Can we "Infract" people who dont use SEARCH feature?

[madbullram]

How do we facilitate the habit of using search feature?

Hi all,
I am actually spending 60% of time in merging threads and asking people to use search feature. its really getting time consuming and actually sometime is quite irritating. I have seen our HFv members are also repeatedly telling people to search but people just dont care!

Can we infract members who starts new topics (without searching) which has been discussed if they dont have a good reason for starting a new thread?

Infraction will be given:
1. If the new topic is already discussed
2. There is a no valid reason for having another topic with the same title

Will not be given:
1. If there is a valid reason. This needs to specific in the first thread so that we know why this thread was started
2. If the thread was started bcos a relevant thread was too old

what do you guys think?
Any other ideas?

Update: Have changed the title to a more open on so we can discuss what we can do to facilitate/enforce using search key?

 

[thevortex]

Mostly it is the newbies who do this - post without searching. So, if we have a system a la' TeamBHP that people who have less than 50 posts can start a thread only after approval, I think that would work well.

In fact we should have a sticky which documents exactly what warrants opening a new thread in one of the topical sections (everything except General Chit Chat I guess).

I dont know if the infraction thing will really work. New members may not care about reputations.

 

[denom]

MBR, pls do the needful as this is truly getting irritating, the latest case in point Onkyo 3300 queries.... followed by Norge & wharfedale 9.2

 

[suprateep]

min 50 posts required to start a thread is all fine....infracting is not - I am on teamBHP as well - that forum takes it too far.

PS: it seems that I am the only guy who thinks this is a bad idea. Anyway there are enough people on this forum who would open threads showign off speakers, equipment, eyewear, underwear etc - hope people get the flow. Take care of known evils first.

 

[Kittu]

+1 on Pana and LG TVS :indifferent14:

 

[dgtl887]

Mostly it is the newbies who do this - post without searching. So, if we have a system a la' TeamBHP that people who have less than 50 posts can start a thread only after approval, I think that would work well.

I'm against that kind of system. It discourages newbies from fully participating in this forum. I have often signed up with a forum, and found that my powers were limited. It puts me off. For example - if I lurk around the forum for a while (as I had) and then sign up to ask some specific question, I wouldn't be able to do that for some time. Just my opinion..

 

[pavanhifi]

MBR, pls do the needful as this is truly getting irritating, the latest case in point Onkyo 3300 queries.... followed by Norge & wharfedale 9.2

I think old members would never start new threads without a need. Newbies would mostly make that mistake and you don't want to welcome them with a "infraction" Even if you do, they would either not care or feel ashamed and go away for ever. That does not solve the problem.

I think a workable solution is to warn people that their posts may remain unanswered if they don't follow the forum rules. And do that at a confirmation screen of a new post if possible. Slowly, there would be more moderators, more senior folks so that one person don't feel burdened.

 

[entsurgeon]

Mostly it is the newbies who do this - post without searching. So, if we have a system a la' TeamBHP that people who have less than 50 posts can start a thread only after approval, I think that would work well.

In fact we should have a sticky which documents exactly what warrants opening a new thread in one of the topical sections (everything except General Chit Chat I guess).

I dont know if the infraction thing will really work. New members may not care about reputations.

infraction is too harsh.
for ppl having less than 100 posts, posting a new thread on approval is good.... PLUS if the thread isn t approved coz a similar thread already exists, an automatically generated pm should be sent to user stating the same and recommending search.
i also m on xbhp n teambhp, and its really frustrating to know your thread not been approved for god knows what reason, or if the topic is merged/shifted.
plz note that hifivision provides eccentric n seasoned music/av buffs a unique platform and interaction with best and selfless minds from across the nation.
depriving anyone of the participation is bad.
i am new and i do care for my reputation here. coz in the first week of joining hfv, i knew what i d mis if i am barred.

 

[denom]

I think old members would never start new threads without a need. Newbies would mostly make that mistake and you don't want to welcome them with a "infraction" Even if you do, they would either not care or feel ashamed and go away for ever. That does not solve the problem.

I think a workable solution is to warn people that their posts may remain unanswered if they don't follow the forum rules. And do that at a confirmation screen of a new post if possible. Slowly, there would be more moderators, more senior folks so that one person don't feel burdened.

This only increases the workload of the mods, who have to painstakingly PM the thread starters each & very time someone(new or old member) posts a 'new' thread asking the same query which has already been replied to in another thread. I doubt even addition of mods will solve this prob as no one has that amount of time to do this again & again. Not to forget unnecessary posts by helpful members asking them to use the search feature or repeating the same answer yet again, which few of our members have the patience to do & continue doing so(salute to their patience)!

What could be done is lay utmost stress on using the search feature to see whether the query one has, has been answered before in the forum or not. To do that & enforce it in the strictest sense would be the best way out.
Just my opinion, feel free to add & provide a better solution

 

[spirovious]

Newbies mostly joins only in need & they dont read rest threads which are similar.Often they are in Hurry.This is not true with all new members.But we need to take steps.
I have seen many threads for "speakers required for Denon amp(1910/2310)" when already few threads are on.
Similar thread on Televisions.

Approval before starting new thread can be the best option for Newbie-Threads.

 

[thevortex]

I'm against that kind of system. It discourages newbies from fully participating in this forum. I have often signed up with a forum, and found that my powers were limited. It puts me off. For example - if I lurk around the forum for a while (as I had) and then sign up to ask some specific question, I wouldn't be able to do that for some time. Just my opinion..

Actually it is just a way to make sure that your question has not already been asked. We are growing rapidly as a forum and it would help if we present our content in a cogent fashion.

In a way this system would actually empower newbies as it would point them to the right information without the need for a new thread.

And once 50 posts are reached they will no longer be newbies.

 

[psychotropic]

anything to prune HFV. It's becoming a bloated mess now. I feel less and less inclined to visit. And I am sure many people are feeling the same way. The immense number of redundant threads, and the immense number of nonsense threads that have nothing to do with AV, are making using this site a pale shadow of what it used to be.

 

[thekinge]

While I have not been around as long as some of you, the last few weeks my participation has been less and less because of the number of repetitive questions - "which speakers for Denon 1910/1610", "help me decide on 1910 or 1610", "which lcd tv" etc. Most of these questions have already been answered many times over and I personally feel that there are not many useful threads over the past few weeks.

However I am against infraction but I like the idea proposed by thevortex and would propose a similar alternate, i.e., to allow new members to start threads only after they cross 30 posts or so instead of requiring moderator approval for every thread till a new member reaches 50 posts.

Also, it would be useful if moderators can create more stickies to address commonly asked questions like matching speakers for Denon XXXX, Onkyo XXX, Marantz SR-XXXX etc and for commonly asked AVR, amplifier and Television related questions.

 

[madbullram]

Keep it guys...

For now is the following points/options:
1. Infraction
2. restrict free posting till 30/50 posts

 

[KonfuSed]

Add a few more moderators (people who are really interested) and that'll release a bit of burden from your shoulder.
Other than that I don't feel infraction is a good idea, let's not go some other forum way. About the idea of moderation of newbie posts it makes sense but again for that you need quite a few moderators to have a look into the new posts and allow/disallow them to appear in the forum.
But I really won't suggest blocking a newbie altogether to start a new thread. A newbie tag doesn't always mean that he/she is less knowledgeable and what would one knowledgeable new member will do if he is barred from posting? He'll leave the forum and go elsewhere and it'll be us who will be at loss. Moderation is ok but total restriction is not.
Just my 2 rupees..

 

[gadgetcrazy]

I would qualify as n00b here I guess. I am a member of few other forums tech and non tech.
I think infracting would be taking things too far. Restrictions might work well as a deterrent, but then some people might spam/ post irrelevant posts just to get the post count up so that they can post the first thread. You might have to infract them then.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Excuse me for not having read entire thread before posting my thoughts...

--- it's part of forum life; it will always happen.

--- it's part of the work of moderation: the site probably needs about five or six moderators, given its traffic.

--- haven't we all done it? I know I have.

 

[madbullram]

Update: Have changed the title to a more open on so we can discuss what we can do to facilitate/enforce using search key?

 

[madbullram]

Excuse me for not having read entire thread before posting my thoughts...

--- it's part of forum life; it will always happen.

--- it's part of the work of moderation: the site probably needs about five or six moderators, given its traffic.

--- haven't we all done it? I know I have.

Yes Thad we have all done, but that doesnt mean we can't strive to make it better, isnt it

 

[Hiten]

Can we have an option so when a member starts new thread he has to check/tick mark a box which says "I have searched the forum but couldn't find information on this" and then proceed to post a query ?