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squeech · 07-10-2003, 11:00 PM

Whatever happened to the TechIMO Welcome? Back when I registered, junior members would always get a "WELCOME TO TECHIMO!!!" from at least three or four people until they reached about 5~10 posts.

When I browse the forums, it's not too common a thing to see written anymore

IMO, we should strive to do that more often. I know the reason I returned after my first post (yes, I remember what my first post was) if because everyone seemed glad to have me. The thread wasn't even mine and I got three Welcomes!

Anyways, what do you guys think? Am I nuts?

[/RANT]

Atomic Rooster · 07-10-2003, 11:02 PM

Hey I still do it.

(Don't feel bad, we're ALL nuts here!)

vass0922 · 07-10-2003, 11:05 PM

No I think its a good thing to do

I try to do it anytime I notice

07-10-2003, 11:06 PM

Well, I still try to give a welcome when I see a n00b to TIMO. But sometimes I forget to look at the postcount if they don't sound like a n00b, if ya know what I mean.

A lot of the time in IMO Community it's hard to know if someone with a 0 post count is really a n00b or not, as I've seen more new members only posting in IMO Community. So unless they post a "hi I'm new" post, I tend to avoid making a fool of myself posting Welcome to TechIMO when they've got 666 posts in IMO Community!!

So, I think we still do say Welcome most times., but it's harder to see who is new with so many members now.

IMO, anyway.

Cheers
Mick

07-10-2003, 11:19 PM

As with Mick, I try to remember a proper greeting when posting outside of the community forum.

I remember welcoming a "new" member once at another site that does not count off-topic posts. Seems he was one the original members of the site, though never posted anything on-topic in two years. ?!

Robert Richmond

Hawkeye · 07-10-2003, 11:53 PM

Sounds like me, I dont think I've ever posted out of the shelter of the communnity in a year or more, and even when I did it was rarely,My post count was carried over all the way from SysOpt and for the amount of time I've been here, it's rather low

.

-HawkeyE-

sharder8 · 07-10-2003, 11:54 PM

Quote:

So, I think we still do say Welcome most times., but it's Harder to see who is new with so many members now.

Now wait a minute Mick!!!

I'm busy enough as it is and I used to welcome new members to the [FAD] Team, . . . . . . . . .

Until there were all kinds of complaints about too many [FAD] threads!!

Now, I'm not posting much in the DC forum or any other forum for that matter!

On a serious note, when I see someone post that they are a new TIMO member, I do try to welcome them.

Harder

BTW Rob, don't tell me to "try a little Harder", because he's in watching Scream with his mother and sisters right now!

OuTpaTienT · 07-11-2003, 01:20 AM

Maybe I'm just a big meanie but I've never been a big fan of the over-zealous "Welcome to Here" messages. And especially in the tech forums.

Now if a member answers the newbie's question and then at the end of his message tacks on a "Welcome to TechIMO", then that's fine. That's how I would, and occasionally do, do it. But what I don't like to see are messages like this:

Quote:

Hi. I don't have an answer for you. In fact I know absolutely nothing about the subject you're asking about... BUT "Welcome to TechIMO!"

And what's really annoying is to see 3 or 4 those in a row with still no answer to the person's question. And I'd bet not just annoying by my standards, but probably annoying as well to the person waiting for an answer. And then there's these messages:

Quote:

Hi. I don't have an answer for you, but "Welcome to TechIMO!" And you should check out our distributed computing forums. Come join Team [fill in the blank] we'd love to have ya!

Oh boy! Don't even get me started on this crap. Thankfully I haven't seen much of it lately so I'll refrain from any ranting.

Personally I think a timely, friendly, and correct answer to their question is the best possible "welcome" anyone could hope for. There are less than a handful of forums on the web that I spend any time at, but over the years I have posted questions seeking answers in probably 100's of forums. Very rarely am I hoping to get a big warm hug and a plate of appetizers as I hang around and shoot the bull with the homies. What always remains unsaid but definitely has gone through my mind on a few occasion is this: "I'm only visiting The [fill in the blank] Forum because you guys are the most knowledgeable on this particular subject. So cut the chit-chat and make with the information, please."

However I think it's a different story here in the Community forum. If a newbie comes in here and introduces him/herself then by all means they deserve a hearty welcome aboard. Plus they're probably expecting one if they've intentionally posted in the community. A member posting in the community of any discussion forum is indicating that they are interested in more than a specific answer to a specific question. They are saying they are interested in the people and/or atmosphere at this place. And thus, I feel they deserve a friendly, maybe even over-zealous welcome.

Newbies posting in just the tech forums deserve a welcome too�but I think first and foremost they deserve some assistance with whatever their issue is. If they get a welcome along with that, then great! But if all they get are a few welcomes with no solutions�well, those may be friendly and nice, but at the end of the day they are also useless.