Forum name and description

Owen

This forum seems to be getting quite a lot of non-DIY threads since it went public. For every thread where someone wants to give something a go themselves, there's 5 or 6 threads which belong in the normal motors forum.

I think the problem is with the description of the forurm name. If you look in the normal motors forum, up the top before they see the normal motors forum is this sub forum, with the name "DIY Car Maintenance & Repair", and underneath it a description saying "Advice for all things motor related". Surely that description is misleading, and should be "Advice for those wishing to repair and maintain their car themselves" or some such?

funkyouup

Id be inclined to agree, but from looking at the rest of boards, alot of people just glimpse at forum names and post anyway.

crosstownk

Good point Paint Doctor. The problem is that anyone with a mechanical motoring issue will see if they can repair it DIY fashion - some can and others can't.

No matter what description is tagged it will always attract those with their 2c - it's unavoidable.

In general it's working out OK. To eliminate the posts you refer to will require strict moderating. It's a fine line that could result in over-moderation.

Slidey

I am gonna agree with crosstownk, all in all it has not being a bad transition to public.

There is a few misplaced threads but not too much bad advice.

It was bound to happen really, just look at Helpdesk and the mess that that is!

Owen

crosstownk wrote: »

Good point Paint Doctor. The problem is that anyone with a mechanical motoring issue will see if they can repair it DIY fashion - some can and others can't.

And I've no bothers about that, I'm all for people having a go. I wouldn't have done the DIY guides in my sig if I didn't feel that way too.

The problem is that we have people coming in asking where they can get keys cut, what their mechanic will say about xy and z, where should they get such and such repaired. These are the lions share of threads in here, and don't make any mention about having a go themselves.

crosstownk

PaintDoctor wrote: »

The problem is that we have people coming in asking where they can get keys cut, what their mechanic will say about xy and z, where should they get such and such repaired. These are the lions share of threads in here, and don't make any mention about having a go themselves.

Yep - that's the eternal problem. People will ask first before going to a dealer/mechanic in the hope they will save a few quid.

The question is - how do you defend against this?

Owen

We send DeVore around with a big stick to anyone who gets it wrong! Nah, seriously, there probably isn't anyway to sort it permenantly - you're right there - but I do think a description change and highlighting that this really is more of a DIY forum than a general forum would help. Other than that, I'm all out of ideas.

Buford T Justice

I know what you're saying PD, but just because it says something, doesn't mean that anyone will take any heed unfortunately though.

I think that a lot of it could be helped by the regulars themselves. Basic example, if someone posts a thread about their boyfriend and their latest anal fetish, then one of the boardsies here would post a link to PI. This happens in most other forums. Other than that. ignore the other ones, like My mechanic says x, but I think it should be y....

as the saying goes, if you build it, they will come. I also like to think that if you ignore them, they will go away...


Just my 2C

Owen

I'd just feel I was backseat modding if I did that though. If the Mods were cool about regular posters pointing to the main forum, I'd be all on for that.

Esel

Fingers McGee wrote: »

I think that a lot of it could be helped by the regulars themselves.

Just did that. I think it's the best way to handle it really. You can't stop people posting in the 'wrong' forum, but you can point them to the right one. Easy enough for them to copy and paste their post and start a thread in the main forum.

The alternative is to report the post and ask a mod to move it, while stating this fact in a post on the thread.

Either way would ensure a better result - the OP would have a better chance of getting the answer/advice they want, and the thread would be in the correct forum which would help future users who might be searching for a similar topic.

Buford T Justice

PaintDoctor wrote: »

I'd just feel I was backseat modding if I did that though. If the Mods were cool about regular posters pointing to the main forum, I'd be all on for that.

Only one way to find out.. Mod's have you any issues with the above?

Gary ITR

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Only one way to find out.. Mod's have you any issues with the above?

I wouldn't see it being a runner, I could see it leading to reported posts about back seat modding and it would lead to on thread arguments, unless the regulars were super polite about it. I put a thread in the motors mod forum that I had limited access this week, housemate moved and BB was in her name, so things have been let slide a little longer than usual.

I'm inclined to leave threads that are borderline, just in the interest of fairness.