How about creating a TECH FAQ for Canon gear ?

[Panza]

As i suggested in another thread (question about teleconverters):

We should create a FAQ that has it's own link on top of the forum pages among the Usage FAQ etc. This will hopefully save people (newbies to the forum) from having to ask the same questions that has been asked numerous times before.

If the moderators think this is a good idea too, I think people should add topics that should be included in the FAQ to this thread. After a given amount of time someone could arrange the Qestions and answers in a suitable manner and make a FAQ page.

Good idea ? :idea:

[sGu]

definitely good idea, i'm a bit annoyed by those same questions after a while

[tommykjensen]

Yes I think that is a good idea and I even have a suggestion as to how it could look like.

Have a look here at the resulting FAQ

http://www.sc-resources.net/sc_faq.php


And this is how users contribute (Please do NOT post anything in this faq - unless You are a Peregrine ServiceCenter expert that know everything about that :wink: )

http://www.sc-resources.net/sc_faq_contrib.php


This is a modification to the phpBB software so it will blend in very nicely with the style of the site and it comes with admin panel so admins/moderators can approve/disapprove contributions and categorize them, rearrange them and so on.

[CyberDyneSystems]

.. we have made an effort on this in the past.. in addition to this thread;

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20580#127451

There is actually a seperate forum allready in existance that is dedicated to this effort. :wink:

I'd love to see enthusiasm and effort for this task rekindled. 8) 8) 8)

************************************************** *


At the risk of being a "downer" I would like to get some of the hurtels that I perceive out in front.

Here are three hurtles we need to overcome.

1> Essentially.. I think we need someone to take the reighns of this project.

2> In addition we need at least two skills.

A: An individual or individuals who can take the info and use it to produce the actual text of a FAQ.

B: Individuals who can do the "software stuff" (another technical term) and make as complete a package of it as possible so that we can ask Pekka to then plug this FAQ in as easily as possible.

3> We need to pray to whatever god's we belive in that we aren't doing this for nothing.

Apperently it is far more difficult than I had ever imagined it would be to get people to actually read any of this stuff we are proposing to spend so much time on. (And this is just the pessimist in me speaking, but the pessimist of expierience)

I just typed up the simple "T-Con Info Sticky" and followed it with a request for additional contribution and a warning that all asked and answered questions will be deleted, that only contributed additional info should be posted. This was all quite clear in bold and italics etc.

The result?

A "Top Contibuter" with over 2,000 posts who should know better replied within a few minutes and asked the same exact T-con question that prompted me to write the sticky in the first place. (ie will my camera AF with the 2X t-con)

Apperently it was too much trouble to actually read the post that he was replying too.. so he just asked again.

Needless to say,. at one point I was 100% behind creating a FAQ,. now I am dubious as to it's usefullness :(


Anyway.. my points are only ones of caution.

I do not in any wish to disuade,. in fact I whole heartedly encourage. I just want to prepare those of you willing to make the commitment for what is ahead.

If there are members who wish to tackle this project,. Post here and how you can help. I'll do what I can to help as well. :)

Bravo Panza, sGu, and Tommy for bringing this up 8) :D

[tommykjensen]

CDS I hear You, I have for 2 years struggled to get an active FAQ going on my site, the links I provided. But sofar my results have been depressing.

One thing I do know is that to get this going it require active participation from both skilled and newbies. Because the pro's around here have a lot of knowledge but may not be able to see the questions that should go in the FAQ - that is where the newbies come in. I know this from my own experience with my own site, although I have alot of expertknowledge on that subject I can't think up all the things that need to go into a FAQ because a lot of knowledge I just take for granted and I bet the same goes for the pro's around here.

As for the technical side I am as I have offered earlier willing to help in any way I can and my time permits. Since I have been trying to get a FAQ going on my own site I have lots of ideas about how it could looke like - my biggest problem is that I am better at modifying existing code than to develop new advanced and safe code from the ground.



A "Top Contibuter" with over 2,000 posts who should know better replied within a few minutes and asked the same exact T-con question that prompted me to write the sticky in the first place. (ie will my camera AF with the 2X t-con)
Well that is the kind of person that can/will ruin a project like this.

[samdring]

As an alternative, we could just have the mods and toppers tasked with waiting for my idiot questions, directing me to the approriate link and receiving my heart-felt thanks

But you know, there is something really refreshing about hearing the same question time and time again - I always sleep well after a session here :wink: