New Member Suggestion

[tenohfive]

Bit of an odd suggestion:

When a new member signs up, an automated message with the post on fishless cycling etc links attached gets sent to them. Once they've read it, something (either text or some sort of symbol) shows up next to their avatar that shows they've read it.

Could save a bit of time in the 'New to the hobby' forum - a large percentage of replies to one problem or another start,

"Yes, such and such will be compatible with such and such. But before that, do you know what cycling is?'



Like I say - I don't know how practical it would be but I can see it being useful.

 

[OohFeeshy]

It's been suggested before.

http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/215464/Newbie-Info/

Generally, not everbody who joins is new/uninformed, and it's unlikely that they'd get read/understood by those it's targeted at anyway. When you consider the general trend in post types (which to my mind seem to usually be some form of guessing game where neither party has much of an idea what the thing they're guessing actually is). Although it does cause a lot of traffic, it's still much easier in the long run to have personalized assistance from those who frequent the newbie forums.

 

[tenohfive]

It's been suggested before.

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/215464/Newbie-Info/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content/forum/215464/Newbie-Info/[/URL]

Generally, not everbody who joins is new/uninformed, and it's unlikely that they'd get read/understood by those it's targeted at anyway. When you consider the general trend in post types (which to my mind seem to usually be some form of guessing game where neither party has much of an idea what the thing they're guessing actually is). Although it does cause a lot of traffic, it's still much easier in the long run to have personalized assistance from those who frequent the newbie forums.

Absolutely, I'm not suggesting it should be mandatory to read - but suggested, certainly. And I agree not everyone who comes on knows nothing - I reckon its close to a 50/50 split between those that know nothing (or have been misinformed) about cycling, and those who understand the nitrogen cycle.

The reason I suggest it is that it saves time for both the person posting (as normally they create the new post, someone replies, then they reply with whether or not they know what cycling...its just suggested as a timesaving option.

Personally I'm happy to carry on as things are but can see the benefit of some sort of suggested reading for people new to the forums - and a lot of the time, just having a sticky thread doesn't grab peoples attention in the same way.

 

[andywg]

The people who will read the links to them in a PM are the sort of people who will also read the pins and use the search button and so will have already found the information.

Those that don't look at the pins or use the search function before posting are not likely to read a link in a PM.

If everyone read the pins and used the search function we could close down the newbies and emergencies forums to new posts as the info is all in there.

 

[geo7x]

If everyone read the pins and used the search function we could close down the newbies and emergencies forums to new posts as the info is all in there.

Very true