Frequently Asked Questions

[John Kennett]

We now have the beginnings of a formal FAQ section

Louise has offered to help me collate them, and we should be adding a load more over the next few weeks (or months!). If you have comments, additions or amendments on any of the individual entries please PM eithe me or Louise as appropriate.

If you have suggestions for new items to add please let me know. If you want to contribute some items then that would be even better.

For each entry we need:

- A question
- A brief answer
- Links to the most relevant previous discussions
- Links to any other useful resources

What do you think of the format? How much "answer" should there be, and how much should rely on previous discussions? As ever, any suggestions are welcome.

John

[Pete7]

John, if you get enough of them together you could always write an article for Rib International

Good idea for FAQ though,

Pete

[brucehawsker]

Brilliant! If you need any help on the editing, work etc, please PM me

Bruce

[IanE]

quite willing to edit or proof read
Ian

[jackeen]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

What do you think of the format? How much "answer" should there be, and how much should rely on previous discussions? As ever, any suggestions are welcome.

John

Hi John,

Excellent concept and I particularly like the idea of having “links to the relevant discussions”. This will save searchers , myself included, a lot of time. Well done.

Regarding your request for an opinion on the format:-
As to the “answer” , I suggest that it may be more appropriate to have the thread debates as the “answer” and let the reader draw their own conclusions from the discussions on the linked threads.

After all, whoever puts up the “answer” has their own opinion and can be biased in their views in drawing a conclusion, thus possibly misleading the reader and causing further debate.

Some “questions” are black and white (or should be) like your Thames speed question but others can be much more subjective.

Paul

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by jackeen

As to the “answer” , I suggest that it may be more appropriate to have the thread debates as the “answer” and let the reader draw their own conclusions from the discussions on the linked threads.

That would certainly make compiling the entries easier!

However I think it's much more useful to have some sort of straight answer so that people don't have to wade through hundreds of messages to get the answer. The previous discussions can then provide further information and give an idea of the various degrees of opinion.

My current view is that if we don't "add value" somehow, we may as well replace the FAQ with a search box.

The first few entries have been written to get things started, but they are not cast in stone. If you (or anyone) have issues with any of the answers, or can improve on them, then speak up.

I would very much like as many people as possible to contribute.

John

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Brilliant! If you need any help on the editing, work etc, please PM me

Thanks for the offer (and Ian too).

At the moment it's not the editing that's taking the most time, but working out a succinct precis (see, I've been practising my clever words!) of the issues and locating the most relevant threads. Help with that is what is needed most.

It doesn't need to be compiled by an "expert" as most of the answers will be found in the discussions. It does need someone who is good at piecing things together and summarising them though.

I have started with just Louise and me able to post entries because I want to keep it manageable and make sure that we are as consistent as possible. I'm looking at other options though, like having a larger (but still small) group of editors or possibly allowing anyone to post an entry but having new posts moderated before they are displayed.

John

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Thanks for the offer (and Ian too).

I'm looking at other options though, like having a larger (but still small) group of editors or possibly allowing anyone to post an entry but having new posts moderated before they are displayed.

John

This looks interesting JK !

I'd like to volunteer to help too!

missus

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

I'd like to volunteer to help too!

Cool.

I think that the best thing that you could do (and the same goes for anyone else who wants to get involved) would be to put together some entries and PM them to me, and we'll take it from there.

John

[The Jackeens]

Yessir !

missus

[Rogue Wave]

I was thinking that we could report a post to a moderator and suggest it gets added to the knowledge base or FAQ section