Dr. Clef's Guide for Newbies is up. More than a how to write an SCP page, it's basically a list of ways that newbies can avoid pissing off old timers because they don't know the culture.
Guide to Newbies / Discussion
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This is the discussion related to the wiki page Guide to Newbies.
I just want to mention, that the ad i get for this page if for Dianetic.org. Clef, are you part of the Scientologist conspiracy?
I think i know the reason: the last couple pieces of advice suggest things like getting the higher ups to like you by donating large amounts of money to them, and loudly proclaiming your belief that everyone on this site is an SCP trapped in a human body by an evil alien warlord.
I just get ads for curing blood pressure without drugs. Damn those medicinal drugs.
Man do I wish this page had been here a few weeks ago.
This is long overdue for me, but hey, any improvement's okies.
Bright, you just HAD to bring up the genre-savvy and enigmatic thing, didn't you? :P
I don't care what you say, Bright. I still expect Fish to simonize my car.
I, Calabast, do hearby declare that I have fully read (more than once!) this page, the newbie guide, AND the cliche list! If if any Yorics are out there in the universe, I can only hope this satisfies them, and makes them think I never lie.
I approve of these changes. Nice work. It's clearer and better-organized now, and a touch less "you are an idiot".
While I like the effort, I do think that this edit lacks a lot of the clarity of the previous version, particularly with regard to staff descriptions.
Bright's versions, while snarky, were informative, whereas the haikus, while cute, are not at all helpful to new users looking to find out, for example, which staff member to pester if someone is making unauthorised edits, or which to ask for formatting help. I also think that the little comments various staff members had made gave useful insight to their personalities and pressed home the fact that yes, there are in fact real people behind characters like gears and clef, and am sorry to see them removed.
So your main quarrel was with the staff descriptions, yes? Perhaps we could reinstate those, at least in part, while keeping the rest of the edit. Dox, what do you think?
the staff descriptions? sure, whatever.
if yoric is trying to say it NOW as whole lacks the clarity of the previous version, I'm going to have to put boxing gloves on.
Oh, no, as a whole, the edit is fine, and makes up for in accessibility what it's lost in humor. The haikus, though, are a bit in-jokey, and might not be helpful to new users. Don't take them out; they're witty, but perhaps add a bit more information as well.
I'll just take them out. I just put them in yesterday because I was bored. :c
Anyway, I put the descriptions back in.
Looks great to me.
Question, though. You're right that I'm hard to catch in chat; would it be appropriate to add a note to the effect of "I answer PMs"? I don't want to restart the holding-conversations-in-your-newb-description habit that you just ironed out so nicely…
instead of turning it into a conversation or adding a note, just edit the description!
*and then minds were BLOWN*
*brain goes kapow*
Please pardon my stupid. I have these moments… >_>
Should we link the FAQ page to this?
Or is there a need?
Please don't join the site if you don't actually intend to write or contribute.
What brought this on? Is it actually an issue I'm unaware of?
Maybe it is a left over from when we had applications. No sense processing applications for people who just wanted to read.
Whatever the cause though I don't like that guideline.
I think it's in response to the handful of trolls making bullshit articles lately. I don't like the wording of it, though. Maybe "write or otherwise contribute to our community"?
I rephrased it a little, what do people think?
Bright, who does applications, has been seeing applications from people who specifically say they don't want to add anything, and that from that, there isn't a real difference from just not joining the site. "Contributing" is pretty open-ended- personally, for me, I would see joining the site just to vote as being kind of tacky, but leaving good comments as probably alright- but I'm gonna wait for Bright and see if he wants to clarify that, as applications are his deal.
So what it's trying to say is, don't join the site if you don't want to do anything with it.
Yes, worded much better, since "contribute" does cover such a broad area. (Personally, I don't have a problem with people wanting to join just to vote on stuff, but I see where the sentiment can come from.)
I think joining just to vote is perfectly acceptable. Contributing to the overall quality of the site by putting in a vote that allows an article to avoid deletion or assists staff in reaching the quota for removal of bad submissions is contributing, in a big way. Frankly, I would rather have a thousand people who vote but never comment than even one who comments without voting.
I'd like to reword that bit further to include voting. For the silent majority.
I think everyone can agree that there are a LOT of ways to contribute: writing, editing, fodder images, voting, commenting, chat, projects, scripting, funding, etc. There's a lot of things you can do, and they can all help a community like this.
I think if you join something knowing you're not going to do ANYTHING, though, it's rather pointless, which speaks to your own character.
I'm not sure I agree with the phrasing, however. You can want to join something, but not know how you can best contribute before you get into it.
/forum/t-134464/guide-to-newbies#post-
