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How Can We Find Answers To Our Questions?
(M) This is a Copy-Paste of an email sent to several senior members. If you didn't get it that is because you didn't list your private email address or you have made only a few postings so far.
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"I took the liberty to write you and other active Forno Bravo members this email rather than only posting it on the Forum because in the past, questions posed were not answered because some members unwittingly started a New Thread in the same Sub-Forum and inadvertently hid the original post.
Because you are one of the regular contributing members, or even the Moderator, and listed your email address for public view I thought a direct email letter to you about how postings are handled might stimulate some suggestions about how to solve what some have written privately to me as being a frustration with having their carefully worded, well photo documented postings essentially hidden from other members. I'll explain my own case in point later but I wanted you to know that despite your public email address being posted I wanted to protect you against a possible deluge of people using the "Reply All" function and so I sent this email as a Bcc:
I realize that this approach may seem officious; after all, James is the moderator of the FornoBravo Forum, and to him I offer an apology for taking this direct approach without first consulting him.
I have some suggestions but no real solution so I hope that those who are more familiar with Forums will come up with some workable ideas to what I and others perceive of as a problem:
================================================== ===============================
Let's say that you have a time sensitive question that you hope will be answered by a fellow builder. You carefully word the question and document it with images. You post it in one of the following "Forums":
Forum Guidelines (39)
Introductions (81)
Newbie Forum (227)
Brick Oven Photos (342)
Getting Started (233)
Modular Refractory Oven Installation (56)
Pompeii Oven Construction (659)
Design Styles Chimneys and Finish (83)
Firing Your Oven (97)
Heat Management (19)
Get Cooking (71)
Ingredients (81)
Pizza (117)
Hearth Bread and Flatbread (28)
Roasting and Grilling (81)
Rice and Vegetables (03)
Dolce and Desserts (10)
The numbers in ( ) show how many "Threads" are currently posted to that sub-Forum.
One hour after you post, and before anyone has read your posting, a new, well meaning member posts a NEW THREAD to the same sub forum where you hope to receive input from other members. Your listing on the Home Page disappears and the Newbie's posting supersedes it. This is not out of lack of consideration by the new member but simply how postings work. The "Newbie" certainly had no wish to hide your question.
Let me use my own posting as an illustration. I have no vested interest in having that posting's question answered; I've already decided to resolve it. I wanted to find out about whether to use a particular adhesive but that question is both moot and mute.
I carefully laid out my question along with 4 images and posted it in the sub forum I thought most appropriate:
"Brick Oven Photos (342)"
It was posted very early one morning but within an hour, a new member started a NEW THREAD in that same sub Forum.
My posting did not disappear, it was still at:
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413
but my listing, Marcel's Pompeii Oven photos Part 6 stove pipe was no longer visible on the Home Page.
No one would know of my question without doing elaborate navigation. My question was unanswered.
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I considered posting this email on "Dolce and Desserts" as the last entry from Paulages is dated from 10-31-2005 and there were only 3 Threads there. Paul would probably not have minded as his posting, "Kiwi Apricot Tart" had a long publication duration but I think it is important for Members to Post in the Sub-Forum that best applies to their question.
In my case, because I had 4 photos, I posted to the "Brick Oven Photos (342)" but the new inexperienced member started a NEW THREAD without offering any new photos. Others who wanted to respond naturally posted to that same sub Forum.
================================================== ====================
To get the ball rolling, and in the hope that some of you will post your suggestions, I'm offering a few ideas which may not be feasible:
1- James, would you consider either a special new Sub-Forum, or a replacement Title to one of the 2 least used sub-Forums,
Rice and Vegetables (03)
Dolce and Desserts (10)
Call it something like: "For Senior Members Only". or "Please no NEW THREADS here".
2- If the possibility exists to restrict access on one of the lesser used Sub-Forums to "Senior Members" allow that restriction. That would deny no Senior Member from posting or New Members from reading posts but could encourage New Members to make enough contributions that they could later have access to that sub-Forum.
3- Lock, if possible, a Sub-Forum where many images are stored. I have searched fruitlessly for Robert Musa's and Paulages earlier photo documented postings. If there were a way to put some restraints on only one of the sub Forums, we could all view but not all over ride such well thought out presentations.
Thanks for reading this unsolicited email. I will also post it on "Forum Guidelines" over-riding my own posting.
Ciao,
Marcel"
================================================== =====
"I took the liberty to write you and other active Forno Bravo members this email rather than only posting it on the Forum because in the past, questions posed were not answered because some members unwittingly started a New Thread in the same Sub-Forum and inadvertently hid the original post.
Because you are one of the regular contributing members, or even the Moderator, and listed your email address for public view I thought a direct email letter to you about how postings are handled might stimulate some suggestions about how to solve what some have written privately to me as being a frustration with having their carefully worded, well photo documented postings essentially hidden from other members. I'll explain my own case in point later but I wanted you to know that despite your public email address being posted I wanted to protect you against a possible deluge of people using the "Reply All" function and so I sent this email as a Bcc:
I realize that this approach may seem officious; after all, James is the moderator of the FornoBravo Forum, and to him I offer an apology for taking this direct approach without first consulting him.
I have some suggestions but no real solution so I hope that those who are more familiar with Forums will come up with some workable ideas to what I and others perceive of as a problem:
================================================== ===============================
Let's say that you have a time sensitive question that you hope will be answered by a fellow builder. You carefully word the question and document it with images. You post it in one of the following "Forums":
Forum Guidelines (39)
Introductions (81)
Newbie Forum (227)
Brick Oven Photos (342)
Getting Started (233)
Modular Refractory Oven Installation (56)
Pompeii Oven Construction (659)
Design Styles Chimneys and Finish (83)
Firing Your Oven (97)
Heat Management (19)
Get Cooking (71)
Ingredients (81)
Pizza (117)
Hearth Bread and Flatbread (28)
Roasting and Grilling (81)
Rice and Vegetables (03)
Dolce and Desserts (10)
The numbers in ( ) show how many "Threads" are currently posted to that sub-Forum.
One hour after you post, and before anyone has read your posting, a new, well meaning member posts a NEW THREAD to the same sub forum where you hope to receive input from other members. Your listing on the Home Page disappears and the Newbie's posting supersedes it. This is not out of lack of consideration by the new member but simply how postings work. The "Newbie" certainly had no wish to hide your question.
Let me use my own posting as an illustration. I have no vested interest in having that posting's question answered; I've already decided to resolve it. I wanted to find out about whether to use a particular adhesive but that question is both moot and mute.
I carefully laid out my question along with 4 images and posted it in the sub forum I thought most appropriate:
"Brick Oven Photos (342)"
It was posted very early one morning but within an hour, a new member started a NEW THREAD in that same sub Forum.
My posting did not disappear, it was still at:
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=413
but my listing, Marcel's Pompeii Oven photos Part 6 stove pipe was no longer visible on the Home Page.
No one would know of my question without doing elaborate navigation. My question was unanswered.
================================================== ====================
I considered posting this email on "Dolce and Desserts" as the last entry from Paulages is dated from 10-31-2005 and there were only 3 Threads there. Paul would probably not have minded as his posting, "Kiwi Apricot Tart" had a long publication duration but I think it is important for Members to Post in the Sub-Forum that best applies to their question.
In my case, because I had 4 photos, I posted to the "Brick Oven Photos (342)" but the new inexperienced member started a NEW THREAD without offering any new photos. Others who wanted to respond naturally posted to that same sub Forum.
================================================== ====================
To get the ball rolling, and in the hope that some of you will post your suggestions, I'm offering a few ideas which may not be feasible:
1- James, would you consider either a special new Sub-Forum, or a replacement Title to one of the 2 least used sub-Forums,
Rice and Vegetables (03)
Dolce and Desserts (10)
Call it something like: "For Senior Members Only". or "Please no NEW THREADS here".
2- If the possibility exists to restrict access on one of the lesser used Sub-Forums to "Senior Members" allow that restriction. That would deny no Senior Member from posting or New Members from reading posts but could encourage New Members to make enough contributions that they could later have access to that sub-Forum.
3- Lock, if possible, a Sub-Forum where many images are stored. I have searched fruitlessly for Robert Musa's and Paulages earlier photo documented postings. If there were a way to put some restraints on only one of the sub Forums, we could all view but not all over ride such well thought out presentations.
Thanks for reading this unsolicited email. I will also post it on "Forum Guidelines" over-riding my own posting.
Ciao,
Marcel"
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