Database Users

Sticky Topics ??

Would it be useful to have some sticky threads to stop us enthusiastic noobs asking the same questions.
e.g.
How to find out what firmware / revisions you have
How to back up and flash ROM / extended ROM
What's in the ROMs in the first place / How are they organised
Some kind of Rough Guide to the main features and differences in the ROM images that are uploaded to the site.
A guide to how Active Sync affects the other apps, (personally if I was interested in virus writing AS 4.0/1 seems to be a good basis for a killer virus, most of the destructive functions are working fine and none of the useful ones are working at all :roll: )
I'd like to play and modify my O2 XDA Mini-S but I haven't dared to yet until I fully understand what I'm doing first
I've found some superb info and advice here but could it be more effective (IMHO) if the more basic important stuff was easily accessible?
Kim

If you can suggest me some of the current threads, i can make them sticky. But i do not have the time to read through all posted threads....
Stefan

Thanks
I was thinking that maybe some of the sticky threads could be started from scratch by the more knowledgeable contributors to give the kind of "read this first" info I've been looking for, then they could be edited effectively to eliminate spurious posts etc.
I know that the best place for this should be the wiki but the one for the wizard is a bit sparse so far, maybe if useful threads are generated then their content could be transferred to the wiki once they are closed
Kim

If you can suggest me some of the current threads, i can make them sticky. But i do not have the time to read through all posted threads....
Stefan
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These look like a good stickies for a start
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=33796
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=40284
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=35203
I'm no expert (yet :wink: ) so I don't know which would be the best suggestions
Does anyone else think this would be useful?
Kim

i disagree with stickys for several reasons. One being right when you enter the forum they're there and getting longer and longer. so you end up with a really off topic thread thats got some 50+pages on it.
Also you say you want it for "noobs"? since when do "noobs" read stickys or FAQ's? They just post they're question without even searching.

i disagree with stickys for several reasons. One being right when you enter the forum they're there and getting longer and longer. so you end up with a really off topic thread thats got some 50+pages on it.
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I agree with you on that, OK so I don't mean threads, I mean closed posts with essential information written by people who already have the skills and know what they're talking about.
Also you say you want it for "noobs"? since when do "noobs" read stickys or FAQ's? They just post they're question without even searching.
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Click to collapse
Also true, but I mean noobs to XDA programming not to forum use in general.
I've searched for the info I want but it's so widely distributed and conflicting (and wanders off topic like you said already) that I think a definitive guide would be helpful; if it's stuck at the top of the forum for all to read then it is usually accurate because the Mods agree that it's useful.
Maybe noobs post stupid questions because they don't know they're stupid in the first place
Kim

There is a Wiki here. the only 2 sticky posts need to be (IMO anyway)
1) How to post (its already done for those who haven't read it!)
2) How to access the wiki & the FTP
Then the Wiki can be kept updated linking to good guide threads if required. Also any duplicate posts can be refered to the wiki with 1 reply and not have 1 million threads all about the same thing.

Help Xda!!! (please Show Your Support & Give 1 Min Of Your Time) **update Again**

**UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF POST***
**PLEASE , GIVE 3 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME TO READ THIS AND POST IF POSSIBLE**
Hey guys and gals. TweakMan here. Thanks for stopping in. First off , let me apologize for opening this thread. I am totally against opening any thread in the Development & Hacking section unless you are contributing, but this is my only option. So please read on, and show your support for XDA. It will only take a minute to read this, and decide. It takes less to post and show your support.
I opened the "General PPC Questions" thread at the top of this page almost 2 months ago. When I first opened this thread, I believed it would only have 10 to 20 posts max. Now , it has grown into a size I never believed. The amount of support everyone has showed for there fellow PPC users, is amazing!!
This one thread alone has helped answer over 150 questions! It has stopped almost 250 new threads from being opened for a simple question. It's done it's job, and I believe its served this site well!! I am in no way trying to take sole credit for this. All I did was open the thread. It is you amazing people that keep this thread alive and working.
I spend at least 2 to 4 hours a day trying to keep the "Answered & Unanswered Boards" updated, for easier use. But there are still maybe 20% of the original amount of new threads being opened. And I believe I have a solution.
I would really like to see a new section opened in this forum. General Questions. I would be willing to do all of the work, and put the same amount of time and more into it. There are a few features that would help this work. First, in the section, open only 5 threads at the beginning. Software Questions, Theme Questions, PPC Questions, Smartphone Questions, and Other Questions.
Also, and most importantly, make the entire section locked. This should be the only 5 threads that are able to be opened. This makes sure that the section isn't overrun with new threads everyday, making it impossbile to keep organized.
I have a lot of ideas that will make this work. And I promise you if you show your support here I will do my best to make it work as well as and better as the General Questions Thread. But I need your support to even get the moderators to consider this.
When I first posted the idea for the General PPC Question thread, I was flamed and told that it would never work. Look at how well it has done. There are over 300 users that are currently using this thread, with better results than any other site I've seen like this. So this goes out to all of you. Especially the users that use this thread for help. Give me one minute of you time and post a reply here showing you support this idea.
**IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT THIS, PLEASE DO NOT POST HERE, THIS IS TO HELP XDA. THERE SHOULD BE NOT REASON TO CRITICIZE FOR THAT*******
**LOOK HOW MUCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH 1 THREAD!!!!!! PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT !!!
****************************************************************UPDATE HERE:
****************************************************************
Hey guys. Just giving you an update on the progress of our work here. I just sent the letter to the administrator of the forum, and am now in a waiting game to hear a response.
But until then , I hope you keep showing your support. Also, there are now at least 4 mods supporting this.
Thank you all for your support in this , and the already existing thread. Without you all, each and every one, this wouldn't even be a dream, and the other thread would have already crashed and burned.
And last but not least, Thanks for the ideas. Your guys ideas are what make the already existing thread work. I hope that it happens so that all of our ideas can continue to help clean up this site, and gain our once loved search function back to full capacity !! LOL
So keep the support coming guys. There are over 400 users that use the Questions thread. I hope that you all can return the favor, and show your support here for something that has helped you. This isn't for me, it's always been for XDA.
I will update you as soon as I hear back from the admin.
Keep your fingers crossed and keep showing the love for XDA!!!!
**ALL NEW UPDATES WILL BE POSTED IN THE SECOND POST FROM NOW ON**

RESERVED
This is reserved to update you on how this project is going.
**PLEASE GIVE 1 MINUTE OF YOUR TIME TO POST. IM SURE YOU'VE READ ALOT MORE USLESS THINGS HERE BEFORE. THIS HELPS XDA!!!************

Voted +1.
(What? we can't all have long threads )

Voted +2
its a great idea..im too getting annoyed by new post here and there..

Voted +3
great idea

An Alternative Suggestion
Tweakman,
Instead of implementing your suggestion why don't we create another forum called, say, "Development & Hacking Professional".
This new forum would be locked to all except those who had an application or development to submit. For an author to place his/her item in this new forum he/she would first have to submit their item to a moderator. If it passes the test then the moderator opens a thread in the new forum for that item.
All questions, etc, would be placed in the current Dev & Hacking forum which would, de facto, become the Questions & Answers forum you are seeking to create. The moderators could, over time, move development items already in the current Dev & Hacking forum into the new forum.
To make this work effectively, all developers would have to setup a wiki page for their development. Any valuable hints and tips, registry changes, tweaks, etc, would go into that wiki page as support for the developed item.
The upshot of all this is that if you wanted to find a developed application you search in the new Dev & Hacking Professional forum. If you want support you search the relevant wiki pages.
Searches become simple and fast, support is there without the developers being innundated with crap, and we all live happily ever after.
Just my penny's worth.
WB
PS: BTW, what I am suggesting is not difficult. We did something similar for Schaps when he was developing his roms and getting threads 1000 posts long, most asking the same question that had been answered only 2 posts up if people had bothered to read!
To reduce the support overhead on Schaps, myself and another user put together wiki pages for Schaps as a support and reference point and it worked! You still got the lazy fools posting already answered questions in the main thread; however the wiki page fast tracked any search for solutions to known problems, etc.
It can be done if there is the will by all to make this work.
Give me Moderator status and I will be more than happy to put some legwork in to make this happen.

Good idea tweakman. you have my vote.
@wacky
IMHO doing it your way sounds to me as damage control, while Tweakman's idea is (or should) target the root of the problem...
I do like the wiki idea though
on a side note i'd also like to see a "software request" section,

+1 vote... good idea

I posted a thread about this awhile back, I support this idea

THANKS
Thanks guys !! I wish as many that used the thead would give one min of there time for somethin thats helped so many. I am sending a request to the administrator in the morning, and alread have support from several mods. LETS KEEP TRYIN, IM ONLY DOING THIS TO HELP!!!!!! WEVE COME A LONG WAY WITH ONLY 1 THREAD!!! Almost 400 posts in 2 months!!!!

Yup, I support you too.

UPDATE
Thanks guys! Im sending a request to the administrator in the morning under recommendation from several mods, and those mods, are supporting us as well guys!!!!
So keep your fingers crossed and show the love you have for XDA!!! Simply post a quick reply sayin I SUPPORT THIS!!!
**LOOK HOW MUCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH 1 THREAD!!!!! SHOW YOUR SUPPORT !!!

keep it rocks

Count my vote

good idea, fully support this.
it would tidy the entire forum cos when you think zbout it a lot of the questions posted in the devices threads relate to more than one phone

+vote
D&H definitely needs cleanup.
EDIT: One more idea: what about creating a Themes/skins development section?

Great Idea!
You have my vote
I have seen so many noob's get flamed, and probably scared off the site forever, for asking simple questions that deserve to have a place to be answered.
Any member that dedicates posts to shaming someone, for what they post, should slap themselves. To those members; you were all noobs once, and now you've graduated to become full fledged ASSHOLES! Pull the stick out of your ass and get a real hobby. This is not your private club, and you definately do not look cool when you do **** like that.
XDA is a community for users of EVERY level. Cut new people some slack, quit playing little social exclusion games, and help someone out every now and then. As they grow in knowledge and understanding, they will treat others, on this site, the same way they were treated when they were beginners.
I THINK A GENERAL QUESTIONS SECTION IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA...NO JERKS ALLOWED!

One More
Good idea.
Not sure the post suggesting that a 'Development & Hacking Professional' thread is opened is a good idea though - we are trying to consolidate the information into one place, not spread it more thinly.

+1 from me!

+ 1
Ciao, Andrea

Less than 10 posts

Hi, I\m a member for many months now and still cannot interact with the forum of my rom. They want at least 10 posts. What to do if I have nothing to say outside my rom? There are questions asked by people I would like to answer and cannot yet. This policy needs reconsideration - I think.

shennar said:
Hi, I\m a member for many months now and still cannot interact with the forum of my rom. They want at least 10 posts. What to do if I have nothing to say outside my rom? There are questions asked by people I would like to answer and cannot yet. This policy needs reconsideration - I think.
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Well...why not go through the Q&A section and answer people's questions? Thus getting 10 posts (without spamming, and by actively contributing to the community) and then you can answer/ask more questions. I partially agree that time could be a better indicator of whether or not someone should be allowed to post in the development section, but there has to be some system by which the forums can be free of 'how do I install this ROM' questions or similarly stupid questions which could be answered by using the search function.
Speaking of the search function, I think there is a thread about this in the 'about XDA-Developers' or 'General' section

or at least allow selective forum access. I need the thread of HD2 Boypcc Nand roms.

OK you win on this. I didn't search for this specific. I searched now, found some similar complaints but not very much like my viewpoint.
About searching, in fact I searched and read and learned too too much (and donated) without asking a single question yet. To post in generic forums I'd love to, but I don't see really serious stuff (for me) to discuss outside ROM. OK 6 down 4 to go

I agree. The policy might need reconsideration but it is not really important though. 10 posts are mighty easy to achieve. Try answering questions in the QnA thread. However, if you really are unaware of how to solve member's problems and queries, you can always hang around and have some fun in the off topic thread. In that way, you will be able to achieve your target. Its not exactly how you might want your first 10 posts, but if you get to interact with your forum,then you will be able to gain more knowledge and a better understanding. Then you can truly start helping people after that.

kawshigan said:
I agree. The policy might need reconsideration but it is not really important though. 10 posts are mighty easy to achieve. Try answering questions in the QnA thread. However, if you really are unaware of how to solve member's problems and queries, you can always hang around and have some fun in the off topic thread. In that way, you will be able to achieve your target. Its not exactly how you might want your first 10 posts, but if you get to interact with your forum,then you will be able to gain more knowledge and a better understanding. Then you can truly start helping people after that.
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Click to collapse
OK OK gentlemen, I did, I found 3 questions to answer and did. Now this is post 10 , lets see if done yet.

shennar said:
OK you win on this. I didn't search for this specific. I searched now, found some similar complaints but not very much like my viewpoint.
About searching, in fact I searched and read and learned too too much (and donated) without asking a single question yet. To post in generic forums I'd love to, but I don't see really serious stuff (for me) to discuss outside ROM. OK 6 down 4 to go
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Click to collapse
Lol well obviously you didn't ask questions, otherwise you would have more posts
But I respect having no posts but having a membership for a year (and actually using the forums) much more than having 5billion useless posts without having helped anyone.

thread closed because is not related to HD2 Android ... for further information please go here. Regards,
12's tutorial on how to get your postcount above 10:
Keep in mind that only people we the genuine intent to post one of their developmental projects or with a (well explained) bug report NEED a postcount above 10. Nonetheless I'll give you some guidelines on how to achieve this goal in a community accepted way:
Read the stickies in About xda-developers.com
Read this thread
Read the stickies in Questions and Answers, ask a question there about the site or anything general should anything be unclear to you
Try to answer 2 or 3 questions there
Read the stickies in your forum for your favorite device
If you have any news on the device post it in general
If you have any questions about a hack, app, ROM or theme pop into that thread and ask a question or leave a message
Check out your device specific Questions and Answers (if it has one, otherwise check out General). With everything you have learned so far you should well be able to help a few more people there
.
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posting restrictions?

I was wondering why in da hell cant i post in some areas? So i can give my thanks to developers of roms,report some eventual bugs etc,and help others?
Some limitations?

That message answers itself. That's one of the reasons why there are limitations.
It's a forum rule, not a U8800 sub-forum rule and yet you decided to open a topic here, contesting the general rules.
New members do that. They don't understand what a forum is, what they should or shouldn't do to respect the forum order.
Generally speaking newcomers never report bugs, they're limited to spamming the topics with "thanks you" posts instead of clicking the thanks button, complaining about a missing/not working feature only later to find out that they didn't read/follow the steps correctly and mainly, they use the development sections to make requests to devs or ask stupid newbie-like questions.
Also, other slightly more experienced newcomers, feel like they should repeat the information over and over again to the other new-newcomers (thanks hunting maybe?) instead of pointing them to the source of the information.
All that, oughta add up to around 75% of all the moderators work to keep the forums running smoothly.

Thread Closed​
I think VuDuCuRSe has answered your question very well, just i would like to think 100% of MODS here do a good job​

This forum is a mess....

Guys this forum is a disaster, that single topic with like 2000 posts in it is ridiculous.
There needs to be more organization and breaking out of things into easier to digest and read.
Someone needs to LOCK that existing thread and force people to start new ones.
Am I the only one who thinks this?

Nope, I totally agree with you. It's really hard to find any info if it's not being discussed right now.

Welcome, newbie!
There's a good historical reason for that thread. It grew to well beyond 1000 pages before there even was an Android Auto forum, when it was the only place in common for discussing that type of unit.
Feel free to contribute to the wiki, and point people with common questions in that direction.
(And no, it doesn't need to be locked. Learn to use search)

I agree on the historical reason for it, but right now we have a whole section dedicated to Android Head Units. Maybe the thread doesn't need to be locked, but people do need to start creating different threads for issues and wuations and whatnot. It's really hard most of the time to find a solution to something on such a long thread (even using search).

I agree that one thread has all the solution but it scattered all over the place.

Having one thread for each product does not work well since your question can easily get buried by a few responses to some other question. The thread should be locked and a sticky created that links to specific posts/wiki entries or new threads.

No, that thread covers all the Hui-Fei type units, which share the same firmware images. The differences are minor. If you're looking for something, check the wiki first (the very first link in that thread!). If you don't find it there spend some time searching the thread and when you do find it, add it to the wiki.
The problem is not the thread, it's with people too lazy to take the time to search ("oh, instead of taking 5 or 10 minutes to search, it will only take me 1 minute to ask a question which has been asked 100 times before and get other people to do the work for me"). If all the posts which didn't trim what they were quoting, and all the posts asking things which had already been answered were removed, that thread would only be 1/4 the size. The thread isn't the problem, lazy people are.

I don't think the forum is a mess but I do think that some of the more popular head units do warrant their own sub forums.
I've just ordered a carpad for example and have had a fair go at reading most of that thread but it's not easy.
There are certain topics within that thread that would be easier to follow and encourage better collaboration if they were separate threads within a sub forum.
The search is all well and good but it's not great if you don't know what you don't know!