forum, to create a place for these types of frequent posts. And the FAQ, to help lessen these types of posts. A FAQ would make it much easier to help the people that have these questions. Instead of having to type out a canned response that has been given countless times, you can just tell them that the solution to their problem is in the FAQ, case closed.
I think this would help to make the forums more interesting, rather than people seeing the same topics over and over, they may see some fresh and interesting things.

[Lyrs]

agreed. and btw, as far as spam goes, it's always been like this.