IMPORTANT note to techie regulars

MSE_Martin

Hi guys and gals

A few weeks ago some of you rightly had a go when we told people about Virgin's technical help service saying "you get better info right here"

So in this weeks emailw we're doing just that suggesting people ask their questions here.

A favour

You're always wonderfully helpful, but to prove the merits of this board would you be especially undestanding of people who post wrong, duplicate posts or ask oft repeated questions as we're trying to convert newbies to the ways of the forum.

Thanks in advance for your help this time and the help I know many of you give at all times.

Martin

PS Rough text of the note below...

Don't pay for technical support - get it free.
"Techie problems? Use the technie forum for free 24/7 - no strings attached."
A couple of months ago we included a tip on how to get 30 mins of free technical support from a helpline which usually costs £5/month. Yet there was an outcry from the regulars that inhabit the site's techie forum saying people should "use the techie forum for free - no strings attached". Who's helping? Lots of knowledgeable folk who love techie issues and are happy to spread their knowledge, though of course its an open forum, so do double check before acting on things. Discussions include... PC Problems: Word crashing, Mac not turning on and Worms & Viruses - Help!. iTune Troubles: Half my songs have vanished & Transferring songs to new PC. Other stuff: Fridge Freezer Help, Laptop wanted & MP3 Player Won't Work.Read others/post your question in the Forum: Techie Stuff Related Guides: Free Anti-Virus Software, Free PC Software

aliEnRIK

Be interesting to see if this entices more posters to the techie section
We might need more staff..............:p

tronator

I'm in favor of a sub forum "Windows Virus and Malware trouble" (and maybe an "i<Tunes|Phone|Pad> trouble" one ). Keeps the board clean for the "real" techie problems.

bat999

...so do double check before acting on things.

That's the cya sorted.

These new punters should think just who's giving out the advice...

Lokolo

Also, as all the techie regulars should see this. You should know: New Series of The I.T. Crowd starts 25th June.

swvillafan

tronator wrote: »

I'm in favor of a sub forum "Windows Virus and Malware trouble" (and maybe an "i<Tunes|Phone|Pad> trouble" one ). Keeps the board clean for the "real" techie problems.

I like this idea.

I personally have relatively little experience of resolving virus and malware issue's so tend to skip over these when threads are posted. Perhaps other sub sections could be added that might make it easier for posters to choose where they would get the best responses.

weegie.geek

But then with too many subforums a problem might span two topics (printer won't work on a mac but will work on a win7 box, do they put it in the printer section or the mac section?), leaving the poster in confusion over where to post it. Some will inevitably post it in both places, giving the forum staff (official and self-appointed!) even more work to do.

Browntoa

looks like I'll need to pop over more often again fro a while...lol

been leaving the malware stuff to Rik these days

edit:- if memory serves me right I once helped a certain Mr Lewis with a problem with MSN Messenger.....

GunJack

sounds like a good excuse to spend more time on here.....I hate being too busy to pop in

John_Gray

I am reminded of the Ted Goff cartoon, where the janitor with mop and bucket is standing next to the Tech Support desk, with the moon visible through the window, answering the telephone, and saying:

"It sounds like you need to reformat your drive, reinstall all your software, replace your motherboard, and rewire your power supply. Not at all, I'm glad to help."

closed

technie forum?

Tidy up the sticky threads before the hoards come? Most of the content is out of date, and one hasn't been touched for 5 years

Don't see the need for 3 stickies/polls about viruses, 2 about backups, one with 1900 posts about sub £400 laptops, and one for techie terms/faqs