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graz
Chief SQLTeam Crack Dealer
4149 Posts |
 Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:41:22
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| So I finally got around to setting up a Beginners Forum. Though I called it "New to SQL Server" instead of Beginners Forum. I'm open to switching the name if everyone thinks the simpler name is better.===============================================Creating tomorrow's legacy systems today.One crisis at a time. |
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madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator
22864 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:47:04
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| Well grazIt is good idea so that beginners can post all SQL Server related questions even if they dont know where to postMadhivananFailing to plan is Planning to fail |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:49:57
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"even if they dont know where to post" "New to SQL Team" maybe ?Although I think Sean thinks I want it called "Less than 1,000 posts" Kristen |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:51:03
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| Does / Will "Ask The Team" stuff go in there?Good job, by the way. Sorry, was forgetting my new-style manners!EDIT: Obviously not, or not yet! A bunch just arrived all over the forums ...Kristen |
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graz
Chief SQLTeam Crack Dealer
4149 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:53:56
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| I've heard the comments about post count but I don't want a forum based on post count. I don't ever want to imply that a higher post count correlates to a stronger knowledge of SQL. Or that a lower post count correlates to less SQL Server knowledge.===============================================Creating tomorrow's legacy systems today.One crisis at a time. |
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graz
Chief SQLTeam Crack Dealer
4149 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 10:57:42
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| Yeah I like to put the Ask Sqlteam questions in the proper forum. I have seriously considered a special forum for Ask Sqlteam questions that are either covered in the FAQ or in an article. Maybe call it the "People that didn't search" forum. For example, http://www.sqlteam.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53152 . People don't even try to find the answers are the ones that really tick me off.===============================================Creating tomorrow's legacy systems today.One crisis at a time. |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 11:34:36
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| "I've heard the comments about post count ..."Hey, it was a joke ... ----> I agree that count has nothing to do with competance or anything else. A private forum where those that you invite could discuss how to handle certain users would be appreciated, but as ever your call.Kristen |
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elwoos
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2052 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 12:04:41
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quote:
I've heard the comments about post count but I don't want a forum based on post count. I don't ever want to imply that a higher post count correlates to a stronger knowledge of SQL. Or that a lower post count correlates to less SQL Server knowledge.
I agree absolutely with this (take paul randal for one) but I think the point of it was more that the post count indicated some sort of commitment over a period of time to the forums rather than knowledge.btw am delighted with the new forum(s). As far as the asksqlteam posts, I would be interested to know how many of these posters ever come back and look at the results. Is there a way to find out?steveAlright Brain, you don't like me, and I don't like you. But lets just do this, and I can get back to killing you with beer. |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 12:59:10
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| "how many of these posters ever come back"I notice follow-up questions sometimes, which means the author has bothered to register ... of the rest they [presumably] get an Email saying "Your problem now solved, Click Here to read ..." so they come back and read your pearls of wisdom - but they have to register to say "Thank you", so don't bank on that!Kristen |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 13:06:16
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| Graz:Do you want me/us to post some FAQ style stuff into "New to SQL Server" that you could then create a sticky-thread with links to?(I realise that if there is already a good answer somewhere else hunting down a link to it would be better and then a link could be added to the Sticky)If I'm reading your mind correctly (c.f. "putting words into your mouth") we would need a quorum of links before launching a Sticky topic: "Newbies start here", so a working-thread somewhere might allow some peer-review and editor appraisal. There again with a willing author, or moderator, the post can be edited retrospectively.If you want to do that I'm happy to go on a hunt for a bunch of topics, and identify candidate threads that provide good discussion of the options (I can create a "See BoL" thread as fast as the next man!)What's the Collective Noun for links? A Gaggle of HRefs?!Kristen |
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graz
Chief SQLTeam Crack Dealer
4149 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 14:28:23
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| I don't know what percentage of people come back to read. The tool that posts the question in the forum emails them a link to the topic so I hope they at least look once :)As for sticky post, I'd prefer to update the FAQ (http://www.sqlteam.com/faq.asp) and then post a link to it in the forum. If you can post links to good stuff here or in that other thread I'll go about updating the the FAQ over the next few days.===============================================Creating tomorrow's legacy systems today.One crisis at a time. |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 15:10:25
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| Could the FAQ have some Anchors so that a LINK to it could go direct to the relevant item?(This one I do disagree on Graz, the current FAQ system [NOT any lack of specific content] does nothing for me, but equally I'm happy that its your call)Kristen |
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graz
Chief SQLTeam Crack Dealer
4149 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 15:15:50
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| Ah. I see what you're saying. You want one linkable thing for each FAQ entry. Hmmm. I certainly could do that but it would be a pain to link to the way it is now. My standard response to a question has been to point them to the FAQ and not a specific entry. My goal was to keep it reasonably sized so they could read through it pretty quickly.I also don't want to have 30 sticky entries in the forum. (I'm not even sure I *CAN* have sticky posts in the forum. I've never really tried before.)Thoughts?===============================================Creating tomorrow's legacy systems today.One crisis at a time. |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 15:45:45
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| 1) I'm with you2) My ideal would be to have a Sticky that contains a relatively small number of posts with lists of "To do this click here", which in turn lead to threads elsewhere that were a good discussion of the problem,or might even be a specially created thread to be descriptive of the problem [in the guise of a FAQ]Why?a) Only one stickey topic neededb) Anyone can add to it [double edged sword probably]c) I haven't voiced this, 'coz I assumed you have could read my mind!, but what was in my mind was that folk, like myself, could have one post in the Sticky with some "Favourite" links to FAQ threads, but they could EDIT that post over time to refine it - better links, alternative approaches, etc. IF that worked the Sticky thread would be pretty concise. And it avoids you having to update the FAQ etc.Kristen |
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Seventhnight
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
2878 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-02 : 16:50:41
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What about a FAQ forum that only has stickys...1) Only a moderator could 'move' a topic to FAQs2) All Edits/Additions to a FAQs topic should be approved by a moderator 3) It would split up the topics, plus allow for further linkage... my thoughts.Corey Co-worker on The Wizard of Oz "...those three midgets that came out and danced, the freaked me out when I was little. But they are ok now."  |
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eyechart
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker
3575 Posts |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-03 : 01:48:28
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| "Only a moderator could 'move' a topic to FAQs"Isn't that a MakeWork? What I mean is a LINK to a topic within SQL Team isn't really going to make a different to the reader whether the target is in the FAQ forum, or a different one.I suppose if we had a single post with "the answer" there would be no issue, but for each "answer" there will either be some disention ("My way is better than yours" ) or other useful chitchat ("If you have X don't also forget to do Y" and "Now that SP99 is out you can more easily do Z")At the back of my mind is the feeling amongst us, am I right?, that some education would help. Thus pointing to a thread where the various ways of splitting a CSV are aired I think would help.I'll tell you what, I've got 15 minutes beore the kids need breakfast, I'll see what I can knock up as an example (I reckon what I'm trying to describe is not obvious)Kristen |
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madhivanan
Premature Yak Congratulator
22864 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-03 : 01:56:40
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| >>What about a FAQ forum that only has stickys...Thats good idea where the frequently asked topics with best solutions of other forums can be made as sticky topics so that new members first visit there and see whether they find solutionMadhivananFailing to plan is Planning to fail |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-03 : 04:52:33
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| Had a tangential tought, I expect you lot are already thinking this.A Sticky at the top of every forum with pointers to "Best of this Forum" or "Common questions" type stuff, rather than just having a Sticky at the top of Beginners Forum.Note that making all useful topics Sticky would mean that no one will be able to see the new topics - because they will then be on page 15 ... so I favour only one or two stickys in each ForumKristen |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-03 : 05:01:36
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| Damn memory - meant to mention.If there was a Sticky at the top of the forum us lot couple add a Reply to a thread along the lines of "I think this would be a good one to add to the Sticky" and the moderator, or whoever, could add a link to the Sticky if they saw fit.Kristen |
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Kristen
Test
22859 Posts |
Posted - 2005-08-03 : 05:12:27
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| OK, here's what I did.I had a look at each forum (well, I missed of Analysis and ResportingServices and most of DTS 'coz I don't have any real knowledge of those.I sorted by "Number of VIEWS"I picked some topics that looked worthy.NOW ... this in no way means that the content is any good, but it may well represent the sorts of things that people Google for, as their View Count is high.So ... might just be representative of Topics that need creating as FAQs - I dunno on that point.Some of this stuff may already be better answered in the Blogs, but that's not terrible helpful IMHO - no way to track that there is follow-up chit-chat, and no way (that I know of) to see how many hits each Blog article is getting.Dunno what Graz can do with his logs - seeing which stuff outside of Forums Google Visitors are hitting night be interesting.The other thing that worries me is the distortion from Search Engine Spiders. The Forums related to Articles have massive numbers of hits - I suspect that's Google et al spiders following the link to the forums from the Articles themselves.So all I really have are a bunch of links, which might be useful topics to review for worthiness, or create concise Topics to replaceKristen |
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