[JohnnyA]

1. Ideally, 911 should be reserved/more strictly moderated for more dire issues like black&blue G5 death screens, frozen systems, etc. It's overly tolerant of mundane questions. They should be re-routed.
2. Lots of posters ask questions that are still-born. Nobody replies. Maybe the question subject is appropriate to the original selected forum but bridges to other forums where its consideration may readily be picked up. But nobody wants to post redundant questions in multiple forums. So, the query dies in the initial forum.
3. I think there is a real need for an 811 forum: Nobody replied; I'm still desperate; it isn't system death, but I need an answer ASAP.
OR
Encourage still-born posters to re-post to 911 if they get no reply in the topical forum.

[Grant_G]

I don't agree with #1, but the other suggestions make sense. The reason I disagree with 1 is because Mac 911 was the precurser to ALL of this; it existed first, by itself. Chris even tolerated a little non-Mac banter now and then (as when he, Jeff Z, and I once traded bleu cheese dressing recipes -- those were the days).
G /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Grant_G]

Actually, you see redundant queries in multiple forums all the time. Check some of the locked items, and you'll see (other locks of course, for other reasons, i.e., moved to a more appropriate forum, off topic and closed, etc.) I agree, however, that lack of a response in one area after a reasonable time, should be good enough reason to allow the same question in another forum, such as 811.
G

[JohnnyA]

Okay, Grant. Aside from my 811 idea for "still-born" posted questions, let's consider redundant posts.
There is an "Official OS X Forum FAQ."
Why isn't there an Official FAQ for EVERY forum?
Why not 'FAQ' (to use FAQ as a verb form /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) major topics like "How to burn a DVD"? This would certainly save a host of redundant posts.
Another (unrelated) suggestion: Change all forum Search default time frames to 'last two months' (or more). "Newer than one week" is not generally useful to most users.
Another: How about a Macworld PR campaign (once my changes are implemented, of course /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif ) proclaiming Macworld's forums the best, most user-friendly and informative pc forums on earth? They are, aren't they? (Bet Jobs might even take Jason to lunch if he pulled that one off!) Seriously, guys, there are no objectively better help forums in the entire pc tech world than these.
Which reminds me: My last idea of the day: Have Apple link future OS X "Help" with my proposed Macworld forum-specific FAQs to allow users to do a Simul-Search of Help topics by key words both in the FAQs and Apple's own help databases.

[d00d]

The reason that the OS X forum is the only one with a FAQ is that it's my main hangout and I'm apparently the only member (aside from Grant G) that took the initiative to do this.
Honestly, I'd love to eventually build a FAQ database that users could submit Q&A's to that would get approved by the respective forum's moderator, but I'm not employed by Macworld and I have too much schoolwork to keep me busy.

[JohnnyA]

Or (just brain-stormin')- create an FAQs Forum that is read-only and sub-divided into topical forum threads. Not because it's logical but because the unwashed would gravitate to it. And presumably cut out lots of redundant queries.

[JohnnyA]

I hear you, d00d.
BTW, my respect for you shot off the planet with your OS X FAQ and learning that you take Mac gaming seriously.

[d00d]

I respect you too Johnny, even if I disagree with you most of the time. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif It's not that I'm a hardcore gamer, but I keep up. It's an important field that promotes innovation in computers.

[JohnnyA]

I've about worn out my welcome and am in danger of excessive posting here. So this is it for now.
But how about asking Pogue and others to sponsor and create/maintain the proposed new Forum FAQs (or FAQs Forum's FAQs) as Sonnet does the Upgrades forum?

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
I do believe that we need to cut down quite a bit on redundant and simple questions. I understand there are a lot of newbies, both in Apple products and the forums, but we need to hoard them to a FAQ first and if that doesn't necessarily answer their question, have them do a search, and than finally post. Not only would that answer their question probably more quickly, it would cut down on posts and allow the more experienced member, like good ol' Grant to give a little more time to those who've posted only after they haven't found the answer using the earlier methods and thus hopefully helping the questioner more thoroughly and promptly as we don't have to answer the same questions multiple times per visit.
I have some time open and will highly consider contributing to a few topic FAQs for approval. Let's take it this far, if you have a question you feel is "general", if you have an answer or not, send an email to MacCheetah3@SpyMac.com
MacCheetah3
Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium 1GHz, 1GB, 60GB, SuperDrive, Airport, Mac OS X
Apple Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 400MHz, 768MB, 80GB, DVD, Mac OS X
15GB iPod
Debug Computer Services http://www.click2debug.com

[Grant_G]

Great discussion everyone. Lets keep this one going. The ideas are good ones and it looks like several are willing to help. Johnny, you asked why no FAQs in forums except OS X. I mentioned it to Chris Breen one time (re: the ongoing and oft-repeated suggestion to use "DiskWarrior", and other things too) to start up a Mac 911 FAQ. He said he'd bounce it off the powers-that-be, but obviously it died on the vine. Chris' thought at the time was that a FAQ that actually said something like "Try DW before posting" would indicate a Macworld endorsement of the product. That's a consideration, to be sure, even if it is the most often recommended utility anyway.
G

[MacCheetah3]

Hi

In reply to:

---

Chris' thought at the time was that a FAQ that actually said something like "Try DW before posting" would indicate a Macworld endorsement of the product. That's a consideration, to be sure, even if it is the most often recommended utility anyway.

---

I can understand that. But still using DW as an example...It isn't necessarily MacWorld proclaiming that DW is the best product out there and can fix anything but rather if a product does seem to work where recommended and others take that recommendation, and it normally works, I don't think anyone is going to be angry or even point fingers. Since it is mainly a majority user endorsement more than a company one, I don't see as it would be a large problem. It could also be stated that these are "User Recommendations" or something as to not place MacWorld in a "touchy" situation.
My opinion is that the FAQ is very helpful and would indeed take a good cut out of postings if users would try it first. However, as we've noticed, most users seem to post in the first area they find. I appreciate the work from the mods to move topics to the proper places but they really shouldn't have to as users (new and old) should be "guided" through proper sequence and before even posting, understand the rules and to no disrespect...Common sense and patience.
Each revision MacWorld gets better and better and we have the potential to make these a very great place to come for solving Apple related problems and, to a certain extent, discussing Apple related issues.
MacCheetah3
Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium 1GHz, 1GB, 60GB, SuperDrive, Airport, Mac OS X
Apple Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 400MHz, 768MB, 80GB, DVD, Mac OS X
15GB iPod
Debug Computer Services http://www.click2debug.com

[Grant_G]

Alas,

In reply to:

---

My opinion is that the FAQ is very helpful and would indeed take a good cut out of postings if users would try it first.

---

I would be unhappy if that occurred. Taking a cut out of postings would mean fewer opportunities to chat about our favorite topic (well, mine anyway). Yes, I sometimes feel curmudgeonly and want to say "Do a search damn it. We've answered that a hundred times." But instead I usually 1) go on to another item until that feeling leaves me, or 2) answer it, hopefully as if it were a brand new subject. The forums, to us, are familiar -- easy to navigate. To a first-time poster they're new ground. S/He has a problem and s/he's panicked over it. A search is the last thing on her/his mind. The only thing on their mind when they came here is "I have a problem, the Macworld Forums will get me through it. I'll just let them know I'm in trouble and how, and they'll tell me what else they need to know to solve it." Well, I made up that last part. We have all seen the question, "My Mac just crashed. Why?" with no other information.
So, another suggestion for these FAQ areas. Begin each one: "If you don't find your answer here, and post a query in the forums, be sure to be very specific about your computer (CPU/speed/RAM/HD capacity/operating system including version number). Be specific about the application you were using when the incident/problem occurred (it isn't enough to say 'I was writing a letter'; we need to know that it was Word 98 and that you were using it in Classic under Mac OS X 10.2.4). Be specific about any other applications that were running at the time."
But ... and I guess I'm beginning to ramble but bear with me ... doesn't that bring up a whole 'nuther ball of wax? How many so called "customer service" areas have we all gone to that begin with a FAQ area. You read and read and finally get to the bottom and your question isn't answered so you click "none of the above," and it takes you to another FAQ area. Still no phone # and still no help. We definitely DO NOT want that happening here. Everyone must feel free to post a question at any time, and it must be easy to do, just as it is now.
Well, the wife just called me for a chore. I'll be back later and anticipate/appreciate any comments.
G /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
Well, I like that kind of reply. That does make sense. I never truly though about it that way. But as you mentioned, the fAQs are still a very helpful idea...And I do like the part of explaining that we require complete information to properly assist them.
I just feel that there is too much time spent answering simple, repetitive questions where we could be using that time to do more thorough research on the more difficult and rare ones. I can understand that maybe suggesting to do a time consuming search after reading, a hopefully pretty thorough FAQ, could be discouraging and irritating for an already agitated user but I've seen enough times where another post of the same question may only be about five threads down. Again, this just takes time away from the research and response that we could/should be putting into those questions not yet answered.
That's just my $0.02 anyway.
MacCheetah3
Apple PowerBook G4 Titanium 1GHz, 1GB, 60GB, SuperDrive, Airport, Mac OS X
Apple Power Mac G4 Sawtooth 400MHz, 768MB, 80GB, DVD, Mac OS X
15GB iPod
Debug Computer Services http://www.click2debug.com