When Newbies Ask For Help in NEWBIES CORNER ......


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Kei , do not take this the hard way .. people may register a account in 2006 , all the while visiting the various photo gallery showcases only .

Or perhaps they have TCSS all these while in KPT , meaning they did not venture outside these forums ,people do have other activities in life other than visiting CS religiously 24-7 .

One fine day they decide to buy a camera to take picture of their new born , hence they would just be like blur newbies even though they were registered years ago

that's why i mentioned:

there are those from even 2006 with hundreds of posts yet don't know how to search or find a link on their own.

notice i'm not hammering the ones who are not tech savvy but the ones who are just lazy to search. the ones who obviously know something but just want the easy way out.
 

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Newbies section should be a safe harbour, but instead sharks lurk there instead.
This stifles discussion and community building.

So thumbs up to this initiative
 

because clubsnap should pop out this video when they click on New Thread. or when they sign up an account, they have to watch this video before they can proceed.

[video=youtube;B9q2jNjOPdk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9q2jNjOPdk[/video]
 

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Actually if all the newbies ask their questions and didn't read or search, then so be it. This is human nature. You trying to change human nature?!? Gotta be joking, man! As a fellow member, happy then answer. Not happy then don't. Being sarcastic or nasty doesn't solve the issue, just turns people off. Singapore got like what, 5 million people? So almost 5 million potential newbies... so free to make 5 million nasty comments? Frank opinion - minus all the local context, this is nothing more than a second/third rate forum. Want this place to improve, be nice (but firm) to newbies (first impressions count) today coz some of them are going to be the ones contributing tomorrow. Help them grow. And don't act like you own this place. Freedom of speech doesn't mean can talk loudly like an arse. Reflects badly on yourself and the forum.

Moderators job just moved newbie threads from other sections into the newbie section. Maybe consider remove searching newbie section (and others that might generate too many useless hits eg Buy/Sell?) as a default option, if possible.

Just a little rant... :cool:
 

Bingo !!!

I have several colleagues (certifiable blur newbies and probably reading this now) in the office just starting out on photography and they ALSO DO SEARCHES ..... their problem is WHICH RESOURCE and links TO TRUST on the Search Results list ..... even sites like Dpreview and Photo.net have so many opinions on any number of subjects

So i guess indirectly newbies might be trying to tell us yes they did the search and could not find results .... where they are actually saying "Hi I've searched and yes got results but dont know which link to trust ..... I only trust Clubsnappers"

or

"I know what the ang moh opinion is on this but whats LOCAL Asian opinion on this same matter given the different asian environment, landscapes, people, weather , laws etc etc etc"

You think only lazy newbie bums just decide to ask questions here? As if they need to buy a plane ticket to search in other Western forums lolzz ? Lazy and selfish usually goes hand in hand with vanity .... so the truly lazy will not sully their hands in a local forum but rather internationalize themselves joining more 'prestigious' forums overseas

So ask yourself...... why do newbies bother joining a local forum when with a quick flick of the mouse and keyboard they can get all they want .... and MORE ! ..... in forums 5-20 times larger than ours ?

Have respect for yourselves too as Asians ..... LOCAL opinions do count alot to many people new in the hobby ....


+1
CS will not get anywhere if we just rely on other forum info.
If the other forums also do the same, then no pool of information will ever be created. :D
 

Or a picture of Kei...

images

I like woman who can fly plane.

:bsmilie:
 

When I first join the forum back then my first post first thread lotsa evil-minded people (including many senior members) jump in trying to make me feel like I had committed a heinous crime.

Although I did researched before posting a thread, I thought a forum is for discussion not a dusty library of archives. On the other hand a couple of members had PMed me to give me good answer and told me to ignore the fools.

We should really see what kind of questions. Some are really specific the TS knows whats his talking about and need some help or third party opinions.

Some are just downright lazy with an entitlement altitude of a chubby fat boy mouth stuffed with spoons. Like "How to be a professional photographer?" "What memory card is good?" By all means, slap these idiots and send them screaming back into their mother's arms.
 

A simple i need help in term of tone

1. i buy a new camera how come i shoot stuff not so nice all my picture are blur.

Vs.

2. I just bought a new camera. What material i should read to improve my photographing experience?
 

... minus all the local context, this is nothing more than a second/third rate forum. Want this place to improve, be nice (but firm) to newbies (first impressions count) today coz some of them are going to be the ones contributing tomorrow. Help them grow. And don't act like you own this place. Freedom of speech doesn't mean can talk loudly like an arse. Reflects badly on yourself and the forum.
...

now that's a little harsh. I don't think being nice to newbies will make this a better forum. Greater exchange of information/experience/ideas will. I've been to several other forums (local/international) where everybody is very friendly brudder/sistas, but all the threads are clogged up with useless banter/chit chat with little useful information being exchanged. That to me is the real tragedy.

A think a little perspective goes a long way... both sides just need to calm down a bit & things may improve - personal attacks from one side to the other will not help. I also support the suggestion from a previous poster that all new posts should come with warnings that if the mods decide are time-wasting duplicate threads would be deleted & repeat offenders warned & subsequently banned. I think we should give newbies the benefit of the doubt but things can go too far sometimes - some lazy people even have the cheek to start flame wars on their threads if they feel other are not being sufficiently helpful/trolling. sigh
 

now that's a little harsh. I don't think being nice to newbies will make this a better forum. Greater exchange of information/experience/ideas will. I've been to several other forums (local/international) where everybody is very friendly brudder/sistas, but all the threads are clogged up with useless banter/chit chat with little useful information being exchanged. That to me is the real tragedy.

A think a little perspective goes a long way... both sides just need to calm down a bit & things may improve - personal attacks from one side to the other will not help. I also support the suggestion from a previous poster that all new posts should come with warnings that if the mods decide are time-wasting duplicate threads would be deleted & repeat offenders warned & subsequently banned. I think we should give newbies the benefit of the doubt but things can go too far sometimes - some lazy people even have the cheek to start flame wars on their threads if they feel other are not being sufficiently helpful/trolling. sigh

Well, that's my honest opinion when comparing to the bigger/better forums (not just photography ones) in terms of the general atmosphere and quality. Only room to improve when you see how others are better, right? If you think my words are harsh, I don't disagree and I can be really nasty as well, but what for? Hey, at least I bother to express openly how I feel. Others might just leave. ;)

Being nice is a form of encouragement. You would want to create a virtuous cycle where newbie benefits and contributes back in return, not one where the first reply is a slap to their face. We are dealing with people here. It doesn't matter even if the suggestion to google or whatever is technically correct, they are turned off already. Carrot comes first, stick only follows if carrot doesn't work. And being nice is not even a carrot. Forums are open, voluntary spaces. Who the heck wants to get sticks all the time?
:)

Bad apples aside, I would like to believe that any newbie starts a thread out of the genuine desire to learn. Giving benefit of doubt is fair. For those who tries to be funny then its up to the mods to do their job.

Whatever idea that's to be implemented, just go ahead and try.
 

Being nice is a form of encouragement. You would want to create a virtuous cycle where newbie benefits and contributes back in return, not one where the first reply is a slap to their face. We are dealing with people here. It doesn't matter even if the suggestion to google or whatever is technically correct, they are turned off already. Carrot comes first, stick only follows if carrot doesn't work. And being nice is not even a carrot. Forums are open, voluntary spaces. Who the heck wants to get sticks all the time?

Agree to a certain extent.

Though I have reservations since there have been encounters of people who are really not trying to be funny, but have a "Feed Me!" sign plastered on their foreheads. I'm sure you've seen it before -

A: Hi everyone! I'm new here and new to photography. Anyone can recommend me a camera?

M1: Hi there, you can look at A, B and C. These are entry level DSLRs and are more affordable. You can also look at dpreview.com.

A: Oh thanks. What is the difference between A, B and C?

M1: Oh, they are just different brands. You will have to read up on the various systems and each of them have their own range of lenses, etc. For example, A has in-body stabilization while B prefers to implement stabilization in-lens.

A: Oh, I read up and I see that A got 12 megapixels, B got 14 megapixels and C got 16 megapixels. What are megapixels huh? Is there a place which can compare all these 3 cameras straight off for me? I don't know what to buy still leh hee hee.

M2: You can try it at the shops perhaps? Get a feel of which one you like and go from there. Think you can go to dpreview that M1 had mentioned earlier, and refer to the sticky [link] for the shops..

A: Oh, what is the number for Cathay Photo, Orient Photo and TK Foto??? Which shop is the best???

etc etc etc

I'm really not sure what to think of these. On one hand, they seem to be really interested and are not trying to be funny... Yet, they don't seem to be interested since they can't be bothered to seek out information that is readily available and simply rely on CS as a helpdesk. I guess it really depends on your personal level of tolerance. The best thing to do is probably to walk away (if you feel slightly exasperated) and leave other members to take turns to handle their queries? At the same time, is it right to encourage this mentality by keeping silent wrt your own observations? Would like to hear your views on this.
 

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At the same time, is it right to encourage this mentality by keeping silent wrt your own observations? Would like to hear your views on this.

I think that's the heart of the whole discussion - do we keep silent, or do we try to poke them in a more "learn to fish" direction.
 

I'm really not sure what to think of these. On one hand, they seem to be really interested and are not trying to be funny... Yet, they don't seem to be interested since they can't be bothered to seek out information that is readily available and simply rely on CS as a helpdesk. I guess it really depends on your personal level of tolerance. The best thing to do is probably to walk away (if you feel slightly exasperated) and leave other members to take turns to handle their queries? At the same time, is it right to encourage this mentality by keeping silent wrt your own observations? Would like to hear your views on this.


Just walk away , there are other things in life to spend your time on .
I would rather make a cup of coffee for myself than click on the reply button , type " hey buffon , dont you know that the search button exists for a function"
I would rather check out the latest Gmarket deals than go and create a let me google that for you url, click on the reply button , paste the url and type " hey let me make a clown of you"

Just ignore and walk away ....
 

Just ignore and walk away ....

And does that really contribute to CS? Instead of trying to get people to stand on their own 2 feet, to just walk away?
 

I think that's the heart of the whole discussion - do we keep silent, or do we try to poke them in a more "learn to fish" direction.

poke ? club them you mean ? and after that humiliate them ?
 

you don't fight fire with fire. you can tell someone nicely that he's wrong in handling but not try to create a battlefield like some of the "Avengers" that are in here to "right all wrongs"

CS is a place to learn. not a call center for all the camera brands, accessory manufacturers, photography schools etc.
 

Actually, I dont mean they cant post new thread to ask, I just mean that these members will be directed to a page with potential answers facing at them directly before starting a thread. System spoon feed, better than we spoon feed.

agreed. there are those from even 2006 with hundreds of posts yet don't know how to search or find a link on their own.

but 100 posts seems too high.
 

Actually, I dont mean they cant post new thread to ask, I just mean that these members will be directed to a page with potential answers facing at them directly before starting a thread. System spoon feed, better than we spoon feed.

OH! i get what you mean now. thanks for the explanation.

but it's still spoon-feeding right? i think a better way would be to, before they start a new thread would be to direct them to steps on searching within the forum. rather than giving them the answers straight out. if not, even after the 100 post count expires, they'll still ask instead of look for themselves.
 

There aare 2 group of people here.

1) people who post thread to ask cos they lazy to search forum

2) people who still stubbornly ask despite after we post thread for them to read.
A good example will be http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/newbies-corner/1060715-can-any-one-gove-me-brief-explanation-dslr-excells-over-normal-camera-5.html

I think most of us humilate the 2nd group of people.

poke ? club them you mean ? and after that humiliate them ?
 

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