Can we start our (users’) own list of tips for navigating the Gatherings site? I’m thinking of doing things like defining terms used here – for the new system, not for sewing – and spelling out how certain formatting options work, as well as other things I myself haven’t learned by trial-and-error, and any possible shortcuts for navigating, which might be helpful?
Since the new Gatherings is formatted in threads – rather than simple chronological order, as the old system was – it lends itself easily to having different sub-topics – like “vocabulary”, “attaching photos”, “location of formatting options buttons”, and other such issues. It would be something like our own “wiki”.
I haven’t given too much thought to how to organize the information to facilitate searching, but the now-prominent “Subject” line provided for each message would be useful in identifying content.
It would be great to get your ideas about this – how to organize, etc. – so that this forum can be most useful. I’ve put this under “General Discussion” only because I don’t know where else it should go in the list of discussion categories. Any better ideas appreciated.
Joan
Replies
Vocabulary
I offer this as an example of how this forum could be formatted.
This is the thread under which message-formatting and site-navigating terms could be defined, where any user can offer an explanation of "tech" terms which may seem obscure to some of us non-techies. The term to be defined would be placed in the "Subject" line of the message.
Pagination
Refers to the number of messages to appear on each page. Users can select the number by clicking on the appropriate button, which appears immediately under the first posted message of each individual topic. The default setting is 30 messages per page.
Forum Tips
Joan - I think a tips discussion would be handy, but don't think WE should start one as it could get lost if no one adds anything for awhile. Perhaps we (read not me) could ask Vicki to add the topic to the Recent Discussion List - those topics seem to always be there, be they yesterday or 6 months ago - making for frustration - I rarely look at it anymore! We could ask Vicki to also move all the tips from recent discussions (or maybe that is Jason's job - gosh, I hope not!
Another topic in Recent Discussion to suggest may be Sewing/Quilting Tips and or Tutorials. Perhaps these topics would grab interest of new comers. As for me, I am still checking in daily albeit disappointingly as I used to find something useful everyday - after all here is where I met my new friend Gloria Sews!! Now all I seem to read here disappointments. I find I am spending more and more time on Stitcher's Guild getting reading and sharing information I used to find here. But, I seem to be in it for the long haul - wasting time or not!
forum tips
I agree, Sancin, with your comments. On further thought, I think that a list of tips and techniques should be done by somebody who can make sure: 1, that the tips, definitions, techniques, etc., are correct; 2, that the list is continuously available, easily located, reachable from anywhere within the Gatherings site, and easy to return from; and 3, that the list is in some format that makes the information quick and easy to find. This may be too big a job right now, given that the site itself is still not operating perfectly. Since Taunton has several sites following this new format, the FAQ section would be the best location for it, but that location is disapppointingly inadequate at present.
As for other informational topics like the one you mentioned, "Sewing/Quilting Tips or Tutorials" - good idea. It's too bad, isn't it? - that so much of that valuable kind of information that has already been offered here in Gatherings, is scattered around under different topics, and not very accessible now. I suppose it still exists in the archives, but would be difficult to compile into an organized whole. I'm sure there's enough for a book or two!
This post is archived.