49 replies to this topic

[Ed]

In an attempt to control spam and duplicate topics, we've now implemented a change in the forum so that users will have to have reached 5 posts before they can create new topics.

Note that new users can still post in existing topics as normal, just that they can't create a new topic.

Any queries, holla!

-Ed

[Smith@@™]

Finally;)

[tonhe98]

Ok, this explains things... might want to change the error message from "You do not have permission.... " to something that informs new users of such...


Just my 2p.

[Ed]

@tonhe98 - agreed, I'll see what can be done from within the forum software, we try to avoid modifying the code manually at all costs so that we can patch quickly & easily when Invision released updates. We have put a bold red message in the forum rules as well which you have to agree to upon sign up so hopefully it's clear for new users.

[MusicOSx86]

Ed, on Jan 28 2010, 10:47 AM, said:

In an attempt to control spam and duplicate topics, we've now implemented a change in the forum so that users will have to have reached 5 posts before they can create new topics.

Note that new users can still post in existing topics as normal, just that they can't create a new topic.

Any queries, holla!

-Ed

Well even though this is a great rule to decrease enormous amount of new topic this does create a problem with the quality of replies. New users a lot of times will have hard time posting comprehensive replies because of lack of knowledge. So it seems that  there might be a chance of very basic and less related replies just to be able to get 5 replies in and receive authorization for new topic.

[Ed]

Yep, I agree, we do run that risk, we had to choose the (hopefully) lesser of two evils - it's early days and we're monitoring this closely - by all means, please provide more feedback (with URLs for examples) as we're striving to improve this forum for the benefit of the majority of our members

-Ed

[tonhe98]

MusicOSx86, on Jan 28 2010, 09:55 PM, said:

Well even though this is a great rule to decrease enormous amount of new topic this does create a problem with the quality of replies. New users a lot of times will have hard time posting comprehensive replies because of lack of knowledge. So it seems that  there might be a chance of very basic and less related replies just to be able to get 5 replies in and receive authorization for new topic.

This is very true, its happened on a few other forums that I used to visit that initiated the same rules.. Hell, I know I fudged a couple of replies just to post a topic to ask a few questions about my hardware choices. It was either that or thread hijacking someone elses.....

-Tony

[muchlife]

the lesser of two evils is sometimes necessary, good choice

EDIT: doh! i just came across someone threadjacking asking for unrelated help cause they couldnt start a new topic

http://www.insanelym...t=#entry1111379

perhaps we need to force new members to only read for a while? or at least read forum rules and click checkbox acknowledging them. i've seen this on other forums. i joined in october 09, but only posted for the first time a few weeks ago because the first 2 months as a member i felt it would be more respectful to search and see if my questions were easily answered. there was plenty of content to read, and asking myself clearly seemed i would be duplicating whats been asked 20 times over. turned out i found most of the answers i was looking for

[iPoco]

That was from last year but the theory remains. We'll see how it turns out.

[phoenix789]

As I've seen in another forum, in addition, why not allows new users to posts ONLY in a newbie section and  adding a multiple answer test, whit a random question choices that allows new users to post in other threads ONLY if they have over a 90% success test score.

Questions won't have to be complicated, only a basic knowledge, like whats is a kext, what QE/CI means, what SSE3 means, etc. And a link to the end of the test to some basic lecture, like that we well have more newbies and finally less noobs.

Just my two cents.

[phonatik]

I dunno guys, I been using this thread since 10.5.2. Dont really post all that much as I find most of the stuff that I am looking for is already learking around on the blogs and as a rule I try stay atleast 2 updates behind. I dont think that just because I refrain from asking stupid questions on a whim, I should be limited. Should I then say stupid stuff and ask stupid questions just to avoid been limited.

[Ed]

@phoenix789 - we did consider a quiz but felt that would make the forum a bit too 'exclusive' which is not the aim of the game - we want to involve as many people as possible, but at the same time, too many duplicate topics is spoiling it for everyone else and reducing the quality of the forum for everyone.

@phonatik - totally agree with you on this, I'm in fact very much the same, I mainly browse other forums and read but very rarely post - I hope you can understand our predicament, that this forum is a victim of its own success and arguably maybe a bit too popular, which makes it a tough job to keep the quality high when we have a huge audience and unfortunately a percentage of which won't check if their topic already exists. I'd suggest maybe PM'ing one of the staff (you can PM me but I'm a bit slower than the others due to volume of work!) and stating your case and your topic, we can override the 5-post limit in certain cases but this is at the staff's discretion.

As I think I mentioned before, we are monitoring the performance of this new measure and will be reviewing it. And of course we're welcome to better suggestions from you guys if you've got any! Really am sorry for any convenience this has caused some of our members.

-Ed

[phonatik]

Maybe inplement this only to the members who have only only been registered for 18 months or less.

Just a thought!!!

BTW

Thanks for the reply Ed

[discmeister]

I've been using InsanelyMac for well over a year now, with various posts - hey, some other users have even found them helpful (well, some of them).

Now I come back with another query but I find that I'm not actually allowed to post it, because all of my previous comments etc have disappeared from my account. Strange...

Right now, I've gone to the trouble of finding out why I can't post - the stock 'you do not have permission...' is pretty unfriendly, so I had to search for 'Why can't I post a new topic?' to even get to this point.

And now it seems I have to post five times in other threads just so I can post a topic? Seems a waste of bandwidth to me; I know what I want to ask, so why do I have to add meaningless content somewhere else on the forums to get to that point?

Discy

phonatik, on Jan 29 2010, 01:24 PM, said:

Maybe inplement this only to the members who have only only been registered for 18 months or less.

Just a thought!!!

BTW

Thanks for the reply Ed

[iPoco]

discmeister, on Jan 29 2010, 08:16 PM, said:

I've been using InsanelyMac for well over a year now, with various posts - hey, some other users have even found them helpful (well, some of them).

Now I come back with another query but I find that I'm not actually allowed to post it, because all of my previous comments etc have disappeared from my account. Strange...

Right now, I've gone to the trouble of finding out why I can't post - the stock 'you do not have permission...' is pretty unfriendly, so I had to search for 'Why can't I post a new topic?' to even get to this point.

And now it seems I have to post five times in other threads just so I can post a topic? Seems a waste of bandwidth to me; I know what I want to ask, so why do I have to add meaningless content somewhere else on the forums to get to that point?

Discy

Your posts didn't go anywhere! Take a look in your profile. There is one small issue with this right now. To be "upped" for members with already 5 or over, you need to post once in an existing topic, then the change takes affect. As said this is the best solution we have up to know. We're going to see how it turns out and make changes as needed to make it the best possible solution for all of us. So no you don't need to post 5 times. If you post uselessly it doesn't make it fun for any of us does it ? Don't try to make your way around it. Remember this is suppose to be a community. Let's work together on this one and make sure we take into account everyone's opinions.

iPoco

[STLVNUB]

ipoco, on Jan 30 2010, 01:05 PM, said:

Your posts didn't go anywhere! Take a look in your profile. There is one small issue with this right now. To be "upped" for members with already 5 or over, you need to post once in an existing topic, then the change takes affect. As said this is the best solution we have up to know. We're going to see how it turns out and make changes as needed to make it the best possible solution for all of us. So no you don't need to post 5 times. If you post uselessly it doesn't make it fun for any of us does it ? Don't try to make your way around it. Remember this is suppose to be a community. Let's work together on this one and make sure we take into account everyone's opinions.

iPoco

Haven't posted in a while, hope this helps.
Been trying to start new topic about a 'NEW' Snow Leopard Utility I'm developing.
Thanks

[Harry Locke IV]

I agree that this should be made clearer in the warning message new users, or under post limit users receive. I also think it's a bit unfair. I rarely use this account, except for to ask a few questions here and there, and each time its been a question that has not been previously discussed on the forum. I understand the need to cut down on spam, but this is hurting people who may need legitimate help quickly.

Besides, what's to stop people from spamming already created topics?

[iPoco]

Harry Locke IV, on Jan 30 2010, 09:01 AM, said:

I agree that this should be made clearer in the warning message new users, or under post limit users receive. I also think it's a bit unfair. I rarely use this account, except for to ask a few questions here and there, and each time its been a question that has not been previously discussed on the forum. I understand the need to cut down on spam, but this is hurting people who may need legitimate help quickly.

Besides, what's to stop people from spamming already created topics?

We're working on this . Hopefully we'll get something together for our new users soon. While we do get spam in existing topics it is quite rare compared to new topics.

Thanks!

iPoco

[Hagar]

ipoco, on Feb 1 2010, 02:08 PM, said:

We're working on this . Hopefully we'll get something together for our new users soon. While we do get spam in existing topics it is quite rare compared to new topics.

Thanks!

iPoco

Actually, this is already happening and causing a massive increase of topic hijacking and necroposting by users with <5 posts. This is actually causing more noise in potentially useful topics rather than the familiar floods of "will my hardware work?" and "please help me install" topics, which should IMO be banned outright.

[iPoco]

Hagar, on Feb 1 2010, 08:14 AM, said:

Actually, this is already happening and causing a massive increase of topic hijacking and necroposting by users with <5 posts. This is actually causing more noise in potentially useful topics rather than the familiar floods of "will my hardware work?" and "please help me install" topics, which should IMO be banned outright.

Do you have any suggestions then of other things to do?