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Posted by: Skalde Jul 7 2009, 06:34 PM

The "Fast Reply" button was disabled to prevent short postings from users who have hardly read the whole introduction post. A more effeicent mesaure would be to turn of the posting counter for this particular board. Maybe it would encourage the users to take more time for the introduction post.

Posted by: jafomatic Jul 7 2009, 06:43 PM

I would hide it from regular users (members group) for the entire site, personally. Not that it's my place to say, but since we're talking about it: there's some examples of folks that seem interested merely in upping their own post count without actually including real content.

I didn't think it was a big deal either way.

Posted by: Skalde Jul 7 2009, 07:06 PM

You def. got a point there.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 7 2009, 10:41 PM

Interesting point, but I would like to hear another way perhaps.. Turning off sounds a bit repressive to me, could mean that there would be less welcomes, and I really enjoyed when lots of people welcomed me on the site. But this is a good observation, sometimes I get the feel people are not reading 100% although I cannot actually say it cause it can be untrue, I cannot be 100% sure.

Posted by: JVM Jul 7 2009, 10:44 PM

I agree, I don't think its too big of an issue personally (it's not like having a giant post count is going to hurt anyone ) but there IS a lot of "spam" to sift through here. It's only the by product of a great community though.

Posted by: Skalde Jul 7 2009, 11:00 PM

just look at the board. On the right side under "last action", sometimes you see that only one user has made a post in all the topics on the site(30!) in one minute(copy and paste "welcome to GMC"). looks pretty obvious to me.

Posted by: berko Jul 7 2009, 11:56 PM

I understand what you're saying but IMHO the dozens of repetitive "welcome to gmc"s aren't produced by people that want to increase their amount of post. Yes I'm pretty sure some of the folks just paste their greetings without reading the intro but on a level even that is enough. If you're interested in the new member because he/she might provide a good story about his/her guitar career or life then you click there and read the intro. If you're just greeting 5 new members one after the other in only 40 seconds, then it's obvious you hadn't read the intro but at least the new members feel more welcome (if they ever check their thread again).

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Jul 8 2009, 12:18 AM

Interesting opinions here! I would love to hear what everyone thinks about the introductions forum.

Posted by: Emir Hot Jul 8 2009, 12:21 AM

I don't see a problem with the copy/paste in the introduction thread. I personaly try to read intro post most of the time but sometimes I don't. Does that mean that I am not allowed to say "welcome to GMC"? I feel the same warm welcome to any new member whether I read his post or not. It is just my way of welcoming a new member by saying that. I don't need to write a novel just to prove that I have read his/her post. Someone might dissagree but I really see no point here and to me this doesn't look like spam as all "welcome to gmc" comes from a different member.

And also, I never copy/paste. I always type "welcome to GMC" in full

Posted by: jafomatic Jul 8 2009, 12:21 AM

Well, I agree with this right up until someone posts greetings on month-old intro threads, month-old comics, and anything else (still month-old) that they haven't already replied to. That is count-seeking at its most clear and obvious, if you ask me.

I do still agree that even a pasted "welcome to gmc!" is still a greeting and contributes to the warm welcomes that new users receive here. There is at least that value in it.

Posted by: tonymiro Jul 8 2009, 12:49 AM

Sad panda that I am I try and read all the forum posts, including the Introductions and Welcomes and so I think I have a reasonable overview of the forum.

My personal opinion here...

- I agree with Berko. If someone wants to add a welcome, belated or otherwise, then I don't see any real harm in it.

To me generally however quality is more interesting than quantity. The posts that tend to catch my attention tend to be ones that contribute something meaningful. If they don't then they tend to wash over me (apart from any that need me to put my moderator's hat on ). Similarly I tend nowadays to try to contribute where I think I can add something or answer a specific question. So I don't usually add a welcome unless I'm answering a new member's question (or maybe I'm just an anti-social hermit ). Nonetheless I don't see an issue with people saying 'hi'.

Posted by: kahall Jul 8 2009, 03:36 AM

Ok, it's a non-issue. I typed that.

Posted by: NoSkill Jul 8 2009, 04:33 AM

It's sort of a solution to a problem that nobody is asking, in my opinion. Every forum I've ever participated in has the copy and pastes post count welcomes. So what? And I mean no offence, intended nor implied...so what? If there was some sort of money that we received for the highest post count, then by all means, the post count police should be informed. However, as the forums is an entirely free portion of this site, welcome to subscribing members and guests alike, I think that big welcome threads help promote the camaraderie that is apparent on this site and attracts newcomers. Just my opinion, but I've ran website forums over the years...the hearty few that welcome everyone with a jolly good cut and paste are everywhere. They are usually really decent people, and are contributing in other areas of the site as well. If they are just post count whoring? I just don't see what the point is? Mind you, I'm old and I get confused. What time is it?

Posted by: Skalde Jul 8 2009, 09:41 AM

Maybe you've got me wrong in this point, I have no problem with this too, In fact I do it myself from time to time. Welcoming the new member with "welcome to GMC" is fine, but I always read the intropost. Where is the sense in welcoming someone you do not know? You might say he feels welcomed in the community even if the members had not read their introductionpost. Well, the newcomers would feel the same way, if the postcounter is off, wouldn't they?
`

Posted by: Emir Hot Jul 8 2009, 10:56 AM

I think that we should welcome every new member whether we know him/her or not. How can someone know if we read the intro post or not just by seeing "welcome to GMC". I can read 10.000 of intro words and still write 3 words as a welcoming post. What's the point of turning the counter off? Will the new member feel more welcome that way and does he care about the counter? There are about 7000 members here, we can't possibly know everybody. Many of them are not active on the forum anyway. When someone ask a question or need help on the forum that's something different. We either help or not post anything if we don't know the solution. But the introduction post is not a question. The only thing we can say is "welcome to GMC" and maybe say 2-3 more words about where to start and "feel free to ask any question". I am still trying to figure out the point of this and thinking I might be missunderstanding this thread a bit

Posted by: Skalde Jul 8 2009, 11:11 AM

emir, we are missing each others point

Posted by: Emir Hot Jul 8 2009, 11:22 AM

That's what I am thinking as well but still trying to understand

Posted by: Tolek Jul 8 2009, 12:54 PM

I have nothing against writing for every "Hello, I'm new" topic the same words "Welcome to GMC!". A good solution for the mentioned problem would be to activate the "timer between posts" function. Let's say 30 seconds between every posts. That would turn down the massive introducion replies.

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic Jul 8 2009, 01:03 PM

I always read all the introduction threads throughout and reply with a welcome or answer a question if I can.Its a very good part of forum, those "how I began playing guitar" and all the personal info stories are very interesting read to me.You really get to know a new member that way.

Posted by: MickeM Jul 8 2009, 02:28 PM

I'm missing the point. The introduction forum works, people get and feel welcomed.


As the concern was in the original post that members don't take time to read the full introduction, that must be his or her personal business. Short replies on this board is unevitable, there's only so many ways to say "hi". On the other boards we encourage members to post a little more than just "+1" type of posts.
If someone copy and paste a reply twenty times or type them in twenty times five minutes apart makes no difference to me. It's still twenty posts.

I don't begrudge anyone their postcount but since it was mentioned in a couple replies, is the are post count competition ongoing?

So what is the point really?

Posted by: skennington Jul 8 2009, 02:31 PM

I personally feel that whether a simple "welcome to GMC" or a 500 word reply goes a long way with a new member. Makes them feel more at home and better about there decision to join. It also adds to the "friendly" environment here that makes GMC a bit more special than other site's.

I typically read the post from my email that is sent when they post it, then click the link and reply. So, although I may only be in the thread for a few seconds, I have read the intro.

Posted by: Skalde Jul 8 2009, 04:00 PM

Look at it this way:
It seems like we all can agree that a short message lile "welcome to GMC" is fine, the logical conclusion is that disabling the fast reply button makes no sense.
We would have a similiar discussion if I had suggested to turn of the fast reply button, but since it was removed from the start noone questions the decision.
Let's say the post count for this board would be missing for this particular board from the beginning most of you would think "I can agree with this, it makes sense"
So I suggested to turn of the post count since it would go a long with a previous decision.

Posted by: JVM Jul 8 2009, 05:06 PM

*ahem*



















+1

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Jul 8 2009, 11:43 PM

I think it's not that big of an issue as it is discussed here but we all have different views on the matter which is normal so it is good for everybody to state their opinion.
I don't mind turning off the counter, I will read and try to understand every member that comes to the forum and offer him/she help if needed anyway. This is what counts in the end, not number of posts. I can post on the whole forum 25 posts per day, 1 post here and there on the welcome board really doesn't take a lot of time to me, but it means when you are welcomed into the community. Lot of people are a bit shy when they introduce or ask their first question, so it is our good manners to make them understand that they are welcomed and respected as first timers. If they continue to post on the forum later, they will give another kind of respect, this is how things go..

Posted by: Sensible Jones Jul 9 2009, 01:43 PM

I totally agree with Ivan! I was surprised at the number of 'Welcome' messages I got when I first announced myself. So if someone replies to all introductory Posts are they really doing anything wrong?

Posted by: MickeM Jul 9 2009, 01:51 PM

Jedi mind tricks doesn't work on us
*feels and urge to turn off the counter*

I still don't get the point

Posted by: Skalde Jul 9 2009, 02:02 PM

topic can be closed now