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An FAQ post for the same old questions

1K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  Jim_Lou 
#1 ·
If there's enough interest I'm considering creating a sticky post with links to the answers for the frequently asked questions. The format would look like this:

What is the Team Rush Upgrade? HERE
How can I tell what differential I have? HERE
How much lift does it take to get 33s under a CJ? HERE

Under the HERE is a link to a writeup, picture or whatever.

To gauge the interest I'm starting this thread. There are three pieces of information I would like:

1 Request - What items should be covered?
2 Data - What is the answer to (1)?
3 Comment - Is the answer posed in (2) good and accurate?

If there is a lot of activity, this thread will get pretty complicated. To help keep it straight, please begin your post with "REQUEST", "DATA" or "COMMENT" and if you're referring to an earlier post, make clear which one.

Please don't use this thread for discussion about whether it's a good idea or not. We can talk about that in a separate thread. If it's a goofy idea it will go nowhere.

To show how I'd like this to run, I'll put two more posts after this one. Then you all can jump in if you want.

Thanks.

 
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#5 ·
REQUEST

I'd like to read a FAQ that makes it so I can identify any kind of Jeep ever made. IE: CJ2/CJ5/CJ7/TJ/YJ et cetera. The only ones I'm not interested in are the XJs and ZJs. I'd even take info on the Chiefs. I'd like to be able to identify all of them by merely looking at them. Then, knowing what they look like I could then know what kind of goodies they've got on them.
 
#6 ·
REQUEST

I'ld like to see a FAQ board with links to some of the more common mod's, maybe even done in order of:
CJ mods
YJ mods
TJ mods
common mods i.e SOA, herculiner . . .

I know it would be difficult to include ALL mods but maybe just the more commonly requested ones
 
#8 ·
BWAAAAAAAHAHAhahahahahahahah
Larry I just gained a "new notch in the belt loop" of respect for you. While I've seen it before, I'd of never thunk you'd of posted it. I see we both share the same love of the feline species.
 
#12 ·
I don't know much about the search engine on this board, other than its a little confusing at times as to what it brings up for results. I am not sure who maintains it what have you, but maybe instead of a new sticky, how about refining the search page a little?? I frequently have to ask a question that I know well and good has been discussed before, but I can't seem to find the thread in the archives....

Just a thought.
 
#13 ·
I agree with aron....
If folks would use the search instead of asking the FAQ's.. we wouldn't need the FAQ's...
I have noticed that since there has been a "read this before posting" thread, there have been a lot fewer FAQ's.
 
#14 ·
The search engine isn't "maintained" as such. It's a function built into the software that runs the BBS.

As I see it there are two problems with the search function- one is that there are not good descriptions in the posts that one can search for. Search for "team rush upgrade" and you'll get almost 75 hits, of which two or three will have a full description of the upgrade. If you search for "what is the team rush upgrade" you'll get nothing.

My thought was that an FAQ post would make finding that kind of information easy. After finding out what the upgrade is, one would know enough to search for the answer to specific questions.

The other problem with Search is that it doesn't support Boolean searches - "team rush" & "mc2100" for example. That's a function of the BBS software, and nothing can be done about it.

As for getting people to read stuff first, I'm really coming to believe that it's hopeless, as Leve suggested. The first post on this thread says to start another thread to discuss the merits of the idea - save this thread for stuff to put into a FAQ. Out of a dozen or so posts, I think that two ask for some information to be put in, and the rest are comments about the value of the idea.

I think I'm going to drop the idea.
 
#15 ·
If you clog up the whole first page with nothing but sticky posts, then I would most likely change my shortcut to lead straight to the second page. I don't mind it, but if I am going to do that, maybe the new guys will to. Like Leve said, the problem is going to get them to read it!

But then again, I was new at ont time, still am according to people with over 1000 posts. I've probably asked questions that have been answered before. What I would like to see is a more user friendly "search" feature. I've searched for answers countless times to find out that that topic has never even been discussed. But when I post the question, all I get is a bunch of flaming telling me to use the "search" function.

I guess I am trying to say that it is a good thing to make a sticky FAQ post, but getting people to read it will be the difficult part.
 
#16 ·
here's an idea... under that sticky post.. read this first.. you put a link to FAQ page.. and on that page.. you can add... post that cover good topics.. per say.. if a post comes up about soa on a yj... you could then link that post to your FAQ page.. or...
have a sticky post for a week.. Topic of the Week per say.. like they used to do on the pirate board.. and cover things that would be good for the FAQ page.. after week.. it should have some good info on it.. you then link that post on you FAQ page..
 
#17 ·
In reply to:

here's an idea... under that sticky post.. read this first.. you put a link to FAQ page.. and on that page.. you can add... post that cover good topics.. per say.. if a post comes up about soa on a yj... you could then link that post to your FAQ page.. or...
have a sticky post for a week.. Topic of the Week per say.. like they used to do on the pirate board.. and cover things that would be good for the FAQ page.. after week.. it should have some good info on it.. you then link that post on you FAQ page..

[/ QUOTE ]
If we have one, thats what I would like to have too. While I think some of the stickys are a necessary evil, I don't want too many either.
I like this idea.
 
#18 ·
I vote that we can the upcomming events and have a topic of the week sticky.

The Dixie Run is drawing a huge crowd from this board, it's one of the biggest East coast events of the year and it didn't make the upcomming events sticky. I'd rather see a topic of the week and link the FAQ's the those threads, like Jeepgod said.

Just a thought.
 
#19 ·
In reply to:

If you clog up the whole first page with nothing but sticky posts, then I would most likely change my shortcut to lead straight to the second page.

[/ QUOTE ]

You do know you can change the number of posts that show per page. I have mine set for 60.
 
#20 ·
Things don't "make the upcoming events sticky." DD or I will put them at the request of a board member. Read the post. It says:

To have your event listed, send a PM to Jim_Lou (primary) or Dirt Dog. We will post:

1) Date of the event
2) Event name or description
3) BBS member coordinating the event
4) A link to an Official thread


On one of the developing threads I posted "Should this be in the upcoming events sticky?" and got no answer. That's why it's not in there.

I can do a lot of things, but mindreading isn't one of them.

 
#22 ·
Right, I totally agree w/ you.
I understand why you didn't post it, sorry I sounded the way I did, I didn't mean to come across that way.

The reason I personally didn't contacted you to include it was:
In reply to:

To have your event listed

[/ QUOTE ]
It isn't my event.

In reply to:

3) BBS member coordinating the event

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't believe (or know if, for that matter) that a BBS member is involved in the coordination of the event.

Some of the events we ("we" meaning anyone here) go to are owned and/or coordinated by others. I don't fully understand the etiquette behind this. Is it OK to post a link to another group (tor, mttr, sfwda, ect.) and turn their event into an official upcoming event for the SWB BBS? I don't know so I'm not going to request it.

I didn't mean to make it sound like it was your bad, you clearly stated what needed to happen to get it there and I couldn't give you the info. Rereading my post I realized the way it sounded.

Sorry, Jim.
 
#23 ·
No harm done - my response was a might snippy, but wasn't meant to be.
Sorry.

It could be that I need to change the wording in the introduction. The only thing I'm looking for as an official thread is one to which questions and comments should be posted, just so that there aren't several threads with conflicting information - keep all the conflicting information in one place.


As to the member organizing the event, it doesn't have to really be organizing the event - just coordinating among the board members who are interested. That's probably a bad choice of words on my part.
Let's call it a "Main Contact"

It would be nice if the Main Contact had an official role in the event. But if not, he should be responsible for keeping up with the status so that a dozen of us don't show up for a cancelled event. If that ever happens we need to know who to shoot at sunrise.

I'll see if I can't make the introduction clearer.

BTW I shipped your axel shafts this morning. Check your PM for shipping info.
 
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