Where vB is going wrong

These are the growing pains of a community this big.

More people + More people not using search + More threads posted asking a question that's been answered already = less accurate search results.

[Paul M]

It probably doesn't help that the site has search problems atm.

[peterska2]

I'm going to jump in here and admit that I've not been quite my normal helpful self earlier today and have been borderline sarcastic with a couple of posts then.

In saying that though, on the whole, I give links where appropraite. Sometimes I'll tell people exactly what terms to search for and what options in advanced search instead of just searching for it myself and giving them the link, but usually that is with people who I have already given loads of links to already that day, or have been around long enough to know better.

As for support for my mods, I always make an announcement if something is coming up that is going to affect the support I can give. An example of this is the thread in the longue saying that I'm going back to school next week and have other things happening too so support time will be limited at least for a couple of weeks.

With regards to posts in the wrong forums, I tend to find I'm reporting a minimum of 5 posts per day for this exact offence at present. Sometimes I'll post explaining which forum would have been better suited, but not all the time. The biggest cuplrit for this at the moment seems to be service requests being posted in the modifications requests forums and even in general vB questions! Of course this changes a lot and flutuates between 'releases' that are requests, and services requests elsewhere.

IMO, it's getting a little 'too many chiefs and not enough indians' around here at the moment. I know that the majority of us are admins ourselves, but does everyone really need to be moderating this site? Sometimes it feels like the 150 logged in users are 10 lurkers, 40 users, and 100 moderators/admins, when in reality there are just a couple of visable staff members logged in. If something isn't in the right place or against the rules, report it. Don't be going off at the poster. If you want to run about with your admin/mod head on go to your own site and do it, otherwise take a chill pill, introduce yourself to the report post button, and enjoy the ride.

With regards to KTBleeding's post (post #10):

There are occassions where similar releases occur. This can be quite irrattating (sp?) when you release something then within sometimes as short a time as 5 mins someone releases something practically identical. There is nothing that you can do about that though. There are many coders here who are all looking at the same requests forum. Unless someone actually says that they are working on something, then it's pretty much a free for all, and different people can release the same thing at the same time but coded differently.

Of course there are also occassions where the exact same code is released by different people. Yes, there are only so many ways of dong things with templates, but for three different people to release the same thing for versions 3.5.0, 3.5.2 and 3.5.3 with the exact same code is just silly. Often this is done by newer members who think that this is ok as they haven't read the rules about releases being your own work and not copied from someone elses. It can be inspired by, but not a direct copy.

In addition to this, some advanced and master coders get too big for their boots and think that they are better than everyone else. TBH, they are just the same as everyone else.

The difference between a member and a coder?
They coded something and got a handful of installs. Wow! It's not rocket science, but some think they are God's gift.

The difference between a coder and an advanced coder?
They got a big break or two and got a lot of installs for some plugin or other. Good for them. It doesn't make you more of a person though, you just happened to tap a need before anyone else did.

The difference between an advanced coder and a master coder?
The've had a lot of installs for a lot of assorted code mods, usually over quite a period of time. Congrats to them, but it doesn't make them any better a person than the new person who has just completed their registration and is asking how they edit a template.

Every single person here has been the newbie who doesn't know anything about vB at some point. It might have been relatively recently, it could have been right back in the vB Lite days. The thing is that we all had to learn. Can anyone honestly say that they knew what every single option in the ACP did and what every single template controlled the very first day they installed vB? I know the answer to that, No. Everyone played with the settings, probably broke something and panicked, messed up a template or other, it's the way human beings learn.

So basically, what I'm saying is everyone should give everyone else a break. Help when people ask for it. Be tolerant with newbies. Answer the same question 10 times in one day. Who cares? It's not the end of the world. Relax and enjoy the ride.

Anyway, I'm getting on my high horse a bit here and I've got a lot to do (plus the kettle's just boiled) so I'm going to stop here before I end up with a mamoth post (it's big enough already!).

If you agree with me, fine. If you don't, fine. I'm not in charge, I don't make the rules, I just see it as I see it. Take it or leave it. Everyone has a part to play in this site, but everyone has to remember that if they have got their staff head on then they are best staying at their own site and not coming here as they are not staff here but just the same as everyone else.

[LBSources]

Originally Posted by Paul M

It probably doesn't help that the site has search problems atm.

i agree with that there.. but i still try as best i can to hunt down for what "i've seen" or imagining would be here as im sure im not alone in the 'need' of a hack or answer..

Originally Posted by Chris-777

These are the growing pains of a community this big.

More people + More people not using search + More threads posted asking a question that's been answered already = less accurate search results.

Yes..

you know when i had submitted some time ago a ticket with ASO, before it submitted my request, i guess it wrapped the keywords in the ticket text area and presented me some possible topics which might have helped me.. guess what? one of them did help.. hence no ticket being submitted (canned help).

so.. they can come to vb.org click the new topic as freely as they normally do, but when they click onto post it; they are presented a search of results which match some content of their post and then they must click like 'no this doesnt help' and then the thread is posted. this would be ONLY for new threads

I'd also imagine this might be a big task and maybe huge resource hog kind of hack??

But, this would cause then great reason to get the knuckles out and lash the n00bs

just my thoughts..

Lenny

[Brandon Sheley]

Originally Posted by Reeve of shinra

Not that I agree or disagree, but its not exactly easy to find stuff around here now a days. Hopefully that will change when the "hack database" comes out.

hmmm, i don't have to big of a problem,, sure sometimes there is something I haven't found with a little searching. but, 97% of the time I can find the answer without asking..


I've almost been here one year and it seems the same today as it did when I joined up :ermm: good or bad..

[Rich]

Hello,

I have been a member here for almost 2 years now. I can also say that things have changed. I feel that most of the problems I have seen stem from new users not reading anything. They tend to just post questions wherever they want.

I myself am tired of visiting the site only to see "new releases" that are nothing more than some user posting a question as a release. It completely defeats the purpose of having a forum structure when the new users aren't using it.

I understand the frustration that alot of the users have displayed recently.

Threads being posted in the wrong forums is so frequent now, I decided to just add my response in my signature. Its THAT frequent and THAT annoying.

[CAMS]

My first post

read this and had to have a say

the search on here is kind of a nightmare when looking for things.. altho with some time u do find wat u wer looking for... but it can be annouying at times

but remember.. thers never a stupid question.. just stupid answers

[meissenation]

My only complaint is how many people have left the vb.org community with their hacks for 3.0. It's really frustrating seeing so many great hacks for 3.0 but completely no support for them in 3.5.x; I actually regret upgrading one of the forums from 3.0.x that I did because half of the hacks that we wanted to use aren't 3.5.x compatible, and now we're left begging in threads for someone, anyone to take their knowledge of 3.0 and 3.5 and converting the necessary install files. And it's not like we're talking about people taking the time on their own and not being paid for it. I know in one thread, there were multiple people saying they're so desperate for someone to just take the time and create a database install file and an AdminCP file for 3.5.x (templates and the main .php file has already been converted from 3.0 to 3.5.x so people that already have it installed from 3.0 can run it on their 3.5.x sites, but no one can do a fresh install) that they'd gladly pay for someone to do it for them... alas unanswered. That's my only complaint, of course this coming from someone that doesn't know the beginnings of where to start when it comes to coding PHP and vBulletin.

[Princeton]

The biggest problem here is that everyone is crying about SOMETHING ... for god sake ... stop the violin (playing in the background) and start being productive!

You need something done / upgraded / etc ... put your request in the SERVICE REQUEST forum and hire someone. Yea, it really is that simple. If you only have $10 to spare then don't come crying here for support. Everyone here is a volunteer; everyone here has a life!

You want to change the attitude around here ... well let's start with you. That's right I said YOU. :ninja:

Be helpful! Stop spamming the site with

"try the search"

"this doesn't belong here"

"no one wants to answer my post"

"I can't find anyone to upgrade this hack for free"

"wrong forum"

etc, etc...

You get the idea.

It's the same ole' song playing over and over again.

Go ahead spam this post with something productive ... you won't get a reply from me.


BEER DISCLAIMER: This is just a general observation and I thought it was time to speak my mind.

[AN-net]

i am still steadfast in my opinion that you should not be modifying a board if you do not even have knowledge of the language it runs on. some people who have been administrating bullentin boards lately do not even know simple web languages such as HTML. also these new users do not even read forums or their descriptions and have an attention span of someone with a severe case of A.D.D. they can barely wait for something to develop, it either has to be what they want or its 'garbage'. i frankly find them rude. i actually have stopped posting "wrong forum", i just report it now. what happened to the big message at the top of the release forums that said "THIS IS ONLY FOR HACK RELEASES, DO NOT POST QUESTIONS." anyways that is my opinion, continue on.