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slider · May 6, 2000, 04:57 PM

I have noticed that multiple posting to different forums are closed except for the one the moderator feels is appropriate. I have a question that I want to pose to the group, but could/should be in at least two. It involves a Mac clone and a OS9 issue, which should I post to?

wlonh · May 6, 2000, 05:29 PM

either one but not both

slider · May 6, 2000, 06:42 PM

Why not, what is the big deal. I can tell you that not all users view all the forum. One may view the OS 9 forum, but not the clone forum, or vise versa. My point is that I am just trying to get help on an issue by trying to get input from as many people as I can in forums that people who have answers may frequent.

Ca$h68 · May 6, 2000, 06:50 PM

Don't argue. Thats sorta what I figured, ya know, the more viewers the better. Somehow some people dont get this. If you post more than once, you'll get your post deleted. And then even regular posts of yours will be deleted.

wlonh · May 6, 2000, 07:24 PM

the logic of having the same info in two different places is not an efficient organization of info...

it will NOT get you an answer any faster if yo post THE SAME thing to more than one forum.

ORGANIZATION is a GOOD thing, CENTRALIZATION of information as far as is possible is ALSO a GOOD thing

think about it

ok, don't think about it...

here's a SIMPLE example:
a person posts the same question/problem to two or three different MacNN forums and each post receives different responses and only one of the original two or three posts has the RIGHT info (an ANSWER, a FIX) posted to its thread...

another person comes along doing a SEARCH for info and finds three different places to find the info, that is to say that the search shows the same topic in three different forums...

NOW, WHICH ONE of those posts does that person choose to get an answer???

CAN YOU SAY CRAPSHOOT?? this is so very obvious!

I have had it happen to me when searching for an answer in the MacNN forums and NOT for myself but to HELP someone else... duplicate posts with varying number of replies/responses and widely varying info between the duplicate posts!

THINK

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 05-06-2000).]

Misha · May 6, 2000, 08:51 PM

Think about the problem and which forum it applies more to.

Granted, there are some select cases where perhaps it is justified to post a question in more than one forum, but we like to discourage that for the reasons wlonh gave.

Ca$h68 · May 7, 2000, 03:27 AM

I dunno. I embrace options. I'd rather have 3 different topics about the same thing, read all the responses, then figure it out as opposed to ONE topic where nobody looked at it and it recieved like 2 replies.

Think about it.

Or dont think about it. Here's an example. I post something in 3 different forums. Lotsa people read them, and TOTAL, I get 37 replies.

OR

I post it in one place, and 1/3 of the people view my post, and I get 12 replies.

See the difference? 37 > 12.

Thats just my opinion though. Im sure your organization makes everything more efficient and stuff, but.... I dunno, I'd rather have more info, and even though it isnt organized, I think I can put it all together.

Just mocking ya for kicks Wlonh, dont take it personally.

Ca$h

garrettnelson · May 7, 2000, 08:44 AM

Is there any way that you can do an alias sort of thing? Like, if you have an iMac/OS9 question, it could be in the iMac forum, but an alias to it could be in the OS9 forum?

wlonh · May 7, 2000, 08:58 AM

EFFICIENCY means less time wasted.

going thru three posts (all by the same poster and with the same content) in three different forums is NOT efficient, and is an undisputable waste of time.

when one is posting a question/problem the benefit is NOT intended for the poster of said question/problem alone, it is for the benefit of ALL

there are lots of people using these fora and they are as deserving of consideration as the person posting a question/problem

human selfishness, a general lack of concern for anyone but one's self, makes me misanthropic as hell

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 05-07-2000).]

Misha · May 7, 2000, 09:41 AM

Cash, your example of 36 vs. 12 isn't quite accurate. You justify posting to three forums because you think (and are correct) that not everyone checks all the forums. That means, however, that you'll end up getting plenty of identical answers, thus wasting the time of those who answered the question in another forum.

Whenever a question is particuarly interesting, thought-provoking, or has readers stumped we highlight it in our daily listing of active forum topics on the main page (complied by wlonh). If you feel a topic of yours or anyone elses deserves main-page recognition, feel free to do tell us about it this forum.

Ca$h68 · May 7, 2000, 01:46 PM

I disagree. See, check this out. 37 > 12, right? yep. BUt you said that some of the answers would be the same. Is that a bad thing? Here's another example. I posted 3 places, get 37 replies. In all, there are 3 different answers to my question; answer A, answer B, answer C. Now, I only recieved 2 answers As, 5 answer Bs, and 30 answer Cs. 30>5>2. SO I'd obviously take Answer C above teh rest of them.

Get it?

Feathers · May 7, 2000, 05:06 PM

Strike me dead for saying this but...

It seems to me that if you're going to make multiple posts it would make more sense to post the question to a few completely different forums(fora), MacNN and whoever else is out there. I mean, there must be (one or two) Mac Gurus that don't frequent MacNN!!!

slider · May 7, 2000, 05:52 PM

Or, to conform to your system, I could just post to a forum that I know has frequent visitors, like iMac. Even though my question has nothing to do with iMacs. I don't do this, but it does allow for the maximum amount of replies, and that is what I am after. I understand that there is a reason to not to allow it, but it is not as cut and dry as you make it sound. Both I an Ca$h have good points. I think that if I am going to take the time to post to multiple forums I should be allowed to. I have also done searches and get multiple hits in different forums which I work though until I find an answer that helps, it's really not that complicated. It's my opinion and I am not making the decision or managing the board, but I wanted to voice it. And thanks Feathers for your suggestion, I have and do post to other boards, but I perfer to try this one first.

fletch521 · May 7, 2000, 08:42 PM

I could just post to a forum that I know has frequent visitors, like iMac. Even though my question has nothing to do with iMacs. I don't do this, but it does allow for the maximum amount of replies, and that is what I am after.

When that happens they slap a lock on it and move it to the forum they think it belongs. They can do this because it's their board and even though they do a good job explaining why they do things the way they do, they don't have to. They also don't have to explain anything to someone that is being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. But they take up a great deal of time doing that also.

Fletch

wlonh · May 7, 2000, 08:47 PM

all the terrible things i have said about you Fletch, i take it all back...

and where do i send the check?

if there is anything that gets me revved-up to the redline, it is taking time to explain something (something that should be so painfully obvious to anyone that is not thoroughly and singularly concerned about their own needs above others), as i have done here... what a waste of time from my personal life (such as it is) and it is very distracting from me helping people who really need help

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 05-07-2000).]

Anthony the PC lover · May 8, 2000, 02:57 PM

I am completely againt multiple posting. If I was scanning one forum and read a thread about a certain specific thing, and then went to a different forum a minute later with an identical thread on the same topic, I'd be pretty damn annoyed!

[This message has been edited by Anthony the PC lover (edited 05-08-2000).]

Ca$h68 · May 8, 2000, 08:01 PM

bla bla bla. Whatever. I think more replies is better. Period. What if this really smart dude had your problem already solved, but since he doesnt cruise the "Boring Topics in here" forum or whatever, he never saw it. Then yer still up sh*t creek without a paddle. I DO think that aliasing topics would be kinda cool. Anyway we can do that?

Ca$h

fletch521 · May 9, 2000, 01:22 PM

Ca$h,
As a moderator it's wlonh's job to read all the posted messages. So the really smart dude will see it.

Fletch

ps. wlonh, I'll take the thermos.

Feathers · May 9, 2000, 06:20 PM

Er... Fletch, it's vibrating....it's not a thermos...

Anthony the PC lover · May 10, 2000, 03:03 PM

Daaaaamn!

wlonh · May 10, 2000, 03:35 PM

woof

Ca$h68 · May 11, 2000, 03:51 AM

Hey Wlonh, since you posted that woof, I really really couldnt tell who that unregistered poster was in my other topic dealing with Macast. really. I didnt know it was you at all.

wlonh · May 11, 2000, 07:47 AM

well, pinheadboy, i was trying to help you even though the idea is repulsive to me, and you are demonstrably far too stupid to realize that i was trying to help you

u r an irrepressible and unrelenting jerk, a loudmouthed, snot-nosed brat... completely absorbed by your concern with yourself above all else

and i'd welcome the opportunity to teach you some manners in a very convincing fashion...

have a nice day, kid, and look both ways before you cross the street

[This message has been edited by wlonh (edited 05-11-2000).]