FAQ Section

[Lester Wareham]

A lot of sections include stickies at the top with useful often repeated info.
These stickies fall into a number of categories including forum behaviour, posting rules and standard replies to the sort of questions asked by newbies.

Of course when we get too many stickies the new messages get pushed a long way down the page.

In a recent discussion (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=367562) it has been suggested that a new "FAQ" forum section might be a better solution. Then each forum section can have a single sticky with an index of links to the relevant FAQ in the FAQ forum.

So I am putting this thread out to see what the response is.

If positive we will need a mod who will set-up and possibly maintain the FAQ forum.

[tommykjensen]

This is a good idea and I look forward to a good constructive discussion about this. I hope we can get many of the really knowledgeable members here to contribute.

[CyberDyneSystems]

This could be a great way to handle the FAQ thing..

So Lester, you are volunteering to be the FAQ Mod? :)

Re; Stickies, here's what we do in the meantime,.
Somone posts and excellent post on a subject like UV/Protection filters,. and they either bring it to Mods attention or we just happen to come across it,. and hey presto, it gets added to the appropriate Stick/FAQ thread,.

No it does not get the attention it deserves, but it's been the "stop gap" for a few years now.

FYI Lester,
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=3795530#post3795530

;)

[Lester Wareham]

This could be a great way to handle the FAQ thing..

So Lester, you are volunteering to be the FAQ Mod? :)

Re; Stickies, here's what we do in the meantime,.
Somone posts and excellent post on a subject like UV/Protection filters,. and they either bring it to Mods attention or we just happen to come across it,. and hey presto, it gets added to the appropriate Stick/FAQ thread,.

No it does not get the attention it deserves, but it's been the "stop gap" for a few years now.

FYI Lester,
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=3795530#post3795530

;)


Do I want to be the FAQ Mod, I don't know, possibly, PM me and tell me what you thinks involved. I don't have as much time as I did last year but if I can spare enough time to do it properly I'll give it a go.

[tim]

I wrote an FAQ on enlarging images and it didn't end up anywhere... link in my sig.

[Lester Wareham]

I wrote an FAQ on enlarging images and it didn't end up anywhere... link in my sig.

I think the protocol is to PM a mod and ask them to make it sticky, I am currently waiting for CDS to come online and stick my latest effort, fingers crossed.

[John_B]

Lester Wareham,
I am not a mod but just thought I would let you know my opinion on your idea.
I think its a great idea, and it would help clean up the forums (with only 1 sticky per forum), and yet all the info is available. Would the FAQ forum be able to post in or should it be just for viewing? ??? If just for viewing it would probably need less full time work :)

[tim]

I think the protocol is to PM a mod and ask them to make it sticky, I am currently waiting for CDS to come online and stick my latest effort, fingers crossed.

PM'd PhotosGuy, he said there were too many stickies and I can't edit the forum FAQ post to add it.

[Lester Wareham]

PM'd PhotosGuy, he said there were too many stickies and I can't edit the forum FAQ post to add it.

Ahh, OK. Well that is something we could resolve with this FAQ forum.

[Scottes]

I wrote an FAQ on enlarging images and it didn't end up anywhere... link in my sig.
I just added it to a list of Post-Processing Tutorials thread:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138533

[tim]

Thanks Scottes.

[Lester Wareham]

PM'd PhotosGuy, he said there were too many stickies and I can't edit the forum FAQ post to add it.

I have run into similar problems with my protective filters FAQ (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=368177), PM'd a couple of mods but it still has not been stuck - 'tis slightly demotivating.

[Pekka]

I have run into similar problems with my protective filters FAQ (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=368177), PM'd a couple of mods but it still has not been stuck - 'tis slightly demotivating.

Sorry I just missed your PM, I stickied it.

[Pete]

An excellent idea. But I guess that moving the stickies to another location might prevent people from seeing them right off the bat. The end result might be that people won't bother to look at or drill down to the relevant FAQ and post their oft-repeated question or observation (or baby photographer joke) yet again.

A cynical observer might also suggest that's exactly what people do already....

[Lester Wareham]

An excellent idea. But I guess that moving the stickies to another location might prevent people from seeing them right off the bat. The end result might be that people won't bother to look at or drill down to the relevant FAQ and post their oft-repeated question or observation (or baby photographer joke) yet again.

A cynical observer might also suggest that's exactly what people do already....

I think a cynical observer is probably right, so it probably does not mater how many levels of indirection there are, although I was only proposing one.

I think the FAQs would be used like the stickies are, linked to when the OP raises a question.

[Pete]

I think a cynical observer is probably right, so it probably does not mater how many levels of indirection there are, although I was only proposing one.

I think the FAQs would be used like the stickies are, linked to when the OP raises a question.

Perfect. Just by nature, when people are told to look in a location, they'll generally read and investigate. However, people aren't generally too hot on how to effectively search for information and will give up pretty early on and just ask their question.

I guess there could be a argument for locking a thread once it's been replied to by posting the FAQ link.