Introduction Section?

[paizuri]

There used to be a number of people (myself included) who would jump on 'hi I'm new' threads in the old Intro section - welcoming the new member and pointing him toward the rules first, then giving helpful tips like which stickies really need to be read, what not to do (necroposting, pimping your site outside the intro thread), etc.

There were also a number of people who did just the opposite and threatened/harassed new members or told them to die if they seemed...overenthusiastic in their initial post.

If you give the other members a chance to welcome the new people (instead of their very first reply being "oh, you can't say Hi here, your thread's gonna be locked in a few minutes"), you can still lock them later if they do go into general chat. The problem is they're locked so quickly, their first impression is that you're just saying welcome so you won't look mean when you tell them to shut up.

The mods always lock the threads, but they're not the ones saying "Oh this thread will be locked in a few minutes." Those are solely the actions of the other forum users, who we can censor, but not control directly. Any intro thread I've locked, I've always welcomed the new user and told them to enjoy their stay. Maybe it sounds fake, but it is a courteous response which sums up what most people would be saying anyway. Very few people give detailed backgrounds on themselves, they mostly say stuff like, "Hi! I'm new here and I love AMVs!" There's nothing wrong with that, but there's not much opening for a discussion on anime, music, anime music videos or how any of those things relate to the new person.

We don't even have a locked introductory thread that greets new members, gives a tour of the best stickies, introductory tips like what the FAQ is, or how to put a banner in your sig. People have suggested making an intro 'tour', and it's been shot down repeatedly. So we don't have a dead 'hi, read this' section, we don't have a "introduce yourself section', and the new member's first post is locked without giving him a chance to ask any questions he almost certainly has. It's a very closed environment for newcomers.

This is the only tour suggestion I remember.
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/phpBB/v ... our#685504

It seems to me that the most hassle-free solution to this problem would be a locked introductory thread with links to the rules, etiquette tips, other helpful threads, etc. and put it in a really highly trafficked area (well, we might as well put it on the main forum index page above all of the categories). That way, the mods can cite that thread when we lock intro threads and so can the users, before the threads are locked. Also, nice and helpful people like you won't need to constantly repeat the same welcome information over and over that way.

So basically, a Forum FAQ in a really really obvious place. How does that sound?

[Kalium]

So basically, a Forum FAQ in a really really obvious place. How does that sound?

Do that, and people will still manage to miss it. Somehow.

[Arigatomina]

It seems to me that the most hassle-free solution to this problem would be a locked introductory thread with links to the rules, etiquette tips, other helpful threads, etc. and put it in a really highly trafficked area (well, we might as well put it on the main forum index page above all of the categories). That way, the mods can cite that thread when we lock intro threads and so can the users, before the threads are locked. Also, nice and helpful people like you won't need to constantly repeat the same welcome information over and over that way.

So basically, a Forum FAQ in a really really obvious place. How does that sound?

I think that's the general suggestion I've heard most. But it wasn't in its own thread. It's usually brought up in threads where people ask for an introduce yourself section, and complaints about new members asking the same questions over and over again - when threads like that come up, someone will bring up the idea of a thread or guide or "forced newbie reading section" to give an introduction to the new members. I remember a couple variations on the forced "what you need to know" idea, but we couldn't think of a way to make sure they actually read it, so the idea was shot down. Being able to point a new member to something that brings all the different tips together in one place (like a guide to the org - imagine Moonslayer's guide branching into forum ettiquette) - that's useful. I know you and the mods link new members to the rules when their threads are locked, but the rules don't answer the other general questions new members have (even the FAQ can't cover all the stickies and guides).

I guess I'm thinking a nicely written (friendly sounding - not like stereo instructions) welcome thread. Something that would have all the different links we hand out when people ask the right questions. That's not the same as having one-on-one talk with a member, but it wouldn't be as discouraging as a simple link to the rules and a lock. We could even stop saying "we don't allow introduction threads," or "we don't have a place for introductions" - instead, we can say "welcome, here's the introduction thread, enjoy." Sure, they won't be able to reply to it, but you could have something at the end of it saying 'if you have questions that were not answered here, go to the Site Help section'. It's just the idea of having some place on the forum made specifically for new members. If they can't introduce themselves to the site, we can introduce the site to them.

/optimistic

[Arigatomina]

So basically, a Forum FAQ in a really really obvious place. How does that sound?

Do that, and people will still manage to miss it. Somehow.

People miss the rules, too, but I can't imagine the rules being deleted because new members can't find them on their own.

If it's there, we can show them where it is if they miss it. If it's not there, everyone is going to miss it. There's benefits to having it, and no drawbacks that I can see.

If it's a question of whether or not it's worth the effort to write up...we have a sticky on how to be a jerk on the org - where people contribute what not to do. Surely we can make a sticky for links and tips aimed at showing new members around (to be written up into an actual thread once it looks complete).

[requiett]

How about NO forum. Save yourselves the trouble.

[bum]

So basically, a Forum FAQ in a really really obvious place. How does that sound?

Do that, and people will still manage to miss it. Somehow.

I agree. People can somehow manage to miss ANYTHING