A reminder before the big day

[gblake]

Originally Posted by Alex Dinsmoor

Great post! Somebody should sticky this as it applies to every years game.

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Originally Posted by Tetraman

Forget making a sticky, these should be big bold words on the CD forum home page.

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Originally Posted by wilsonmw04

While I agree with your comments, let me add one thing. Take a look at the upper right corner of the offending post before saying, "dude, read the manual!" or "search before posting, man!" If they are new, welcome them to our little community and POLITELY point them to where they can find the answers they are looking for. Remember, your post maybe someone's first impression of the CD community specifically and the larger FIRST community in general.

Time for a little soapboxing (I think that wilsonmw04 and I agree about this.) Let's be clear. There is no harm in politely pointing someone toward the manual, the Q&A, or existing threads. Let's not chatise folks simply for doing that (i.e. for writing "You can find that information in Section X of game manual - Download it from the FRC pages of the FIRST web site and come back to ask questions if you don't understand some specific part of it.")

Politely telling someone the answer is in the manual, or suggesting that they use Search to get information that is easily obtained by investing their own time, is not a "flame". It is reminding them of what they have been told by just about every single teacher or mentor they ever had.

I feel it is far, far more of a valuable lesson than a flame. The lesson is that when you approach (in age and activities) assuming "professional" responsibilities, and begin participating in the associated attractive and rewarding activities, you have to start acting like a professional.

Some folks might disagree.

Originally Posted by tb222

... Another reminder that I feel should be on the Portal page: DONT' START A NEW THREAD!!! There will be one started titled something along the lines of "2009 Game name here discussion/rules/etc..." Find that thread, and post all questions to it, it'll probably right at the top of the portal list. ...

Perhaps it could become part of a (somewhat annoying, but not terribly so) pop-up that appears before you are allowed to start entering/editing each new post in the appropriate forums?

Blake