When a how-to is not a how-to...

[Farrar]

Anyone else having problems finding "how-to's" on this forum? Seems like 90% of the time I see something with "How to:" in the title, I click on it to see the procedure and the first post is "Does anyone know how to ... ?" That's a how-to request, not a how-to. It's frustrating sometimes. Am I reading the forum incorrectly?

[refugeefromcalif]

I've had the same problem searching the, DMCTalk - F.A.C., Frequently Asked Questions forum.
The F.A.C. forum is supposed to be Answers to F.A.C. (If I understand the forum right).
Not, a place to ask questions. That's why we have a General DeLorean Discussion forum for asking questions...

George

[Dangermouse]

Me too.

FAQ, on any other website is where you go to find answers to Frequently Asked Questions - (it even says so in the description at the top), not where you go to actually ask the questions.

Ditto with the "how to" section.

The sub-forums are well laid out with helpful descriptors at the top.

Drives me up the wall. But that could be my logical, organized, engineers brain at work too,

[Jonathan]

Agreed, and I've authored both of the "how-to" types of threads in question. :)

In terms of potential solutions, what if the main thread title was edited to include "Seeking a..." at the beginning, and then if the how-to is added in a subsequent post, that "seeking" could be removed?

This needs the help of the moderators with the ability to edit, so that's not a solution exclusively doable by just the members here.

Any other ideas? A complete clean-up of the sections is possible, but not probable due to the amount of time that would demand on the mods again. Or if we did help the mods out and give them guidance by doing the grunt work, maybe there becomes two main how-to sub-sections... one for "found" and one for "looking" and if someone adds a post at the end of a thread saying which of the two it is, the mods could just move that thread and delete the "where to put me" post.

[Dangermouse]

"seeking" a "How-to" is really just "General Discussion", is it not?

I think the original idea behind the "How To " thread was that members who had completed a particular task would kindly write a detailed step-by-step post for others to follow; or for a mod to move a post, or series of posts, that were particularly helpful.

However those were the days of multiple mods with plenty of time on their hands :)

I think at the moment it is up to us to gently point new members/posters to the correct sub-forum as I have noticed if a member posts a Q in the FAQ and gets plenty of responses, then he/she will keep on doing that.

Alternatively, do away with the subforums altogether and just have one big dump thread like a facebook page where anything goes.

[Farrar]

Agreed, and I've authored both of the "how-to" types of threads in question.

There are more than two. And you're not the only one! I'm not singling anyone out. :)

I'd suggest "How do I" instead of "How to" in the heading if you're asking a question.

[Ron]

"seeking" a "How-to" is really just "General Discussion", is it not?

I think the original idea behind the "How To " thread was that members who had completed a particular task would kindly write a detailed step-by-step post for others to follow; or for a mod to move a post, or series of posts, that were particularly helpful.

However those were the days of multiple mods with plenty of time on their hands :)

I think at the moment it is up to us to gently point new members/posters to the correct sub-forum as I have noticed if a member posts a Q in the FAQ and gets plenty of responses, then he/she will keep on doing that.

Alternatively, do away with the subforums altogether and just have one big dump thread like a facebook page where anything goes.+1
We have:

Forum FAQ (http://dmctalk.org/faq.php):
DMCTalk Forum - A DeLorean Community FAQ (http://dmctalk.org/faq.php)

DeLorean FAQ:
DMCTalk F.A.Q (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?63-DMCTalk-F-A-Q-Frequently-Asked-Questions). - Frequently Asked Questions
(But says "Forum: DMCTalk F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions" when you get there. )

DeLorean How-To (Detailed step-by-step posts for others to follow.):
HOW-TO Guides (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?4-How-To-Guides)

DeLorean How-To Request:
How-To REQUEST LIST (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?612-How-To-REQUEST-LIST)
(This is a sticky in the DeLorean How-To Guides thread.)

======

I suggest the following changes:

DMCTalk Forum F.A.Q (http://dmctalk.org/faq.php).

DeLorean F.A.Q (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?63-DMCTalk-F-A-Q-Frequently-Asked-Questions).
(Change name in actual thread to match.)

How-To Guides (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?4-How-To-Guides)

How-To Guide REQUEST LIST (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?612-How-To-REQUEST-LIST)
(Leave as Sticky. Make title bold.)

Then sort them out...

[Dangermouse]

I would further suggest changing the "General DeLorean Discussion" title to "General DeLorean Discussion and Tech Help"

[Farrar]

I suggest the following changes:

DMCTalk Forum F.A.Q (http://dmctalk.org/faq.php).

DeLorean F.A.Q (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?63-DMCTalk-F-A-Q-Frequently-Asked-Questions).
(Change name in actual thread to match.)

How-To Guides (http://dmctalk.org/forumdisplay.php?4-How-To-Guides)

How-To Guide REQUEST LIST (http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?612-How-To-REQUEST-LIST)
(Leave as Sticky. Make title bold.)

Then sort them out...

Makes perfect sense to me! Thanks! :)

[Nicholas R]

It would also be great if we could have some kind of process in place for transitioning something from a normal forum post to a saved how to. Often How-tos end up showing up in threads through discussion as someone relay's their experience. Unfortunately those posts often get used for reference for that once situation, but are buried forever. A perfect example of this is the "Teslorean" thread right now. DrJeff just posted a great list of all of the items that you have to disconnect in order to do a body/frame separation: http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?13316-The-TesLorean&p=206419&viewfull=1#post206419

But being that it is in the thread about his Teslorean, it will either never come up, or be completely overlooked when someone is looking for body frame separation help.

[Jonathan]

However those were the days of multiple mods with plenty of time on their hands :)

I think this is important. There are some great ideas on how to better manage the forum, but it comes back to being able to edit certain aspects, and the "general member" can't edit.

Any thoughts on this? The practical side of things that is. I like the idea of being to edit certain things myself, but don't think every member should be able to edit. Also don't think all of the editing needs to be thrown on the shoulders of the mods. Not if we only have a couple of them. More mods? Members with "mini-mod" editing ability?

[Dangermouse]

I think there are only about half as many mods as you think there are ;)

[Soundkillr]

Changes to the faq section are coming....

[Farrar]

Changes to the faq section are coming....

Thanks, Soundkillr! :)

[Ron]

HOW TOs are done (let me know...).

The FAQs will take a while....should be "Answers to Frequently Asked Questions"...

[Farrar]

Thanks, Ron!