Along with bulk PMs, as Quint has mentioned in the prev post, maybe also a page which comes up whenever anyone clicks on 'New topic' to start a thread? The page should be short enough to be read in a minute or so (By an avg guy, not the VA 100 pctiler
). It should have a bulletted format in which all the conditions for starting a new thread are listed, i.e. (Just indicative, invite ppl to add to this list):
1. Thread should be
novel. This is perhaps the most important thing. The reader should be clearly taught how to search the forum to see if the intended thread already exists. Honestly, the search function link is too small and is hard to notice. I myself had spent nearly a week on the forum before I even saw it and what it did. I suggest we make it bigger or otherwise more prominent.
2. Thread should be
relevant to the forum (i.e. don't start 'IIM B unpredictability' discussion in ChitChat; and don't start 'My favorite Mithun Chakraborty movies' in Quantitative Ques & Ans.)
3. Thread should be
relevant in itself. Think before starting a thread which is on some truly arcane topic on which you can't realistically expect any replies. This might reduce the postings on ChitChat, which is a mixed blessing, as Mod ppl's workload will decrease, but we
may lose the chance to see some great thread. It's a tradeoff and its upto the A. Ignoramus
to decide which way to go.
We should remember that we too were n00bs once, though we have lost our innocence
now. Actually compared to most ppl here, I'm still a n00b. Most of these new guys should turn out to be produtive/helpful/funny/generallydesirable members of the forum, we just need to educate them a bit in the early days.
Of course, all the above is JMHO. I can't really claim to tell you guys anything when some of you have 4000+ posts while I haven't even made my century yet.
