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[ShannonN Friend ShannonNJoin date: July 2006Posts: 1947Downloads:0Uploads:9 Thanks: 16 Thanked: 172 times in 49 posts]

#295077

scotty;116642I think in theory it’s a very good idea. I still think people who ask the real basic questions will continue to do so as that’s just the way they are. Maybe something a little more than just a glossary is what we need.

Something more like an FAQ maybe covering all the most commonly asked questions on the forum. Somewhere we can point the n00bs to so that we know they at least know the very basics.

Just a thought…

I think what many members need to do is stop the hand holding to a certain extent, if the answer is so basic, give them the seach text to search Google upon, let them do something.

if its OT like “how do I change a header graphic?” point them to a PS or FW tutorial and links to dl the trial versions, again , to be a web designer we all have to learn these steps eventually.

I’m going to do a video tutorial later on how to use Firebug feature in FF to view code and match to the relevant css, I get tired of doing this for others when a few minutes instruction they can do it themselves, while I know some will say “I have IE”, I think the biggest addition to a what’s required to be a web designer forum would be get over IE its incompatible! 🙂 use FF for debugging

[joeflynn Friend joeflynnJoin date: February 2009Posts: 91Downloads:0Uploads:1 Thanks: 59 Thanked: 3 times in 1 posts]

#295127

Thanks ShannonN and Scotty.

I would like to make a few points.

• The internet is not a manual.

• The forum is an understandable choice for the developer. Everyone wants the developer to keep cranking out, a) new cool things and, b) bug fixes to make the last cool thing work right. But just like paying their bills or managing the company, some time should be spent on documentation by the developer, whether it is checking to see if the wiki is right or refining a manual of basics.

• If a manufacturer or developer decides to let a forum replace a real manual, to be their point of entry into their product, then no question is off limits or too simple.

• Pointing to a thread that answers the question is excellent, and closing off a thread when the question is correctly answered is a good first step. But it is not perfect because there is evolution in Joomla and evolution in the JA product (and associated products), and people who have not watched the evolution don’t know what is no longer true or how to get to the next step.

• Since no one likes to be wrong, and since there are so many who will make others wrong, people usually don’t post a question until they have gotten frustrated with their inability to find an answer. If there is one person with a question, there are likely to be dozens more who don’t ask. If there are a few asking, then there is a sever malfunction in getting an answer across.

• There are too many definitions of the word ‘it’ and ‘that’ and ‘they’. Whenever one of those words are used, the author should be very certain that there can be no confusion of what ‘it’ means. If the authors intention is to communicate a helpful answer, then it is the author’s responsibility to figure out how to communicate a correct and complete answer to the person being addressed.

• The internet has the advantage of being able to move with technology, but when the technology moves and it leaves a 1000 bad answers in remaining in its trail.

• I participate on other technology forums which also have this same problem. Even a wiki of the best answers cannot keep up with a technology if the developer doesn’t want to make the time to keep it right and up to date. And I can attest, as someone who has written or re-written wiki pages, that if you are off doing something else for 6 months, you are almost a newbie coming back in.

• The 3rd tier of people, those coming in after the wave of you aficionados, are still the early adopters. Understand and take care of them, or else the 4th wave will swamp you. This will limit growth, and everyone suffers.

• Finally, this is an era which is defined by ‘not valuing our time.’ We have become our own secretaries and flight reservation agents. These things used to take 5 minutes, and now take 6 times more…yet we think we are so clever because we got such a good deal. The reality is: Googling for answers, looking for pearls among a hundred posts, is a waste of time. We are all swamped in this mud of no respect for our time. We jointly have to figure out how make the best of it.

Good luck to us all.
</rant>

[mihirc Friend mihircJoin date: December 2008Posts: 597Downloads:0Uploads:3 Thanks: 62 Thanked: 95 times in 39 posts]

#295224

Hello,

Just a small addition to the definition of Alt Images = Stands for Alternate text for the image. Unless u give this the page will not validate. to all those crazy ppl like me who want to validate their sites.

Regards,
Mihir C.

[Author]

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