Category: Zone BBS Suggestions and Feedback
I was just wondering if it would be possible to change the default for new users to have public qn's off when they first join and log on here. I have talked to a number of new members recently who have been completely baffled/confused/offended by public qn's when they first join. Some of these people are not only new to the zone but new to speech screen readers as they are only recently blind and learning to use this technology. I myself had difficulty dealing with public qn's when I joined two years ago and was trying to get used to all the features on the site before concentrating on qn conversations.
So if and when the help file that has been discussed ever gets completed, perhaps new members could learn from this what quicknotes are all about and how to turn publics on. But I really think that for a new member who has no knowledge of the zone, having public qn's on when you first log on can be frustrating, confusing, possiblly offensive, etc.
yes i agree with you on that. it makes a lot of since.
I compleetely agree Becky.
Also i would say that new members should be directed strate to the system sounds page to learn the sound they would hear during their visit to the zone. I remember ignoring the first few people who spoke to me because i didn't know what the sounds mean.
This is a bit ironic. I was just thinking the same thing a day or two back. Either that, or a tutorial to guide new people through some basic profile settings, such as that one.
I like the tutorial better i got the hang of qns the first ten min i was here but of course maybe me and one other person would be logged at a time when i sinned up
A tutorial is what many have been asking for, for a very long time, however to have public qn turned off by default, may mean that some never ever meet new people here, and that would detract from their experiences here.
Well the tutorial would explain how to turn publics on and toggle back and forth between publics and privates. I hated publics when I first joined and with the offensive nature of the first few conversations I heard, I didn't have the nerve to join in or ask anyone any questions about the site for several days. I would have preferred to start out with only private qn's available and gotten to know a few individuals first without the particular bunch I always seemed to encounter when I logged on. And just this morning a new person was expressing much the same thoughts to me.
Nikos, I like your idea of new people being directed to the sound file too. A new person asked me this morning what all the sounds meant. I realize not everyone is going to come on here and take a long time to get used to things. But like I said in my original post, many people are not only getting used to the zone but are getting used to vision loss and speech software at the same time.
I wholeheartedly agree.
The tutorial, if it ever happens, would be a good start for new users.
Turning their qns off to begin with would be an excellent second move. I think that most new users might get an eroneous impression of what
the zone is by seeing quick notes about "God knows what" coming across their screen.
But, I think that some kind of "new user tutorial" or help file, is essential for some people. Perhaps that's why we have so many people who sign up here, then never participate in anything.
Nikos, that's an excellent idea. It might be as simple as putting a blurb on the main page about listening to the sounds on the main screen.
Thanks.
Bob
The first night I joined, I was killed by one of Kai's logins (as well as an action template), sat through one of the myriad arguments on intercontinental relationships, and witnessed Jared's quick note charm. None of this bothered me; however, I could see how some could be offended.
In conclusion: I agree with the entirety of Kevin's post.
Don't new people get an e-mail telling them that their membership has been approved? It's been so long since I joined that I forget. But if this is the case, then perhaps the "tutorial" could be e-mailed to them before they ever start using the zone. That way they will understand what qn's are all about from the beginning (including how to turn publics on and off or even to turn all qn's off), how to use the boards and the differences between the regular boards and the graffiti, and the randomizer. I'm glad the randomizer wasn't around when I joined. LOL. If someone had logged on and shot me down or flicked shit at me or whatever, I would have wondered why someone I didn't know was picking on me. If these things and whatever else is going into the help file could be explained in an e-mail, then people like me, who offer to help new users, wouldn't be bombarded by so many questions. Not that I mind answering questions, I just think that those of us who have been on for a year or more tend to forget how many changes we have seen and just gotten used to and not given thought to how a totally new user might feel or what they might think when they join. Sort of like a Martian landing on earth and not knowing anything about humans.
I'm in agreement with Jim and Kevin, although I suppose there might be something to the idea of having QN's turned off for new users until they turn them on. It wouldn't keep them from meeting new people if they were told where and how to turn the QN's on if they so desired. The first time I came 'round here I was treated to a Julia and Leena religious discussion, complete with Bible verses and bits of the Koran, and then witnessed Julia going off on someone for making light of that discussion. I remember wondering why someone who seemed so into religion was cussing so much. Lol. I wasn't offended, only amused, but I can definitely see how the Zone might offend.
the first night i was on here, i was a witness to a nice public virtual cybering. lol. how wonderful. My impression changed from this is a nice professionally ran establishment, to wow! This stuff goes on here?
Blake, were you a participant? Rofl!
lol, no.
yes becky, think you got a really good idea here
I agree with the idea of having public QN's off at first and with the one of having instructions in an emailed tutorial.
When I first came on here, I figured out how to send quick notes before I figured out how to turn them off, and sent a simple note saying "hi". I was then bombarded with "who are you"s and "what a weird screen name"s. So, for a while, I learned to lurk without speaking until I saw the little "type /help in the above box", and once I found out what quick commands were available, my life improved dramatically.
I think the idea of sending some simple commands in that email one gets confirming their successful sign up, is a great idea. I don't remember what the note said, but I do remember I was impressed with the friendliness of the message.
Bob