Forum Topics

[ellroy]

Hi Guys,

Is it just me or is the forum filling up with the same questions repeated time and time again?? :?

I understand that new users may need to know some of the basics but maybe it would be better if there was a 'newbie' section or some mantid FAQ's?? I guess people aren't bothering to search for previous threads on their topic....

I think the forum is great source of info and there are some cool people on here so I hope no one takes offence at my comments,

Cheers

Alan

 

[DMJ]

Well I agree with you. I thought about asking to make a caresheet section for every species we possibly can, then add our experiences or something like that.

 

[ellroy]

That might be an idea....some people have them on their sites, perhaps they might donate a basic caresheet. I guess it could be posted as a sticky at the top of the relevant thread??

 

[DMJ]

Hmm well I dont really mind them but sometimes its annoying when you come on and find a bunch of the same threads just renamed but asking the same question. But hey we all start somewhere!

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

yeh i only joined a week or two ago but after that time i figured how much is actually on the site and that you're able to search through it. defo create a newbie area and plonk those repeated type questions in there. i know i'm new but i think it's important to welcome newcomers in the same way i was and not tell them to go look for the answer - unless you direct them helpfully. thanks for letting me be part of the community

 

[Ian]

oh god, you can't have mentioned my feelings in a better way alan, lol. Same q's time and time again. Maybe if people had a browse through the forum before...after all, that what the previous questions are for

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Samzo]

All people who need to find something use http://www.mantidforum.com//search.php it's what it's made for :wink: But yeah deffinatly do a care sheet for each species and post experiances with them.

 

[Jesse]

You know what? Even if we made a newbie section/thread/whatever, we will still have two people a week asking the same old newbie questions! A lot of new people are impatient/lazy/whatever and refuse to look around and/or use the search function. It would help those people who do look around though.

 

[Peekaboo]

I think ellory has brought up a good point.

We are getting a lot of questions that have not only been repeated, but their dopple gangers are also readily visible on the front page. I think some of the newer users aren't looking through all the forums and reading their descriptions, because we're also getting a lot of misplaced threads that belong in different forums.

However, we also don't want to be elitist. I wonder if care sheets would eliminate the problem, since it seems that people just aren't looking, as opposed to not being able to find answers. I've been trying to nudge the new users in the right direction by posting links to threads that ask their very same question.

 

[Ian]

But really, some of the questions asked make you wonder weather people even know what a mantis is? I personally think that people should do substantial research into their mantid before making a purchase.

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Leah]

I'll see what can be done about making a forum or sticky to put caresheets in, however, I can tell you from experience this will not eliminate repetitive questions, and probably will not decrease them much.

I dont want to log in tomorrow and have 439 PM's either, so if one of you wants to start a new thread and post the entries there, that would be a lot better for eliminating repeats. No links to anything but the caresheets themselves...

 

[nickyp0]

I agree with ian

 

[LGMS]

I'll see what can be done about making a forum or sticky to put caresheets in, however, I can tell you from experience this will not eliminate repetitive questions, and probably will not decrease them much. I dont want to log in tomorrow and have 439 PM's either, so if one of you wants to start a new thread and post the entries there, that would be a lot better for eliminating repeats. No links to anything but the caresheets themselves...

Sometimes search engines cannot point you to a specific answer, search parameters being what they are or you find 100 people have posted info on your question - and there are 101 answers :wink: Which one is correct?

I have used the search feature here, it's great now but once this forum has been online for yrs and yrs, finding the answer among thousands of posts will be tedious. But having an FAQ "may" answer the most asked questions cutting down on some repetitious posting.

An FAQ will require a lot of work. But it will be "greatly" appreciated by newbies and it "will" attract more folks to this forum when they find answers to their questions via Google. Deciding what to place on the FAQ and keeping it as a living document, constantly updating it, is going to a labor of love.

One suggestion. Having a photo gallery of every mantid male & female may/will help (some) people figure out what they have. That will cut down on some posts and could be used to entice people into this forum once they find the gallery via a Google search. Once they find the photo they can click on a link that will now take them to detailed info about that type of mantid (I know, I know, that is going to require a lot of effort). I'm sure if you ask, many of us will volunteer photos for the gallery, and info for the links, you just pick the ones you need.

At the moment one needs to look at a whole lot of Web sites to find enough pics, they're scattered everywhere. I've not found one site that was that comprehensive with pictures of various mantids.

I would place an obvious FAQ link right next to the "Everything Mantid" words above the "Forum", "Mantid Discussion" board page, not just at the very top of the page like there is now. I'm as blind as the next guy, putting it in my face might allow me to find it rather than ask questions first.

BTW, most of us who find a mantid rather than buy one look up info for them on the Net after we have the mantid not before we catch it. So the need for info is a bit more urgent than it would be for one who plans on buying one and has time to do their homework. When something is new to you, you usually ask someone knowledgable for advice/info. So far the majority of folks here have been great at helping answer questions, even after the one millionth time they're asked :wink: I think most of us really appreciate the advice/help we get here.

Rgds,

Louis

 

[Ian]

Hi Louis,

In reply to your topic, you have made some good points there.

A google search can prove to be a failure, as obviosuly it is just sites a random, and a lot of the time, it can be in foreign, or contain no information at all. However, there are MANY sites around that you can finds loads of info on, specialisng in mantids. I find the best www.terra-typica.ch This has the largest mantis database on the net (I think) mainly thanks to the work or Sören Materna, who has produced some absolutley outstanding pix.

Although, it would be nice to have a gallery on here. I believe there is a gallery function already, but maybe a separate board, like the many on here, general discussion, housing and feeding etc, just for a gallery? Like, each topic can be for a different species, and when people get pix of that species, post them on the correct species topic. Just a thought.

For the FAQ thing, there are so many different questions that pop up regularly, the anwers may be a bit vague, but I do the the search tool should be used a LOT more.

And, a lot of people I know do research into mantids before buying...but some really are common sense, lol. Just an inkling of thought maybe before posting, or again, the search function!!!

Thsi really is a great forum...has got many really good sources of info on it, and many knowledgable users on it. I just sometimes feel a lil bit put off by how many questions are asked that have been asked time and time again, and some that are just common sense

Cheers,

Ian

 

[LGMS]

Hello Ian, good 2 hear from U. Concerning Google. I've been on the Net since '93, things certainly have changed. I do miss Deja News as it was back then. Google can be unwieldy at times but as to searching in your native tongue, just set up the parameters for such. That eliminates lots of foreign material if that is what you wish.

To get lots of mantid pics use the Image search feature, thousands of hits on "mantid" alone, not all are mantid pics but ones like this are great http://www.regalreptile.com/mantid%204%206-26.jpg

I find the best www.terra-typica.ch This has the largest mantis database on the net (I think) mainly thanks to the work or Sören Materna, who has produced some absolutley outstanding pix. Ian

Thanxs for posting the URL. It's a bit much right now but hopefully I'll find my way around.

I believe there is a gallery function already, but maybe a separate board, like the many on here, general discussion, housing and feeding etc, just for a gallery? Like, each topic can be for a different species, and when people get pix of that species, post them on the correct species topic. Just a thought.

A separate board that has pics and some basic info on the mantid in view. Links to someone's Web page with detailed info on that type of mantid could be one idea. Or it can be all inhouse and detailed. I'm sure that the number of mantids most people are interested in, Carolina, European, Chinese, etc... is not too large. Certainly not expecting the forum to cover every mantid in detail right now. Just slowly add to the gallery & FAQ index as required. It will need input from it's members however, this is not a small undertaking.

Yes the search feature can replace an FAQ to a point but with time the amount of posts to search through will be very time consuming. Right now it's reasonable but 20,000 posts from now it'll be a bear unless you search the exact term used in the post. I'd rather have a basic FAQ than search through 100 posts to see if I can glean the same info or more info.

We all want to do our best at keeping or breeding them. Failure is not an option and the more info available the better the chances of this not happening to you because you didn't take proper care of your pet mantid http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/Homeowner/Longw...beeLongwood.jpg

Rgds,

Louis

 

[Samzo]

the internet has been around for 12 years?

 

[infinity]

na, it's only been around for 6 months... you were getting the beta version until then

 

[Samzo]

:?