Camaraderie 2

[T7RY B]

The first and foremost reason I started the camaraderie thread was to thank Gord for helping me out.

One of the other reasons was that of late there has been a lot of griping about mods and stuff.

We have new members joining all the time and the last thing I think that they want to see is a lot of in-house fighting.

We help each other out when we are able and this post has made people aware of that fact. Newbies read it and can see that hopefully that is what LOC is about.

Because of distance and being a National forum firstly and Worldwide a lot of us on here are "virtual" mates. The meets make it possible to put names to faces.

I was a member on here for quite some time before I put up my first post.

Making "newbies" welcome should be a number one priority for any forum. It's like getting your car serviced if you get a good deal and they look after you,then you go back again.

The more members we get then the shorter the physical distance between members becomes.

I know that members have tried for more local meets and that they are few and far between.

Time constraints, distance,money etc.

I don't want to add to the workload of the "Mods" on here but I have seen "Newbies" posting on here and they ask there 1st. question in their 1st.post

Something like..."How do I post pics?" ..."Where can I buy a bodykit?"

Some times they do not receive one reply or they get a curt reply of "USE THE SEARCH BUTTON"

Not all of us are PC literate.

Is it possible that when a new member joins that an "automated"email goes out to them explaining

how to use the easiest of the facilities and something like a "Welcome to LOC "letter?

I don't mean all the T&Cs of the club. Lets be honest who reaaly goes through all of that.

Anyway enough of my ramblings just a few thoughts I have had of late regarding new blood coming into LOC

[Rob]

quite a good post there - esp the idea of an automated welcome letter, how about the admins making a FAQ list, that is easily seen and at the header of the page??

[peter026]

Totally agree with both posts......I have answered many a newbies post with a link to the answer to their question where ever possible...........Unless of course I have been beaten to it :D

[Steve]

Good point Terry

We could actually modify the welcome email we send at the moment.. also an FAQ forum could work well.

The help pages can guide members alot of the forum features such as uploading but to non goldies thats different... I think this area is always missed... too be honest i have never read them myself :D

certainly worth doing.

[Robin H]

like it it's a good idea

I've found on other forums that they some times have a newbie section

this a place where they can introduce them selves and talk a little bit about whatever they want

where the live, what there interests are,

the welcome letter is a good idea make them feel part of the family also you could provide a link in the letter to where they can make the 1 post

I know from when I first join the forum, I found it quite hard to find my 1st hello post as the site can move very quickly during the week and being a bit of a computer virgin at the time didn't fully understand how all the function worked on the site

the thing I've found on other forum with this section is that people become more involved quicker as they can build up a relationship with members who choose to answer the post, it also helps that they can also see who is new to the forum so they feel less alone/imitated from/by the other older members, plus the post doesn't get lost in all the other random posts

my 2 pence

[Adie]

Some good ideas there guys. I'm not sure about the email as it seems like a lot of work and people join even when they are just browsing.

I think a newbie section would be good with a FAQ section pinned in it with all the usuall questions including the links to the what to look for when buying various Lexus etc.

[Justin p]

That sounds great iv used the search a few time's and got a bit boged down with posts :duh: ,I know how you feel asking for advise when you must of heard it a thousand times so the FAQ section would be good.

Also would like to say its a great forum and will be going gold shortly to show my support.

[Steve]

tips on what should be in the FAQ would be appreciated.

cheers!!!

[Monster-Mat]

tips on what should be in the FAQ would be appreciated.

cheers!!!

posting pictures (fo non goldies using something like Photobucket)

adding an avatar

quoting

post ettiqet(sp) no caps!

Edited March 26, 2006 by Monster-Mat

[T7RY B]

Making a banner.

Can someone post this if poss 'cos now Ahmet isn't around I need to change mine and he used to do them for me. Where is he? Is he coming back?

[Rob]

faq- changing the radio on the IS, tyres pressures, wheel offsets etc, engine mods

[Steve]

are alot of these mentioned here rob? if so i can link directly to these

http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/knowledge/

[Rob]

i think if they can be linked to directly from the FAQ ( in big letter so people dont miss it) then that would be good as a lot of people dont seem to find the knowledge base

[Continunity]

You could always stick a page infront of the main forum, which you get dumped to insted of the forums listings which says

"New people Read this"

or

"Continue to forums"

but trust me,

you will ALWAYS and i mean ALWAYS have people who will not read anything ever.....