Develop Bugs

[Q] "Iron Fist" clarifications/questions

It's a good start I suppose. Here are some questions:
Does this change how users can report posts/users? Or is it still the troublesome bulky way of having to PM your forum mods and hope for the best? Sometimes days between reports and action?
Will we see more moderator involvement in the community, or will it continue to be a ghostland unless someone flashes the bat-signal for help? (I can only speak of EVO 4G forums).
In short: What should the average joe user who is, say, frustrated with [Q] in development for example, see in the upcoming days/weeks?
Hopefully this can stay on-topic

github said:
It's a good start I suppose. Here are some questions:
Does this change how users can report posts/users? Or is it still the troublesome bulky way of having to PM your forum mods and hope for the best? Sometimes days between reports and action?
Will we see more moderator involvement in the community, or will it continue to be a ghostland unless someone flashes the bat-signal for help? (I can only speak of EVO 4G forums).
In short: What should the average joe user who is, say, frustrated with [Q] in development for example, see in the upcoming days/weeks?
Hopefully this can stay on-topic
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It isn't necessarily a matter of days or weeks of when the new report system/mod involvement will roll out. The report system is being reworked to accommodate the mods and users alike. The old way was only beneficial to the users and create hassle for the mod team. This made it more difficult to deal with reports instead of simpler. The report system was made that way in the first place because, at the time, it was the right way to do it. As the user base exploded here, it became apparent that this was no longer viable.
The old report system dumped all reports into a massive pile and made it difficult to get to the important ones that needed immediate attention. This is why you now need to PM mods to address moving threads. That isn't an important issue as much as flaming, kanging, or warez is.
There is a new system in the works to address the issues that the old system raised as well as make it simpler for users to report posts. You'll just need to be patient while the kinks are worked out. Don't worry, good things come to those who wait.
As far as mod involvement, this is where the new [revised] site direction comes in. It's no longer an act of congress to ban or discipline someone. If a user does something retarded, he will be punished. It's that simple. However, not every mod can be in every place at once. That's the whole reason we have a report function. Especially if you see a forum needs deep cleaning, you should PM the forum mod first. If that doesn't work, PM any senior mod with your problem. There is also a Requests from the users to the mods and admins sticky thread here that you can utilize.
All in all, there are good things on the way. We just need to be patient while the kinks are worked out.

Even if I understand and respect the goal to provide better methods and tools for the admins and mods of this forums, I'd like to ask the question:
"Was it necessary to use the Iron Fist picture and publish it with this title?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Fist
In colloquial English, an "Iron Fist" refers to the authority exerted by a powerful, unforgiving governing figure, extended variously to public or private life, used to describe a person who operates under strictly authoritarian principles. Ex. "Josef Stalin ruled the USSR with an iron fist" ...
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ThaiDai said:
Even if I understand and respect the goal to provide better methods and tools for the admins and mods of this forums, I'd like to ask the question:
"Was it necessary to use the Iron Fist picture and publish it with this title?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Fist
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They could have called it the "Turd Ferguson Project" for all I care. The name isn't important. However, this one being the Iron Fist that is set to unleash blows to those who think it's ok to use this site as their personal dumping ground seems fair to me.

github said:
Will we see more moderator involvement in the community, or will it continue to be a ghostland unless someone flashes the bat-signal for help? (I can only speak of EVO 4G forums).
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Having been a member of the X10 and now Arc forums since joining I welcome "Iron fist", and still believe there should be a week limit when you first join before you're allowed to post anything because that way it would encourage people to search more, along with having to actually read threads where the answer being looked for has been answered a thousand times already. In regards to githubs point, I'd like to see more of that too in the Arc section.
ALL moderators imo should 1. Actually own the phone of the forum they are moderating and 2. Be able to dedicate a certain amount of time each day to the forum, which might help with keeping the forums clean because they have an interest and a duty to keep on top of things.

cajunflavoredbob said:
They could have called it the "Turd Ferguson Project" for all I care. The name isn't important. However, this one being the Iron Fist that is set to unleash blows to those who think it's ok to use this site as their personal dumping ground seems fair to me.
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Spot on.
XperienceD said:
ALL moderators imo should 1. Actually own the phone of the forum they are moderating and 2. Be able to dedicate a certain amount of time each day to the forum, which might help with keeping the forums clean because they have an interest and a duty to keep on top of things.
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Spot on. Our goal has been to assign mods to device forums that apply to them. When possible, we attempt to assign a few mods to each device forums such that time zone overlap occurs.
Some of the challenges we often encounter are:
Infrequent mod attendance; this is a volunteer (aka unpaid) role after all
Mods who switch to a new device at some point before a replacement mod is assigned - i.e. they now manage several forums
Obtaining quality mod candidates
Mods who decide to retire

ThaiDai said:
Even if I understand and respect the goal to provide better methods and tools for the admins and mods of this forums, I'd like to ask the question:
"Was it necessary to use the Iron Fist picture and publish it with this title?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Fist
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This was covered in the message:
Svetius said:
The name "Iron Fist" is a bit of an inside joke among the moderators--we are very clearly not an unyielding Gestapo.
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And, frankly, I'm glad they didn't call it the 'Turd Ferguson Project.'

mrkite38 said:
And, frankly, I'm glad they didn't call it the 'Turd Ferguson Project.'
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The "Allan Parson Project" seems a more befitting name

In reference to reporting any problem post/member, what I've been doing lately is keeping one of my Chrome tabs with the Forum leader List open.
If I encounter a problem post/flame, I create my pm with the links to the post/thread, my reason for reporting it and if the section does not have a mod to send it to, or if i think it needs immediate attention, I then refresh that Forum Leader list to see who is on at the moment and send out the pm to the mod. 9 out of 10, they get it within moments and take care of it, unless they log off by the time the pm is sent out. (or if they deem it not necessary to report).
There are times that even if a section has a mod assigned to it, some issues need to be taken care of immediately before it escalates into a much bigger problem and that is why I'm do the method above until the new reporting system takes effect.
TS out

twospirits said:
In reference to reporting any problem post/member, what I've been doing lately is keeping one of my Chrome tabs with the Forum leader List open.
If I encounter a problem post/flame, I create my pm with the links to the post/thread, my reason for reporting it and if the section does not have a mod to send it to, or if i think it needs immediate attention, I then refresh that Forum Leader list to see who is on at the moment and send out the pm to the mod. 9 out of 10, they get it within moments and take care of it, unless they log off by the time the pm is sent out. (or if they deem it not necessary to report).
There are times that even if a section has a mod assigned to it, some issues need to be taken care of immediately before it escalates into a much bigger problem and that is why I'm do the method above until the new reporting system takes effect.
TS out
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Very good point. I try to only involve my forum mods, but I like your idea too. Depending on the issue sometimes I'll PM a few mods that I have known in the past to be pretty quick to take action and/or helpful overall.
I won't name any names, but one of them posted in here *cough* Thanks!

Hopefully Iron Fist is more like Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury!

Hopefully with less people making useless threads etc, the older members might also chill out a little.

Audionut11 said:
Hopefully with less people making useless threads etc, the older members might also chill out a little.
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Unfortunately there are some "older" members that are causing just as much if not more trouble than their newer counterparts.

So 4 mods posted after my post here...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=276306&page=239
And I guess they didn't feel it was enough for "iron fist"?
Zeus... God of Awesome!

mattykinsx said:
Unfortunately there are some "older" members that are causing just as much if not more trouble than their newer counterparts.
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I second that.

XperienceD said:
Having been a member of the X10 and now Arc forums since joining I welcome "Iron fist", and still believe there should be a week limit when you first join before you're allowed to post anything because that way it would encourage people to search more, along with having to actually read threads where the answer being looked for has been answered a thousand times already. In regards to githubs point, I'd like to see more of that too in the Arc section.
ALL moderators imo should 1. Actually own the phone of the forum they are moderating and 2. Be able to dedicate a certain amount of time each day to the forum, which might help with keeping the forums clean because they have an interest and a duty to keep on top of things.
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Id like to respond to this as I'm currently moderating the Arc section.
I do not own the device but to be honest I spend far more time in the forumsi moderate than in the forums for devices I own.
Now, atm you may be thinking, "aye right, the place is a s×××hole"
You may be right as I haven't been around much in the past few days.
However under "normal" real life circumstances. All my forums are swept at least once a day. If I should miss anything then please do not hesitate to PM me.....
I make every effort to close/delete/m ove misplaced or duplicate threads but obv. some do get missed, simply because I cannot read every thread. Again, in such a situation or if you just want to discuss the way the section is moderated then please do PM me and let me know.....
I hope that addresses some of your concerns.
Sent From My Fingers To Your Face.....

[mini guide] xda

This thread has been compiled to offer my advice to users (especially new ones) about using the XDA site. Although there are other longer guides telling users how to use the site, I think it is valid that I give tips based on my experience on the site. This is a Mini guide which means that I will only highlight key information about XDA which may or may not have been explored in different threads. ​
As I say in all my guides, suggestions are like gold to me and I just want to make my service better. All reasonable comments are welcome. Please PM me if you have any urgent problems. I am sorry if my service is uninvited.
So Enjoy :laugh:
1) Post in the right place! Although it is obvious, it seems many users do not know this. XDA is split up into topics which are then (i like to think) split into 7 key areas.
-General= for all those general comments relating to a topic
-QandA = For any questions you have
- Modifying/Hacking/Unlocking = For more advanced discussion.
- Software Development = Think of it as Discussion about ROMs. Usually only advanced users are allowed here too.
- Themes = As you've probably guessed - for themes.
- Apps & Games = Again pretty self explanatory.
- Another development Place = This is basically another development forum.
Post in your device specific area and your questions will be answered quickly.​
2) Is it necessary? Your question has probably been answered before so search for it. If you find nothing go ahead and post your question making sure it is in the right place. If you are clumsy and post in the wrong place or post a duplicate, there is a higher chance you will get trolled and your thread will be closed. This leads onto my next tip.
3) Getting trolled can be part of XDA. It is usually just funny and causes no harm. However when it crosses the line it becomes flaming. This is against the rules and should be reported immediately regardless of who does the flaming. And when you do get trolled, don't feel disheartened. Everyone will get the opportunity when a thread is screaming out asking for a joke to be made. Some users will also get the opportunity to feel the troll.
4) The hierarchy. On XDA as you can see, people have different titles.
- Everyone starts as a junior member. With fewer than 10 posts you will be locked into a CAPTCHA system to stop post spamming and try to teach users the value of a post. You will get the signature ability at 8 posts.
- After 30 posts a junior member evolves into a member.
- After 100 posts a member becomes all powerful and evolves into a senior member.
There is no additional benefit to the post/title change system apart from additional respect from other users.
You then have Recognized Contributors, Recognized Themers and Recognized Developers who are members nominated for their contribution to XDA or the theming section. You will receive development tools, an ad free template of XDA and the development forums when you get this title.
You then Have Elite Recognized Developers who receive gadgets as part of their title.
Next is the Forum Moderators title. These are the kings/queens of the forums. They manage them and keep them squeeky clean.
Then you have senior moderators. They ususally look after the Marketplace.
Then you have Administrators. Each one has their own area.
At the top of it all, Mike Channon the Forum Administrator. He is the 'Bourne Ultimatum' if you like :laugh:​5) The thanks system. Give thanks when somebody helps you or when you find a post 'interesting.' Contrary to popular belief, the thanks system holds no actual value on XDA apart from maybe status. Maybe this will be an improvement into XDA; implement the thanks system deeper. To bar up on the thanks meter:
1st bar - 26
2nd bar - 51
3rd Bar - 101
4th bar - 201
5th Bar - 501
6th bar - 1001
7th bar - 2001
8th bar - 5001
9th Bar - 8001
MAX - 10,000
6) Tech Support in the Dev Thread. Many devs do not appreciate PMs for tech support nor posts for tech support. There is a dedicated Q&A forum for that. Put it there.
7) Write clearly and use good english. As someone who speaks 3 languages I know illiteracy is a big problem. Not just for the speakers but for the readers. It is also against the rules. You will get quicker responses and more respect with good english. Posting in other languages is OK as long as the correct english translation is presented. Google Translate will aid you with this. Although this isn't the Rosetta Stone helpline, I am always keen to help. PM me for help if you want to post something and don't know how to articulate it. And with this I move onto my next tip.
8) Give basic info when asking for help. Do not just leave your question without basic background like phone, software, problem etc. Maybe you should consider putting this information in your signature once you gain access to it.
9) Help others too! By helping others you will gain thanks and again: respect.
Thankyou for reading my guide. For a similar guide by the all seeing owl mf2112 check here.
Special Thanks to deedii for all her support.
I have spent quite some time typing this review, please do not troll. All suggestions on the other hand are more than welcome. Please hit 'thanks' if you appreciate my massive effort. Sorry if this is not something you wanted. Even though the guide is long, I call it mini because it does not cover everything.
NOTE: Sometimes I find myself on XDA in the early hours of the morning providing the best possible. I sometimes do not pay attention and will get angry quickly. I never mean any disrespect to anyone. If I do cross the line I am sorry in advance. Please PM me and bring my comment to my attention. I will issue an apology ASAP. Even though many advanced XDA users have disappointed me I will always offer XDA the best. I am always trying to be as nice as possible regardless of what people do to anger me so feel free to ask for help with anything.

You need to change the bit about making a signature. You've said that when you hit 30 posts you can make one, but it's when a user gets 8 posts. But can be done right from the start if using the xda app
Velcro. What a rip off!

This is good, I think it will be useful especially for people using the app and not the website. I use XDA mostly on the pc so I don't think about how things look from the XDA app viewpoint as much.
I will review it again over coffee in a bit and then edit this post with any suggestions. Thanks! :good:
OK. Thanks again. I want to offer some ideas but not write them out so you can write them without altering the character of it too much. I am also trying to consider the length to avoid the Too Long;Didn't Read issue.
For part 1, your area list is correct for the XDA General Discussion forums, but not for the device forums. You might consider incorporating the device specific forums such as General, Q&A, Accessories, Themes and Apps, Development, and Original Development. Not all devices will have all sections depending on how new the device is and how well supported.
For part 4, you might also include "and Recognized Developers" in the first line and "or the development forums." at the end of the line.
For part 7, posting in other languages is ok but an English translation must also be provided. Best effort or a Google Translate is ok.

mf2112 said:
This is good, I think it will be useful especially for people using the app and not the website. I use XDA mostly on the pc so I don't think about how things look from the XDA app viewpoint as much.
I will review it again over coffee in a bit and then edit this post with any suggestions. Thanks! :good:
OK. Thanks again. I want to offer some ideas but not write them out so you can write them without altering the character of it too much...
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Thankyou very much. I am getting to work!
KidCarter93 said:
You need to change the bit about making a signature. You've said that when you hit 30 posts you can make one, but it's when a user gets 8 posts. But can be done right from the start if using the xda app
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Thanks yet again.

KidCarter93 said:
You need to change the bit about making a signature. You've said that when you hit 30 posts you can make one, but it's when a user gets 8 posts. But can be done right from the start if using the xda app
Velcro. What a rip off!
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The signature on the app and the signature on the site are separate. You can set the app signature right away but not the site signature.

mf2112 said:
The signature on the app and the signature on the site are separate. You can set the app signature right away but not the site signature.
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That's what I was saying, but didn't word the last bit very well
Sent from my Sony Xperia S using XDA Premium
"Knowledge is power" = Read, Read, Read!

Great insight on the hierarchy.
Good job

I cannot make the title of this specific thread capitals for some reason. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. (if any :laugh

Deftone said:
I cannot make the title of this specific thread capitals for some reason. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. (if any :laugh
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Well, given that it is a mini guide, no capitals might be appropriate. :laugh: :victory: :silly:

I hate to create a somewhat unnecessary post but I have to agree with you. I just thought that capitals attract more attention but maybe lower case seems more appropriate. Wondering if i should change all guides to lower case.

[Feature request] An approach to freing the dev sections from Off-topic and Spam

Hello fellow XDA-Users,
I have been a member of this forum for quite some time now, and currently spend my time in the Optimus 2X section.
People from there might recognize me from my guide on how to build cyanogenmod7 from source and some bits and pieces
from the O2X section.
Some of you might know, that LG delayed the update for this phone quite a bit, which brings me to the purpose of this
thread: The amount of spam and Off-Topic in the general section as well as the development section has blown up
insanely over the last 2-3 months, and this has caused a lot of tension between users and mods, among users and of course
users and devs. While, in case of the general section, this might be bearable, it is not for the dev section, since the real
devs can't work properly because all the useful information gets buried under the same questions and off-topic again and again.
Just recently, a mod was required to close a thread containing bleeding edge information and made it clear that he had no
intention of reopening it again.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, and I want to dump my thoughts for a solution in this thread. While
I don't know to which degree these can be implemented or if they might contradict the philosphy or user-rights of XDA,
I still want to post them. These ideas apply first and foremost to the dev section. I see the dev section as a read-only
section for anyone that doesn't have anything to contribute towards the development, no matter how long he has been
here or how many posts he already made. Therefore I propose the following mechanics to keep the dev sections clear of Spam.
Allow only recognized developers, contributors and the other verified ranks in the forums to start threads in the dev section.
This prevents off topic threads from being created in the first place. If someone new really wants to start a new thread because
he really has something useful to share, I imagine some sort of verification process where users can submit their threads and
moderators, or maybe even the parties allowed to post already, to review and approve the topics. This will create additional workload
on the moderators, but I believe it won't be that much more compared to the endless reports they are receiving right now. Also, allowing
a larger base of users (recognized contributors/developers) to approve the topics will reduce the workload even further.
To prevent the spamming of existing threads, apply the same strategy as mentioned above with the following changes:
For a specific threads, the thread starter (and possibly a list of users defined by the thread starter) can either approve single
posts or users in general to being able to post in the thread. The user, after being approved, will be able to post freely in the
thread, or maybe even in all threads by the approving thread starter.
I know these are very strict rules, but since they are only applied to the dev sections, I think they are worth considering, since it
will reduce all posts made in this section to those really dealing with dev stuff. Like I already mentioned, it may increase the workload
on whatever mods/users will have to approve. This gave life to my idea of expanding this userbase to the recognized developers/contributors
as well.
I see that my concept is anything but precisely laid out, but I think it represents a good base to create a system, that will make the
dev sections of this forum what they used to be: A place where developers can develop without having to read through pages of spam and
off topic and thus be more productive and less pissed off. The approval also puts another step into the process of thread/post creation
that might make users reconsider if they really want to post or perform a simple search first.
Thanks for your time!
Also, in order for this thread to be recognized, please give it a good rating. Thank you.
aMpeX
edit: Just to make myself clear again, this approach is far from perfect, but I believe with some input and discussion, we can make it so.
Please feel free to post your opinions, corrections or extensions to this idea.
I will try to collect some ideas from the discussion to summarize it here:
Inspired by anasdcool71's post:
Give OPs the opportunity to decide whether they want to moderate their thread, or accept any comment that is made during thread creation
by ticking a checkbox for example.

Hear, hear. I have said almost exactly the same thing myself before now and couldn't agree more with your thoughts. It's not an ideal solution, but maybe XDA need to take an uber-strict approach to stop this destruction by its own users.

this topic needs ofc a lot of discussion, expecially since i know neither about the capabilities of the code nor how the owners of XDA want to approach it.
I feel by starting this discussion we can iron out a system that works.
I feel that there is simply no other solution than being a little strict on the dev sections. Users still have enough room to post in the other sections, but in the dev sections, where all the magic happens, this is not helping at all, so I think it makes sense restricting these sections in that manner.

The 2 features are quite good, but still there are certain restrictions.
For the 1st point :-
You said that RCs, RDs and other verified ranks should be allowed to create a thread. Well, most RCs have been given the rank because of their polite and courteous nature throughout the site, and some of their work on guides, ROMs and kernels. RDs are kinda the same, just that their work is an expert one. So basically Senior Members or Members create threads for their ROMs and kernels in the dev section, and then if their work is good enough, they are appointed as RCs and RDs as per the requirement. So this feature cannot extend to only RCs and RDs as it may block the opportunities of other members to become one. Even if a Senior Member is allowed in this feature to create a thread, many good rom devs, who might be new to XDA, may feel the frustration to complete not 10, but 100 posts!
For the 2nd point :-
The OP of the thread might not know the user himself so he might not choose users correctly. Some users holding only the Junior Member or Member title might know a lot of info about that particular rom/kernel. Furthermore, this feature will really prove tiresome for the OP as there will be a lot of users waiting for his/her approval. And as far as the case for spam goes, the OP may inform the particular mod to remove the posts.

anasdcool71 said:
The 2 features are quite good, but still there are certain restrictions.
For the 1st point :-
You said that RCs, RDs and other verified ranks should be allowed to create a thread. Well, most RCs have been given the rank because of their polite and courteous nature throughout the site, and some of their work on guides, ROMs and kernels. RDs are kinda the same, just that their work is an expert one. So basically Senior Members or Members create threads for their ROMs and kernels in the dev section, and then if their work is good enough, they are appointed as RCs and RDs as per the requirement. So this feature cannot extend to only RCs and RDs as it may block the opportunities of other members to become one. Even if a Senior Member is allowed in this feature to create a thread, many good rom devs, who might be new to XDA, may feel the frustration to complete not 10, but 100 posts!
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I know this approach wasn't the best. My chain of thaught was simply to try to restrict the userbase that can start a thread. To enable non RDs and RCs to start threads, I included the idea of an approval by either MODs and/or RDs and RCs. After a user has been approved once, he retains the right to start threads and post in the dev section.
I guess my bigger picture is to build a welldefined group of users allowed to post in the dev section, and also easen the way for this group to include new members, since I believe creating a new verified group and manage applications is just too much work.
anasdcool71 said:
For the 2nd point :-
The OP of the thread might not know the user himself so he might not choose users correctly. Some users holding only the Junior Member or Member title might know a lot of info about that particular rom/kernel. Furthermore, this feature will really prove tiresome for the OP as there will be a lot of users waiting for his/her approval.
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This is also a weak point of my proposition, my idea was to provide some sort of inbox where OPs can see the posts submitted and simply approve the ones he deems fit, thereby weeding out the useless information and SPAM. It is a lot of work ofc, but I, for one, would prefer a clean and moderated dev thread over one bloated with Spam.
Maybe one could let the OP decide which model he wants his thread to follow by, by simply ticking a checkbox during thread creation.

Interesting idea.
I believe I've brought up all of the above suggestions at some point or another (not dismissing or anything, just I have looked into this for a long period of time, several years now in fact!)
I'll try to summarise the benefits and disadvantages of each key suggestion:
1) Allow only "Recognized *" and above to make new threads in dev.
I'd love nothing more than this... The trouble is users wouldn't want it! They will complain if we implement this, since not every developer on XDA is an RD... Some may not have applied, some may have applied but not had it processed yet. Others may have applied and been accepted (but we only add the users to the RD group once per month to reduce time spent on it), and some may have been rejected for not meeting the criteria.
This would end up upsetting more people than it would benefit, causing more arguing and bickering from them
2) Restrict who can post in a thread.
This is what we already aim to do with the 10 post rule. The trouble is that if we raise it, it keeps out genuine contributors. If we lower it, we get crap through. Right now, we think 10 is about the optimum, but that's not to say we're not adverse to ever changing it if needed.
The issue with giving the OP control over who can post is that some people would abuse this. For example, I don't imagine many devs who would "approve" posts critical of their ROM, or giving negative feedback on it. Part of the way XDA works is it ensures that every thread is outwith the control of its owner, so feedback isn't being hidden or removed because it isn't agreed with by the OP of the thread. That's why XDA doesn't follow the trend of a few other sites to give thread owners moderator abilities in their own threads.
We've got a team of mods who are impartial and can deal with issues without considering if a post is "beneficial" to user perception of the developer or not (like a dev would do if he was approving posts).
We do constantly try to think of new ways to solve these problems, and you've given me a few new ones to think about
Thanks

maybe then we should focus on the part of my idea that easens the entry into the group of users that are allowed to posts, not necesarily tieing it to the RC RD status, but unblocking the restrictions individually and extending the committee to administer these admissions from MODs and Admins to RD/RCs.
This would require a one-time effort by new devs, submitting their new ROM/thread to the dev sections, and having it approved by aforementioned group.

pulser_g2 said:
2) Restrict who can post in a thread.
This is what we already aim to do with the 10 post rule. The trouble is that if we raise it, it keeps out genuine contributors. If we lower it, we get crap through. Right now, we think 10 is about the optimum, but that's not to say we're not adverse to ever changing it if needed.
The issue with giving the OP control over who can post is that some people would abuse this. For example, I don't imagine many devs who would "approve" posts critical of their ROM, or giving negative feedback on it. Part of the way XDA works is it ensures that every thread is outwith the control of its owner, so feedback isn't being hidden or removed because it isn't agreed with by the OP of the thread. That's why XDA doesn't follow the trend of a few other sites to give thread owners moderator abilities in their own threads.
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I agree totally about the 10 post limit.. As i have seen many examples of the spam/useless post by newbies/noobs who post in dev section... As our samsung galaxy y duos dev section when created had not got this restriction on it (just an accidental miss i feel).. but its corrected now.. so i have seen how worse it may get if this limit is revoked.. and i have been thinking of an idea as many times i have come across new users complaining that they know about android stuff and they wanted to help dev in development and by the time they complete 10 useful post routine valuable time will be wasted etc... So i thought of this idea when i read the op's message in this thread...
How about providing OP a option to exclude a newbie member who has not made a single post yet to make posts in dev section..? So that if the dev feels/knows the user will be good for his thread and he can contribute to development?
and lets also put another rule to keep spammers away.. as there is a loop hole in my suggestion.. which is when a spammer may create 2 accounts and in one account he will obtain 10 posts and create a thread in dev section.. then spam the thread with another account by making him exception..
So we can add this option to OP of the thread only if the thread has been say one month / one week old... as this will make sure that the thread is not created for spamming and thus it also ensures actual development is going on in the thread and the dev is known.. this exclusion is only for that thread on dev sub forum.. i dont know this may be a too much workload on server..
I was suggesting this exclusion method because i have seen around 5-10 members who PM me whenever they have some issue with my kernel or any other rom related to my device for that matter... i am happy and i have no issues to help them at all.. i have also kindly suggested them to make 10 valuable/useful posts in Q & A section and post in my threads instead of M as it might help other users too who may have same issue/doubt.. but i really cant say it directly into their faces and they may not understand my point ... so i have been interacting with such users through PM and i feel they should have interacted more with forums instead of just one person.. and there might be many others who might have contacting through PM only..
So please consider this..
Also this really is a great suggestion too...
anasdcool71 said:
@pulser_g2 - The if-else statement in your sig is really great. :good:
And I've come up with a request. I've seen that many new users don't actually know/get the reason behind the 10-post limit. I'm not talking anything particularly about spammers, but there are some good users who just don't know the reason. I've just seen so many posts in so many threads saying "this 10-post limit is so frustrating","i have to PM the dev","i can't even report a bug",etc. Not one or two or 10, but many posts like this. So my request was that they'd be directed to that thread "10-post count limit in development fora", after they register. I'm sure many of them will understand. After all, it isn't that hard to get to 10 posts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

It's an eternal problem than,us, Admins,Mods and all Recognized Tribe against which we are constantly fighting.
In the RC'stribe, we try to think and are trying to find solutions that would enable to reduce the number of useless posts.
I says reduce, cause we can't delete all of these posts.
But the real problem, it's a mentality problem due to Internet.
Actually, with Internet, people can and wanting all, now and quickly. I'm writing a question, I want my answer now!
A large majority of users don't take the time for read and seek. They want everything quickly and now.
And against this fact, we cannot fight!!

For whoever mentioned it, the ten post message does link and explain why... But nobody reads it...

pulser_g2 said:
For whoever mentioned it, the ten post message does link and explain why... But nobody reads it...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why ? I don't understand what you mean exactly
I have wrote a post on RC chat about this problem and send the link

philos64 said:
Why ? I don't understand what you mean exactly
I have wrote a post on RC chat about this problem and send the link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think he means the 10 post limit sticky thread is already linked and also its explained why its there but still no new user reads it..

philos64 said:
Why ? I don't understand what you mean exactly
I have wrote a post on RC chat about this problem and send the link
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mean that someone mentioned perhaps making it clearer to users why they can't post etc...
I replied to say that the message already explains this and links them to a thread with information

pulser_g2 said:
I mean that someone mentioned perhaps making it clearer to users why they can't post etc...
I replied to say that the message already explains this and links them to a thread with information
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry @pulser_g2
But I understand what you mean
It's better clear. Thanks

Want To Post In Development?

This thread is aimed at teaching new users the way to be able to post in a development thread WITHOUT spamming or posting rubbish and help you get along better in the development threads.
I know that this thread will probably be ignored by most users who this is aimed at, BUT if it helps teach even a few users then this has been worth it.
​
**As of January 2016, you no longer need to have 10 posts to be able to post in development threads. To be able to create your own thread in the development forums you will need to have 50 posts though.
If you have a thread you'd like to post into the development forum but you don't have enough posts, you can create your thread in the General section for your device and then ask a Moderator of that forum to move it into the Development forum for you.**
First, let's look at why new users generally want to be able to post in a development thread ;
*They think it's the cool place to hangout.
*They think their question will be answered quicker.
*They want to say thanks to a developer for the work that they've done.
*They think their question is important and should be posted in development.
Now, let's explain the truth about the 4 points above ;
*Development threads are NOT the cool place to hangout. As this is a development forum there's no need to hangout but if you really feel the need to relax and hangout with other members, then participate in some discussions in the General section of your device.
*Your question will NOT be answered any quicker by posting it in a development thread. If you take a look at every single device forum on XDA, you'll see that the Q&A forum will always have more posts and threads than development forums will.
*While it's nice that you want to thank the developer for their hard work, making a post saying "Thanks" will only fill up the thread with useless posts. To stop this, XDA admins added a Thanks button which you will see at the bottom of every post on this forum (as long as you have made 1 post). If you're using the XDA app, just click on the relevant post and you'll see a few options appear. One of those options is "Thanks".
If you think that clicking the Thanks button is not enough then you could always donate to the developer to help them carry on development.
*While your question may well be important, it still doesn't belong in the development section. You may get flamed if you post your question there as all questions should be posted in the Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting forum. Development is only intended for development.
What's the best way for me to make 50 posts?
*As is mentioned a lot when talking about new users, the best way to make your first 50 posts is to go to your device forum and see if you can help some people in the Q&A forum. This is a great thing to do because it means you can help others learn more from you helping them with their questions. You may also gain some Thanks along the way.
*If you can't answer the questions, either because they're too hard OR others answer them too quickly, you go into your devices General forum and get involved in some discussions about your phone. This is a great thing to do because it can teach you some things which you didn't know about your device + you may be able to share what you've learnt which others may not know about. It also gives you a good introduction to your forum and the people you will see there.
*If you can't contribute towards any of the discussions either then you can also have a look around the following forums and see if you can help people in the forums aswell - General, Questions & Answers, Android General and Android Q&A.​
How can I get involved with the development community?
Well, being active is the simple answer.
As you'll notice across XDA, the type of posts allowed in development threads are decided by the developer. Some developers want dev talk only. The won't want any kind of questions or general comments. Most, however, don't really mind what kind of posts go into their thread. Most will allow questions and a small amount of off topic chatter to happen within their thread. This allows a small community to grow - one who uses this certain piece of development and can help out others along the way. Getting involved in such small communities is great because you can learn a lot, help people a lot and even make your way towards those 50 posts needed to create your own thread in the development forums.​
Now that you've read through this thread, you will know the best and easiest way to make your first 50 posts. If you see any other members who are not following this guidance, feel free to link them to this thread so that they can learn from it aswell. Now you're good to go! ​

Good job, I added a link from the new user guide. :good:

This is definitely the thing that was needed.
@KidCarter93,you have done a good job
:good: :good:

d'oh said:
Seriosly, the rule annoys me, having 10 posts does not mean you have any idea about developement...
Half of the posts in the dev threads i follow are exactly the kind of posts that are tried to prevent with this rule... The authors of the posts often have 100+ posts but show they do not have any idea...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are right.. if the rule wasn't there.. think what might have happened.. it prevents users from creating account and jump to development section.. it lets you understand how the site works when you are gaining 10 posts..
You can always report such posts you mentioned or you can suggest better alternative if you have one in alternative to 10 post rule thread here..
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2115765

mikef said:
Good job, I added a link from the new user guide. :good:
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Click to collapse
Well done mate !
Just added a link from the New members friendly Q&A thread.

Nice write up you always do a good job with these things.
sent from my T.A.R.T.I.S
(Time And Relative Tarts In Space)

Thx for the advice
Being one of the users this thread is aimed at, I say thank you.
Your tone is friendly and not arrogant, the advice seems helpful and reasonable.
And I say this although I'm one of the users who's reason to post is not listed in your first argument about "why new users generally want to be able to post in a development thread".
I actually wanted to post, to report on a currently discussed issue, that seemed to be not clear yet and help another user by linking to a thread about Link2SD to help him resolve his issue.
But I understand and accept the rules - that's why I'm off now to the Q&A for the SGA. Maybe I can share my experiences with flashing my device there

McFex said:
Being one of the users this thread is aimed at, I say thank you.
Your tone is friendly and not arrogant, the advice seems helpful and reasonable.
And I say this although I'm one of the users who's reason to post is not listed in your first argument about "why new users generally want to be able to post in a development thread".
I actually wanted to post, to report on a currently discussed issue, that seemed to be not clear yet and help another user by linking to a thread about Link2SD to help him resolve his issue.
But I understand and accept the rules - that's why I'm off now to the Q&A for the SGA. Maybe I can share my experiences with flashing my device there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd just like to say thanks for doing things "properly". When you first posted the above comment, I kept an eye on your posts to see what you were posting. I was actually pleasently surprised to see you were posting the way this thread asks for it to be done.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium

KidCarter93 said:
I'd just like to say thanks for doing things "properly". When you first posted the above comment, I kept an eye on your posts to see what you were posting. I was actually pleasently surprised to see you were posting the way this thread asks for it to be done.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Even if I run the risk of posting the occasional "useless" post here, let me say thanks for saying thanks .
Feels good to be appreciated.
This forum is wonderful, just like most of the regulars here.
It's a pity, that for many noobs the substance of the first post is not common sense, but I guess most noobs are also noobs to life itself (unlike me ), and still have to learn the meaning of "If you wish for potatoes, you better grab a hoe!".
But you know how it is, haters gonna hate and noobs will be noobs

What about experienced devs who happen to be new to xda?
Thanks for the post, those are good points about how to make your 10 posts, but I can't help but feel a little frustrated as a long time software developer but new xda user:
KidCarter93 said:
First, let's look at why new users generally want to be able to post in a development thread ;
*They think it's the cool place to hangout.
*They think their question will be answered quicker.
*They want to say thanks to a developer for the work that they've done.
*They think their question is important and should be posted in development.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ROM I use uses XDA as their main bug reporting platform, I have a legitimate bug report to make but it's a bit annoying having to jump through hoops to report it

brainflakes said:
Thanks for the post, those are good points about how to make your 10 posts, but I can't help but feel a little frustrated as a long time software developer but new xda user:
The ROM I use uses XDA as their main bug reporting platform, I have a legitimate bug report to make but it's a bit annoying having to jump through hoops to report it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, you can pm the dev or any active user in that thread to post it in behalf of you. Or just make 10 posts as xda is more than just a single rom and you would surely like to get involved sooner or later
______________________________________
[APP][2.3+] SpecCheck - Compare Devices Side By Side

Deadly said:
Well, you can pm the dev or any active user in that thread to post it in behalf of you. Or just make 10 posts as xda is more than just a single rom and you would surely like to get involved sooner or later
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I wouldn't know who was best to hassle with a PM Anyway yeah I'm just bringing my post number up by answering Q&A questions, I suppose helping a few users out is "payment" for being able to use the dev forum

brainflakes said:
Thanks for the post, those are good points about how to make your 10 posts, but I can't help but feel a little frustrated as a long time software developer but new xda user:
The ROM I use uses XDA as their main bug reporting platform, I have a legitimate bug report to make but it's a bit annoying having to jump through hoops to report it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Experienced devs could always write to a moderator and ask for the restriction to be lifted for their account. Surprisingly few do this however, but generally just start helping people and get to 10 pretty quickly.
Thank you,
mikef
XDA Senior Moderator

thanks for information
going to dhd forum to help other guys......

Notes taken :good:

I already have more than 10 posts, how come I still cant post in development?

MilkEven said:
I already have more than 10 posts, how come I still cant post in development?
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Click to collapse
Sometimes it can take up to an hour before your able to post in development because of the system refreshing itself.
If it becomes over an hour since your tenth post, your best option would be to contact a moderator who could then get it sorted for you
Your question shouldn't have been asked in here though.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium

hey guys, i got now 10 posts, but still cannot post in developer forum :/
*edit* ... already answered... im stupid

eloquent said:
hey guys, i got now 10 posts, but still cannot post in developer forum :/
Click to expand...
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KidCarter93 said:
Sometimes it can take up to an hour before your able to post in development because of the system refreshing itself.
If it becomes over an hour since your tenth post, your best option would be to contact a moderator who could then get it sorted for you
Your question shouldn't have been asked in here though.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^ This ^
______________________________________
One can change their name, but not attitude -Rahul

Developer frustration
I totally see the point... BUT: As a developer wanting to help by sharing modules/code on a development thread I was thwarted by the ten post rule.
Sure, I can take the time to "help" in other threads so that I can ultimately help in the thread that I originally intended but it makes me wonder how many skilled developers are refraining from helping simply because they don't have the time or inclination to get to the ten post count.
In the spirit of helping people that are having the same problem as I had (that drove me to develop the module I'm planning on posting) I will persevere.

What do you members of XDA miss on XDA?

Hi all members of XDA,
whilst we as RC's do our very best to keep XDA as organized as possible by giving you all kind of solutions, like the Q&A/T Template project, the Index project and the Ask Away help project etc etc, these were all RC initiated projects. Although all of these projects were started with the best intentions, I realize now that we never asked what you as users wanted to keep XDA organized. By starting this thread, I want to ask you all, members of XDA, to ventilate your opinions what's missing on XDA and what you really want to accomplish your needs. I could start a poll for that, but I do not feel the need for that at this very moment. I always can start a poll after most wanted needs posted, but for now I only want to know what's living in our community and what is needed in your opinions that is missing at this very moment. Really hope that you will react on this post as much as possible, so I can see what you really need/miss . All reactions will be answered by me (or, hopefully, fellow RC's) and, based on your reactions, I will start a new thread regarding your wishes, based on the most mentioned issue. If there are more important issues, there will be started of course more threads to cope with these "issues".
Everbody, from junior member, member, senior member and also RC's/RD's, are invited to react.
kindest regards and hoping for a lot of reactions, kuzibri

Hi Kuzibri, nice initiative.
This is only minor but every time I log in I have to scroll right down to the bottom to change the theme to XDA 2013.
Does anyone else find this annoying? I'd rather the option be up top somewhere.
Secondly I think the q&a templates a good idea but no one makes them anymore. The ones that we do have get used and divert thousands of questions from dev threads. The only reason the project died is because the admins implemented an auto generated q&a bot thread to all threads in development sections. Meaning that when someone with less than 10 posts replied to a dev thread, his post got moved to a newly created q&a thread with no OP. That was a bad idea IMO, it led to a lot of useless threads being auto generated. Only humans should create threads.
But since devdb have a q&a thread link, maybe we should utilise it again and make it useful for everyone by actually opening and maintaining these q&a threads with faq's and stuff.

Art Vanderlay said:
Hi Kuzibri, nice initiative.
This is only minor but every time I log in I have to scroll right down to the bottom to change the theme to XDA 2013.
Does anyone else find this annoying? I'd rather the option be up top somewhere.
Secondly I think the q&a templates a good idea but no one makes them anymore. The ones that we do have get used and divert thousands of questions from dev threads. The only reason the project died is because the admins implemented an auto generated q&a bot thread to all threads in development sections. Meaning that when someone with less than 10 posts replied to a dev thread, his post got moved to a newly created q&a thread with no OP. That was a bad idea IMO, it led to a lot of useless threads being auto generated. Only humans should create threads.
But since devdb have a q&a thread link, maybe we should utilise it again and make it useful for everyone by actually opening and maintaining these q&a threads with faq's and stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Art,
Which XDA theme are you using now? I use XDA 2013 beta - 1024.
Regarding the q&a bot threads, I already had many discussions with higher ranked people, like @svetius, regarding the fact that these bot's had no OP, but never got a satisfied answer, also not what you are suggesting now, so IMHO this is a dead end street, unfortunately. I fully agree with you that only humans can start a thread, but I'm afraid that we cannot change that anymore on the bot threads. Although well intended in the beginning, they became indeed a real disaster, which led to the unfortunate end/death of real the Q&A/T Template project, of which I still think that it's a very important addition to XDA. :crying:
kindest regards, kuzibri

kuzibri said:
Hi Art,
Which XDA theme are you using now? I use XDA 2013 beta - 1024.
Regarding the q&a bot threads, I already had many discussions with higher ranked people, like @svetius, regarding the fact that these bot's had no OP, but never got a satisfied answer, also not what you are suggesting now, so IMHO this is a dead end street, unfortunately. I fully agree with you that only humans can start a thread, but I'm afraid that we cannot change that anymore on the bot threads. Although well intended in the beginning, they became indeed a real disaster, which led to the unfortunate end/death of real the Q&A/T Template project, of which I still think that it's a very important addition to XDA. :crying:
kindest regards, kuzibri
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using XDA 2013 beta.
About the q&a bot threads, what we can do is take ownership of the existing ones and add an OP and other important details to make them worthwhile.
@xanthrax took over one of the bot threads and did a really good job with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/help/qa-bliss-stalk-team-bliss-bacon-10-28-t2923210
If a human made q&a thread exists for a ROM then maybe the admins can bring back the feature that moves the under 10 posters there whenever they reply to dev thread.
Or at least give devs that option if they want it.

Art Vanderlay said:
I'm using XDA 2013 beta.
About the q&a bot threads, what we can do is take ownership of the existing ones and add an OP and other important details to make them worthwhile.
@xanthrax took over one of the bot threads and did a really good job with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/help/qa-bliss-stalk-team-bliss-bacon-10-28-t2923210
If a human made q&a thread exists for a ROM then maybe the admins can bring back the feature that moves the under 10 posters there whenever they reply to dev thread.
Or at least give devs that option so they want it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will have a thorough look into that, cause I still think that the Q&A/T template thread is a very good way to organize XDA.
kindest regards, kuzbri

Delete

Art Vanderlay said:
Delete
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi my friend,
send a PM to @svetius, with BCC to you, about the Bot Threads and giving them a "face".
kindest regards, kuzibri

kuzibri said:
Hi my friend,
send a PM to @svetius, with BCC to you, about the Bot Threads and giving them a "face".
kindest regards, kuzibri
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no new bot threads have been created for months
Sent from my KFFOWI using XDA Labs

sd_shadow said:
no new bot threads have been created for months
Sent from my KFFOWI using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know my friend and most of them are useless and senseless. That's why I think we should restart the Q&A/T project. I know we have to approach dev's to join this project, but when we are able to convince, certainly the dev's linked to devdb, that this is a dead end street, we stand a good chance. Only restriction IMO is the willingness of other RC's help to restart this project again. Will you join Art and me? IMO this is the only way to prove that it was not a good idea by XDA to start these bot threads with no personal OP. I'm still willing to create a lot of Q&A/T threads as possible when we can dev's prove that this is the way to keep their original dev thread as clean as possible and XDA as organized as possible.
kindest regards, kuzibri

Q&A/T Template project
Hi,
already send a PM to a non-devdb related dev to join our Q&A/T project. Let's see what happens:fingers-crossed:.
kindest regards, kuzibri

Art Vanderlay said:
I'm using XDA 2013 beta.
About the q&a bot threads, what we can do is take ownership of the existing ones and add an OP and other important details to make them worthwhile.
@xanthrax took over one of the bot threads and did a really good job with it http://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-one/help/qa-bliss-stalk-team-bliss-bacon-10-28-t2923210
If a human made q&a thread exists for a ROM then maybe the admins can bring back the feature that moves the under 10 posters there whenever they reply to dev thread.
Or at least give devs that option if they want it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm fairly sure the limitation of no posting in dev threads for members with under 10 posts has been lifted. That's why no new Bot threads, and I don't think devDB threads can restrict their posting anymore either. Again, that's why no new Bot threads.
I think.

Darth said:
I'm fairly sure the limitation of no posting in dev threads for members with under 10 posts has been lifted. That's why no new Bot threads, and I don't think devDB threads can restrict their posting anymore either. Again, that's why no new Bot threads.
I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
about a month ago or so, I saw posts from under 10 members, saying other wise
Sent from my XT1080 using XDA Labs

sd_shadow said:
about a month ago or so, I saw posts from under 10 members, saying other wise
Sent from my XT1080 using XDA Labs
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... I could be mistaken.

Darth said:
Hmm... I could be mistaken.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you are right.
Svetius explained it to me via PM.

Trafalgar Square said:
No, you are right.
Svetius explained it to me via PM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has the 10 post rule been scrapped?

Art Vanderlay said:
Has the 10 post rule been scrapped?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about this but DevDB Q&A bots are gone.

Art Vanderlay said:
Has the 10 post rule been scrapped?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.

I've been a member of XDA since January of 2008, before 99% of the moderators had even heard of it, and before Android was released. Since then, the community has literally tumbled down to such a disappointing low. There's absolutely no incentive for developers to stick around anymore, and some of the members show such blatant disrespect for those who try to help them. Absolutely no one tries to learn how to do something as simple as learning how to use ADB. Another gripe I have with XDA is titles such as Recognized Contributor. Requiring a minimum post amount is quite a poor metric for contributions to the community. We should be judged based on content rather than quantity of low-quality/redundant posts.
For example, I applied for Recognized Contributor just because, with no real intention of actually getting it, after releasing a bootloader unlock for three Samsung devices along with another well-recognized and skilled developer, in addition to supporting the users who chose to utilize it. Before that, 95% of my posts are simply assisting members with accurate/relevant information or explaining various aspects of Android and hardware. I was denied because of post count.
This community used to be about learning and teaching, but the attitude and general reception of that ideology is long since past. The general attitude now is to self-serve and receive instant gratification. Look at people like Dan Rosenberg @djrbliss and ask them why they left. Incredibly talented developers and researchers used to thrive in this community and now are expected to spoon-feed everyone. There has definitely been a paradigm shift and it's definitely sad to see. I miss the early days of Android and even back when this site was dedicated to WM5/6 on XDA devices. Competent users no longer contribute to this community and I really don't blame them. It's all about scripts and one-click tools and completely missing the point of XDA-DEVELOPERS
I know @Surge1223 would echo this sentiment, but to be honest, I highly doubt any change in the foreseeable future. In a couple years, I envision XDA as a wasteland of Root Bounty threads and people complaining about Xposed not working.

ryanbg said:
I've been a member of XDA since January of 2008, before 99% of the moderators had even heard of it, and before Android was released. Since then, the community has literally tumbled down to such a disappointing low. There's absolutely no incentive for developers to stick around anymore, and some of the members show such blatant disrespect for those who try to help them. Absolutely no one tries to learn how to do something as simple as learning how to use ADB. Another gripe I have with XDA is titles such as Recognized Contributor. Requiring a minimum post amount is quite a poor metric for contributions to the community. We should be judged based on content rather than quantity of low-quality/redundant posts.
For example, I applied for Recognized Contributor just because, after releasing a bootloader unlock for three Samsung devices along with another well-recognized and skilled developer, in addition to supporting the users who chose to utilize it. Before that, 95% of my posts are simply assisting members with accurate/relevant information or explaining various aspects of Android and hardware. I was denied because of post count.
This community used to be about learning and teaching, but the attitude and general reception of that ideology is long since past. The general attitude now is to self-serve and receive instant gratification. Look at people like Dan Rosenberg @djrbliss and ask them why they left. Incredibly talented developers and researchers used to thrive in this community and now are expected to spoon-feed everyone. There has definitely been a paradigm shift and it's definitely sad to see. I miss the early days of Android and even back when this site was dedicated to WM5/6 on XDA devices. Competent users no longer contribute to this community and I really don't blame them. It's all about scripts and one-click tools and completely missing the point of XDA-DEVELOPERS
I know @Surge1223 would echo this sentiment, but to be honest, I doubt I see any change every coming at this point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with this 100 percent. Also IMHO the post rule should be raised to 100 posts before posts in development. If they can contribute have them message the OP and if the OP thinks they can contribute then lift the limit for said user on said thread. I cannot tell you how many threads I just don't even bother reading after seeing a couple posts than are just as easily answered by googling questions.
Often even new R&D threads are just placeholders where people hope a "dev" will come chime in and then they can piggy back off of that. The whole culture has changed and its horrible and sad to see this. Also there is very little structure or general polling of those that drive the ideas and development this site thrives on. I definitely get the feeling the site is moving more towards generating traffic and less towards being a content driven site.
Sadly I think a lot of people are on board with the change.

ryanbg said:
I've been a member of XDA since January of 2008, before 99% of the moderators had even heard of it, and before Android was released. Since then, the community has literally tumbled down to such a disappointing low. There's absolutely no incentive for developers to stick around anymore, and some of the members show such blatant disrespect for those who try to help them. Absolutely no one tries to learn how to do something as simple as learning how to use ADB. Another gripe I have with XDA is titles such as Recognized Contributor. Requiring a minimum post amount is quite a poor metric for contributions to the community. We should be judged based on content rather than quantity of low-quality/redundant posts.
For example, I applied for Recognized Contributor just because, after releasing a bootloader unlock for three Samsung devices along with another well-recognized and skilled developer, in addition to supporting the users who chose to utilize it. Before that, 95% of my posts are simply assisting members with accurate/relevant information or explaining various aspects of Android and hardware. I was denied because of post count.
This community used to be about learning and teaching, but the attitude and general reception of that ideology is long since past. The general attitude now is to self-serve and receive instant gratification. Look at people like Dan Rosenberg @djrbliss and ask them why they left. Incredibly talented developers and researchers used to thrive in this community and now are expected to spoon-feed everyone. There has definitely been a paradigm shift and it's definitely sad to see. I miss the early days of Android and even back when this site was dedicated to WM5/6 on XDA devices. Competent users no longer contribute to this community and I really don't blame them. It's all about scripts and one-click tools and completely missing the point of XDA-DEVELOPERS
I know @Surge1223 would echo this sentiment, but to be honest, I doubt I see any change every coming at this point.
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Hi,
I understand your disappointment and frustration. Since we both joined XDA in 2008, XDA has grown to such a very large community that it needs very clear rules to be maintaned/managed as best as possible. Therefore it is for XDA not possible anymore to keep every member satisfied. Of course a lot has changed, sometimes leading to better results and sometimes not, but that's the reality. Besides that, the amount of different devices has grown enourmously, making the work of Mods, Admins and even higher not easier. I still see and know a lot of competent users who are willing to contribute to this community. I also know a lot of Mods and Admins with the best intentions to make XDA better. In summary: the purpose of this thread is to get/receive new ideas how to make XDA better organized in the future and/or add features to XDA that are now missing. That's my mission.
kindest regards, kuzibri