Please help us to help you...

Blairweech

Is there going to be a 'purge' soon, of outdated posts? Its just that I'm currently in the process of retrieving all useful information from MSE onto word documents (there is a lot of it!!) and I'd hate to miss any.

Not meaning to add to your load squeaky, (and sorry for being nitpicky) but could I put in a request for people to title the threads they create properly? e.g. with an actual title, not just 'help me please' etc? Makes for easier searching and reading.

Edit: Forgot to say, a HUGE thankyou to the BGs.

squeaky

Blairweech wrote:

Is there going to be a 'purge' soon, of outdated posts? Its just that I'm currently in the process of retrieving all useful information from MSE onto word documents (there is a lot of it!!) and I'd hate to miss any.

Not by us BG's no, but Webby may archive older threads if these problems with speed continue.

Not meaning to add to your load squeaky, (and sorry for being nitpicky) but could I put in a request for people to title the threads they create properly? e.g. with an actual title, not just 'help me please' etc? Makes for easier searching and reading.

Again, that was one of the main reasons why I started the MEGA Index. So many threads are entitled "help..." or "how do you..." or "can anybody tell me...". Threads listed in the MEGA are listed by what they are about not what they are called. As I said earlier - the board is so busy these days that I just don't get the time to keep them up.

Edit: Forgot to say, a HUGE thankyou to the BGs.

Thank you, we does our best guv, honest guv

Queenie

Different people have different experiences of web forums. In some, it's ok to ask a question which has been asked before or is of a similar theme.

I'm sure it will all calm down when people find their feet and understand your ways of doing things here, squeaky

pavlovs_dog

apple_mint wrote:

Yes - I've noticed that other boards are pointing people to OS for help in reducing their food bills. Those of us that have been on a little longer will notice that similar questions are coming up - we can help out by pointing people to older threads. A lot of people are beginning to 1) see the benefit of OS living and 2) feeling the pinch post Christmas.

without wanting to add to the BGs workpile (dont shoot ) perhaps it would a good idea to have one single thread that the DFW's could point everyone to. a simple, step by step, welcoming guide to OS.

it could be broken down into different sections (post= section), with a specific section for

a. cutting the cost of shopping
b. cheap ways to clean
c. wholesome living

(just examples - its me roughly speculating why people first come to OS).

so for example

1. what is OS, how did it come about, why do it?
2. tools for the trade (info bout the book, the mega index)
3. what the mega index is, and how to use it
4. section a - cutting down the cost of your weekly shop (including meal planning etc)
5. section b - cleaning - better results for less dosh
6. Section c - wholesome living (crafting, keeping chickens, growing veg


the resources we currently have (especially the index) are fab, granted.. but i cant help but wonder how accessable they are to a total newbie? unlike a lot of the boards, we dont really have a "new to OS? here's where to begin" thread. i know its difficult because we're such a broad church, and people come here for different things, with different levels of experience.

the good thing about the plan is that the vast majority of it can be copied/pasted from established tools. a newbie isnt going to know to look in the mega index thread for the getting started links - it needs to be more explicit IMHO.

CFC

You board guides are top banana, and I'd like to thank you for your hard work on here. I wouldn't want you to think that it goes unappreciated and unacknowledged. Here's to you! :T

As this board is often heaving at the seams, have you considered getting a few part time helpers to give you a hand? Might be worth it, you seem to have an Augean stables here to clean out....

Nelski

I think that we ALL lose sight of the fact, once we have a few posts under our belt and know where to find the "Can I freeze...." threads, that we were ALL new once.

I introduced my bessy mate to Os a couple of weeks ago (well mse in general to be exact) and it made me realise as I watched her trying to navigate around something, that she is seeing for the first time, how unfair we can be to newbies sometimes.

I tried to show her the search function on something quite simple but it gave no matches and she said couldnt I just ask?":rolleyes: you can see how it happens

Thats not saying its all down to board guides I dont think it is - OS is not Squeakys, Pinks and Ginghams board its everybodys board who contributes and therefore we can all help someone struggling

I do get a bit confused though as to why this is an issue as of all the boards this is the one where everyone seems the most helpful

Grabs coat and runs quickly for a medicinal wine (or whine should i say:rotfl: ) in the arms:o

Queenie

pavlovs_dog wrote:

without wanting to add to the BGs workpile (dont shoot ) perhaps it would a good idea to have one single thread that the DFW's could point everyone to. a simple, step by step, welcoming guide to OS.

it could be broken down into different sections (post= section), with a specific section for

a. cutting the cost of shopping
b. cheap ways to clean
c. wholesome living

(just examples - its me roughly speculating why people first come to OS).

so for example

1. what is OS, how did it come about, why do it?
2. tools for the trade (info bout the book, the mega index)
3. what the mega index is, and how to use it
4. section a - cutting down the cost of your weekly shop (including meal planning etc)
5. section b - cleaning - better results for less dosh
6. Section c - wholesome living (crafting, keeping chickens, growing veg


the resources we currently have (especially the index) are fab, granted.. but i cant help but wonder how accessable they are to a total newbie? unlike a lot of the boards, we dont really have a "new to OS? here's where to begin" thread. i know its difficult because we're such a broad church, and people come here for different things, with different levels of experience.

the good thing about the plan is that the vast majority of it can be copied/pasted from established tools. a newbie isnt going to know to look in the mega index thread for the getting started links - it needs to be more explicit IMHO.

Do you mean like this one?

Welcome to Moneysaving Old Style (Read Me First)

squeaky

My thought's exactly - though I guess it could do with a bit of a workover

Then the only problem I'd have is getting people to actually read it

squeaky

Nelski wrote:

Thats not saying its all down to board guides I dont think it is - OS is not Squeakys, Pinks and Ginghams board its everybodys board who contributes and therefore we can all help someone struggling

I do get a bit confused though as to why this is an issue as of all the boards this is the one where everyone seems the most helpful

You're very right - we are "guides" not "owners"... This is the member's board.

And you're right again - this is a very helpful board. It is also a very VERY busy one.

We have an ever increasing number of new posters, some just new to OS and others who are completely new to posting on forums or on the web altogether, and these are the members that we try to get help to first.

It can take considerably longer to find an answer (or the right place to post) for someone than it takes them to ask "How do I fillet a hedgehog?"* and it is this reason that we ask that members do their best to post on the right forum or to join an earlier thread (IF they can find it - 'cos yes, we know the search facility isn't as good as it could be.) That's why and where all the indexes can help.

* try a search on hedgehogs - I tell you, we've got "everything" covered on OS

It's not just the posts that you guys see "out front" on the board that keeps us busy - we talk over prospective moves or merges together whenever any two, or all three, of us are on line in the hopes that one of us will know of the very best place for it.

Also, to take a recent example - a search on "bread pudding" would have given you twenty three results with that in the title and a bunch more with it in the text of the first post (but not the title - i.e. "how do I..?"). That would mean that if someone wanted to find a particular recipe that they remembered seeing "somewhere" - they would have had to open twenty three (or more) threads to find it. So, whenever we have a bit of time we do our best to seek out very similar threads and build them into just one or two representative posts so that members have fewer to open that they can then quickly skim to look for what they want.

Then there are PM's which you obviously don't see, where members ask us for help before they post in the wrong place or ask us to help find something rather than post a new thread to ask... all very welcome, honest - and our inboxes have a higher allowance than you guys have. Which reminds me - HEY PINK:- YOUR PM BOX IS FULL)


Once upon a time, when life on OS was slow and easy I used to spend about an hour spread through the day picking up on posts and helping out. I then used to do a couple or three more building up the indexes.

Nowadays I spend four or more hours just trying to keep up and haven't done any indexing for months. *see edit


We're really busy on OS these days, so like the title of the thread says... all we're asking is that you help us to help you.



* edit

Back in those days there would only be one or two posts that needed help per visit and for the rest of the time I used to be able to join in as a member and have ball. Loads of fun
Now, if I've been away doing housework or shopping, gardening, I can come back to find one or even two whole pages full of new threads and a quick skim of titles will often show me a dozen or more threads/posts that need some help. Which is why these days I'll sometimes just bang in a quick link and move on instead of being my usual chatty self. I'm not being rude or curt, honest. Just busy.

squeaky

pavlovs_dog wrote:

without wanting to add to the BGs workpile (dont shoot ) perhaps it would a good idea to have one single thread that the DFW's could point everyone to. a simple, step by step, welcoming guide to OS.

it could be broken down into different sections (post= section), with a specific section for

a. cutting the cost of shopping
b. cheap ways to clean
c. wholesome living

(just examples - its me roughly speculating why people first come to OS).

so for example

1. what is OS, how did it come about, why do it?
2. tools for the trade (info bout the book, the mega index)
3. what the mega index is, and how to use it
4. section a - cutting down the cost of your weekly shop (including meal planning etc)
5. section b - cleaning - better results for less dosh
6. Section c - wholesome living (crafting, keeping chickens, growing veg


the resources we currently have (especially the index) are fab, granted.. but i cant help but wonder how accessable they are to a total newbie? unlike a lot of the boards, we dont really have a "new to OS? here's where to begin" thread. i know its difficult because we're such a broad church, and people come here for different things, with different levels of experience.

the good thing about the plan is that the vast majority of it can be copied/pasted from established tools. a newbie isnt going to know to look in the mega index thread for the getting started links - it needs to be more explicit IMHO.

You have a point, thank you.

While much of it is covered in our welcome sticky we've been aware for some time that it needs an overhaul and an update. That particular one took the two us (me and galtizz) a week to set up and "polish" back in the days when the board was much quieter than it is now.

This job is on my to do list.

To get to where we'd like - and your suggestions are spot on, is going to take some time. Lots of research compiling and concatenating information and then producing it in easily readable form because it's all too easy, as I'm sure everyone knows if they can remember that far back , to be absolutely overwhelmed by the bombardment of information, tips and help that are available here.

We'll get there, honest

It's just a question of finding the time to do it all. Which brings me right back to the title of this thread "help us to help you"