I read a thread titled 'I need HELP!!!' which a newbie 'first post' made. Most members with at least 10 posts know this is a no-no. The problem was well discribed for a newbie. I will presume he was so awed by his first post with that problem that the title was the last thing on his mind.

The part that bothers me is three posts were made telling him what a bad boy he was until the forth poster actually tried to help him with his problem. I feel if these threads bother you tell them so and then try and address their problem. Are we not here to make LQ bigger and better or is it to be a good ole boys club?

I completely agree. Only one person needs to respond to say that the title or text is incorrect for the site. Imagine if this were a face to face meeting, how would you feel if 3 separate people came up to you to pick fault with what you had said?

So, if a new member (or even a member with a few posts) posts a "Help!!!" thread, whoever is first in the thread should make the points and then that's enough. If you notice a member posting a bunch of "Help!!" threads and not getting the idea, report them to a mod and one of us will have a word off-forum with them.

I agree as well. One thing we don't often mention is that anyone can report a thread for title modding as well. If we're quick enough this may teach the user to be careful chosing titles (provided a good edit notice was posted) and may keep others from posting senseless follow-ups. If you see regulars constantly filling threads with off-topic "don't say help" type of banter outside of /General instead of helping their fellow LQ members let us know as well, by e-mail preferably.

It would be nice to add this to the forum rules.

And I think it would be a good idea to get rid of the distinction between newbies, members, seniors,.... Unless I am very much mistaken, it is usually people hoping to raise their status (or post count) who keep replying to posts long after they have lost their relevance. I could easily add more examples. Like a recent post where I answered someone's question, then the next poster thought it would be nice to put in the obligatory recommendation of a different distro, which soon led to the expected battle-of-the-distros-thread - clearly, 200% unrelated to the original question... I stopped checking on that thread because it reached a point that was beyond embarrassing.
I know that the subject of "status" has been discussed before but I think the issue is only now becoming important. I may be wrong but I have the impression that LQ has been seeing fewer opening posts these last months (certainly a lot fewer than when I started out here). Coupled with a higher number of active posters, it is not surprising to see more and more thread milkers.

jay73 the only status I referred to in the OP was newbie and this was to refer to his inexperience in starting threads. The subject I was talking about does not care if you are Senior, Guru, moderator or what. It is after someone has been told of their error then two or more posters kicking him while he is down and not responding to his problem. I do not believe removing posters status would help this problem at all.

OK. But I was not referring to the OP's status - I was referring to anyone's status. I do think it unlikely that people would bother posting the same reply over and over again when there is nothing to gain for them. Or maybe I am just too much of a cynic.

Jay73 - I would start a fresh thread in LQ S&F to debate the titles - otherwise we will either end up hijacking this one or having your issues lost. Though I will say that the "Thanks" button is there to balance out the post count question. If you have 10 posts and 10 Thanks, you will (hopefully) have more weight than 1000 posts and 10 Thanks.

WRT to the 'dog piling' that goes on, a good question with a poor title can end up with a poor signal/noise ratio because the first page of posts are complaints about a one word title.

Maybe if we had a pop up or a change to the FAQs which says "Don't use Help as a title - it is not useful to people reading the thread list and will make your thread impossible to search for". To balance that, a rule or FAQ to say that all we need is one person to point out where the OP went wrong, after that it's just pointless.

There are *many* titles that just put me off reading a post:

And that's just a start - I can't even be bothered maintaining a list of "post titles I never bother reading".

Yeah, that's funny, but this is about thread responses, not thread titles.
Do you have any relevant comments on the point the OP makes?

Larry

I am a dinosaur, but feel sorry that unSpawn appears never to have been thanked....and I won't do it here on this thread....heh heh

However, being a mind reader, I think you are referring to a specific post. And trying to remind us all to be polite. I plead guilty to appearing to be impolite on occassions. Having rules is wonderful but we are human and tend to forget them?? A box to warn the post...titles with help etc in them should be made more specific might work?

But Larry, I was wondering if you could see any reason, why it may won't be more fruitful to pm the offending members (or the mods) to start the offending members on a better learning curve?

And as you may be offended by my rudeness, then post 3 may be apt? where you pm the Moderators to do that ugly work?

2) I am not claiming to be perfect so feel free to report me anytime and one mod has already ticked me off for being rude....so I am not casting the first stone

cheerio

This post I referred to is immaterial, I believe that if you can criticize you should also address his problem. If someone else has done this then let it be done and only post if you have something to add for a solution to his problem.

No I will not say anything on an individual basis, this can only start something that will make us all look silly. I think that is one of the jobs for the mods.

If something bothers you it is like XP said, start a new thread in the appropriate forum or contact a mod, I do not think you need to take it up in OPs thread.

Indirectly, this is already part of the rules:
In my mind, that covers the repeat messages about subjects, distros and general "me too" stuff that crops up. if the rules get too detailed, then people can use them to wiggle out from responsibility: "But it doesn't specifically say I can't do that"...

This thread is a useful reminder to post within the spirit of the rules

It isn't obvious that it is part of the rules, because people that write "don't do that" can honestly think that it is "something constructive to say". Rules could be more clear. There could something like "non-constructive replies includes (but not limited to):..."

I have to put up with white slavers every day
this happed to me all the time till I stoped talking to them completely

it made me want to break some faces