One could then also assume many other scenarios:

• Common etiquette when asking for help, to actually HELP those helping you by providing necessary information pertinent to your problem.
• Not to resort to vague explanations of your problem and expect everyone to read your mind over the internet.
• In spite of keeping everything as simple as possible, like asking you to provide important information, not make it complicated by asking a question that has already been answered.
• I could take this list to infinity in the assumption category...

Simply said, those who seriously want help, and are unaware of the need of knowing all this additional information will get a quick education and offer the information. Those who are just linear minded about getting help and have no interest in providing any information simply won't get the help they need.

It's that simple...

On a lighter note... I think we have a few mind readers around, so it's all good.

The questions can be made a bit more informative:

Message: short explantation about cut and paste from message box (often doable in Windows, i tha the case with the Gimp ones?)

OS question: "Windows" is a bit short... Suggest to specify version/service pack.

Gimp version: tell about "Help/About". And ask where they got it from (distro, download site) so that the specific build can be identified.

Plugin: built-in or added? If added, name of the plugin file, or URL downloaded from.

Ofnuts

i agree on everything but i will like mantain the form looking simple as much possible, again looking more as a simple pool then to the Bugzilla form

so i would add the "how to" as a note

i.e. Gimp version
( how detect gimp version? see note below)

and then the list

About OS sure complete indication as Xp SP3 (or XP SP2 0r 1 )would be better then just XP but i am not so sure if in pratice is so relevant...sure in some case is relevant but that is sufficent to compensate make the pool, i mean the form looking less simple and more "a geek thingy" ?

Anyway i agree on everything that you pproposed in the last message if could be integrated without the form look less user friendly

As fanciful and imaginative as the suggestions in this thread are, they would mostly require a lot of work for little gain, in my opinion.

A realistic-to-implement pre-filled post with a few guiding questions, even simpler than PhotoComix suggestion would be like this:


That's it. More settings and forms to fill and the average newbie's eyes will glaze over. More knowledgeable users will fill in this info anyway.

As always, Griatch has cut to the chase and come up with a very workable set-up. And congrats, Griatch, on becoming an admin. at GT!

I thought Griatch always was Admin at GT.
Thanks Griatch 2-ton speaks words of wisdom as do you.
I do not mind putting in the work for the form i just want it simple as possible.

Mahvin

Well i think that may have to do with my adding the min and max letters allowed for validation. (that way something has to be typed in there for the form to work).
I will change that after we get a good design ready.

I like Griatchs idea - any one second it?

Well that was easy
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1447&start=0#p17634

I have to agree
Nice job Rod

You could probably make this thread relevant by adding a template in there though

An example of a filled out thread for help may be useful.
What does everyone else think?

Thanks for posting the Posting Rules, Rod. Hopefully GnuTux will put your template into play in the Gimp Help forum.

Congrats Griatch on your new position at Gimp Talk. They should have done that a long time ago. You're the perfect choice!

I haven't been following this thread. I just clicked a link on twitter (Read before you post) to the help forum. So I might be completely out of order...

This: "NOTE: If you do not add these relevant things, your post may not be answered."
comes across as hostile, in the sense of one of those forums where rules are more important then anything else, and if you don't stick to it then the mods will come down hard on you.
This forum never felt that way to me. And I doubt it is the intention that it will.

I totally agree with what the post says, but maybe it comes across a bit nicer of you tell people to please remember that if you post a question without this relevant info it's very hard for others to answer your post, at worst, no one will answer at all because they simply don't have enough information to solve your problem.

My apologies if I'm out of line.

I have to agree with you totally, when you put it that way it does seem a bit hostile.

Changed

HI JOLIE!

HEY ROD!

on the help board, it could say suggestions for posting here instead of rules for posting here...might sound a bit more inviting and friendly.

I think we really want users to post some relevant information though.
If i post "we suggest you post this" i think they will dismiss the idea of needing certain criteria to help them better.
How about "You should post"

yeah you should post like this

Template would be awesome, in like Code or something so they can just copy and paste

I think i have it all set now.Looks pretty good and also friendly.
Thanks Jolie.

It looks great and very friendly while also giving the heads up on what's expected of the poster. Will that page be popping up when someone starts a new topic on the help board, or just stay as a sticky at the top of the topic list?

You totally forgot the important parts that ofnuts suggested for those who may not know what OS or GIMP version they have. So, you might want to add a little more info for those who do happen to read the help post, how they can find their version of OS and GIMP.

(It may be hard to believe but there are people who don't know.)