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Why not create a specific Newbie Section on the OF?

  1. Riviera Paradise Jan 9, 2017

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    Many senior OF members have become frustrated and ranted recently about newbie posts on recurring "trivial" topics. Although I sympathize to a certain extent with this POV, much of what a more experienced OF member thinks is "obvious" in terms of watch knowledge is not necessarily obvious to a newbie. We were all newbies at a certain stage.:)

    So OF Mods...why not create a specific Omega Forum "Newbies Post Here" section?...a "beginner's ski slope" section where they can post some "silly" initial questions, and those of a more maternal/paternal disposition will offer guidance and help and others can avoid. Some of the sticky thread warnings and orientation could be moved to this new section as well.

    Another more general point is that I think the OF needs to make a decision: if the mods/founders want this to be an elite vintage forum I suggest you create a new "321calibre" forum with a higher entry level barrier for newbies to be able to post. This will keep the forum at a higher level of technical discussion specifically for vintage watches.

    I personally think the OF modern watch content has declined significantly this year...not many new detailed watch reviews etc. This might reflect the fact the most OF members have conservative tastes and so have not warmed to anything post Basel 2016 except the CK2998 LE...still I consider it to be a worrying sign of decadence. The open discussion threads are fun...but I don't think they should be the raison d'être of the OF, should they?

    Just a few suggestions...hope they can be of use.:)
     
    Edited Jan 9, 2017
  2. ahsposo Most fun screen name at ΩF Jan 9, 2017

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    I personally find some new enthusiast's questions interesting. Some admittedly should have been preceded with a little basic research but, hey, doing one's own research isn't fashionable for some.

    Listen to me - I sound like I'm not a n00b with two coats of paint. After a couple of years of this my ignorance far outstrips my sure knowledge...
     
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  3. Riviera Paradise Jan 9, 2017

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    I agree that often newbies will provide very good initial posts, especially if they are already experienced watch collectors from other brands.

    FTR I certainly do not consider myself in anyway to be much beyond the newbie level myself, but I feel that the OF has a "generational" tension between old and new members that could be resolved, maintaining the good natured welcoming vibe that differentiates it from some other more aggressive watch forums. The direction the OF is taking, soon it is going to be one of the least welcoming watch forums out there for a newbie.

    If the objective is actually to scare away the newbies, fair enough, but that will inevitably lead to poorer future discussion in the long term, and more a recycling of the same opinions / posts etc. Having a specific forum section for newbies might work in resolving this tension.

    I will leave this in the capable hands of the OF Jedi Council:
    @ulackfocus , @dsio, @cicindela , @Archer , @Alpha , @gatorcpa , @Hijak, @LouS , @MSNWatch , @oddboy , @Privateday7 , @JimInOz , @Darlinboy , @CanberraOmega , @alam, @STANDY, @Nobel Prize, @X350 XJR, @kyle L
     
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  4. Cosd Jan 9, 2017

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    This is the same old situation faced on any forum.
    Though I agree that a newbie section might be good so those irritated with the same question, can avoid, but I don't think newbie's should not be allowed into other sections of the forum; A newbie could come along tomorrow with more experience than existing members!
     
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  5. Riviera Paradise Jan 9, 2017

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    Sorry, I can see that my post was not very clear on that aspect...my suggestion is not that newbies would be restricted to post in the Newbie Section...they would simply see the Newbie Section upfront when entering the forum main page and willingly or not might feel more comfortable posting there.
     
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  6. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Jan 9, 2017

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    Sorry if you had a Noobie section you would not be able to keep the senior riffraff out.
     
  7. ulackfocus Jan 9, 2017

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    This has been suggested before, and I like the idea because you can strafe them all with one convenient pass.
     
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  8. Larry S Color Commentator for the Hyperbole. Jan 9, 2017

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    I attend / speak at several conferences in my field each year in NA and in Europe. The fist time I attended one of these in NA , the newbies and their questions actually degraded the quality of the sessions. Theses conferences are pretty expensive to attend. We decided for the next NA conference that we would have a 101 day for noobs before the general sessions began. It was a huge hit. Perhaps a 101 section on basic knowledge / foundational topics would be a good idea.
     
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  9. nonuffinkbloke #1 Nigel Mansell Fan Jan 9, 2017

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    Maybe 10 entry level questions that can be easily researched on Speedmaster101??? (I was pointed to Williams site and found it a great resource... I still came back asking dopey questions but it was a good start.) You could make it a bit like a basic skills, college entry test for Speedy n00bs.

    If they go and do some enjoyable research and answer the questions correctly, they get access to the forums. If they can't be bothered it would indicate a lack of genuine interest and they can be politely shown the door.

    Nothing overly confusing:
    1) what was the first Speedmaster reference to use an asymmetrical case?
    2) what is a DON bezel?
    3) why don't we send our watches to Omega?
    4) what do HF and CB refer to?
    5) what does 1171 and 633 refer to?
    6) what is an applied decal?
    7) what does TT indicate?
    8) what part of the Speedmaster is either Base 1000 or Base 500
    9) what part of the Speedmaster may be referred to as single or double stepped?
    10) what part of a Speedmaster do 321 and 861 refer to?

    To get the answer to questions like these they would need to wade through a fair bit of reading on Speedmaster101. That would mean that ought to have soaked up more than just the answers to the 10 questions.
     
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  10. Mikea Jan 9, 2017

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    Or maybe only answer to a post if you are actually going to be helpful? People have busy life's and not much spare time, its often not knowing where to look not "laziness" as some people on other newbie threads have stated. My experience has been mixed with this forum, some people want to help others just point out what you do wrong.

    I would find it helpful to have a search function so I could use key words to find things out in old posts. why should people be shot at for asking something they don't know? Rather than trying to isolate new people, why not embrace and impart your knowledge? Or is this forum just for the negative elite?
     
  11. Mikea Jan 9, 2017

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    A glossary or frequently asked question section would help? Not everyone is an engineer.
     
  12. ulackfocus Jan 9, 2017

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    Why, why, why does it ALWAYS have to be about Speedmasters? ::facepalm2:::rolleyes: If a n00b has a Constellation, what f::censored::king good will Speedmaster101 do them?
     
  13. nonuffinkbloke #1 Nigel Mansell Fan Jan 9, 2017

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    Eh??? You mean Omega make other watches?::confused2::
     
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  14. STANDY schizophrenic pizza orderer and watch collector Jan 9, 2017

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    Think it's more here need a 101 on being nice to noobs and understand it's a international Forum that language is a issue to non English speakers.

    As my mother used to say
    Play nice boys
     
  15. cicindela Steve @ ΩF Staff Member Jan 9, 2017

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    Not at all, as you have seen we also take the negative naive.
     
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  16. cristos71 Jan 9, 2017

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    I was thinking the same, AFAIR Omega had at least a couple of other models in the first hundred odd years before the invention of the Speedmaster :p
     
  17. Riviera Paradise Jan 9, 2017

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    [email protected]! :eek:. I think you should be quarantined from the Newbie section and only allowed to assume your predator role if a Newbie dares to venture outside of the sheltered kindergarten lair, unprepared.:D
     
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  18. ulackfocus Jan 9, 2017

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    Yes, Patrick, they do. LOTS of them.
     
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  19. ulackfocus Jan 9, 2017

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    Like a fawn that gets separated from its mother and the herd, eh? sneaky2.gif lol.gif
     
  20. incursore61 Jan 9, 2017

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    excellent idea !