Discuss and Discover FAQ

[dhammachatta]

Feedback: The page

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

(By the way, the word “Discourse” is actually the name of the software platform that we are using for this forum. It also happens to be the same word that we usually use to translate “sutta” into English. This might be just a coincidence, but we’ve been very impressed with how the developers of Discourse want to create what they call Civilized Discourse, which is pretty much what the Buddha called Right Speech.) Q How do I use this forum? A There are some helpful guides here. Otherwise, just a…

does not seem to contain any FAQs.

[sujato]

Thanks for pointing this out. Actually when I first set up the site I made a dummy page here, and later deleted it. I never got around to doing a proper FAQ.

What do you think we should have there? Any suggestions?

[dhammachatta]

I think that the problem of a FAQ here is that the site itself is rather self-explicatory; the thematic sections are supplied with concise headers; and much is covered in ‘wellcome’ and ‘universal rules’.

Nonetheless, it seems advisable to retain a FAQ page because it is a common feature of most platforms, so that first time visitors may look for one.

Maybe the page could just provide links to the aforementioned pages for the time being and aspects of the ‘rules’ that are less behaviour-oriented and more howto-oriented could, in time, be shifted here, since the ‘rules’ page is, to my mind, very good but rather long.

Some basic technical information (how to quote, edit one’s own posting etc.) might be included for those not used to discussion forums. Although the contextual help feature in discourse is great, it sometimes pops up ‘too late’.

I do not have a sufficient overview of the whole discussion site but maybe you could poll the moderators with regard to site-related questions from novice users that crop up regularly (if any)?

[sujato]

All good points. Maybe we’ll keep an eye on it and see if there’s a need.

[Linda]

@sujato

Yes, please keep. I for one find it useful (but then I’m not technically inclined & sometimes can’t figure out how to do something on the site). I used it in the past (I think it was available in the very beginning, unless I’m confusing it with some other page?) for things that were not self-expliciaory. And it seems from some of the questions I’ve seen in various dicsussions on Discourse , that keeping basic ‘how to’ info would be useful.

[sujato]

Nothing is being deleted, there never was a FAQ! But if you want to write one, be my guest.

[Linda]

@sujato
Well, I’m obvioulsy confused. Wonder what I’m thinking of? I remember once(I thought!) trying to go to a page on SC that used to be there, but then getting a message it didn’t exist. I’ll take it as a Dhamma lesson, LOL.

Sorry, I’d be useless writing a FAQ.

[sujato]

Don’t worry, you’re not losing touch with reality!

There is a deleted page called “FAQ”, but it was just a dummy page, not a real FAQ.

[Linda]

Whew, thanks for affirming my sanity