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Author Topic: About forum suggestions  (Read 46122 times)

Researching

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Re: About forum suggestions
« Reply #45 on: November 13, 2018, 05:48:09 pm »
I suppose, that the problem is above the conversation here.

People usually do what is easy. And order is one of tools for easiness. If people do not follow what seems to or they are used to consider to be the "order" - this shouldn't be applied to as a "good-order".
To switch on a bulb you need all at once: bulb, electric power, wire. Probably (for the long-time run) - a switch and other parts. Only when the full composition installed it starts working.

Suppose - here the same: different approaches, meant in this topic shouldn't be opposed. But the minimal project of improvement is needed.
Point one:
Where is the ultimate function of the forum, and the main stakeholders for it?
Second
What could be the perfect implementation of this and what is NOW limiting this perfection?
// Then, possibly, the real problem will arise and become clear...
While we are going "from ground" - deviations from the best course are coming for sure. The start should be from top - from the main aim. Then becomes possible both: correction of it, and direct finding and selection of what is needed.

Otherwise we are trying to deal what's better potato or bread.



Researching

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Re: About forum suggestions [ SUMMARY of suggestions ]
« Reply #46 on: November 13, 2018, 08:01:58 pm »
// To be shortened...,
// # =  suggestion start

# Suggestion: At forum profile, there is : Signature: users's CPU, OS, FPC version, Lazarus version. So, people do not forget to add those infos.
#{//DONE:}implement a highlighter for the code would be nice and easier to read.
##########
# create a closed topic (or restricted to only some more experienced forum users - hero members) in the header of each main topic, with valuable links from More experienced users. And if a regular user asks in the other parts about something that is in the header, just reply "rtfh". I'm kidding about "rtfh", but it's an idea.

# add valuable links to the related wiki page, rather than in the forum.
# related wiki page: content of wiki pages are not explicitly related to the subject matter and the page. # So, how about having an equivalence between main forum topics and wiki pages somewhere?
## For example, a fixed topic in the header of each main topic with the pages related to that subject in the wiki.

# Improve general approach: invent some kind of social appreciation to encourage people to use the questioning / answering templates (provided ),  that will lead to more organized forum.
# forum topic "documentation library" that is read-only and where entries are governed by strict moderation by a team of moderators.
# 1. Think - 2. consider - 3. Communicate - 4. promote mostly adequate people for they're activity.
# idented topic
# solution of topic collected to the head? the person who started the topic - collect the solution he got from community. Attach a code snippet?
# See stack-overflow: "good answers" are voted to the top, yet often the answer I need, is several down.
# adding new sub-boards. That is done occasionally, but usually it requires the pre-existence of sufficient topics that will fit the new board (and will be moved) showing that there indeed is a need for such a board.
# Clear structure for topics
# PROBLEM: All improvements require finding volunteers in the moderator team. I think it will be difficult to maintain a bibliographic topic for each topic created. SOLUTION: Encourage the maintainer of topic to keep his topic in order.

//->> done (?) shortened this message
« Last Edit: November 14, 2018, 09:09:57 pm by Researching »

marcov

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Re: About forum suggestions [ SUMMARY of suggestions ]
« Reply #47 on: November 13, 2018, 08:03:11 pm »

440bx

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Re: About forum suggestions [ SUMMARY of suggestions ]
« Reply #48 on: November 13, 2018, 08:13:00 pm »
(FPC v3.0.4 and Lazarus 1.8.2) or (FPC v3.2.2 and Lazarus v3.2) on Windows 7 SP1 64bit.

Martin_fr

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Re: About forum suggestions [ SUMMARY of suggestions ]
« Reply #49 on: November 13, 2018, 09:24:24 pm »
Changes like extra profile fields, point system, highlighter... => We do not develop the forum software (and no we are not looking to replace it). So we can only add what SMF offers. And that only, if we deem it fit, and if we have the time.

# forum leaders encourage people to do this
"forum leaders" = moderators? They all are volunteers, if extra tasks need extra time, they need to volunteer for this, or it is not going to happen.

Quote
# Clear the ultimate function of the forum, and the main stakeholders for it? State the clear projection of the perfect implementation and what is NOW limiting this perfection?
Seems a bit lost in translation....

The primary aim of the forum, is:
   "For users of FPC/Lazarus to communicate with other user of FPC/Lazarus (about Fpc/Lazarus)."
This can be (in no specific order):
- technical questions / answers
- opinions (like/dislike this about Laz/Fpc / what is a good way to do...)
- wishes/ideas
- announcements
- other topic related to FPC/Lazarus

The above alone implies that searching for technical answers will bring up a lot of extra topics, as many topics are not "how to" related.
This is primarily a forum, not an "expert/tech exchange". An example for the latter would be stack overflow, which heavily moderates/deletes any none tech-question topic.

This is why searching the forum for tech answers is rather hard => because the forums primary goal includes lots of other things.

The wiki *should* be the searchable point of help. Unfortunately it is lacking many of the answers, that are only on the forum. Volunteers would be needed, to get all that info, in a proper way to the wiki.

--------------------------
The primary goal of the wiki:
  Provide technical and structured information: Docs, How-To, Drafts for future plans, ...

Quote
and what is NOW limiting this perfection
For the wiki: Manpower / lack of qualified volunteers
« Last Edit: November 13, 2018, 09:35:44 pm by Martin_fr »

Thaddy

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Re: About forum suggestions
« Reply #50 on: November 13, 2018, 10:24:26 pm »
I do my best to correct and add to the wiki, but it is like swimming against the tide.
Specialize a type, not a var.

hrayon

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Re: About forum suggestions
« Reply #51 on: November 14, 2018, 12:27:39 am »
I do not think I was clear. Could be a translation problem, sorry.
When I made the suggestion, I had in mind just having a fixed, read-only explanation for ordinary users like me. Not for each topic. Not the "best answer" of each topic. Only for the main topics already defined. I do not know if "topic" is the right word. I am saying of each of these 42 items below:

Lazarus » Announcements » Lazarus
Lazarus » Announcements » Free Pascal (Moderators: FPK, Tomas Hajny)
Lazarus » Announcements » Third party
Lazarus » General
Lazarus » LCL
Lazarus » Databases
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » Audio and Video
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » Graphics (Moderator: Ask)
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » OpenGL
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » TAChart (Moderator: Ask)
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » DirectX
Lazarus » Programming » Graphics and Multimedia » Games
Lazarus » Programming » Networking and Web Programming
Lazarus » Programming » Widgetset
Lazarus » Programming » Operating Systems
Lazarus » Programming » Packages and Libraries
Lazarus » Using the Lazarus IDE » Editor
Lazarus » Using the Lazarus IDE » Designer
Lazarus » Using the Lazarus IDE » Debugger
Lazarus » Using the Lazarus IDE » Options
Lazarus » Using the Lazarus IDE » General
Lazarus » Free Pascal » Beginners (Moderators: FPK, Tomas Hajny)
Lazarus » Free Pascal » General
Lazarus » Free Pascal » Database
Lazarus » Free Pascal » FPC development
Lazarus » Free Pascal » FV/Textmode IDE
Lazarus » Free Pascal » Unix
Lazarus » Free Pascal » Windows
Lazarus » Free Pascal » Other OS
Lazarus » Installation » Linux
Lazarus » Installation » Windows (32/64)
Lazarus » Installation » Mac OS X
Lazarus » Installation » PDAs and Smartphones
Lazarus » Installation » General
Lazarus » Miscellaneous » Translations
Lazarus » Miscellaneous » Jobs
Lazarus » Miscellaneous » Suggestions
Lazarus » Miscellaneous » Other
Lazarus » Other Languages » Italian
Lazarus » Other Languages » Spanish
Lazarus » Other Languages » Portuguese
Lazarus » Other Languages » Russian

So, of these items, it would be interesting to have a summary header containing the link to the wiki, external links, or even book tips. This could only be done by experienced users, and this could guide us better.
Putting the wiki link makes the forum and wiki more consistent. It values ​​more knowledge in both. It's a win-win relationship.
How many times has an experienced user wasted time reporting that the question is clearly answered on the wiki?
I think the forum is pretty good the way it is.
I do not think putting a brief introduction into each of the 42 items with that said would overload the forum, nor would it be a Herculean job.
But if you, experienced user, want to keep answering why the executable file is so big and other subjects of the same level, that's fine ...
(translated with Google)

Researching

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Re: About forum suggestions
« Reply #52 on: November 14, 2018, 01:20:03 am »
OK...
Again: what the point is: respected Moderators of the "FORUM", as it is mentioned - you are not obliged to ( your volunteer work is great itself! ), but in case - yo u consider yourself interested and situation allowing( you know the situation better indeed!) - supposedly you can:
0. Prepare (by discussing)
1. Set expectations for writing the forum
2. Provide tools (templates, advises, requirements)
3. communicate with people
4. promote those, mostly satisfying the community.

Supposedly, this may solve:
- Shortness and efficient structure of answer/reply.
- Updating wiki (if topics are well structured - will be easy to copy-Paste solutions.)
- Cleaning the forum

The key requirement seems to be - the questioning and answering templates.
E.g. - add message template
<[question] How to .... ?>
<Problem>
<Code sample>
<questions>
<*.zip - sample project attachment>

Answer Template
<[answer:]  How to .... ?>
<quote question>
<explanation>
<code sample>

As an example of what is harda bout forum: my effort to summarize this topic - lead to hardly extracting 4-5 suggestions. The rest is "explanations". And as Marcov said - // to be shertened "good idea"!!


« Last Edit: November 14, 2018, 01:25:30 am by Researching »

Researching

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Re: About forum suggestions
« Reply #53 on: November 14, 2018, 01:30:52 am »
From the point of forum structuring for search:
There are obvious keywords: Unix, Windows, FreePascal.... etc. - which always give high relevance search results. It would be enough to add them in the name of topic.
But there are programming cases, techniques - which you can not even name the right way, unless you already know them. - this would be the right key for efficient categories.

 

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