Can we have a basic internet forum skills test for new members?

While most people have figured out how to use features like the SEARCH button, many have not .....

I really believe that the excessive number of duplicate threads is really starting to dilute the quality of the site for real information gathering. Do we really need 500 diffrent threads on pulleys or CAI's ....can't a discussion of all facts and opinion relating to a specific feature or product be contained to a single thread so that it is more visible rather than getting lost in the jungle of other threads.

Is it possible to do a massive site clean-up using volenteers to merge threads? and how about that skills test?

 

No, no, yes, doubt it and what about it?

 

I'd rather have several threads which address the same particular subject anew from time to time rather than have only a select few ponderous threads which take up a whole afternoon to read up on. A quick question or a new discovery relating to something that has already been posted about at length can often collect a few needed responses, whereas burying the same question into some mile-long thread would not garner the same attention. Granted, there are many instances where the same question or topic comes up in a new thread while there is a current discussion elsewhere. That's the risks of doing business in an online forum. But I'd rather have that happen on occasions and allow the poster to get their satisfaction rather than heaving up some 4-year old thread with a bazillion posts being dredged up, with expired links, out-of-date info and forum members no longer around. The latter is more likely to be ignored. Merging threads makes sense when there are two or more similar, concurrent topics, though thread merging sometimes causes the timeline in the merged thread to read rather strangely.

Search works, but sometimes too well. Do a search on 'cold air intake' and you end up with dozens upon dozens of relevent threads, even more that arent so relevent. To someone in need of answers in a hurry, a new thread might seem like their only hope. People good with search can refine their searches and get the info. Some people are too lazy, and others feel they want their own thread. Thread proliferation goes with the territory, I'm afraid.

 

Maybe a key word search list would help for each forum.
Some sites require 10 posts before you can even start a new thread.

 

If you kill all options for newcomers to start threads the number of posts in the forum will fall dramatically. For example is there anything left to say about the R50 / 53 that isn't on here somewhere?

Bear in mind that vendors change, go out of business or are in far away areas. If the thread has been seen before it will soon dissapear from common sight.

 

This dup thread issue has been discussed many times ...

I have suggested many times for a FAQ but nothing came of it.

I still believe a FAQ is needed

 

Agree, nothing like spending a whole day going through a 128 page thread only to find that it didn't exactly answer your question.

Using your example, all threads/posts with "cold", "air" or "intake" will be hit. In Google and many other search engines you can enter "cold air intake" or cold+air+intake to get just that phrase. My problem with the NAM search tool is I haven't found a way to search for phrases.

I will also add that when you're new, you don't always know the correct vernacular, so searching for something without knowing what it's called can be challenging.

I don't think it's lazy...it's called being either overwhelmed with 21,152 hits or using the wrong word and getting either zero hits or getting irrelevant hits.

Sometimes a new thread is the only way to get the answer. BY then the other 128 pages of chaff will fall out and leave only the kernal.

 

But that is exactly my point.....I dont want this forum to decend into a nothing more than social spot where no real information can be quickly found, and new people get flamed for not knowing that thier same question has been asked 30 times already.

Perhaps a mandatory tutorial....demonstrating the search button?

I think this is an excellent idea!!!!

I have been a member of this community for 4 years and have only found a need to start a new thread maybe a half dozen times.

 

I also find the NAM search engine inconvenient to use because it doesn't support "exact phrase" searches. In fact, I'd go as far to call it "broken" - it simply returns way too many hits, the majority of which aren't relevant.

For example, if I search for "filter oil", looking for recommendations for air filter oil, the search function immediately returns 500 hits (the maximum), because it's triggering on ANY thread that has both "oil" and "filter" anywhere in it. And since Search only returns 500 results, who knows how many threads weren't even searched at all?

Being able to specify exact phrases is the best way to reduce the number of results and increase the relevancy of results you do get. I can't understand why it's not supported.

 

How about having Site Guidelines as part of registration* and adding it in this tool bar;
Home (MINI Cooper) Forums (MINI Cooper Forums) Gallery (MINI Cooper Pictures) Reviews (MINI Cooper product reviews) Store (MINI Cooper Parts) Registration (Site Guidelines)


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I can also understand the frustration some people and I have experienced using the search at times. Is it just me trying to hang on to info that I post to a thread so I can go back and search my posts to find that info later. Or I subscribe so I get an email to reference back.
There has been a lot of really good info posted up here but afraid a lot has been buried in BS.
FAQ is good, we have a data base of some things that are beyond opinions.

 

Speaking of subscribing, is there a way to subscribe to a thread without posting a message? I've seen threads that I wanted to follow and receive e-mail notifications for, but didn't have anything meaningful to add to the discussion.

 

Yes ... click "Thread Tools" at the top of any thread and you'll see the option to subscribe.

 

Thanks - I had seen the "unsubscribe" option under "Tools" with threads that I wa already subscribed to, but I hadn't thought to look for a "subscribe" button for threads that I *wasn't* already watching.

 

It would be nice to have something added from the blogging world - tags. If someone posts a how-to on how to retrofit an Optima battery to their car, they could 'tag' the post with 'battery', 'optima', 'how-to'. Rather than searching for keywords in posts (which tend to produce an overload, depending on terms) or thread titles (which result in a dearth of hits), the 'tags' would pertain to the crux of the thread-starting post. This would work very well, but as long as the tagging system does not get abused, which around here, is not very likely.

Thoughts? Feasibility?

 

MINI2 allows tags for threads but I'm not sure they're of any value.

In the example you've given, you could simply title the thread appropriately so an Advanced Search Titles Only could be used to find it.

 

It needs a Wiki or a FAQ.

 

So, what you're saying is that the DUP thread, is actually a DUP thread in itself...

How ironic.

 

NO....read my original post......a skills test was the point ....to prevent duplicate posts is the point.....offering solutions to the problem seems to be an original thought

 

Been thinking about this a bit. Because our club is so new, I plan on having a club meeting at some point to discuss the proper way to search and post on NAM. Showing the right way to do things to the new folks may help to MINImize the issues we are seeing. Just another way of reaching out to the community. After all, a lot of frustration can be prevented by a little instruction on our part.
Plus if done the right way you make a new friend in the process. That can't be bad.