Sticky threads - why aren't they read?

4consumerrights

Directing Newbies to read Sticky threads is an ever ending problem.

I think the MSE forum techinical teams could do more to assist here as STICKY threads are at the top of each board - yet when you sign up to the forum - no mention is made (nor even how to start a thead).

Information regading STICKY threads should be placed prominently somewhere on the main forum site - so MSE techies - can you please help with this for the whole forum's benefit?

OneYorkshireLass

I'm puzzled with why it's such a problem to get people to notice stickies, too.

I'm running the Advent competitions thread which is a sticky on the Competitions board yet I get people PM'ing me asking where it is.

4consumerrights

I post on the parking tickets board and the regulars have to constantly refer new posters to general information that has been stickied.

I have sent a message to the forum team under tools section to suggesting that perhaps something can be done to help newbies as this is a common problem from reading threads across all boards.

torbrex

Some of the problems relating to stickies are difficult to understand but others are easy.

New members tend to join up for a specific reason and I find that they suffer a little from 'tunnel vision', they tend to barge in without doing any searches or they hi-jack a thread which is similar in content to their own problem.
They are also in an almighty hurry for an answer so posting on the correct board is more by luck than judgement.

Established members tend to ignore the stickies as they seldom move or get updated and the dates of the most recent post on some of them can be 5/6 years old (obviously not the case with the advent sticky) they sort of automatically scroll down past them to get to the threads in bold where the new posts are.

Atidi

Sticky threads - why aren't they read?

Could be for a number of reasons.

1. In some instances, the information contained therein is way out of date. (especially where the sticky thread is locked)
2. In some instances, the sticky threads are too long to bother reading
3. In some instances, the sticky threads contain so many posts off topic that any reader has trouble wading through the numerous posts to find anything on the subject matter of the thread title.
etc, etc.

... and of course, where newbies are concerned, especially one post wonders, they wouldn't have any reason to create a new thread, retire quickly, and have a right little chuckle at the responses they receive. Nor would they have the possibility of reporting any member with more than about 10 posts for the reply they provide. :cool:

We all have to be especially nice to newbies, including those who create a newbie account here every day.

Mobeer

Stickies are just a bad idea. They get too many posts, so that the first few posts are outdated, and the subsequent posts are just a mess.

Better to advise users (new and old) to search before they post. Add a tickbox to every new post that says "Please confirm you searched before posting"

Then ban any user (new or old) posting a duplicate question for a week.