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How About Enforcing the Descriptive Title Rule?
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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10. September 2008 @ 14:07 |
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Hi,
Some, if not all Afterdawn forums, typically include a Sticky thread entitled "READ THIS: Forum rules!" or something similar. For example, here is one on the "DVD Ripping" forum: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/2487
These rules typically state to use the Search Function before starting a new thread. This rule is considered so important, it is often listed first.
Another common rule found on most forums is "to use descriptive thread titles." It might go on to note that descriptive thread titles help others who are searching for the same information find it. Sometimes even more detail will be given advising people to avoid the useless words "Question" or "Help."
But, after all that, people routinely post threads with the word "question" or "help" in the title. Some post completely useless titles but disguise them.
For instance, a thread currently on the front page of the DVD Ripping forum is:
"Ripping DVDs: Am I Missing Something"
This is a useless subject in disguise. "Am I Missing Something" is a long form of the word "Question." The poster has replaced one useless word with four useless words, but at first glance it makes the title appear more comprehensive. Then he uses two descriptive words..."Ripping" and "DVD." However, the name of the forum is "DVD Ripping." EVERY thread in the forum is about ripping DVDs, so these two words are useless also. This poster has actually use six words to disguise his completely useless title.
The One Descriptive Word Thread
One step up from the completely useless title is the title with one descriptive word. An example is also currently on the front page of the "DVD Ripping" forum:
"Does a ripper like this exist?"
Ironically, this thread originator starts out by complaining how his "eyes hurt" from his extensive but unsuccessful search of the forum for the information he seeks.
At least we know this poster is interested in hardware, not software. This is the equivilent of someone looking for directions to an house in an American city and asking if it's east or west of the Mississippi River.
These kinds of non-descriptive titles are rampant on these forums.
The administrators and moderators of the forums on this site have provided a valuable guideline in the forum rules, but if they don't enforce them, the rule become useless and the problem the rule was designed to avoid does not go away.
Thank you.
TomBrooklyn
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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10. September 2008 @ 14:20 |
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I will add that when a person starts a new thread on the "DVD Ripping" forum, a large box in orange outline with a huge bold exclamation point in it pops up that reads:
Please choose your title carefully!
- Try to be specific and explain the core of your problem in your title. Many users make the decision on whether to read your message or not based on the title your thread has.
[Exclam and bold are original]
The next line is:
· Don't use exclamation marks (!) in your title
The title of this advisement is considered so important that it breaks it's own rule about exclam!
I agree it is important. Please enforce it.
TomBrooklyn
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Moderator
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10. September 2008 @ 15:52 |
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I and the other mods hunt down thread titles ruthlessly. Unfortunately, like most 'mistakes' people make, even if we had bright neon flashing lights attached to peoples' keyboards, lots of these 'mistakes' would still happen.
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Moderator
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11. September 2008 @ 10:15 |
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If you had used the features that you are chastising us on you might have found this thread ~ http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/440385
I routinely close threads that have a less than useful thread title, but in the end it's up to the moderator's discretion as to whether the title if suitable or not. If you have a problem with a thread for any reasons that outlined above or think that they may break another rule please feel free to bring them to our attention using the "report offensive post" feature as we can't be everywhere at all times.
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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11. September 2008 @ 12:27 |
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I used to routinely report naff titles until some jumped up self important idiot attacked me for it.. since then anything goes.
Honestly tho.. anybody so retarded to think that "help me" is a good title is beyond help. I wonder seriously how 99% of these people manage to even get a post made with the obvious lack of intelligence and skills ;) The M$ legacy.. a bunch of computer illiterate jerks running wild all over our internet.
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AfterDawn Addict
3 product reviews
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11. September 2008 @ 14:35 |
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I also make it a habit to report any thread title that's less than descriptive. I also have been jumped on a time or two by the people that post with those titles. I'm still reporting them though.
Like LOCO said, they can't be everywhere at once, so i report the ones i see.
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Dragula96
Suspended permanently
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11. September 2008 @ 14:40 |
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Hey Tom, where's the Y in your nick? ;)
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Moderator
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11. September 2008 @ 14:56 |
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Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
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Dragula96
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11. September 2008 @ 15:02 |
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Originally posted by creaky:
Originally posted by Dragula96:
Hey Tom, where's the Y in your nick? ;)
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_jump....3738412
Yea, another failed attempt at some lame humor by me I suppose. I forget that he also had an N in his name as well. :/
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Moderator
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11. September 2008 @ 15:29 |
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I thought you were joking, i was feigning innocence :P
Main PC ~ Intel C2Q Q6600 (G0 Stepping)/Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3/2GB Crucial Ballistix PC2-8500/Zalman CNPS9700/Antec 900/Corsair HX 620W
Network ~ DD-WRT ~ 2node WDS-WPA2/AES ~ Buffalo WHR-G54S. 3node WPA2/AES ~ WRT54GS v6 (inc. WEP BSSID), WRT54G v2, WRT54G2 v1. *** Forum Rules ***
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Moderator
1 product review
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11. September 2008 @ 23:36 |
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Originally posted by creaky:
I thought you were joking, i was feigning innocence :P
Never!
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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12. September 2008 @ 02:44 |
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Originally posted by Dragula96:
Hey Tom, where's the Y in your nick? ;)
Why is that thread closed, anyway?
TomBrooklyn
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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12. September 2008 @ 03:16 |
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Originally posted by LOCOENG:
http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/440385
Hi, that's a start, but it doesn't go nearly far enough. Titles should be sufficiently specific and comprehensive that there is no question exactly what the content is about. Failure to do this demostrates either ignorance or lack of respect for the language and the other participants in the forum.
One and two word descriptive titles can rarely be sufficiently specific.
An examples of an unacceptable titles and some acceptable ones:
Wrong
DVD Burner
DVD Burner Problem (almost as bad)
Right:
DVD Burner Making Too Much Noise
DVD Burner Working Intermittently
DVD Burner Drawer Won't Open
2 DVD Burners Broke in 2 Days. Coincidence?
See the difference? If someone is searching for help with their DVD Burner drawer, why should they have to comb through every thread that has the words "DVD Burner" in it.
Apparently, the school system many people have gone through has not taught many how to title a technical composition. I would think this skill should have been instilled by say the 10th or 11 grade. Imaging going to school for 10 or more years and not knowing how to write clearly and specifically on a technical topic?
Well if these people somehow managed to get through school without learning some basics, perhaps it's time they got spanked in the real world. This is a technical forum. I suggest it raise it's standards to a level of proficiency commensurate with at least a 10th grade standard.
You'd be doing yourself and all the members of these forums a favor. And you'd actually be doing the poster and society at large a favor. These posters might be forced to learn a basic skill that will increase their value in the workplace by a measureable amount, enabling them to be more productive and earn more promotions and money.
TomBrooklyn
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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12. September 2008 @ 03:44 |
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I just realized you have this awesome handy tool to edit titles that appears to the OP of any post. Very nice. I suggest you make nondescript title offenders use it relentlessly until they get sick of you telling them to redo their title or they learn how to properly title a post. Like I said above, you'd actually be doing these people a favor, although they might not realize it right away.
TomBrooklyn
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Moderator
1 product review
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12. September 2008 @ 03:44 |
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Originally posted by loco:
If you have a problem with a thread for any reasons that outlined above or think that they may break another rule please feel free to bring them to our attention using the "report offensive post" feature as we can't be everywhere at all times.
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TomBrookl
Junior Member
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12. September 2008 @ 03:47 |
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Originally posted by LOCOENG:
Originally posted by loco:
If you have a problem with a thread for any reasons that outlined above or think that they may break another rule please feel free to bring them to our attention using the "report offensive post" feature as we can't be everywhere at all times.
Maybe I'll do that sometime. I could have a field day reporting threads.
TomBrooklyn
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Moderator
1 product review
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12. September 2008 @ 03:54 |
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It certainly would be an undertaking to try educating all the members of this site. You might actually see more results reporting posts vs. opening all these threads criticizing the way we do things.
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Moderator
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12. September 2008 @ 05:19 |
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Indeed.
TomBrookl - I used to regularly rename obscene amounts of thread titles, but it very rarely succeeds in educating the people posting badly. Like Loco stated, there's a lot of posters here. By closing the threads we get through to some of them at least.
Often i will then receive a Private Message asking for the threads to be reopened after the posters themselves had renamed the thread titles.
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AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
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12. September 2008 @ 08:18 |
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from my point of view(which don't mean much) all the so called invalid thread names are mostly made by newbies or people just starting out in open forums like this... i myself look at what category the post is made in and then decide if i will click on it to see if i can offer any advise... if its in a category i know nothing about i wont click it,as i wont be of any help anyway even if it had a descriptive title. now if someone like myself started a thread like that with just help me or something, then yea id report them not the thread... its all about experience... and i don't think people make these thread thinking how can i get the most responses with w proper thread title. they make the title to get someone there and then ask there question or state their problem.
like right now, I'm gonna start a thread in the safety valve. I'm sure it will be plenty descriptive enough..lol
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Senior Member
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12. September 2008 @ 14:22 |
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Originally posted by TomBrookl:
Wrong
DVD Burner
DVD Burner Problem (almost as bad)
Right:
DVD Burner Making Too Much Noise
DVD Burner Working Intermittently
DVD Burner Drawer Won't Open
2 DVD Burners Broke in 2 Days. Coincidence?
Why stop there? Let's bring this to the next level. Thread titles eXtreme!
Wrong:
DVD Burner
Right:
DVD Burner Making Too Much Noise
eXtreme!:
I Bought A Sony DRXS70UR External Slim DVD Burner And Plugged It In And Now It Makes An Awkwardly Boisterous Noise Like A Rhino Scratching Its Horn Against A Chalkboard But Only When I Put In CD's Made By Companies That Are Currently Or Have Ever Been Owned By Time Warner And Sometimes When I Put In Bologna
---------
My serious two cents:
Cracking down on thread titles more than the mods do currently is unnecessary.
New users learn quickly that, in order to be helped, they need to be coherent as far as thread titles are concerned.
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Dragula96
Suspended permanently
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12. September 2008 @ 15:13 |
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Let's make a sticky just for Tom Brooklyn to report in? ;)
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ddp
Moderator
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12. September 2008 @ 15:52 |
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TomBrookl, maybe you should read the forum rules too as obvious you haven't with these posts in this thread alone never mind other threads.
10. September 2008 @ 14:07
10. September 2008 @ 14:20
other members posted
12. September 2008 @ 02:44
12. September 2008 @ 03:16
12. September 2008 @ 03:44
12. Repeated posts to increase total number of posts is not allowed. Especially if your message is the last in the thread, edit it rather than post a new message.
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varnull
Suspended permanently
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12. September 2008 @ 16:07 |
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beat me to it.. I was going to mention the triple post too ;)
Shouldn't this be a SV topic anyway? It's more a chat than a feedback and suggestions.
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AfterDawn Addict
4 product reviews
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12. September 2008 @ 17:37 |
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yea what Varnul said. SV this puppy...it is good humor..well my sick sence of humor....lmao
triple post????? not the good ole lets build my post count so i can become a ADA... that does tend to happen alot. yup im guilty of it to. im sorry.
but seriously as i stated and XenigmaX said. once people get the experience the titles get better, and for a mod to watch it any closer than they do would be a waist of time...and like i said before if it is a SR member or ADA doing it then they should be bumped down a status,casue they should know better...(i know thats a little harsh)
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varnull
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12. September 2008 @ 18:38 |
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I want more topics like "I got my thumb stuck up my a$$- please help me"
hahaha.. sorry.
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