Looking for feedback: "NCWW How Do I" page...

[skeeter]

I ran into problems and had to post questions a couple of times this month. Will it just be a FAQ page, or will there will be a place to post "How do I" questions?

 

[froglips]

In the Help Desk, you can post a thread and select "How Do I" from the "Type of Help" pulldown menu.

Just in case I wasn't clear, these are questions pertaining to the website/corporation, not Woodworking.

Jim

 

[McRabbet]

I'd recommend we add a link to this page now on the Nav Bar so members can begin to to use it. Do you want to add it over within the Other Links drop down, or as a new solo entry?

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Alan -- I'm not sure if you saw it in his opening post, Froglips provided a link that shows what he is proposing. Since the objective is to provide "one-stop shopping" for Site-related answers, I suspect a search feature isn't needed, but maybe it is possible. The built-in search features on the Nav bar should suffice for forum content searches. As an example of the objective of the new page, I just added a link on it to my thread in the Help Forum entitled "Symbols and Shortcuts on Index Pages", which should help newcomers understand all of the small icons displayed on many pages.

I saw Jim's proposed idea, and am for it 100% The North Carolina Woodworker Policies tab could be expanded to contain Policies, Procedures, and FAQ's.

I was just picking up on RandyJ and Skeeter's idea to include WW "How To" topics. I think that should be a totally separate feature/category and realize that would require someone like the Libraries Administrator :wsmile: to build and maintain the contents and catalog? My thinking was for something that would be simple to do and almost self-maintaining. It would only require adding a category, tag, etc., to threads and use the existing advanced search function. It could be similar to searching "threads with prefix 'How do I' '", except it would search all threads with the approved tag instead of relying on the specific prefix text. e.g. Search FAQ (or How to) for "cross-cut sled".

Two other issues/considerations-

Should it/could it include links to "how to" info on other sites? This would need to be maintained.

Sanity/Safety check. Just because it looks like a "How to" doesn't mean it is one, and doesn't mean it is safe or even works. This is the tough one that sounds like a job for the Libraries Administrator or possibly a review committee.

Anyway, Jim's idea is great- most other forums have them.

 

[Glennbear]

I think Jim's concept is a great one. I do not think that including woodworking how-to's is a good idea. As our masthead says we are An Educational Service of North Carolina Woodworker Inc.
One of our greatest strengths and traditions has been our "education through interaction". For any given woodworking subject there is a multitude of information sources one could find via a Google search but by posting a question here one gets information back from several members who have "been there, done that". If Norman Newbie posts a question "How do I cut a backwards left handed dovetail joint in ironwood ?" Barry Balsawood may suggest a router method , Paula Purpleheart may suggest using a japanese thin kerf saw and a chisel, Oliver Oak may point out that he has tried such a joint and it did not hold up well. To list one given tutorial in an index would tend to limit the great exchange of ideas we currently enjoy. If someone wants a step by step for any given woodworking subject there are non interactive sources elsewhere all over the web. Usually when we answer an inquiry from another user and there is a source for greater information we post a link e.g.-www.dovetailjointsinironwood.com :wsmile:

 

[froglips]

Ok, thanks for all the feedback!

I've added a subtle link to the main Help Desk Page.

For the time being, it will remain a manually maintained document.

If you find threads you think would be good to add or have topics you wish us to document, please put a request in the Help Desk Forum with a type of "Suggestion".

I'm glad this was so well received. Thanks!

Jim

 

[sapwood]

Jim,
You've added a very nice new tool to our toolbox.

Thanks :notworthy:
Roger