Can we get a "NEWBIE" section

[skidoo]

"know which was the correct icon to select"

add an instruction/tip into the phpbb template for the posting page

"a newbie corner"
consider:
Each time I'm tasked with supporting a new/different machine, dealing with a new set of (display driver quirks), I'm a newbie all over again.

[Adrian]

I see no need for a special section, and the reason for that is that newbies should not feel afraid to post questions in the general forum, we treat newbies well by default, we don't need a special forum for that.
Besides everybody is a newbie in one way or another, so we can all learn from each other.

[Infodude]

"Newbie" is such a ninny word.
How about using the term "Greenhorn"?
Greenhorn has a much richer pedigree, www.nytimes.com/1991/06/23/magazine/on- ... nhorn.html and just sounds way cooler.

Just a thought,

Infodude, a recent MX greenhorn loving persistence on a USB stick.

Newbie is fairly universally understood across the world, whereas greenhorn is pretty much unknown outside on North America.

Chris

I can understand that, thank you for sharing your information.

Infodude

[BitJam]

I have only been here a short time and the community support is fantastic. However, if we had a "NEWBIE" section it would help newbies from getting answers that required and follow up "what does that mean" post.

I have been a linux user for 3 years, ms free for over 2 and still get answers that are way over my pay grade.

I agree there can be a communication gap between people who are new to Linux and old hands. I've posted about this a number of times (years ago). If a "NEWBIE" section would help solve this problem then I'd be all for it. Unfortunately I think the communication gap would not be altered. For me, the problem is not identifying a person as a "newbie"; the problem is understanding what they are trying to say and responding in a way they can understand. One trick I use is if I have to struggle to understand what someone is saying/asking then I will let someone else answer.

Along these same lines:

Would it be possible/easy to have people who are new to the forum start out at the How to ask for help page?

Would it be possible to link to that page in the top banner after "FAQ", and "Contact us"?

The first suggestion will let people who are new to the forum know that such a document exists. The second suggest would make it easy for people to get back to it.

[richb]

@BitJam, I am not sure how easy it it to do either. That is a question for Peregrine who would have to get into the Forum code.. You could PM or email her. I am not opposed to either. Please copy Jerry and me in on the communication.

[JayM]

How about pasting a copy of it inside of every help forum and subforum, making it a sticky at the top, and giving it the subject "IMPORTANT: Please read before posting"?

[richb]

There is an easy way to do that easily as an Announcement. It would be at the very top of the post list not as banner but as a post. It will be considered.

[JayM]

Cool, I hope if implemented that it helps. People tend to scroll right past the announcements in the Welcome section at the top to the forum proper, so hopefully if one of the first posts they see is that one they'll be more inclined to read it. Maybe it'll cut down slightly on the "Such-and such isn't working, any ideas?" posts with no detailed information about the problem or about their computers.

[Eadwine Rose]

If anything we can point at it.

"Please read this and provide the info requested, thanks."

[AK-47]

We need flashing images with shaking fake Windows XP themed error messages. I mean if it worked in the early-00's it ought to work now right? Ain't no school like old school!