Forum Usage
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- ceines
- Newbie
- Posts: 16
- Thanks: 0
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I think that opening the discussion to encouraging forum participation is great. And, starting with a concrete idea is always a good spark. For some reason people seem to find it easier to criticize than to suggest from scratch, even if their criticism transforms the original suggestion into their own original idea
) That written, I'm not quite sure the idea that started this is articulated clearly enough to bat around yet. Why not, simply, start a "What would get you to participate?" thread if this is what you want to do. Notably, we the "noobs" -- terrible term -- are out here. We may not post a lot (by definition) but we do read (there is no rating for that) and, an aside, we're not all guys. Watching people work to incite us to participate when we're here and are not participating for some reason or other is just plain weird. So, why not just ask us rather than work to second guess?
And, now that I've written that, I will ask you why it is that you want more people to participate. This is a RocketTheme template club forum. Do you have trouble finding what you're looking for? Are you tired of answering? Do you think that the rest of us are missing out on something? Why not start by articulating why more participation is important to you. Seriously. For sure we should all do our part but until we know that there is something that needs doing, if its not on our own radar, it won't get done. And posting for posting's sake is something that I can certainly do without. I too like the fact that the information I do find in this forum about and beyond RocketTheme templates has credence. I'm not sure that I would want that too watered down by not necessarily bad counsel but sheer volume of response.
And while here and because it was brought up, here's my take on generosity... I actually think that most people are incredibily generous. We're just not generous in the same way, towards the same ends or on the same schedule. For some it is through active "helping". For many it is by holding back in order to not impose an opinon or advice on anyone (let alone a whole crowd). For others, for whom this forum is a blip in their existence, it is by going off and doing stuff elsewhere. For those of us for whom this forum matters a bunch... there is the question of not wanting to trample someone else's initiative or feelings. There is the question of not wishing to bore with only a slight variation on a theme. There is the question of not wanting to appear to be or to be shown to be an idiot but... it doesn't seem to have much to do with lacking or possessing confidence. It does have to do with ratings and labels and positions and "why would what I have to say be of interest?". And... all of this is multiplied I'm-not-sure-how-many-times for the women amongst us.
Until it becomes clear why participating is of value to a particular could-be-participant, most people won't participate. So, I'm brought back to the notion of articulating why having more people participate is important and then coming up with a plan to address the various points. For instance... I think that rather than judging whether someone who, for example, has been learning for two years and who acknowledges being grateful for it afterwards is displaying right or wrong posting behaviour, showing exactly this (grateful) person (who has been off learning for two years in exactly your topic of interest, this forum) how now they can be a wonderful addition to this forum would be excellent.
My two Canadian cents worth...
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- GollumX
- Elite Rocketeer
- Posts: 2817
- Thanks: 0
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Thats a whole two dollars worth ceines
my post was perhaps stupid .. and shallow.
i agree with you, not least about posting for postings sake, and i've probably been guilty of that quite often.
cheers to you. - Say no to Internet Explorer 6.
twitter.com/mark_up
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- ceines
- Newbie
- Posts: 16
- Thanks: 0
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I forgot to mention the whole language issue. This is an English forum. It would be interesting to learn the percentage of members for whom English is not their first language. And, if you've never experienced going public, in writing, in a language you are not completely comfortable with, well... let's just say that "humbling" and "frustrating" are too weak as descriptors.
GollumX -- As Canadians, we naturally add in an exchange rate ) Cheers back.
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- James Spencer
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 46340
- Thanks: 50
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That is a great post ceines. It really sumarises the whole situation that makes the forums operate. I am greatful that you took the time to articulate it in a linguistically pleasing manor
What more to say but write that in gold with the Rocket Theme "Gold Bullion" mark on the back
- James Spencer / Developer & Support / Hull, UK
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- Gerald V.
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 144
- Thanks: 0
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Like i said i liek the forum this way. You get good answers that actually work. I absolutley hate going to forums where the same question is asked 37 times and answered with 52 different solutions and only two of them work and the other fifty leave you with a far worse issue.
I love this forum!
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