Thread resolutions (or not)

[bolero boy]

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....oh well. Happy new year!

 

 

Many threads in this section are pleas for help or assistance. For the most part, this help is offered if possible or, sometimes, direction to a third party that might be able to assist or even a link to another thread with a similar issue.

however, and this applies to many other types of forum, we rarely see a conclusion or resolution stating, clearly wether the advice helped or cured the problem or did not.....

one of the areas i used to be responsible for (among many others) in my IT life was a help desk. Any trouble ticket raised on the system was never left open (unless ,further action/testing was required) and so the customer (the OP in forum speak) was consulted to give a resolution. This could be along the lines of resolved, no change, helped in a particular way but not fully resolved etc. this meant that these trouble tickets (threads) got flagged as closed and didn't run endlessly on as many threads do.....

so what am I saying? I think it should be the responsibility of the OP to post some sort of status on a problem type thread stating clearly its position.

also moderators should be reviewing threads in the tech help section to 'clean up' by posting their best guess as to the resolution status if not done by the OP within a reasonable timescale.

surely, any OP will come back to the their thread to see what useful info has been posted. It's common ,courtesy to thanks those contributors (usually done) and to let everyone know 'if it worked'. This happens very rarely and renders much of the help given useless as no one would know if the advice was sound.

[docted]

Good manners would suggest that the OP should come back with a thanks for the problem solver however good manners seem to be a thing of the past.

Much more likely is that OPs "forget" to reply as sometimes the proposed solution may take some time to put into practise; or ito my way of thinking OPs get fed up with the internal squabbles among some of our subscribers and lose patience both with the forum and fellow users.

[bolero boy]

Eddie, all valid reasons for things to be left in limbo.

In my other life, it was the responsibility of the desk (anyone could be assigned 'closure duty' to check with the user after, say 3 days beyond someone actually visiting them to instigate a 'repair/advice' session) which recorded that the customer was completely happy that the 'repair/advice' had actually done the job after extended usage.

Now, I'm not suggesting that OPs should be chased by moderators, tho i did moot it in my OP, but the alternative is for OPs themselves to 'close' the thread.

The tricky thing is that forum threads have no 'status' as they are all in effect 'open' so no one would know if they had resolved an issue without reading them.

This is, of course, an open forum for discussion (often endless, hence my point) and not a help desk system where closed (solved) threads could be searched for recurring themes.

Derek U seems wonderfully adept at winkling out old threads that resemble the theme of a particular cry for help but i expect even he runs up against many threads where the outcome is unknown.

Oh well, I guess the best we can hope for is that OPs take a little trouble to close off a thread with the resolution.

[Corky 8]

I think its a matter of bring back a thread which the inquirer may have found a solution for but does not want to drag up the thread again for fear of boring  (some) forum  members with his/her solution,  although I for one would like to know the outcome of and Problem solved as I think it would assist others,  just my take on your thread.

[Mike88]

Other than rank bad manners there is no reason for an OP not to inform the forum how an issue was resolved as an e mail is received when there is an addition to a thread either raised by a poster or on which a contribution is made. The" forgot" excuse is not valid in my opinion.

[bolero boy]

Mike, I think that users may toggle on/off the email reminder. I know I don't get them as I started to get inundated.

Yes, I agree about the good manners viewpoint but it seems not everyone does :-)

[colin]

Whilst I agree, I think it's maybe a good idea for some posters ;-) to read a thread throu before questioning if a resolution will be posted, :D

[Tony Jones]

bolero boy - 2014-01-02 3:34 PM

 

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....oh well. Happy new year!

.

 

Ah, thought the title looked familiar!

As you'll have noticed, there aren't as many of us "over there," and I try to avoid responding to too many posts, preferring to wait a little while to see who else joins in.

But I've taken note of what you said, and when I have time (remember I'm a volunteer, unlike the mighty Warner crew) I'll check for unresolved threads and e-mail the originators of those which might have more general interest. How's that for a New Years "Resolution?" :D

[Pampam]

Hello tony jones are you allowed to say where the "other"side is? Pp:)

[colin]

Pampam - 2014-01-02 9:06 PM

 

Hello tony jones are you allowed to say where the "other"side is? Pp:)

 

Post of the year so far :D

Maybe Tony will invite you to see him at work of a sunday

;-)

[malc d]

Tony Jones - 2014-01-02 8:57 PM

 

bolero boy - 2014-01-02 3:34 PM

 

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....oh well. Happy new year!

.

 

Ah, thought the title looked familiar!

As you'll have noticed, there aren't as many of us "over there," and I try to avoid responding to too many posts, preferring to wait a little while to see who else joins in.

But I've taken note of what you said, and when I have time (remember I'm a volunteer, unlike the mighty Warner crew) I'll check for unresolved threads and e-mail the originators of those which might have more general interest. How's that for a New Years "Resolution?" :D

 

 

I would have thought that the moderators job is to moderate a forum, not to chase up people for replies.

 

You could end up very unpopular.

 

I agree with others that it's a common courtesy for anyone who has been helped to come back and acknowledge the help given - but you can't tell people how to behave.

 

( Unless you're a preacher, of course ).

 

 

:-D

[Gwendolyn]

docted - 2014-01-02 4:00 PM

 

...or ito my way of thinking OPs get fed up with the internal squabbles among some of our subscribers and lose patience both with the forum and fellow users.

 

Possibly you have hit on a truth there.

 

The advice I have been given on this Forum has been invaluable and I have tried, always tried, to “report back”. I did do so, quite comprehensively I dare say, when asking for advice about “upsizing but not by much”, because the feedback I’d received was first rate.

 

However…. Last Autumn, I requested advice about another matter and brought down such a heap of vitriol, scorn and sniping that I felt quite deflated. And no, I didn’t “report back” on what was indubitably useful and good advice amongst the other stuff, because I, quite frankly, “gave up” owing to the antipathy.

 

Despite not posting in the interim, I have kept on reading posts and have gained some further, good, information in so doing.

 

What has prompted me now to reply to this thread is [partially perhaps] to explain / confirm what may put members off from posting a “resolution”, and also because I have recently received a very cordial PM from another member [i still logged on occasionally as someone would send me useful info about my van] enquiring about my “absence”! [Am I required to submit an “absence note”???]

 

 

Gwen

 

[Guest peter]

I think most posters of requests for help are downright rude by not even acknowledging contributors that try to resolve their problem or request for help. I sometimes wonder why we all bother to reply. :-(

[Gwendolyn]

peter - 2014-01-02 10:10 PM

 

I think most posters of requests for help are downright rude by not even acknowledging contributors that try to resolve their problem or request for help. I sometimes wonder why we all bother to reply. :-(

 

If this is a response to my post directly above, I’d like to ask this - if a request for information is met by scorn, hilarity and abuse, is that not rudeness in turn?

 

I have never not thanked posters for their advice. And even when I did not respond, finally, in totality, a “resolution” I DID, absolutely DID, thank individual posters for their helpfulness. The rudeness from some posters, on the thread which I refererenced, I could have done without.

 

Gwen

 

 

[Tony Jones]

Pampam - 2014-01-02 9:06 PM

 

Hello tony jones are you allowed to say where the "other"side is? Pp:)

 

Dunno, let's see if anyone pulls this shall we? It's no big secret, most people on here know that I spend more time these days on the Practical MH forum, a much smaller outfit whose magazine staff only drop in occasionally. So they gave me the keys and asked me to "moderate" on a voluntary basis.

Mostly that involves keeping the spammers at bay, but I also try to encourage people to. "play nice," and quickly delete irrelevant sniping and insults., without trying to restrict honest expression of views.

It's not as busy as OAL (so absolutely NO threat, Mr Mod!) but always friendly and helpful. Come and say hello! 8o|

[Tony Jones]

malc d - 2014-01-02 9:52 PM

 

Tony Jones - 2014-01-02 8:57 PM

 

bolero boy - 2014-01-02 3:34 PM

 

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....oh well. Happy new year!

.

 

Ah, thought the title looked familiar!

As you'll have noticed, there aren't as many of us "over there," and I try to avoid responding to too many posts, preferring to wait a little while to see who else joins in.

But I've taken note of what you said, and when I have time (remember I'm a volunteer, unlike the mighty Warner crew) I'll check for unresolved threads and e-mail the originators of those which might have more general interest. How's that for a New Years "Resolution?" :D

 

 

I would have thought that the moderators job is to moderate a forum, not to chase up people for replies.

 

You could end up very unpopular.

 

I agree with others that it's a common courtesy for anyone who has been helped to come back and acknowledge the help given - but you can't tell people how to behave.

 

( Unless you're a preacher, of course ).

 

 

:-D

 

Love it Malc! But I can handle unpopularity in a good cause - my Boss taught me!

And I don't tell people how to behave, I just help them to see that for themselves!

[bolero boy]

Good stuff, Tony. Perhaps a 'Guest' stint on here as a mod might help some know that toys stay in the pram ;-)

I would say a good moderator can also be a regulator and keep order as I've seen you do 'on the other side'.

Gwen, I remember the thread you refer too, and to be miffed when asking for advice is disappointing. I know we all have to have a thickish skin to post on here.

Having said that, most are happy to help with some doing great research on behalf of new (and not so new) posters. My point was just that it would be nice (yes, polite) for a response that lets helpers know that success, or otherwise was achieved.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Although I do find it odd when someone will sign up, start a thread..and then just "disappear", I suppose we have to bear in mind that a "casual" forum user may well have asked his/her question on several forums and has just plain forgot ?.... ( ..forgotten? :-S )

 

After all, not everyone is as daft as "us" and find themselves reading a bunch of 65-80+ year old blokes spouting twaddle and arguing amongst themselves!? (lol) (lol)

[malc d]

error

 

:$

[Derek Uzzell]

bolero boy - 2014-01-02 3:34 PM

 

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....

 

Let's take this Practical Motorhome forum thread:

 

http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/forum/tech/truma-air-blown-heating

 

It began on October 9 2013. The make/model of motorhome was specified, but not the Truma heater involved. There were a couple of replies, but the thread essentially petered out on October 10.

 

On December 23 you resurrected the thread and suggested that bernnie123's heater could be working properly (which is what his dealer had told him but he was reluctant to accept.) You mentioned Combi-4E and 6E appliances, but the OP’s heater could well have been a Truma C-6002EH. Exactly which model of heater it was doesn't actually matter much, as your advice was correct - this type of Truma heater's blown-air fan-speed is proportionate to its heat-exchanger's output. High output = fast fan-speed: low output = low fan-speed. The dealer's advice to bernnie123 was right.

 

Now, how would you like that thread to be treated? There was a 10-week gap before you posted and the OP doesn't seem to be an active PM forum participant. It’s unlikely there’ll be feedback/thanks from the OP which would ‘close’ the thread, but who else is going to do it?

 

Lots of internet forums have Moderators appointed (like Tony) from amongst the forum members. This policy has attractions, particularly when it comes to policing members’ more extreme disruptive/offensive forum behaviour, but I can’t see it extending usefully to finalising threads or actively encouraging ‘thanking’.

 

I appreciate being thanked but I don’t care if I’m not. If a thread has no firm resolution, although it might be nice to know about the aftermath, remaining ignorant of the outcome doesn’t worry me. I suspect that other Out&AboutLive forum ‘old stagers’ think similarly.

[lennyhb]

Yes I also find it annoying when people get a solution to a problem from other members help and they don't bother to acknowledge the help.

I'm not keen on moderators stepping in, before you know it threads will get pulled when they go rambling off topic or when we have a bit of fun winding each other up that's all part of the fun.

I still think this forum is one of the best and I don't bother posting on other forums, it's mostly the same questions that come up on all the other forums anyway.

 

A "Thanks" button would help the situation at least you would know your posts are appreciated, lets face it how often do you see a post & think thats a useful bit of info but there has been 20 or more posts since that one so it seems like a waste of time putting up a post when the debate has moved on.

[bolero boy]

Lenny, yes a 'thanks' button sounds like a good idea. Possibly adding a 'resolved' button might finish the thread?

Yes, i know this is not like a business helpdesk where open 'tickets' are the bain of all good closure rates ;-) and, I know we dont have moderators that do much :-) and yes I know that 'Motorhome Matters' may not necessarily be the technical area for resolving issues and nothing else.

I also know that this is an informal forum which relies on us (yes, us) to post correctly in the caregory that will best get the response we want or need, and to respond civilly, with courtesy and not to be overly critical or insensitive to an OPs predicament.

I also know that most ov the above will not happen ;-) so perhaps I can just say, lets try and say thanks when we get help. if the help is useful and does the trick lets say so, and if all advice turns out to be of no use whatsoever, be brave enough to post back (politely) so that the same advice is not offered again in similar circumstances.

Now, I reckon we can manage that, cant we?? Tin hat on ;-)

[mildi]

pepe63 - 2014-01-03 9:20 AM

 

Although I do find it odd when someone will sign up, start a thread..and then just "disappear", I suppose we have to bear in mind that a "casual" forum user may well have asked his/her question on several forums and has just plain forgot ?.... ( ..forgotten? :-S )

 

After all, not everyone is as daft as "us" and find themselves reading a bunch of 65-80+ year old blokes spouting twaddle and arguing amongst themselves!? (lol) (lol)

 

 

 

HEY, some of us aren't that old yet, still a few years till I get the SAGA offers..................

 

I don't get it when someone posts with limited information and then disappears and the thread ends up with a multitude of assumptions ending up with nothing to do with the original post?? (not sure if that made sense but I know what I mean)

 

what happened the twenty something who posted a few months ago saying he had bought a swift kontiki and fitted it with extra fridge (beer) and a 50" TV, he promised photos did I miss it or did he just disappear or was it a windup???

If I ask for help on this forum I always say thanks, just good manners.

[bolero boy]

Derek Uzzell - 2014-01-03 10:01 AM

 

bolero boy - 2014-01-02 3:34 PM

 

I posted this on another forum, guess what? Not one reply.....

 

Let's take this Practical Motorhome forum thread:

 

http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/forum/tech/truma-air-blown-heating

 

It began on October 9 2013. The make/model of motorhome was specified, but not the Truma heater involved. There were a couple of replies, but the thread essentially petered out on October 10.

 

On December 23 you resurrected the thread and suggested that bernnie123's heater could be working properly (which is what his dealer had told him but he was reluctant to accept.) You mentioned Combi-4E and 6E appliances, but the OP’s heater could well have been a Truma C-6002EH. Exactly which model of heater it was doesn't actually matter much, as your advice was correct - this type of Truma heater's blown-air fan-speed is proportionate to its heat-exchanger's output. High output = fast fan-speed: low output = low fan-speed. The dealer's advice to bernnie123 was right.

 

Now, how would you like that thread to be treated? There was a 10-week gap before you posted and the OP doesn't seem to be an active PM forum participant. It’s unlikely there’ll be feedback/thanks from the OP which would ‘close’ the thread, but who else is going to do it?

 

Lots of internet forums have Moderators appointed (like Tony) from amongst the forum members. This policy has attractions, particularly when it comes to policing members’ more extreme disruptive/offensive forum behaviour, but I can’t see it extending usefully to finalising threads or actively encouraging ‘thanking’.

 

I appreciate being thanked but I don’t care if I’m not. If a thread has no firm resolution, although it might be nice to know about the aftermath, remaining ignorant of the outcome doesn’t worry me. I suspect that other Out&AboutLive forum ‘old stagers’ think similarly.

Derek, thanks for the posting.

Firstly, i was revisiting PM for the first time in a while (as the action is way too slow on there for me usually, sorry Tony) and this post was among a few that were near the top of the forum list (despite it being older than i had perhaps thought). I posted a couple of replies where i felt I could add to the data already there.

on this particular post, the OP was clearly not too happy with the dealers response which was along the lines of 'they all do that'. I just added that my heater (which may not have been identical, i agree) worked in a similar manner. Sometimes a view from the 'coalface' feels better than from a dealer that might be trying to fob one off.

RE: the processing of the thread, this is going to be difficult without admin support to carry out any process that comes to light, and perhaps (having read so many 'unfinished' threads over the break) i felt there might be an opportunity to seek views on 'closing threads'.

Im guessing this may not be practical other than by doing it ourselves as I have outlined in my previous thread.

You may be right in that some 'old stagers' might not want thanking 'per se' but common courtesy costs nothing and i would like to think that most on here would (and do) say thanks and some do come back with resolution info.

I guess that whatever happens will happen tho I shall try to help where possible but wont have a fit if not thanked nor if the OP doesnt bother to come back.

[Brian Kirby]

Mostly, this thread concerns good manners. Some have them, some don't. Not much any of us can do about that when those without are mature strangers. If they were taken to task for discourtesy, one would be likely to get an even ruder reply! I just blame the parents, and the University of Life! :-D

 

The courtesy would be a nice touch, and the neatness of tying-off a string has some appeal. However, in the absence of permanent active moderation, which is where we are, I honestly can't see it happening. If we were to have permanent active moderation, then I suspect the forum would have to disappear behind a pay-wall to pay for the moderation.

 

Having said that, I do think a bit of active moderation might be a good thing from time to time, just to keep some of the unrulier posters under control! However, that is a somewhat different subject. :-)