Remove “Latest Discussions”
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How about removing “Latest Discussions” from the main forums page? That would leave the search box, the forum list, and the stickies.
This might get a few more people to actually use the search box. Just an idea.
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the latest discussions is important for us regulars, remove it and we’ll definitely see less volunteers helping out in the forums. i think we should make the add new topic link more obscure… or put it at the end of a page where before that you’d be asked questions like “do you have a wp.com blog?” “have you tried searching the faq” “have you tried searching the forums” before finally leading you to the page to insert your blogging questions.
that would really kill the number of new threads around for sure. lol
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the latest discussions is important for us regulars
Agreed, it’s a nice way to see what’s new.
remove it and we’ll definitely see less volunteers helping out in the forums
I don’t think that’s true at all. Many forums, including one i moderate, don’t have a list of the latest threads on the front page, and there is no lack of help from the members.
It may even enhance the help we give, because we will know which forum the question belongs to. I have seen more than one question from the CSS forum get answered as if it was for general support, thus making the OP repost to explain they need CSS info.
Do you really mean that if that convenient list wasn’t there you wouldn’t go one further click into support to see what was new?
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when one is on dialup every click counts. my dialup is extremely unpredictable, normally i can access the forums with no problems, but if it gets cranky i can take up to five minutes to load it (not that i wait, i just go offline and try going on later). sure the majority wouldn’t have problems since practically everybody is on broadband.
i probably would, since we have to do that to get to the off topic forum anyway. just that convenience can be a big factor in encouraging new volunteers to help out too.
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Removing the “latest discussions” from the front page would IMO discourage those who have problems from looking down the list and determining whether or not others are having the same problems, and where this is the case, to click in and see the advice being offered.
The FAQs stats show that many bloggers do use the FAQs and the forum searchbox. Granted that some do not and will not ever do so.
Although I could be wrong, I don’t think wordpress is concerned about getting volunteers to answer forum questions. We now have 3 volunteers who are, so to speak, career Moderators. And two of them have the ability to move threads from forum to forum.
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Sulz, when I’m on dial up, I do right clicks off the front page. That way I don’t have to go back and forth and reload the main page.
Folks not using the search bar is always going to be an issue. I know one program (which will remain nameless) that requires you to cut and paste your installation details into the post before you get help. Still 90% of the folks there don’t do it and then get upset when they don’t get a reply.
Plus you have to remember that for every person who posts here who doesn’t have a clue, there could be hundreds who are searching. A few weeks ago, Matt posted the previous 30 days of search results and there were some huge numbers involved. I had asked for a wp.com list and Matt said he would look into it…
Plus it’s not like we’re doing rocket science around here. :)
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you mean like opening in a new tab? yes i do that too, but if it’s cranky, that won’t do much too.
hmm, i’ve never really thought about those who actually rely on themselves to look for an answer first. kudos to them!
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