An Observation

[Alan F]

I've spent the last few weeks reading many threads on the forum, trying to digest as much information as possible. I came across a thread about how many "lurkers" there were and how it would be nice if a few more visitors would do some posting.

I feel a bit cheeky making suggestions being a newbie myself but from be a member of many other forums I have noticed a couple of things so hopefully you will take my suggestions as being constructive and not critisisms.

When I first joined, I was surprised that there wasn't anywhere to introduce yourself - you have to get straight in with a post of some sort.

Secondly, I'm sure experts and those with many years of experience feel at home when they join but I think those new to the subject of alpines would appreciate a beginners section where their questions can be asked about the basics without feeling embarassed amongst all the technical questions. I think I could fill that section on my own :-) I think many would find it quite daunting to ask what "mud mix" they should use !!!

[Mick McLoughlin]

Hi Alan,
There is a thread to introduce yourself
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=12.0
With regards to feeling at home just start posting with any question and somebody will pull up a chair and start discussing it with you.
As regards to 'mud mix' there are many discussions and recipes to be found on here.
If you've got a question just ask it, more often than not you will get an answer virtually straight away (the experts like to show their expertise).
Cheers
mick

[Lesley Cox]

And while all our "experts" are expert at something I would guess that most are beginners at something else, so don't feel in awe of anyone Alan. I myself have learned SO MUCH about many things on the Forum, and made wonderful friends along the way.

After this Forum, some others I've had a little to do with seem stiff and stilted in comparison. There's always the "off topic" issue that many Fora just won't permit, but here, just about anything goes, so long as we're nice to each other and share our chocolate.

[Alan F]

Thanks for the link Mick. I never saw that thread. It looks like plenty of others haven't noticed it aswell. Last post January, 2010. Perhaps it should be a "sticky".

[Paul T]

Alan,

You've still got some more exploring to do.  There are a lot of "beginner" questions asked all the time I think.  All of us ask questions all the time, and we all have our areas of interest that match with others, or are very different.  I hope no-one feels hesitant to ask questions, because I don't think I can recall anyone ever being hassled on this forum unlike some other places I've been a member of over the years.  I think that if someone has an answer for a question, they generally will give it, regardless of how basic or technical it is. 

[Brian Ellis]

And while all our "experts" are expert at something I would guess that most are beginners at something else

How true Lesley, one of the most helpful things on the webpage is the Search button Alan, it will take you to discussions about subjects that have been raised and you can resurrect the discussion if you want clarification. 

Welcome to the Forum Alan, I am sure you will 'feel more comfortable' the more you use it.  There are some very generous people on here with both time and expertise just waiting to help.

[mark smyth]

Maybe Maggi could fix Introduce Yourself to the top of the general pale with the other blue highlighted topics

[Maggi Young]

I can make the Introduce yourself topic a sticky one, as it was previously.
Reason it was "unstuck" was that most new folk were choosing to introduce themselves in one of the threads that applied to their personal area of interest and since it seemed a little heavy handed to insist that they posted elsewhere, and since it was seldom practical to move posts to the Intro thread from elsewhere (because as often as not those posts also contained several newbie questions on a particular subject) it seemed more relevant to leave them where they were made.

I appreciate that with a Forum that is as established as this one and with so many thousands of topics, it is not easy to find everything  "at a glance". I think it would be well nigh impossible to make it so. For instance, there are "sticky" topics about posting photos etc and still we get lots of posts asking about that subject in all sorts of other topics. It is a measure , I think, of the relaxed nature of this place that one can ask any question anywhere and get help..... and posts can be moved in they really are in the "wrong" place.
As I hope has been demonstrated by the rash of helpful replies to Alan's observations, Forumists are a nice bunch of folk who are happy to help whenever they can. There is always encouragement for "Newbies" and I hope that anyone with observations like Alan's will make posts about them so we can either point them in the right direction, if an answer already exists, or else get going on providing a solution.

As I hope you have all noticed today, the Forum will be unable to accept attachments ( photos etc) for a day or two while essential maintainence work is  undertaken :
 http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7717.new#new

This is part of our continued  technical work to keep the Forum up to date and the input of Forumists is a big part of keeping things on the Members' side ticketyboo!