Related
I'm sure all of you are getting sick of the flood of questions that come in and the single question and answer thread is just too long to go through to find questions let alone answer them. Hopefully we can get enough people on board to let the moderators know that this is a welcome addition. Seeing as how many phones have highest number of threads in the Q&A section, I think it is a worthy addition.
Problems:
1) Lack of moderation - the volume of posts, especially from new users is higher than the what can reasonably be moderated by the current number of moderators.
2) Relevant threads containing real information are buried by new threads (many which are off topic or not posted in the correct forum)
3) The forum is disorganized, which exacerbates the issue of new users asking duplicate, off topic, poor, misinformed questions.
4) There is an incredible lack of information for new users on usage, which creates a contentious atmosphere between new users and senior members who re-answer the same questions over and over, most of the time about HOW to use the forum and search features.
5) User modifiable resources like the wiki are unknown or obfuscated from new and long time members alike, thus rarely used. (On a side note....we should all be using the wiki to push pertinent information, valueable posts, references and guides up so that noobs (and experienced users also) can find them easier.)
Proposed Solutions:
1) Create additional subforums to help organize posts into relevant categories. (I vote for at least Q&A. MOST popular forums on XDA have this, so there is certainly precedent.)
2) Better sticky posts, with clearer titles. "Hello from your moderator." is not as clear to a new user as "[MANDATORY README]-[FORUM RULES][QUESTIONS][INSTRUCTIONS][If you don't read this you will be flamed, harrassed, possibly shanked in your sleep!]" You are reading this thread because of the title...that or you saw the DVDA postfix...you sick sick bastard...either way I win.
3) More moderators. It is far too hard for Whosdaman to constantly update sticky posts with relevant info. It is up to everyone here to get that info out so we aren't bombarded with questions that have been answered a hundred times. Wiki anyone?
4) We have a great resource in user editable wiki. There is a lot of stuff that can be done BETTER on a wiki than in a 1000 post thread, like reference material, guides, and instructions. We need to make it obvious to ALL users that the wiki exists and get people on board with updating it. Threads are a great way to hash out possible solutions and have a group discussion, but a lot of times what people need is a reference or guide and they shouldn't have to search a 1000 post thread to pull the relevant information.
5) Original posters need to update their OP when new information is revealed or when there is misinformation in a post. Having a post that's title says your flash cell is about to explode only to have to read 600 posts to find out that this information is untrue helps no one. Discussion is GREAT. Misinformation is NOT, and only fuels the confusion and duplicate thread issues.
From The Front Line:
Thanks for the outpouring of support and ideas to help get the ball rolling. Several of our ideas have been recently implemented so I am really hoping for some good news next war update.
20110109: Woot! We now have Q&A. Thanks mods and supporters!
20110109: My social experiment of double entendre "sticky posts" has 2000 views in only a couple of days. I'm not going to call this one confirmed, but if it stopped even 1 bad thread it was worth it.
20110109: We have sticky wiki in all the subforums. Now we need to add content to the wiki before people stop using it.
One Last Thing:
There are very few things we can change with regard to how many new users visit this forum, or the knowledge level of these users. The only thing we CAN do is make what they need to do as obvious as possible to these users, so that we can spend more time coding and writing relevant posts, instead of redirecting people to the search button, or frustration flaming newbies.
+1 agreed. This is ridiculous, it's a clusterf**k in these forums. Q & A is exactly what we need.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
I will say yes to the q&a it will cause less clutter.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
No, Q&A IS the general forum. What is needed is a sticky in the general forum with a CLEAR and concise description of how to:
root
use Odin
use clockwork
flash themes
flash roms
battery saving methods
airplane mode trick
DRM services and how to stop them
and ANYTHING else that gets asked multiple times a day. I dont know if some sort of limited moderator status can be granted, but if so it would be nice for noobnl, Daemon and a bunch of others to have said status and be able to update this sticky at any time. I am sure there are a ton of people who would be glad to do it.
Then, what is needed is a sticky called FROYO SPECULATION, where EVERY thread that deals with speculation of the coming Froyo release is moved, and all discussion of that topic is directed.
muyoso said:
No, Q&A IS the general forum. What is needed is a sticky in the general forum with a CLEAR and concise description of how to:
root
use Odin
use clockwork
flash themes
flash roms
battery saving methods
airplane mode trick
DRM services and how to stop them
and ANYTHING else that gets asked multiple times a day. I dont know if some sort of limited moderator status can be granted, but if so it would be nice for noobnl, Daemon and a bunch of others to have said status and be able to update this sticky at any time. I am sure there are a ton of people who would be glad to do it.
Then, what is needed is a sticky called FROYO SPECULATION, where EVERY thread that deals with speculation of the coming Froyo release is moved, and all discussion of that topic is directed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what you are saying isn't wrong but i want one
muyoso said:
No, Q&A IS the general forum. What is needed is a sticky in the general forum with a CLEAR and concise description of how to:
root
use Odin
use clockwork
flash themes
flash roms
battery saving methods
airplane mode trick
DRM services and how to stop them
and ANYTHING else that gets asked multiple times a day. I dont know if some sort of limited moderator status can be granted, but if so it would be nice for noobnl, Daemon and a bunch of others to have said status and be able to update this sticky at any time. I am sure there are a ton of people who would be glad to do it.
Then, what is needed is a sticky called FROYO SPECULATION, where EVERY thread that deals with speculation of the coming Froyo release is moved, and all discussion of that topic is directed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is EXACTLY what the Wiki is for. But people either don't know about it, use it, or update it. Anyone can update the wiki. Leaving all of the cleanup to moderators isn't fair, or effective at getting stuff up quickly. There should be better indication to go to the wiki and more people need to start using it.
plapczyn said:
That is EXACTLY what the Wiki is for. But people either don't know about it, use it, or update it. Anyone can update the wiki. Leaving all of the cleanup to moderators isn't fair, or effective at getting stuff up quickly. There should be better indication to go to the wiki and more people need to start using it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats fine, but where the eff is the wiki? A person who just bought their epic and signed up would NEVER find it. There needs to be like a flashing light and have the font in size 4.2 million saying "Epic 4g XDA User Manual" or something like that.
muyoso said:
Thats fine, but where the eff is the wiki? A person who just bought their epic and signed up would NEVER find it. There needs to be like a flashing light and have the font in size 4.2 million saying "Epic 4g XDA User Manual" or something like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. Or a sticky at the top of ALL of the subforums linking to the wiki. There used to be a STICKYWIKI post, but the title got changed.
I agree the wiki needs serious editing and updating, and we should all be somewhat responsible. Maybe if you flame a newbie, you have to add a paragraph, like a swear jar smoothone, get typing hahaha.. sorry... had to... but I get the feeling you dont mind.
Honestly, I wish sprint would just say screw you, no froyo. This way, people would move on, keep developing, not thinking to wait on that elusive source code... and stop *****ing. The repeat questions, etc werent that bad until that stupid 26th thing brought a bunch of new people at once, so everyone here who was already waiting and annoyed, then get bombarded with new people who heard about XDA from engadget.
BTW... wheres those two who had those super secret sources?????? Kinda quiet....
Bloggers: do not cite an XDA member, or their word they have a good source unless they show you the goods! Somehow, everyone thinks XDA really knows more than the average joe... and dont trust Sprint sales info or personnel!!!!
Sure, let's create yet ANOTHER ignored forum that the mod(s) get to monitor and spend more time on while every single new user here ignores it and the search button just to post the question anyway.
Instead of making a new forum, we need another moderator added to help manage the forum.
And make a post count minimum to START a new thread!! Too many ppl coming over straight from google and, not knowing how to use xda (or their effen owners manual) to its fullest.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
othan1 said:
Sure, let's create yet ANOTHER ignored forum that the mod(s) get to monitor and spend more time on while every single new user here ignores it and the search button just to post the question anyway.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dumping questions to a Q&A forum creates less clutter for the other forums, thus relevant threads will more likely be in the first two pages.
lazydazed said:
And make a post count minimum to START a new thread!! Too many ppl coming over straight from google and, not knowing how to use xda (or their effen owners manual) to its fullest.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love that idea, but there are occasionally relevant posts from new users. I would like to think that not EVERYONE that initially comes to XDA is a moron. But I guess I'm a glass half full kind of guy.
It looks like a lot of people are in favor of it.
The Q&A forum will just be full of people asking the SAME QUESTIONS over and over and over again. Why not just create a sticky that either links to an updated wiki or better yet that lays out nicely how to do basic things with the Epic4g?
muyoso said:
The Q&A forum will just be full of people asking the SAME QUESTIONS over and over and over again. Why not just create a sticky that either links to an updated wiki or better yet that lays out nicely how to do basic things with the Epic4g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's ok, as long as the questions aren't in the other forums. But I agree, sticky to the wiki should be on all subforums.
Personally I don't care if the Q&A forum is filled with spam repost topics. All I, and others, want is for the it to be quarantined.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
muyoso said:
The Q&A forum will just be full of people asking the SAME QUESTIONS over and over and over again. Why not just create a sticky that either links to an updated wiki or better yet that lays out nicely how to do basic things with the Epic4g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That will happen in any forum. We do need a sticky, but don't expect that to stop the noobs from asking before reading.
I see that some of the other Galaxy phones here on xda have a Q&A in addition to a general section. General is used for general discussion and Q&A is for all questions. It seems like it would be more obvious for noobs to wander into the Q&A section to ask questions and hopefully save the mods some effort while also cleaning up our little corner of this website.
DiGi760 said:
That will happen in any forum. We do need a sticky, but don't expect that to stop the noobs from asking before reading.
I see that some of the other Galaxy phones here on xda have a Q&A in addition to a general section. General is used for general discussion and Q&A is for all questions. It seems like it would be more obvious for noobs to wander into the Q&A section to ask questions and hopefully save the mods some effort while also cleaning up our little corner of this website.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly my point. Also, as someone mentioned...the cycle of useless questions that cant be prevented will at least be quarantined.
So mf2112 just gave me the idea of making this thread. Thanks man!
I based this thread here and i just edited some of the lines to make it more XDA-related I HOPE THIS'LL HELP A LOT AND MAKE XDA MORE ORGANIZED
Also, if you are a NEW USER, you can just HIT THANKS instead of posting in this thread, other users might go suspicious and report you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, the FORUM RULES should be FOLLOWED
What's inside:
HOW TO MAKE A THREAD
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD POST
HOW TO ASK A GOOD QUESTION
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD POLL
HOW TO MAKE A THREAD
THINK OF A GOOD TOPIC
The best web forum threads are the ones that resonate with forum members. Shoot for something that hasn't been said before.
This will draw their attention, and bring them into your forum thread. The search function is your friend, to double check that your
idea, question, opinion, etc has not already been posted recently.
If you have a unique thread with unique content, you will get a much better response. Also remember that an illiterate thread,
such as "C4n u guyz halp mmeh, i got br!cKd.", will simply scare people off, or cause them to flame.
ADD A CATCHY/ATTRACTIVE TITLE
Your forum thread's title is your one shot at getting forum members interested in your topic. Being able to create an
interesting title is a basic marketing strategy. Titles that work well are often humorous, extremely clever, or just flat out blunt.
Titles should also explain the content of the thread. Creating titles such as "Problem!" or "Sigh..."
do not let members know what the problem is, or what you are sighing about. Make sure your post explains it.
also, you can check Better Titles and Thread Tags! for further details
INCORPORATE A POLL (if necessary)
Everyone has an opinion, and everyone also loves letting their voice be heard. By adding a poll to a thread,
you will encourage people to express their opinion. This often leads to debate, which is always good for the lifespan
of a forum thread, as long as it stays friendly.
Make sure your poll consists of plenty of options. Sometimes a Yes and No aren't enough.
Adding an "Unsure/Undecided" option will help keep a poll 'clean', as it gives members a third choice.
Often when unsure, they will simply pick one, but when given the option of "Unsure",
they will be able to chose what they really feel.
PARTICIPATE IN YOUR THREAD
People often create threads and forget about them. If you are active within your forum thread,
that will help keep it on the first page. This might inspire people to contribute to the thread if
they see the creator still involved with it. This does not in any way mean you should bump or
spam your thread, as that will simply scare or annoy some people away. Make sure your posts
further the constructive discussion, so as to continue on topic.
PICTURES/CODES
Everyone loves pictures. If the cake is a lie, then this fact is the opposite of cake. Are you posting
a support thread, regarding a bug? Post a picture/codes showing the bug! Add a picture that would
simplify/help us understand your problem or thread. Pictures attract people, as long as it keeps on topic.
MAKE READERS INTERESTED
One way to make readers want to continue reading your post is humor. Humor can go a long way, as long
as it makes sense and stays on topic. Pictures also keep interest, as well as a well-organized unique thread.
ORGANIZATION
An organized thread is a good thread. Using quotations, lists, and many paragraphs can make a large
wall of text seem much less intimidating. No one, I'm sure you will agree, wants to read a giant wall of text
with only two paragraphs and three periods. Commas, periods, lists, quotes, paragraphs,
and using clear English will make any thread a winner.
DOUBLE CHECK
Does this thread need to be created? Does it have a point? Have I mentioned everything I need to?
Has a similar thread already been created recently?
ADD TAGS
At the end of a thread, you can see "EDIT TAGS". Add tags to make your thread searchable!
also, you can check Better Titles and Thread Tags! for further details
...Last Step
So, now you're ready to hit that button at the bottom, and post your magnificent beauty, correct? Wrong.
Hit that preview button next to it! Do you have everything mentioned that you wanted to mention?
Is their anything else to add, or unneeded sentences to remove? Is there any typos to be fixed?
Is the thread readable, with paragraphs, periods, commas, and so on? Does the thread look good,
clean and organized? Would >you< want to read this thread, if you were in the shoes of another member?
Now, once you have done all that, it is time to post that wonderful thread of yours for others to see.
Congratulations, you just made a good thread! :highfive::highfive::highfive:
When making a thread, and posting in it, DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:
-Bump it with pointless posts, such as
"bump"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
,
"+1"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
,
"post people post!"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
, etc.
-Start a fight, simply because you do not agree with an opinion.
Ignore it completely, as this will simply let it die and goes to off topic.
**Now, remember, when making a thread, you do not need to use all of the above suggestions at once.
Too many pictures, jokes, and a poll in one can be overwhelming. You don't want to scare anyone away.
HOW TO POST
When posting in any thread, ask yourself the following:
Does this need to be posted? I often ask myself this question, and more often then not,
realize that the post I was making truly was not needed.
Will this post take the thread off topic, or help continue the constructiveness of the thread?
Will this post be beneficial to the thread?
Have I made my post illegible? Are there any typos? Is this simply a wall of unintelligible text?
Are there any similar posts posted before me? [Thanks ErnuB]
TIP:
NEVER quote a very long post :| unless you think it is necessary to do so.. [Thanks roofrider]
If you're confident you have covered all of the above, then you sir or madam, are ready to post :highfive:
HOW TO ASK A GOOD QUESTION
Now, sometimes you simply want to ask a question. There are many things to do BEFORE asking a question.
here are the following:
Try to find an answer by searching the forums, as many popular questions have already been answered.
Try to find an answer by searching the web for fansites and wikis with information that may help you..
Try to find an answer by reading the FAQ.
Try to find an answer by inspection or experimentation.
Try to find an answer by asking a skilled friend!
When all else fails, begin your question writing. Make sure to point out that you've done all of the above,
so you don't look like a lazy old minotaur! Also, always remember, GOOGLE and the SEARCH BAR ( found at the upper most right) are your BESTFRIENDS
Don't Panic!
Now, it's important not to panic, even if your question seems very important. A panicked question is a bad question.
Prepare Your Question
Think it through. Hasty-sounding questions get hasty answers, or none at all. The more you do to demonstrate
that having put thought and effort into solving your problem before seeking help, the more likely you are to actually get help.
Why isn't anyone helping?
Never assume you are entitled to an answer. You will earn an answer, if you earn it, by asking a
substantial, interesting, and thought-provoking question — one that implicitly contributes to the experience
of the community rather than merely passively demanding knowledge from others. Asking a bad question
will get you a bad answer, or none at all.
Wrong Question, |\|00|3! :|
Beware of asking the wrong question. If you ask one that is based on faulty assumptions, RandomGuy123
is quite likely to reply with a uselessly literal answer while thinking “Stupid question...”, and hoping the experience
of getting what you asked for rather than what you needed will teach you a lesson.
Or they will troll, flame, or insult you, which will get no one no where.
Speak English, not Engrish!
Another mistake is asking a question that is unreadable, written in l33t speak, or missing paragraphs,
commas, periods, and so on. Make sure the question is written clearly, and re-read it again. If no one can
understand the question, no one can answer it.
Should I post in an existing topic?
Make sure to remember, sometimes questions should be in posts, and sometimes in threads. It depends
on if a similar topic is active, and whether the question has been answered before. But remember,
do not hijack a small thread based on a question to begin with. Use your best judgment.
...Last Step
The last thing, is to post it in the correct section. If you have a question, then post it in the Q&A Section!
When asking a question, DO NOT DO THE FOLLOWING:
Quote
Post an unreadable or confusing question.
Panic when posting a question, writing it badly and hasty.
Bump your thread, asking "why hasn't anyone helped amahgod!".
Message or email random members begging for help.
Spam your question in multiple threads.
Spam the thread in multiple sections.
Now, go post that awesome question and get an awesome answer!
Here's another good guide:
[Guide/Info] What you need to include to get help
Additional Info: (thanks to It_ler)
If neither the question nor the answer can be found, then you have to find the proper place for posting your question.
Is there a forum for your device, then go to that forum.
Is there a dedicated Question & Answer (Q&A) sub forum, then go there.
Is there a thread for asking / even for new users, with many posts and the last post is from today, then go there and post your question there.
Or is your question/issue related to a special app, the post into the apps thread, is it related to a kernel, find the kernel (discussion) thread, or is it ROM related, then use the ROM thread.
This step is very important, as you have to find a place where your post will be seen by some experienced users which know the answer.
Then check the contents of your post itself.
Please think about the xda rules (no offence, no personal attack, English, etc.).
Describe as much as possible, what might be useful for others to think about the possible cause of your issue and a good solution to fix it or to give your the right answer.
What device/model, what app(s), what firmware version (ROM, kernel, modem, etc.), what was before, what is now, what have you done, what has happened in between, etc.
Maybe not all those information is really needed to solve the issue or give your the answer, but are you sure that it is not relevant?
If you are not sure, then provide this info.
Be polite, stay as "objective" as possible ... most of the time, emotions are not needed to solve the issue
Maybe you say something like "I would appreciate any kind of suggestion, even if it does not help to solve the issue for me.", or "Thanks in advance.".
It's a kind of motivation for other users to be confident to answer your post, even if they are not absolutely sure that it really can solve your issue.
HOW TO MAKE A GOOD POLL
Ask Yourself
Before creating a poll for your thread, ask yourself "Can my question easily be voted on with small answers, or should I simply
allow people to post their opinions without a poll?". Remember, not all threads and questions deserve polls.
Some need to be answered in long posts, or answers that could vary greatly and need more then 20 options.
Create a Poll That Fits
Your poll should fit your topic. Having a topic about if bullhorses are fast enough, and then asking in your poll
"Do Steppe Horses need nerfed?", is not a good first step to getting good, accurate results.
Options Matter
You should always have plenty of answer options. "Yes" and "No" are good to begin with, but you need
to have more then that for accurate results. Someone who is not sure or has a different answer might chose
yes or no, when they would rather chose different.
For "Are bullhorses fast enough?" You could have "Yes", "No", "Undecided/Unsure".
For "Do you think this idea will help?" you could have "Yes", "No", "Undecided/Unsure", "I have a different idea and will post it below."
Do Not Post a Joke Option
Having a joke option, such as "Goat" or "Bewbz" can be funny, but will severely damage the accuracy of the poll results.
Restrain yourself from posting a joke option if you want real results.
Have Good, Easy to Understand Options
Have options that people can chose easily and understand. Using "yes" and "no" rather then "i guess, lol, whateverhahahaha"
and "whatever" will get you more voters and better results by far.
thank you,
a very well detailed guide indeed,
you are amazing. .thank you!
thank you.
it's useful for me.:good:
rainbow9 said:
thank you.
it's useful for me.:good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
no problem glad to know it helps
Good initiative, will be added to the [Newbies][Recognized Contributors] New members friendly Q&A thread... will be really helpful for the newbies.
Sent from Nyarlathothep's SGSII..."Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn"
INDEXED in [INDEX of GUIDES/TUTORIALS] SGS2 GT-I9100 [31/08/2012]
Any Doubt, please don't hessitate to ask.
Loved it. Good guide :thumbup:
sent from the thing I stab with my finger when I get two minutes
Great thread. One of the mods needs to give it some glue
Thanks credits to mf2112 for the awesome idea
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
Well done mate.
Thanks for helping out the newbies (myself included )
gsainath4u said:
Well done mate.
Thanks for helping out the newbies (myself included )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to help out
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
thank you we needed it
mburaksayici said:
thank you we needed it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hope you are guided well by this thread
saywhatt said:
HOW TO POST
When posting in any thread, ask yourself the following:
Does this need to be posted? I often ask myself this question, and more often then not,
realize that the post I was making truly was not needed.
Will this post take the thread off topic, or help continue the constructiveness of the thread?
Will this post be beneficial to the thread?
Have I made my post illegible? Are there any typos? Is this simply a wall of unintelligible text?
Should I have a cookie before work?
If you're confident you have covered all of the above, then you sir or madam, are ready to post :highfive:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would add one more question, has anyone else posted the same?
particularly when you're answering a question
ErnuB said:
I would add one more question, has anyone else posted the same?
particularly when you're answering a question
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Woops.. forgot that part. Thanks!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium
saywhatt said:
HOW TO ASK A GOOD QUESTION
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just as a small addition:
If neither the question nor the answer can be found, then you have to find the proper place for posting your question.
Is there a forum for your device, then go to that forum.
Is there a dedicated Question & Answer (Q&A) sub forum, then go there.
Is there a thread for asking / even for new users, with many posts and the last post is from today, then go there and post your question there.
Or is your question/issue related to a special app, the post into the apps thread, is it related to a kernel, find the kernel (discussion) thread, or is it ROM related, then use the ROM thread.
This step is very important, as you have to find a place where your post will be seen by some experienced users which know the answer.
Then check the contents of your post itself.
Please think about the xda rules (no offence, no personal attack, English, etc.).
Describe as much as possible, what might be useful for others to think about the possible cause of your issue and a good solution to fix it or to give your the right answer.
What device/model, what app(s), what firmware version (ROM, kernel, modem, etc.), what was before, what is now, what have you done, what has happened in between, etc.
Maybe not all those information is really needed to solve the issue or give your the answer, but are you sure that it is not relevant?
If you are not sure, then provide this info.
Be polite, stay as "objective" as possible ... most of the time, emotions are not needed to solve the issue
Maybe you say something like "I would appreciate any kind of suggestion, even if it does not help to solve the issue for me.", or "Thanks in advance.".
It's a kind of motivation for other users to be confident to answer your post, even if they are not absolutely sure that it really can solve your issue.
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...
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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
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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
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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
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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...
Click to collapse
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.
Yes, i know that everyone of you (examples below) have very important question, that deserves separate thread, but, for God sake, don't spam the forum!!! (yes, my thread is meant to be provocative...). There is Q And A for Ace II thread for most of that questions...
Examples:
"[Q] How to root Ace gt-i8160 with BTU MC8?" (yes, it freakin' special technique to root phone working on that firmware)
"[Q] It is possible Update to JB?" (oh yeah, nobody answers that question so far, it required new thread)
"[Q] PIT?" (yes, that question probably would be ignored in q & a thread... the same way its ignored in separate thread)
"[Q] Change camera settings?" (veeeery important, no comment)
and so on...
Am I the only one here tired of all that spam?
judas1977 said:
Yes, i know that everyone of you (examples below) have very important question, that deserves separate thread, but, for God sake, don't spam the forum!!! (yes, my thread is meant to be provocative...). There is Q And A for Ace II thread for most of that questions...
Examples:
"[Q] How to root Ace gt-i8160 with BTU MC8?" (yes, it freakin' special technique to root phone working on that firmware)
"[Q] It is possible Update to JB?" (oh yeah, nobody answers that question so far, it required new thread)
"[Q] PIT?" (yes, that question probably would be ignored in q & a thread... the same way its ignored in separate thread)
"[Q] Change camera settings?" (veeeery important, no comment)
and so on...
Am I the only one here tired of all that spam?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1 :good:
I totally feel you man. People are behaving here like it's some technical support not respecting the rules they agreed to accept while registering here. Constant mess, chatting in threads, useless posts about personal feelings, asking questions which require spending 10 seconds with Google or forum search function. But the saddest thing here is that it seems like people who want to keep forums clean are actually minority here. Or at least they are instantly quenched by those who have to quote entire-page-long post to say only "thanks" and are raged about being offended and abused.
Sigint89 said:
I totally feel you man. People are behaving here like it's some technical support not respecting the rules they agreed to accept while registering here. Constant mess, chatting in threads, useless posts about personal feelings, asking questions which require spending 10 seconds with Google or forum search function. But the saddest thing here is that it seems like people who want to keep forums clean are actually minority here. Or at least they are instantly quenched by those who have to quote entire-page-long post to say only "thanks" and are raged about being offended and abused.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. Its like they're on Facebook or this forums is like a social networking site to them.
Ask the forum moderators to make this thread a sticky. So that everyone can see it.
How about if we just ignore (and report) any new useless thread and be a little more active in the Q&A Thread?
Sent from my GT-I8160 using xda app-developers app
uchihakurtz said:
How about if we just ignore (and report) any new useless thread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a good solution. Were not annoyed but the mods are. What do think? LOL.
Leave them alone and just try and point them to the right direction. If they do it again, report that user. I'm active on Q and A but some are just "you know" I don't really want to talk to people who you'd still have to walk through every little detail. I'm not good with explaining myself so I tend to ignore posts that ask me to do just that.
Sent from my GT-I8160 using xda app-developers app
very right. i don't know why any people always post a new post to ask? some question is spam! made our forum is do not beautiful, it's make messy and not subtle. I know if always report any spam question make they be bothered. i don't think out solution for now
YEAH! thats is why i created the All about ace2 for GB and JB to lessen this problem anyway its way to many to report each same question or post
I'll try to enlighten all of you... BECAUSE THE Q&A THREAD DOESN'T WORK!!!
Until I see a forum moderator saying that all the question should be posted there I will never do it again (only done it once) and I'll explain why:
1. To make any Q&A thread work we would expect someone to maintain and index on it, but this isn't the case here.
2. Posts are ignored because they get lost in all the discussions going on there.
3. Answers are lost because most of the time no one knows if the answer is to your question or to the question 2 posts below yours.
4. Search is impossible if you don't know the exact words used.
Maybe the reasons above are part of the motive other devices have a specific areas for questions, like "Galaxy Ace S5830 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting" that have 3000 posts in it... Trying to make it all fit on 1 thread is completely useless and extremely confusing. No one can expect a user to go thru 100 pages trying to find an answer to his question.
Now picking up on the 1st question, let me make another one...
Why do some users in this forum spend more time "demanding" people to post where they think is right other then helping people?
If we were a bit more friendly maybe more people would stay and help out, instead we just drive people out with this kind of aggressive and unjustified comments.
mcjpt said:
I'll try to enlighten all of you... BECAUSE THE Q&A THREAD DOESN'T WORK!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have right, partially.
But the questions are left without answers for several reasons:
- the answer was posted before
- nobody know the answer
- the answer is easy to achieve just by checking by oneself.
mcjpt said:
Why do some users in this forum spend more time "demanding" people to post where they think is right other then helping people?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you see a policeman helping a thief to break the law only for one reason: to be nice, kind and helpful?? And this is what you propose.
Answering your question: Because i want to keep our subforum CLEAN. How many of that "new question threads" was already answered (sometimes in SEPARATE, dedicated thread)? And what you propose is to help other breaking the rules.
mcjpt said:
If we were a bit more friendly maybe more people would stay and help out, instead we just drive people out with this kind of aggressive and unjustified comments.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are forums where people are banned for breaking rules, trust me, and "illegall threads" land where it belongs: in trashcan.
Chill out! Just go here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2321168 why?
simple... almost any developments are here pack in one for easy access.. to make it less confusing..
mcjpt said:
I'll try to enlighten all of you... BECAUSE THE Q&A THREAD DOESN'T WORK!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? I think it doesn't work because people like you never learn. Questions are answered there - that's the purpose. And that purpose is served.
Questions are lost because some can't answer them, or its too easy if you learned to read and simply because the question itself is dumb (the answer is obvious yet they choose to post it)
mcjpt said:
Until I see a forum moderator saying that all the question should be posted there I will never do it again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually, one of our forum mods, The Captain - is reminding new users to post on the Q and A thread then he locks the thread.
mcjpt said:
4. Search is impossible if you don't know the exact words used.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uhhm. I use search and never had any problems so far. I'm guessing you really don't know how to use a search engine productively.
mcjpt said:
Maybe the reasons above are part of the motive other devices have a specific areas for questions, like "Galaxy Ace S5830 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting" that have 3000 posts in it... Trying to make it all fit on 1 thread is completely useless and extremely confusing. No one can expect a user to go thru 100 pages trying to find an answer to his question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since we don't have a section like that, I think its better to use a single thread. thus searching would be faster.
mcjpt said:
Why do some users in this forum spend more time "demanding" people to post where they think is right other then helping people?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In all honesty, I usually tell the user the answer and direct them to the q and a thread for any other questions irrelevant to the question on the thread.
Galaxy Ace II [SakuraDroid] via Tapatalk 4 Beta
A thread dedicated to this has its problems.
First off, its huge. You cant look at someone that maybe has the same requirements as you and see what other people said about it. A typical example is a lot of people that want to switch to a Nexus phone. It would be easier to search for that in that section, see what people say and then not have to make the same thing again
Second, way too many posts. Similar to one but if the thread is on page 1000 and some posts a thread saying "What phone do I get?" later another 10 people post the same thing and we are on page 1001. Everything on page 1000 gets lost because noone looks thru them. You would have to double post.
A dedicated section where people can post threads on what device they are look for wouldnt clutter the forums and would let everyone express what they are looking for.
@riahc3, instead of making new threads, please consider posting your recommendations in this thread dedicated to that purpose.
ИΘΘK¡€ said:
@riahc3, instead of making new threads, please consider posting your recommendations in this thread dedicated to that purpose.
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...did you even read my post...?
riahc3 said:
...did you even read my post...?
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Click to collapse
I most certainly did.
...did you even click on the link and find out what thread I asked you to post in...?
ИΘΘK¡€ said:
@riahc3, instead of making new threads, please consider posting your recommendations in this thread dedicated to that purpose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ИΘΘK¡€ said:
I most certainly did.
...did you even click on the link and find out what thread I asked you to post in...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are redirecting me to a similar thread with the same problem; It is a bit more understandable as the staff should read every single suggestion and respond to them.
The device thread is stupid because it is by members for members. There is no obligation.
Basically you are answering my request for a solution to a thread with a problem by redirecting me to a thread with the same problem. Thats why I doubt you read my post.
riahc3 said:
You are redirecting me to a similar thread with the same problem; It is a bit more understandable as the staff should read every single suggestion and respond to them.
The device thread is stupid because it is by members for members. There is no obligation.
Basically you are answering my request for a solution to a thread with a problem by redirecting me to a thread with the same problem. Thats why I doubt you read my post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, I see your point. Touché, my good sir.
I just recommended you posting this request in that thread because as moderators and admins frequent that thread more than the About XDA forum as a whole, your opinion might get seen and considered more quickly than in this individual thread.
riahc3 said:
A thread dedicated to this has its problems.
First off, its huge. You cant look at someone that maybe has the same requirements as you and see what other people said about it. A typical example is a lot of people that want to switch to a Nexus phone. It would be easier to search for that in that section, see what people say and then not have to make the same thing again
Second, way too many posts. Similar to one but if the thread is on page 1000 and some posts a thread saying "What phone do I get?" later another 10 people post the same thing and we are on page 1001. Everything on page 1000 gets lost because noone looks thru them. You would have to double post.
A dedicated section where people can post threads on what device they are look for wouldnt clutter the forums and would let everyone express what they are looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Firstly, there are 3 threads dedicated towards this subject. You're well aware of this because you've been told this, and have posted in one. And now you're complaining again, because your question, which you have already asked wasn't immediately after you posted it after the majority of people qualified to (re)answer your question are in bed, asleep.
Secondly, your "solution" of dedicating a forum for individual threads is hardly a solution. Your complaint is that posts get buried and never get answered. For one thing, this is not true. For another thing, if this is your complaint, what the heck makes you think that dozens of individual threads won't get buried? With the combined amount of posts in these threads, every day would create a new page or 2 in a subforum if they were made as individual threads. It's the same "problem", only multiplied and organized into a subforum rather than a few dedicated threads. Furthermore, it's very easy for me to read through new posts in a thread, but far more tedious to open multiple threads to read and perhaps reply individually, whereas in a single thread I can multi-quote and make several replies easily and in a tidy manner.
I think it's fine just the way it is. If anything, 3 is too many threads, since 2 of them are quite redundant, but since they're both in Q&A sections, (one General, one Android), I can see the reasoning for having one in each, if only to keep down on the clutter you insist you're entitled to making.
Wanna know what device to get? It is simple. Do your research and pic a device that fits what you need it to do. Flashing roms are not important, what devices works for others is not important. It is all up to you and what you plan on to do with the device. If you main plan is to flash roms with it then you might want to rethink the need for it.
There is no need for another forum.
If your not willing to read threw threads then you shouldn't be here in the first place. If you have an issue with said device and dont search and read threw to find the answer and then ask it anyway you are asking to be flamed to no end.
Remember this is a developers site.
zelendel said:
Wanna know what device to get? It is simple. Do your research and pic a device that fits what you need it to do. Flashing roms are not important, what devices works for others is not important. It is all up to you and what you plan on to do with the device. If you main plan is to flash roms with it then you might want to rethink the need for it.
There is no need for another forum.
If your not willing to read threw threads then you shouldn't be here in the first place. If you have an issue with said device and dont search and read threw to find the answer and then ask it anyway you are asking to be flamed to no end.
Remember this is a developers site.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well said.
riahc3 said:
A thread dedicated to this has its problems.
First off, its huge. You cant look at someone that maybe has the same requirements as you and see what other people said about it. A typical example is a lot of people that want to switch to a Nexus phone. It would be easier to search for that in that section, see what people say and then not have to make the same thing again
Second, way too many posts. Similar to one but if the thread is on page 1000 and some posts a thread saying "What phone do I get?" later another 10 people post the same thing and we are on page 1001. Everything on page 1000 gets lost because noone looks thru them. You would have to double post.
A dedicated section where people can post threads on what device they are look for wouldnt clutter the forums and would let everyone express what they are looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Second (clutter) thread I have addressed of yours...
Why not post your thoughts here to the Admins & Moderators, vice making a new thread (clutter)....
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1976627
And or read Zel's Post #8 of this thread.