if you have any ideas about the forums, please post here! Current Considerations 1) Build me a system forums 2) Babe forums - this would have strict rules!
Be warned that you will need someone daily to check if the pictures come within the rules because they won't ! ....I can do it
Don't worry about it. Let me be the administrator of that forum and everything will be just fine! I'll check them before anyone sees them!
It's a good idea since we get a lot of these threads. It'll be easier to look for solutions to a specific problem we have that way.
It'd be good to have an FAQ to cover concept questions in a forum like that. Pre-emptively answer questions like "Why is a PSU important?"
In otherwords, cover basic misconceptions about computers. i.e. why a GeForce FX 5200 with 256MB of RAM is not better than a GeForce 5900XT with only 128MB of RAM.
Do something to make all these guests join. It's kinda weird when there's two members on and 45 guests.
Well, we could do that, but I know personally, I like to see what's in the forum I'm visiting before I sign up. It also helps that people don't need to ask questions about a problem if they can find the answer on the forums. By allowing people to see the forums makes it easier to see what's going on. Now, we could limit viewing of off-topic and non PC hardware/software forums to members only, but we really haven't done that. Now, we don't allow unregistered people to post...which makes it easier as far as dealing with the isolated incidents of repeated flaming or the occasional guy coming here purely to site pimp. You can also look at the list of people who have signed up and haven't posted anything. The extra 45 people may be 45 extra members who don't contribute. If we could make them contributing forum members somehow, that'd be great, but really...well impossible.
what about a system where guests get, say 5 free posts to do whatever with, and then they need to register to carry on? Or maybe like a 10 thread view limit before all forums are closed til you register.
That's a good question. I don't know if there's a mod for vB to do that or not, but since this method would likely be based on the person's IP address, dial-up users would get around this by simply logging off. Cable and DSL users could get around it by disconnecting and then reconnecting the modem from the line in. Cookies might work, but then again, you can manually clear them too. I'm not saying I'm for or against it, but I'm wondering how realistic it is in actual application. With registered users, it's one thing, because we are able to modify settings across the board. Probably the easiest thing we could do is disable access to non-registered folks in the three following areas: -Tech, Lifestyle, and Entertainment -Community Zone -Network Feedback The reason I suggest those are because they're more of a chit-chat area, not the PC hardware and software that people need help with. To me, it doesn't feel right to exclude people from getting help with their problem. I have much less of an issue keeping someone from the various off-topic parts of the forum that don't really have the PC answers. Suggestions are great, guys, so keep them coming. Just know that they may not be feesible to implement sometimes.
thanks for the ideas Only allowing to view xx threads is a great idea, but the reason it won't be possible is because search engines index our forums content, so only allowing xx views would mean the search engines would only index xx pages and then can't index anymore. e.g. if you search for "[google]Scratch Volume on PS7?[/google]" or "[google]I Wet Myself :$" Program..[/google]" recent topics on the forums, it appears first on google.com Now if google came to the site and indexd 5 threads, it can't index anymore! so searching for "[google]I Wet Myself :$" Program..[/google]" won't list our site! the same applies to off-topic forums, anything that gets listed in the seach engines is a good thing... it is possible that users can only view the actual thread title only or how about users can only view the first post and has to register to see the replies? other possible ways are, thats if you want to help out?! - tell you'r friends - if you are registered at other forums, link back to hardware forums! more ideas are welcome!
Using my posts as an example...I'm honoured...:good: Good point. Some site's have part of the page distorted, sentences mixed up etc, and the only way to read the whole article is to register. It could work....