Category: Zone BBS Suggestions and Feedback
I don't know whether this matter had been addressed or not, but I was wondering about the idea of posting a few helpful hints, tips and tricks, etc. to help new zoners when they start using this web site.
The reason I'm suggesting this, is because I have seen that quite a few of them, initially doesn't know how to use this site.
One perfect example is, the newcomers don't know that they should refresh the page to view any new quick notes.
To most of you this might sound obvious and useless, but think carefully about it.
If there could be a guide lines section to which any new zoner could be refered, he/she would immediately be able to use this web site with more confidence?
Maybe, when the verification email is sent to his/her mailbox, there could be a few tips and tricks included.
A page, containing all these hints, could also be created on this web site.
Just my opinion.
This was suggested before, but it would seem that nothing was done about it.
Yes indeed, it was suggested before. I think new members should be sent a verification e-mail with all that info. It took me awhile to figure things out when I first joined, and I had to ask a lot of questions of fellow zoners. In turn, I have often answered questions from new zoners. Even just the basics would be nice. On my first day while I was trying to explore the site and get used to the various links and options, a public quicknote conversation was going on involving people having a contest to see who could say fuck the most times in a sentence. I had no idea I could turn off public quicknotes and finally just left and came back another time to finish exploring the site. The default is for public quicknotes to be turned on when a new member signs on for the first time, and that can be distracting when you are trying to get used to the place. It would be nice if some of that basic info was known to new members before they log on for the first time.
Well, I'm sorry for re-suggesting it. I didn't know it was already suggested.
I only think it would be a good measure, just to help new zoners ...
Don't apologize for suggesting it again. Nothing happened as a result of previously asking for this, so maybe bringing it up again will do some good.
I can confirm that, when I joined the zone for the first time, (at which time the Internet was relatively new to me), things were rather confusing.
Because of my ... call it stupidity at the time, I decided that the zone was not for me, and stayed away for more than a year, and actually forgot about this zone thing, until Danielle reminded me earlier this year.
I am sure that, somehow, a lot of people join the Zone, but because of them not knowing at first how this site works, they do the same as I did.
It would be interesting to have a look at some stats of, how many people sign on here, and how many of them eventually remain Zoners, if you know what I mean.
Well thanks for making me feel stupid. I don't know where you got that information, however. It doesn't answer all questions that beginners have, but it certainly addresses some of them. And I still think it should be sent in an e-mail to new people who have just signed up.
Ahafan, I agree, there are probably many, many people who sign up and never come back. All you have to do is go to list of user profiles and just browse through the pages, and you will see hundreds of names of people who never seem to be logged on. Also, if you check out their profiles, you can see the last date they logged on. I'm sure there are a lot of reasons for not coming back, but I'm also sure that the confusion you and I both had as new users and people new to the internet is one big reason.
......I made it myself. See, I actually did something about it instead of complaining (I'm not aiming that at anyone, honest). Now, If anyone would like to ad to it and modify what I've already done, feel free.
Brice, this is brilliant stuff.
I hope the admins and cl's take note of this.
This is useful.
Now, if every new user gets such a document, either via email, or through a link on the homepage, I am sure that many more people will frequent the zone once they're signed up and have their accounts verified.
One important aspect that we might consider adding to your document, is to tell new users that they have to refresh the pages manually by pressing the f5 button, or something simular.
When I first joined, I wasn't aware that you should do this to get the latest qn's.
There might be many more aspects one could address in such a document, but, methinks, there's a very useful one already created here.
Keep giving me suggestions. I'm still working on it; If I don't it won't get done, and besides, it's interesting in it's own respect.
Well, as I said, the hint about manually refreshing the page, to me, was something important.
I hope some more people will contribute ...?
Hmm CL, I fell for that one too..... lol. Q? It was me who made you come back? aaaaaaaw! i forgot that. Ooo, i feel honnored, or something. Yay. I did somethign good! hehehehhehe. Hmm, Sugar goes off to wonder what she said in that email she sent Q. lol
You hit it on the nail cat lover. As you know, I rarely ever turn public quicknotes on for the contest you mentioned. I figured out a quick way to get to the quicknotes, it's a matter of knowing what heading level you're at, if you are using jaws 5 or later. They are always at level 6. However, I did have to ask someone how to turn off quicknotes. I think topics like this can never be brought up too much. If a topic is brought up only once, then dies too quick, it gets put on the back burner and nothing gets done about it.
wonderwoman
Actually, the CL's came up with a site polacy and had suggested setting up a FAQ section on the site, that was 8 months ago. We were thinking to make it one of those I agree check boxes when people sign up for the site, but no one ever reads those. So perhaps the email idea is a good one, and we could also provide a link to the document from the main page. Well written Brice.
hmmm, I think something should be included about the games, something like.
games
The zone bbs has many fun games. such as blingo, anagram mania, blackjack, and high-low.
low points games
of the games listed in previous section, the following can be low points games. Anagram Mania, and blingo.
High point games.
blackjack is thought to be a fixed game, as many people lose on it, but if you have a good luck try, you can win up to 15000 points peer hand. (very unlikely) High-low is a quick, fun, and easy way to get lots of points.
message from the zone bbs!
hmmm, looks like I left out some games, ah well, I left ott the shitty ones
I was like you Ahafan! I'd decided that the Zone wasn't for me! For the same reason you and Miss Becky described! If it wasn't for nice people like Wonderwoman and Lupinsgirl I'd never had came back!
/con
I figured it out pretty well atfirst but did have a problem reading the boards. So I think the instructions, tricks, or whatever should be in the email and on the sight when the person first verrifys there account.
Some other things that could be mentioned in the e-mails to new members include the fact that you can see who is online and what they are doing on the zone by entering on the link that says how many users are on. I didn't know that for the longest time and would never have realized it if someone hadn't told me. Also, now that you can check whether someone has publics turned on or off in their profile, that fact should be mentioned. And the differences between being invisible (for premium members), having all quicknotes turned off, and toggling between having publics turned on and off should be explained.
Been here at The Zone for little over a year and now Thanks to Cat Lover I NOW know about that link regarding "users on line," as I simply never thot to click on it. *smiles
All of these hints, are in my opinion, valuable.
How about also mentioning the fact that users who purposefully use words to make screen readers such as Jaws crash, will be temperarily banned from the Zone.
Include all the other do's and don't's.
Then no one can use the excuse that they were unaware of the fact, or that they were joking, or such crap.
I came on and other then asking how to tab to send a private message, I didn't have any problem so I'm just not as worried about this really as most of you and I still think there are just way to many people who freak if the wind blows south east instead of north west on issues so I don't know though. I certainly don't mind helping out a new zoner, but as for the whole I didn't like it thought it was a bad place? Hmm wonder how they like the real world though.
well, I can understand why some people feel that. In my opinion, things are so much better now we have the ignore feature. As far as liking the real world goes, it's not the world we like or dislike, it's certain individuals, and people just use the real world excuse to do what they want to do, and treat other people the way they want to. But anyway, I think ahafans suggestions are valuble along with cat lovers, and thanks for your words, hope. I came back out of curiosity when I got one of those site updates you get when you stay away a long time.
wonderwoman
Thanks all for your contributions.
If there's anything else, feel free to add it.
good