vb.org: Stock vBulletin does not cut it

[CarCdr]

I have noticed in my short time as an active participant, a clear shortcoming of this site. Because it is based on a bulletin board system -- nothing but messages in a hierarchical storage system -- it is not that useful as a resource for vBulletin hackers and administrators. vBulletin.com suffers from the same malaise, as does any pure bulletin board site.

The most common, I would say pedestrian, features that one would expect to find at a site like vb.org, are features that promote the sharing of tips, ideas, and hacks, without the dreadful repetition that we see.

Let me explain... How many times in the last months have you seen the same sort of request repeated? How many times does one need to point out the difference between query and query_first? How often do we have to suffer the same question about offering usergroup access to feature X? :) How many messages demonstrate the use of in_array? The list of such repeated content is not short.

There are many fine contributors here. Still, finding answers to questions is clearly difficult for most people. If it were not, we would not see so many repeated queries.

Imho, the current state of affairs makes the site:

1) Frustrating for accomplished hackers.
2) Frustrating for novice hackers and administrators alike.

Can we not develop a community developed FAQ for hints and tips? Someone can contribute the damn entry on query versus query_first right away. :) This would be the sort of FAQ that all are expected to read before they pose a question.

Can we not also offer some form of hack index that is organized/cross-referenced by category?

I am not suggesting that I have the right answers, only that the question might be worth considering.

Cheers, C.C

ps: Do not bore us with flames regarding the effort required to make the site useful. Let us start with discussing what is required and reasonable, then we will worry about who might contribute.

[AN-net]

well um is it our fault people dont bother to use the search function?

[Reeve of shinra]

I think part of the problem is that alot of people dont bother to do a search or even read the threads that have been previously posted. Alot of times I find the answers to my questions by doing that.

Another thing that may help is if people (and this is sad considering they are all admins of there own here) dont realize that there is an easilly accessable search this forum and search this thread function, which makes it a snap to fiind answers to issues that come up in hacks that were solved in later posts.

All in all, I think a faq of sorts could help. I think the vb development kit that someone here was working on may go a long way towards that.

[CarCdr]

well um is it our fault people dont bother to use the search function?
Search? LOL. Take a look at the repeated queries and ask yourself what search would return good hits on the first page? Try searching on "database queries" or "usergroup access" and you'll see what I mean.

Seearch within forum/thread is not too bad if you have already found a topic that is related to what you are seaching for, but this has to be repeated for other similar forums/threads.

[Romeos Tune]

And you're starting your own site when CarCdr?

Personally, I'd rather read 5 posts similar to what you're talking about as 1 negative post like yours. This is really a very easy site to navigate and even easier to find the things you're looking for.

[Erwin]

I suspect that even if we did have an FAQ system in place, users will still have to search the FAQ database, and I think there will always be users who are too lazy to search and will end up posting in the forums. :)

[msimplay]

i agree i made extensive faqs on my forum yet people still ask me and i redirect them to the faq and then they come back and say they can't find it so i give the exact link using the built in faq search

i recon the faqs nice as a placeholder but people will ask over and over again
no matter what

[CarCdr]

Romeos, The post is not not meant to be negative. It is constructive -- it identifies a shortcoming and suggests possible solutions, humbly so no less.

As regards the other responses concerning FAQ's, I do see your point and can agree that some percentage of users will still be too lazy to do proper research. Having said that, pointing someone to a FAQ entry is, imho, a lot easier than answering questions repeatedly or taking the time to find a thread and posting a link.

Perhaps a [FAQ] bbcode would allow one to point a user very quickly. [FAQ]queries[/ FAQ] could be as simple as constructing a link to faq_url#queries.

[neocorteqz]

I'd certainly check a FAQ before posting if one was available. Yeah the search function is good, if you know exactly what you want, but sometimes you search for what you are looking for, and nothing comes up. Or you have to search through hundreds of pages before something meaningfull comes up.

[Reeve of shinra]

I created a faq bbcode for my forum. It deffinitely helps when linking.

[Dean C]

Moved to site feedback :)

[zetetic]

Search? LOL. Take a look at the repeated queries and ask yourself what search would return good hits on the first page? Try searching on "database queries" or "usergroup access" and you'll see what I mean.

Seearch within forum/thread is not too bad if you have already found a topic that is related to what you are seaching for, but this has to be repeated for other similar forums/threads.
I'm with you 100% CarCdr, but it doesn't look like we're goin' anywhere. ;)

I've found some answers through searching these fora, but not many. Moreover the answers you find are often inaccurate. Poster one asks a question, poster two gives a wrong answer, poster three corrects him, poster four corrects him, and by the end of the 25 page thread your kids are already grown and out of the house. ;)

I'm pretty new to vBulletin and hacking in general, but I'll support whatever you do toward this effort as much as I can. Up to and including providing space on my vps to host it, should people persist in suggesting you go away.

Cheers,

Tom

[CarCdr]

Hey man, what's a body to do? I don't need so much to look for the information, but it's pretty clear that we have no decent means of sharing infoormation effectively. I sure didn't lose any sleep over the lack of response. :) Cheers, C.C

[zetetic]

Hey man, what's a body to do? I don't need so much to look for the information, but it's pretty clear that we have no decent means of sharing infoormation effectively. I sure didn't lose any sleep over the lack of response. :) Cheers, C.C
Yeah I hear ya. It's not impossible to find stuff, but I agree that it could be a lot more efficient. The consensus does seem to be love it or leave it, though. But then that's been the consensus on most forums I've been to. ;)

Anyway I've installed a lot of the fine hacks I've found here as well as having paid to have a few custom made for me, and I've contributed a couple small things too. So I just wanted to throw in that I'm all in favor of helping with any site improvement projects. Why people insist that good is good enough when better would be so much better is beyond me. :D