sign up requirements

[variant]

I find that a lot of posts are made with a fair lack of information about the users system, One way to help solve this would be to include the "distro" part of the profile as being required information when the user creates his profile. Maby with a drop down list of all the distros including an "other" and a "none yet" option

[slant6]

That's a good idea except for one thing. Some people have several computers and use more than one distro. So, maybe it should be topic based, ie. when someone starts a new topic they have to include the distro.

[variant]

Yes that sounds like a good option.. I think somthing like this is needed as in a lot of posts the fist reply is normaly "what distro do you use?"

[sarumont]

Possibly a sub-topic type line for the distro...

[jasonlambert]

I dont think the problem is with the values a user enters when registering, but in the way questions are sometimes asked. A lack of detail will mean a lot of backwards any forwards questions before any troubleshooting begins.

To help resolve this issue, the posting page now contains the following text on the right hand side:

Asking a technical question?

Please include as much detail as possible, which distribution you are using, and include any error messages.

Please use a subject line that describes the problem where possible.

Click here for a guide to asking good questions. (opens in new window)

Jason

[scientica]

What about checkboxes? That would allow for multiple distros, shouldn't be to hard to fix - just some php'ing.
And maybe with some extra magic options like
[X] Gentoo
[X] Redhat 8.0
[X] Redhat 9.0
would generate a distro string like:
Ditsro: Gentoo, Redhat 8.0, 9.0
(instead of Ditsro: Gentoo, Redhat 8.0, Redhat 9.0)

[Anigel]

would generate a distro string like:
Ditsro: Gentoo, Redhat 8.0, 9.0

However even with that, the first response to a question would still be :-

Which distro are you using (having the problem with).

I think the

Asking a technical question?

is a better solution to the case in point

[flw]

I find that a lot of posts are made with a fair lack of information about the users system, One way to help solve this would be to include the "distro" part of the profile as being required information when the user creates his profile. Maby with a drop down list of all the distros including an "other" and a "none yet" option

Lack of information on a users system and disto is a common issue on every board I've ever been on inclding newsgroups. We can always ask new users during sign up to give detials on system/distro/add on apps/recent changes/etc... but it just doesn't happen as often as it should.

There is no simple solution as with even a registared "definded system"
people change the setup and distro's without changing forums profiles etc... and all the work is down the tubes.

I understand the frustration, which is why most replies start with what is your xyz, abc, etc.... I don't see much of a chance in this frustrates us all.

[variant]

I like the current solution of the text in the posting page!

[Darl]

I think if posters could read and abide by the `Asking Good Questions' thread, that would make more `answerers' happy. It's a good thread. I don't know how likely it is whether posters will abide, or even read, that thread.

Perhaps questions that gratuitously disregard that above noted thread should get responses such as: "Please take a closer look as this thread link" -forcing people to read the thread, then rewriting their question, before they get a response...? Maybe that's a bit draconic? I don't know.

But if posters could adequately abide by the `Asking Good Questions' thread, that would solve a lot.