Re : This isn't a complaint, but how about doing this...

**drubin** · February 4th, 2009

This thread is a reply to this thread in the RC since it is in the RC standard users can't reply, I did report it to request moving it out but it seems only admins can move threads out of the RC.

Please feel free to merge this if that thread should make its way out of the RC.

I am totally in full agreement with adding usefull links maybe a few stickies maybe some wiki pages with the welcome email should it be possible as part of the templeting engine and forum software.

**Het Irv** · February 4th, 2009

Great Idea, I know it would have helped me a bit. Something I think would be useful would be a brief description of what each sub-forum is, such as:

Absolute Beginners: This is a great place to start if you do not know much about Linux, or even computers in general.

Main Support Categories: These are great places for more advanced questions on specific topics. These forums are a bit slower, but they usually have good answers to tougher questions.

...ect

**jenkinbr** · February 5th, 2009

I haven't seen much admin activity lately, so I imagine that the few that are on are extreamly busy trying to keep up with the mass-posting that takes place on active forums like these.

I am also in agreement with the poster of the RC thread. I think a summary of the CoC would be great for the automatic email (honestly, how many people do you think actually read the entire thing when they first register? I'll admit that I didn't), as well as links to posts such as the UbuntuForums: Guide to Forum Features, and a few other ones that are important as well.

**Elfy** · February 5th, 2009

+1 from me

The key if it were to happen would be in getting the balance between what people need to know and all our pet peeves

**matthew** · February 5th, 2009

A lot of that info is in the Forum FAQ.
http://ubuntuforums.org/announcement.php?f=48

Maybe if we put that link in the welcome email/PM?

**jenkinbr** · February 5th, 2009

Originally Posted by matthew

a lot of that info is in the forum faq.
http://ubuntuforums.org/announcement.php?f=48

maybe if we put that link in the welcome email/pm?

+1, although I would like to maybe see at least the most important bit show up in the email itself. When I registered, I was focusing on getting to the posting, and didn't want to read the CoC, FAQ's or any of that - I just wanted to post.

Perhaps sending out two emails? The first one immediatly after submitting registration details, which would contain this important info, followed by a second one containing the activation link, arriving a few minutes later, giving the user time to at least get a peek at the FAQ list.

**drubin** · February 5th, 2009

Originally Posted by matthew

A lot of that info is in the Forum FAQ.
http://ubuntuforums.org/announcement.php?f=48

Maybe if we put that link in the welcome email/PM?

That is the whole point of the thread

give out links for users to click on. also maybe make the content a little bit more like basic explanations of where to find things

From that suggestion mathew it seems that the forum software allows for email templet editing?

**matthew** · February 5th, 2009

Originally Posted by drubin

From that suggestion mathew it seems that the forum software allows for email templet editing?

It does. We want to be careful, though, not to overwhelm people. There's a delicate balance, and much of the time people who sign up here are already feeling a bit stressed and are opening an account so that they can get help with a problem. Throwing too much at them at once is likely to be counter-productive. They have already either plowed through the entire Forum Code of Conduct or been too overwhelmed and ignored it, just clicking to accept it anyway. Anything more than a two or three sentence welcome is probably too much at that moment.

Anyway, we're thinking about the idea, because I think the reason for it is good. I'm not nervous about the idea, but a little hesitant about the implementation for the reason I just stated.

**drubin** · February 5th, 2009

Originally Posted by matthew

It does. We want to be careful, though, not to overwhelm people.

At least it is a fairly simple task to accomplish.

Whether to do it and how much is a discussion for the admins, but at least it is very plasable

**Partyboi2** · February 6th, 2009

Originally Posted by matthew

It does. We want to be careful, though, not to overwhelm people. There's a delicate balance, and much of the time people who sign up here are already feeling a bit stressed and are opening an account so that they can get help with a problem. Throwing too much at them at once is likely to be counter-productive. They have already either plowed through the entire Forum Code of Conduct or been too overwhelmed and ignored it, just clicking to accept it anyway. Anything more than a two or three sentence welcome is probably too much at that moment.

I agree, it only needs to be a few sentences long with a couple of useful links to get a newbie started. No point bombarding a new person with so much info.