Hi all, I'm just going to come out and say this as I think we need to discuss it, IMO posts like the following are not beneficial to any topic outside of the "Welcome to GardenStew" or the "Village Square" forums: - Posts with just a welcome and nothing constructive about the actual topic - Posts just saying that you know nothing about the topic - Posts with a welcome and then saying that you know nothing about the topic I realise that they are posted with the best intentions but they are just adding noise to the thread. Posts with a welcome and then some constructive on-topic discussion are perfectly acceptable because they help. What do you guys think?
Frank I agree with you. If someone asks a question, whether they are newbies or not, and I have no answer/suggestion/clarification question, etc to post back, I see no reason to say anything. If they are a newbie who hasn't introduced themselves yet, starting a "Welcome" topic in the Village Square that others of the same mind could add to would be much better....but making sure first that one hasn't already been started by someone else. Since we receive a Topic Reply notification everytime someone posts to a Topic that we are watching, it does tend to clutter up the inbox when many of them are "I don't know" replies.
Yes I think this is a nice alternative and even better if the person who starts the welcome topic for the new member also PMs said member to let them know that it is there. Although sometimes if the new member is impressed enough by the quality of the original topic replies they will start a welcome topic themselves. This is always the ideal situation. Great input Toni
I think that is true. If someone asks a question and I don't know the answer or how to tell them where to look for an answer, I don't say anything. I do Welcome people if the topic warrents it or I have something to say. Many people may think it is a friendly thing to do though. So, now they can go to Village Square to do it by starting a topic? Dooley
I agree. I did welcome someone once when I knew not a whit about the question being asked. I didn't know better and everyone else was doing it, so I followed like a mindless sheep. Your idea is solid, Frank. I also wonder if getting 15 or 50 welcomes is overwhelming. I might well run away screaming if that many people descended on me. I know this is another topic altogether, but maybe if we welcome someone with fewer posts, they might not be in overwhelm and run off forever.
I've often wondered whether we scare off new people also. What about this for a solution: stick to the topic of the thread as normal but perhaps suggest at the end of a post that the new member introduce themselves in the Welcome to GardenStew forum. That way the new member gets the answers they are looking for and can decide whether or not they want to dive deeper into the community. The reality is that not all new members want to become regular members, they may just want a question answered. This is fine of course, we cannot force people to stay, but if we answer their question they may just change their mind
You certainly changed mine, Frank. <G> I think sending folks to the welcome center is good. Or you could be delegated as the official welcomer. more grins. One thing I really really appreciated when I first got here was that you commented on my blog. THAT impressed me. So comments on someone's first or second post, germane comments, may well keep them around. Probably genuine interest in the person's questions or statements is the key here.
OK I hold my hands up as I know I'm guilty of posting some of the things that niggle. In my defence though I always tryto help new posters out with their problems as much as I can. If I can't then I feel that it's only polite to at least let them know that someone has read their submission and is taking their query seriously. I think it's much better than getting no response whatsoever as they might feel that they are simply being ignored. I usually do re-direct them to the 'welcome' forum or post a welcome message so that others can greet them.
Frank I agree with what you have said, but I also agree with Eileen and Glendann too. I'm also guilty of commenting when I don't know anything about the topic.When I joined Gardenstew I was soooo impressed with the welcome I received!! I had joined so many other forums and I did not receive the welcome I did here and I decided that people just were not interested in me so they were ignoring me!! I know my feelings are easy hurt but I know there are alot of people out there like me. I try to be polite and let the new people know that I have read and acknowledge there presence and I want to give them the same kind of welcome that drew me to stay here at the Stew instead of feeling unwelcomed and try to find a more friendly place. This was the first forum I actually joined in on and I would have passed it by also if I had not received such a warm welcome. I have enjoyed making friends here and I look forward to making many more.
Luckily for all of us, Frank, you drew the short straw and have to make the final decisions, whatever they may be.
This is the only forum that I feel comfortable posting on. I felt included right from the start by being included in the conversations. Some forums do exclude new members and make them feel unwelcome. I'll stay anyway and welcome those as want to join us. Dooley
