[foxfire]

I am a novice/beginner & have only been scanning the forums for a little while but I have already noticed that there are problems that are virtually standardised, that keep cropping up & its left to the relevant expert to come along & sort it.
Lets take Startup /slow throughput as an example.
Almost always you ask for a Startuplist(Frontier 151)
Go to task manager & monitor usage
Then you (experts) pick out the processes that are slowing/interfering with output.
Spyware is frequently responsible & Google is often quoted with references.....& so it goes on.
You have an enormous subscription level 55k with about 20 experts, the ratio is frightening.
New members are constantly joining & coming up with the similar repetitive problems that you must struggle to address.
Would it not be simpler to head each Forum with an Idiots Guide
summarising the first initial steps to take/consider on some of these repetitive problems ? It would speed replies,put the novices
on the learning curve & reduce your overwhelming workload to a degree?
It works in Car Clubs & there is an element of similarity.

regards
Foxfire

[brendandonhu]

There are more than 20 experts here and most of the 55k people come, ask a question, and go. It isnt that overwhelming to get most of the problems fixed with all the people who have their own specialty areas (ie tony and dreamboat).

An "idiot's guide" is a good idea, but users posting questions are supposed to search the forums before asking. Any phrase they can think of such as Slow Startup, long boot, spyware, startup, etc will return a good guide to scanning for spyware and defragging.

I (and other users) have a folder C:\Knowledge Base. It contains text files I have written solving common problems. I cut and paste right into threads from it. i use it with viruses, spyware, internet problems, getting into the BIOS, disk maintenance, cleaning temp files, enabling cookies, and many other things. This is very helpful so i dont rewrite everything I say.

Rollin' Rog also has a thread called "Security Help Tools" where he explains firewalls, antivirus and other security issues. He is a moderator and marked it as "Important" now it is stuck at the top of the security page for all to see. If you write up a really good article on solving a common problem, please post it, and maybe a mod can mark it as important.

[foxfire]

Interesting.I see that you have amassed considerable experience
& developed your own guides, which are indeed logical.

Yes, we should all use the search facility on any forum but how many do? I am subscribed to a number of motoring forums & have learnt that only a very very few start there.Continuously moderators are referring new & (regular) subscribers to them.I must admit that I did not use yours initially....I simply did what the vast majority do & scrolled down the pages.
Many forums search facilities are limitted by virtue of the wording of posters headers & many good threads are thus lost.
You must have a huge database, constantly growing.
A large number of queries understandably remain unanswered
& novices views can sometimes be constructive.

Foxfire

[Tushman]

Foxfire, i agree with your suggestion. In fact, many computer forums I've been to have a "How-To" tutorial or similar section on their forum. There are indeed a lot of repetitive questions that could be simply resolved by referring the poster to a How-to guide but that doesn't exist yet. I don't know if the moderators and Techguy have tossed that possibility around but I think it certainly would be a efficient and nice feature to have.

[brendandonhu]

But we really do have how-to guides. Go to the security forum, there are several "Important:" threads about a trojan, security help tools, etc.

Also, look up my posts about using Spybot and StartupList, and you will see that they are cut & paste answers.

Plus there is the Tips & Trikcs section where you can post these things.

[angelize56]

foxfire: And Brendan is only 12 years old! The little genius brat of TSG. We love him! Take care. angel

[brendandonhu]

[anglin_fool]

Any website can have that Idiot Guide, but who thinks they are an idiot?

I was turned off by the 'cut and paste' answers people were getting at another website so I came here where I felt like I was getting that individual attention. Yes, the spyware and antivirus answers brendon uses are cut and paste because that is usually just the beginning of where the problem might lie. We can also say Google your question and you should find what you are looking for. That does not assure the person with the problem that their problem will be fixed.

In other words, I'll do a little hand-holding if that is what it takes to fix a problem.

[Tushman]

Let me be more clear about this. What i was trying to say is that I have not noticed a how-to tutorial on how to clean install windows or dual-boot or things of such nature that any user can do on his/her own without having to search through the archived threads. Foxfire and my suggestion is not about hand holding, spoon feeding, etc. It was simple a suggestion on how you can better handle the same posts from users related to clean installing Windows as an example. Of course no one would self-profess to be an "idiot" - I think foxfire's comment was more meant to be tongue-in-cheek.

[Rhettman5.1]

The problem with a "idiots guide" (something I fear I would gravitate to) is that you would lose the personal touch.

One of the great assets of this site is the personal interest members have in resolving others problems, if you get to many "guides" you might as well go to MSN's knowledge base..tons of info, cold and, sometimes hard to understand directions.

You realize that every change made to the site causes more work for Mike (tech-guy) and a service that is "free" may be impossible to maintain.

The system works GREAT as it is, and while it's a good thought, to many computers have similar problems that are close, but not the same as others.

That's where forum based answer sections shine, because someone has probably had that EXACT problem and can step in and help.

Having said that ... I would still like to see a "downloads" page that has all the pertinent links...I/E ad-aware..spybot...start-up list...free on-line scans..etc. all together on 1 downloads page for reference......Rhett

[jjb]

I strongly agree with rhett on the personal attention aspect of this site. Many come with a question or two and are gone for good or until trouble arises again.

This site is a tech support site yes,but it has grown to much more then that since it's inception. I have often seen referances made to the "tsg family" and you will not find a better ot more dedicated group of individuals then you will here.

Many people have a genuine fear of computers and the unknown of "do it your-self'. And refering to people as "idiots" ,even in the form of a "idiots" page both intimidates and demoralizes.

I believe the so called experts are a breed apart from the norm and take genuine satisfaction in helping others,their reward is pride in the site they serve(said to be among the best on the net.

Personally,I like it here just as it is.

jjb

[anglin_fool]

oooo, a download link page? Sort of like the cartoon page we have now? Except for legal ramifications, that's a good idea.


I don't mean to say we are a bunch of hand holders here, but how many people you know of that can say dual boot without saying 'huh' in the same sentence? The people who know what a dual boot, (format, clean install, scanreg, Dr. Watson), is has specific questions that this site is perfect for. I personally wouldn't even mention the word Clean Install to anyone. Or format the hard drive for that matter. Save that for the techs small t on purpose at Best Buy.

[Rhettman5.1]

I mis-spoke when I said down load page, I should have said download tab, such as HERE , notice the tab at the top...something under control of the mods highlighting the most recomended and tested utility software... but.. I am fine with the site as it is !!...Rhett

[RandyG]

-{KoS}korgul put together a link page based on info that members posted.

Remember his
A link / utility page thread?


Anyway, since a good majority of members have posted useful info, I usually refer folks back to their pages for how to stuff.


Here's some of of our members' personal help pages:

-{KoS}korgul's link page
rkselby98's page
flavallee's tips and Tricks page

Of course, Office related questions usually get posted here as well as at Dreamboat's The Office Experts Forum (which appears to be down right now)

and a new forum I recently joined due to a link Rhett provided is in his last post above. I remarked to the Admin/Owner over there that his tutorial and downloads section are nicely done, and somethig we've been talking about over here for at least 2 years.

[Tushman]

So what's so difficult about having a how-to guide on how to do a clean install? It's something so basic that it shouldn't require your so called "customized" answers.

Do you think if i asked 50 mechanics on how to change the oil in my car, i would get 50 different answers? This is not a overly complicated suggestion raised by me and Foxfire. And yet you seem so dead set against it.

If i had to post an answer on how to clean install windows or the benefits of using Norton's Systemworks for example, the answer would be rather lengthy. Brendan raised the option of just copy and pasting his answers. That doesnt' seem so "personal" to me. And if that is a practice that is condoned here, then it is not any different than having a static webpage that gives clear step-by-step directions on how to dual boot or whatnot.

Maintenance? What maintenance? Once you write the how-to guide on how to dual-boot, thats it. There's no constant so-called "maintenance" involved.

I wouldn't come here to post shoddy answers or to give you bad suggestions.