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FAQs, general purchasing advice and mythbusting...
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2005-01-12, 09:49

Just taking a quick scan of Speculation, Apple Products and General Discussion, iCan't help but notice all the redundant threads (many centering on "will xxx support xxx?".

Such a strong influx of newbies (not using that as a slam by any means, just stating a fact) that I wonder if there was some sort of way there could be a permanent one-stop-shop question-answering/fear-calming FAQ list?

All these ongoing questions about Tiger, CoreImage and Mac mini.

Different people starting all new threads about "an iBook or a iMac G5?" (launching yet another three-page discussion where everyone chimes in saying the same thing they just said a week or two early ("portability vs. power, personal choice, what's important to you, be sure to load it with plenty of RAM, etc.".

I realize the build-up to MWSF triggered A LOT of new threads by new posters, but I wonder if there could be a way to a) head them off and answer their concerns/questions BEFORE another thread is started about it and b) wouldn't it make the lives of the higher-ups a tad easier, not having to houseclean and lock/delete/move threads so much?

Doesn't that get tiring after a while?

There could be a general, all-purpose "Purchasing Advice" article or chart. In fact, we could kinda make our own little version of that page at Macrumors.com where we track the amount of time between product updates so folks can go there and see "oh, the iBook was just updated last month..." or whatever, and not start a "should I buy an iBook?" thread...which will eventually wind up a) lame or b) locked.



But it could also cover that old chestnut of "laptop vs. desktop?", "how much RAM is enough?", "What the hell is CoreImage and will xxx support it?" and about 47 other questions and topics I see coming up over and over and over and over again.



This site is more than its forum, right? Perhaps this is the kind of useful, real-world stuff that could go on applenova.com's main page, making it a truly helpful, Mac-centric place with valuable, real-life information and assistance (no offense to the writing of moogs and thegelding, but that kind of stuff could be tucked away into another area or page...people coming here for the first time might be expecting Mac stuff. I wonder if that puts them off, or confuses them? It would me, frankly).

I do imagine the front page of applenova.com being a really cool, well-written and informative place. A destination that, in time, people will seek out because the advice and plain English explanations and advice are so damn good. I've always liked the idea of "consolidated, easy-to-find information". Break it out into pages as it makes sense, of course. But from applenova.com's homepage, it could be obvious that here are links to: purchasing advice/release dates, Apple-centric FAQs, "Top 15 Common Myths...Busted!" and things like that.

If nothing else, it just might significantly cut down on some really chuckleheaded threads that have been rehashed about 724 times already, since last summer.

Just some ideas and opinions...hope they're considered. Would certainly make for a fuller, richer site. The forums just seem to be where all this takes place on an ongoing, unnecessary basis...and they're a bit of a wreck because of it.
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alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via ICQ to alcimedes  
2005-01-12, 09:54

excellent idea paul. let me know when they're ready.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2005-01-12, 10:09

Oh no, I'm not smart like that. And I don't write well.

It would have to be people like you and other mods/admins and other "in the know/smart fella" types here providing the nuts and bolts...people who know these things and can write about them with authority.

I just provide the idea/spark and the "big picture". That's what I do.

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FFL
Fishhead Family Reunited
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Slightly Off Center
 
2005-01-12, 11:04

<butterflymcqueen>
"But Mista Eric - I don't know nothin 'bout writin no articles!"
</butterflymcqueen>
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MCQ
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NY
Send a message via MSN to MCQ  
2005-01-12, 12:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pscates 2.0
Oh no, I'm not smart like that. And I don't write well.

It would have to be people like you and other mods/admins and other "in the know/smart fella" types here providing the nuts and bolts...people who know these things and can write about them with authority.

I just provide the idea/spark and the "big picture". That's what I do.

You thought of the idea. Now you finish it!

Maybe I could make something for the CoreImage support.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2005-02-13, 12:59

I think the main, most important stipulation is that it has to be in simple, plain English. I see some of these threads where you guru types get to talking about this and that, and writing a FAQ or "background piece" in that type of language/lingo won't help ANYONE.

I'm fairly dialed-in to things, but some of these threads I can't even get halfway through before I'm lost. That's okay...they're dedicated threads, but that style wouldn't work for any sort of FAQ or general info page/section.



Plain, straightforward, everyday English and allow for explanations of things MOST people don't know or understand. Written by - and for - the average joe, regular guy Mac user or newbie switcher, of which we are beginning to see more and more of, right?

Otherwise, it's useless and only a geek jack-off exercise.

There's PLENTY of that out there already...

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SonOfSylvanus
Fro Productions(tm)
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: London Town
 
2005-02-13, 19:24

I've been thinking about this suggestion since I read your first mention of it. I like it very much. Brad and others have made some very informative posts to n00bs explaining various aspects of MacOSX etc in Genius Bar and Apple Products. I think these should become the core of a new hints/tips/advice Front Page.

bouncy bouncy
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Ryan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
 
2005-02-13, 21:38

I like the Purchasing Advice forum, even though its empty. Good idea.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2005-02-13, 21:57

It's not empty now.
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BlueRabbit
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
 
2005-02-13, 23:48

Quote:
Originally Posted by CubeDude
I like the Purchasing Advice forum, even though its empty. Good idea.
I'll second that. It's a really good idea, since it takes a lot of the load off of GD. Hopefully all of the new people with questions will gravitiate there. The only problem is, now I can't see all of the forums at once on my 1024x768 screen.
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