Forum Tips – Crowdsourcing a users’ guide

[C clearly]

With Ivar's endorsement, let’s create some reference threads with tips for using the forum. After all, (fingers crossed) very soon we will be inundated with members planning their Caminos for 2021 and 2022.

Here is a suggested approach:

1. This starter thread will be the place to talk about what topics to address, and how best to organize ourselves and present our collective knowledge.
2. Periodically, I’ll start a new thread on a specific topic – starting with features of Your Account.
3. On that thread, the first post will outline how I think that feature is supposed to work.
4. Forum members can add posts to that thread, with additional tips or corrections to the first post, or questions related to that feature. Screenshots with explanations will be welcome.
5. I’ll update the original (first) post as we gather information and tips.
6. After useful information is incorporated into the original post on the thread addressing that topic, we’ll delete the miscellaneous questions, comments, etc. That way, the first post will (we hope) be the most up-to-date and accurate version, and the thread will be kept informational and tightly on-topic. People won't need to hunt through a long thread to find important tips.

Remember – if your post is deleted, it is NOT because there was anything wrong with it. Rather, we have acted on it and want to keep the thread as clear and concise as possible.

These threads will all be tagged with *forum tips.

We might need a post explaining how to do things on a computer, and another post explaining how it is done on a phone. My focus will be on computers, to start, so help on the phone issues will be welcome.

That’s the plan. I’m not sure how it will evolve. Let me know if you have suggestions.

 

[BombayBill]

In this vein - can someone advise how you reference another member in a post?
I often see something like @member in someone's post but cannot figure out how to do it. When done properly does the referenced member receive notification that they have been referenced?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In this vein - can someone advise how you reference another member in a post?
I often see something like @member in someone's post but cannot figure out how to do it.

Within the text entry box type the @ and then start typing the name. A popup should appear where you can select a name instead of completing it by typing. If the name doesn't show continue typing until it does or you finish the name. The name with the @ in front might appear as if it were regular text but once submitted the forum software will convert it to a link.

When done properly does the referenced member receive notification that they have been referenced?

Supposedly the original software would do this but currently it does not either because something broke or it was disabled because it was too bothersome.

 

[BombayBill]

Thank you @Rick of Rick and Peg

 

[trecile]

My forum tips:

• When you ask a question the answers that you receive can often be more helpful if you add your location to your profile.
• When you answer a question that may be specific to a user's location check their profile to see if they have it listed. For example, telling someone in Belgium that the best socks in the world are some that are only available in Australia wouldn't be useful.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

For example, telling someone in Belgium that the best socks in the world are some that are only available in Australia wouldn't be useful.

I see no reason to be so coy. If Australian socks are the best, the Belgians should get over it. Do you think that the Belgians would tell Aussies that Australian beer is really perfectly fine, just to avoid hurting their feelings? They would not. Belgian beer is better and the Aussies can cry into their world-beating socks if they're upset about it.

 

[trecile]

I see no reason to be so coy. If Australian socks are the best, the Belgians should get over it. Do you think that the Belgians would tell Aussies that Australian beer is really perfectly fine, just to avoid hurting their feelings? They would not. Belgian beer is better and the Aussies can cry into their world-beating socks if they're upset about it.

Did you completely miss my point, or are you trying to make a joke?

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Did you completely miss my point, or are you trying to make a joke?

The latter.

If I were to offer a serious response to the suggestion that people check the location information of a person who posted an inquiry,... I would say that the onus should be on the person asking for location-sensitive advice to save us all the time of checking their profiles by specifying their location in their post. This is the writer's golden rule (my time is less valuable than that of my readers).

But it's Friday afternoon here**, so I opted to write something flippant instead. Sorry. It's time I shut down my computer and enjoyed a Belgian beer.

** Location;: Tokyo (UTC +9)

 

[linkster]

Account, FYI many of us had listed our past or future Caminos to appear under our avatars. This no longer seems possible, and only accommodates a SINGLE DATE of past or future Caminos. An update (save) of my account settings required me to enter a date of past / future Caminos, and the more descriptive listing was replaced with a single date. I followed the instructions, and updated my signature with the more descriptive listing.

Year of past OR future Camino:
Required: "Please list the year of your last Camino, or the year of your next Camino (planned). A list of Caminos can now only be put in your signature."

 

[SabsP]

The latter.

If I were to offer a serious response to the suggestion that people check the location information of a person who posted an inquiry,... I would say that the onus should be on the person asking for location-sensitive advice to save us all the time of checking their profiles by specifying their location in their post. This is the writer's golden rule (my time is less valuable than that of my readers).

But it's Friday afternoon here**, so I opted to write something flippant instead. Sorry. It's time I shut down my computer and enjoyed a Belgian beer.

** Location;: Tokyo (UTC +9)

Hope it was a decent beer? Asking from Belgium. Local time 2.51 pm.

 

[trecile]

If I were to offer a serious response to the suggestion that people check the location information of a person who posted an inquiry,... I would say that the onus should be on the person asking for location-sensitive advice to save us all the time of checking their profiles by specifying their location in their post. This is the writer's golden rule (my time is less valuable than that of my readers).

I agree that it's best if people put all relevant information in their posts when they ask for information.

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Hope it was a decent beer? Asking from Belgium. Local time 2.51 pm.

It turned out to be a very ordinary, local beer (but with some excellent food). Tonight I’ll make sure that I raise a glass of the good stuff and make a toast to Belgium and pray for the Belgians to get better socks.

Edit - And tonight some less ordinary beer.

 

[Former member 59618]

It turned out to be a very ordinary, local beer (but with some excellent food). Tonight I’ll make sure that I raise a glass of the good stuff and make a toast to Belgium and pray for the Belgians to get better socks.

The only museum I visited in Bruges was the chocolate museum and I have zero regrets about that choice. Flemish art took a backseat.