People don't look first

[forrestcupp]

There shouldn't be 5 requests for help on screen resolution on the front page of the forum. Should there?

[piousp]

Indeed, there shouldnt.
Maybe they are just lazy?

[Kingsley]

Who knows? Those questions could have been completely unrelated despite having similar titles.

[intense.ego]

Who knows? Those questions could have been completely unrelated despite having similar titles.

Exaclty what I was thinking. Perhaps each thread was about a specific individual case, or did they didn't want to try advice that was not designed for their situation.

Whenever I create a thread asking for help, I always check the similar threads that come up. You'd be surprised how many have a very similar title but are almost completely different in content and question.

[Dr Small]

It seems like when there is one hot problem, everyone else seem to be having the same problem. Like back after Gutsy was released, one night there must have been 10 to 12 threads on Xorg problem, and the general fix to them all was dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg.

Other times I have seen, it is video makers or DVD problems :D

[madjr]

There shouldn't be 5 requests for help on screen resolution on the front page of the forum. Should there?

these questions are good statistics.

this shows just where Ubuntu needs to improve visibility of a tool (more shortcuts so people find it easier), errors/bugs and better usability of it.

[derekr44]

It seems like when there is one hot problem, everyone else seem to be having the same problem.

Welcome to tech support.

[LaRoza]

It is worse in other places.

In the FF&H, there were (are) a lot of threads on the thanks feature. I wrote a thread explaining the entire feature (with screenshots), and answered every question that could come up.

There were three visible threads on the thanks feature at this time on the first page. I stickied my thread (with the ok from the staff).

Five minutes (no joke) a thread came up asking the exact same question as two of the visible threads, and the sticky.

Thanks to popch, I got over it.

[Vitamin-Carrot]

I recomend a course of psycho therapy for all

[popch]

Thanks to popch, I got over it.
:)

[ciclo]

things are always as so

[misfitpierce]

Indeed ppl should also use search before posting a new thread about something. Hints why when you make a topic it searches some for ppl that dont search before to try and ensure not multiple threads on 1 topic. Yet it happens anyways.

[gunashekar]

what if there is a message offering to search for similar posts on a new tab, whenever someone makes a new title for a post?
Would that be too irritating for experienced forum users?

[popch]

what if there is a message offering to search for similar posts on a new tab, whenever someone makes a new title for a post?
Would that be too irritating for experienced forum users?

That is exactly what the forum does.

[forrestcupp]

It seems like when there is one hot problem, everyone else seem to be having the same problem. Like back after Gutsy was released, one night there must have been 10 to 12 threads on Xorg problem, and the general fix to them all was dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg.

That's exactly my point. It's amazing how many times in a day I can tell people to do the exact same thing for the exact same problem. 5 similar thread titles on the first page isn't what got me thinking about all of this; they're just the proof to back up my thoughts.

I can even understand people not taking the time to search. But to not even look through the threads that are on the first page that is right in front of you is just wrong.

I guess I don't have any right to complain. No one is forcing me to look at those threads.

[bryncoles]

madjr is right: these insanely frequently reoccurring questions are good stats on what (new?) users find difficult / complicated / incomprehensible. though they're probably also symptomatic (in at least some cases) of people not searching hard enough for a solution.

perhaps one solution would be to check the problem is unique, and if it isn't write up a solution, pop it in community doc's and then paste that URL as the response to the individuals query?

then monitor their thread to see if they say that solved the problem?

[23meg]

I guess I don't have any right to complain. No one is forcing me to look at those threads.

If people don't want to discourage others from offering free support to them (see above), they should observe certain good practices.

[p_quarles]

If people don't want to discourage others from offering free support to them (see above), they should observe certain good practices.
Yes, which is why I tend to simply ignore those threads. (unless they are reported for something, of course), as well as those with titles like "HELP PLZ!!!eleven!!!"

I still think aysiu's statements on not rewarding bad behavior are among the best things said on this issue. On a forum of this size, it's very difficult to manage that behavior in an effective way, but letting those threads sink is a good way to help manage it, and this is something that every forum member can do.

[sailor2001]

I think more emphasis on getting op's to mark thread "solved" would help a great deal.

[p_quarles]

I think more emphasis on getting op's to mark thread "solved" would help a great deal.
Yes, there has recently been some discussion on improving the "discoverability" of the "mark as solved" feature. I am all for that, but I think there's only so much you can do. Those who refuse to notice that there are several other threads on their topic on the same page of the forum are unlikely, unfortunately, to notice much else.