I was thinking that there should be a place where people new to the hobby should be able to go to where they can ask questions they think are stupid or silly. People can post pictures or videos as well and get feedback without the worry of negative responses. I think there are lurkers out there that are maybe afraid to step in. This can be there front door. The only rule is positive feedback only in this section plz. Creative solutions to peoples questions are OK. Thank you.
Let me be the 1st to provide a negative response to your idea. I don’t have any objections to a newbie corner being set up. I just don’t believe it will work as you intend.
It seems most of our learning in both life and model railroading comes through negative experiences. When I tell my son he did a crappy job on some project, it’s based on my evaluation of what he is capable of, and what is a reasonable standard for the project in question. If I follow up with specifics of where he fell short, so much the better. He learns and does a better project the next time.
Similarly, my greatest school learning experiences were not an English paper or lab where I got an A. Rather it was the ones that came back flowing with red ink, and instructions to fix it. In model railroading, I learned cork roadbed was not a good choice for me because of the results I got (drying up and crumbling). Handlaid track, OTOH, came out better than I feared, and so became one of my preferences. Neither of these examples are necessarily the right answer for everybody, but represent my learning experiences. In other words, we learn a lot by doing and learning what works and what doesn’t.
I see one of the purposes of these forums is to share both the positive and negative experiences so that others don’t have to repeat the same trials.
Unfortunately, a good number of posters on these forums have very strong preconceived ideas of what they think the answer to their question is before they even post. They want a track plan drawn for them, but won’t admit they won’t consider anything but a 4x8 format until way down the thread. Since most of the layout designers who answer such posts believe there are better answers than a 4x8 for most situations, the thread usually turns negative.
Another example would be assuming their new DCC set or decoder or locomotive is broken because it won’t work right. When track and wheel cleaning, mo
Unfortunately, I, too, don’t think it will work well.
{I try to be as nice as I can when I post, but some posts that are bad English, that use “text speak”, lack proper punctuation, are loaded with spelling errors, and are otherwise hard to read-let alone understand sometimes, need a bit of an “English lesson” on how to correctly post a proper question that won’t hurt the reader’s brain or eyes. ALL of us are not immune to spelling errors or typos, but some poster’s threads…}
THAT out of the way, There IS the “search our community” feature for which a newbie can search anything if they enter “key words” to find an answer to that “silly question”…They either don’t know the correct “key word” or are not using it when they post a basic question. SO THIS is the “newbie’s best source” for an answer to their most pressing problems.
I try to be gentle in my advice or sharing of my experience as I realize a newbie takes their question seriously and only want answers they can understand. To many of us, “ballasting” MAY BE a subject “beat to death” around here…but to the newbie it is a paramount question. But my gentleness may not always come out correctly.
I started in model railroading just over a year ago, with no experience whatsoever. This forum has always answered all of my questions with only the wisest of answers. I have always gotten the help I needed and the solutions to any question I posted. Don’t hesitate to post questions, this is the place to get the help you need.
good luck CCG
I also think its a bad idea because it sounds IMHO a tad unfriendly and could get confusing…
I think a newb should post his questions like usual.
Vancouver,
That’s what this forum is for. It’s all part of learning and it allows those with a larger knowledge base to help and share with those who have a smaller one. Consequently, you’d be surprised how often newbies come up with ideas or experiences of their own that teach the “oldies” a few things or two.
So, count me in also on a [N] to the idea.
Tom
I agree with Tom. The entire Kalmbach MRR forum is for newbies. It is probably the most newbie orientated and friendly forum on the web.
By all means have a place for newbies to gather, but the danger of posting questions in a place that only has newbies is that you won’t get any answers from those that are more experienced.
Having been a modeler for over 40 years, I obviously wouldn’t have a use for a newbies corner, so I wouldn’t be able to give any input on a topic that I might have some experience in. I suggest you just stick with the general discussion or one of the specialty forums and let us all in on what you need. I for one feel that there are no dumb questions. Actually, nearly everyone on this forum is fairly civil compared to other blogs I chat on. Just stay right here and fire away!
We were all newbs once, and I admit there are some on this forum that are social cripples, but they exist everywhere in life. If you want to learn to do it right then you are going to have to learn to listen.
I am not anti noobie corner but what I think would be bette would be some common questions done as a stickey, such as the dreaded “which DCC system should I buy” since each has its pluses and minuses but an article or even a chart comparing the features of the more common systems would be good for the noobs. I know I spent several days finding all they systems and looking at their websites (some done better than others) trying to figure out what I need or dont need just to get going. Another good one would going into detail about the various scales and again with the pluses and minuses so some one who going to start MRR does not go down the wrong road because when I first thought of going into MRR I thought there was only Lionel trains and that was it and seeing the prices I almost did not start MRRing.
Right here in this forum is the best place for a new person to get the answers to his questions.
Where do you think you can learn more, from a bunch of other new people or from people who have been in the hobby for years?
The main problem I see with the concept of a Newbie Corner is that I would never look at it because I’m not a newbie and would have no interest in it.
On the other hand, if the message is in one of the regular threads and has a reasonable request, I try to answer based on my experience. But like others have said, I’ve stopped looking at all of the “Which DCC system…” questions because the answer:(s) are always the same, and quickly turn into a “My System is better than your system” argument.
Vancouver,
I’m going to take a moment to comment here. Any feedback given should not be relegated to only “positive” (good) and “negative” (bad) comments, it should be “constructive” in nature; pointing out that which is good with suggestions or recommendations as to how it could be improved upon.
If my piano and trombone teachers didn’t tell me what I was doing wrong with what I was doing right, I would never improve as a player. So, “negative” comments can actually promote positive outcome.
Most folks here are good about providing constructive comments - i.e. when it’s asked for. When it is not, they generally don’t say anything.
Tom
[soapbox]
Unfortunately one must have a thick skin if they are not to be quickly scared off by some of the responses they get. Especially us newbies. On this forum, just as in clubs, there are people that proclaim themselves the spokesmen for the forum and as a result feel the need to give a lecture on a myriad of procedural issues for those wanting to post.
I have seen people posting on this forum with a less than perfect command of the English language get torn apart for their language skills, when it was painfully obvious that English was a second or even third language to these people, and they are posting from a far off foreign land. This is a forum that reaches an international audience. To assume the person is posting from an English speaking country is arrogant presumption at best. Also someone may have incapacities either mental, physical or be lacking in what we in the first world countries call educational norms.
I have a friend who is a mechanic at the local Ford dealership. He makes about $75.00 an hour. A few months ago a forum member said he was a mechanic at a Ford dealership and he made $15.00 an hour. This guy was explaining why affordability of the hobby made for slow acquisition of MRR “stuff”. $15.00 an hour was very good money in his country. Housing, food and clothing cost were vastly different where he lived than where I live. Yet the heated conversation on this and other “cost of the Hobby” threads don’t ever seem to take into account the big picture. Some people just don’t get it.
People should choose to answer a question or scroll on by. Don’t lecture and/or give advice on ones ability to speak or write English unless it is asked for. And don’t go off on a rant about how much other people spend on the hobby or make for a wage. The hobby is out of reach for some and spare change for others. More than anything that depends on where you live in the world. As shown by my example above.
Today I c
[quote user=“BATMAN”]
Unfortunately one must have a thick skin if they are not to be quickly scared off by some of the responses they get. Especially us newbies. On this forum, just as in clubs, there are people that proclaim themselves the spokesmen for the forum and as a result feel the need to give a lecture on a myriad of procedural issues for those wanting to post.
I have seen people posting on this forum with a less than perfect command of the English language get torn apart for their language skills, when it was painfully obvious that English was a second or even third language to these people, and they are posting from a far off foreign land. This is a forum that reaches an international audience. To assume the person is posting from an English speaking country is arrogant presumption at best. Also someone may have incapacities either mental, physical or be lacking in what we in the first world countries call educational norms.
I have a friend who is a mechanic at the local Ford dealership. He makes about $75.00 an hour. A few months ago a forum member said he was a mechanic at a Ford dealership and he made $15.00 an hour. This guy was explaining why affordability of the hobby made for slow acquisition of MRR “stuff”. $15.00 an hour was very good money in his country. Housing, food and clothing cost were vastly different where he lived than where I live. Yet the heated conversation on this and other “cost of the Hobby” threads don’t ever seem to take into account the big picture. Some people just don’t get it.
People should choose to answer a question or scroll on by. Don’t lecture and/or give advice on ones ability to speak or write English unless it is asked for. And don’t go off on a rant about how much other people spend on the hobby or make for a wage. The hobby is out of reach for some and spare change for others. More than anything that
Since it will not be directed to a particular person, perhaps this is a good place to make the comment that I often say out loud but never actually type:
When a person is posting from a foreign land it is usually indicated by spelling of some words, sentence construction that differs in their native language, etc.
When a post contains no capitalization, no punctuation, numbers substituted for words, etc. it is just showing that the writer is to lazy to do it right. Most people reading it are too polite to comment on it to your face, but, trust me, they are forming an opinion of your basic intelligence. We are losing our language skills in this country. It shows at all levels. Even the people reading the news on television no longer differentiate among past present and future tense.
This is the central issue for me, and probably for 90% of the typical reader/participant on this and other forums about other subjects across the web. The heading can invite or it can discourage. I am no longer keen to jump into “How do I…” threads as I was just two years ago…I am slipping on and away, just like so many here. So, a Newbie thread, sticky or otherwise, is not going to get my interest except on the slowest of 4 day weekends. And I don’t see many of them on the calendar.
On the other hand, there is such a thing as newbie reticence or trepidation. If the place is to be welcoming, somebody has to be willing to chip in and do the dishes…answer basic questions, and persist until the light goes on and buddy runs back to his bench.
In closing, I do agree that the forum works well. It tries, but it can’t really be all things to all people. Some who are painfully shy will just have to make a decision…pony up with a question and get past the anxiety that it presents, or continue to live with the nagging questions and to enjoy the hobby vicariously…can’t have it both ways.
Cough up that courage hairball.
Crandell
I think it’s a great idea and one that has been brought up in the past. Why? Because most “newbies” get the same response when asking a question, “did you do a search”? We have all seen it. It’s almost taboo around here sometimes when someone new asks a simple question that was probably asked 100 times before. So what if it has. It’s almost like some of you guys are put off by someone asking a simple question. When I first came to this site I asked a simple question and by the responses I got it was like the world was going to end, lol. Sometimes some of you guys are a little hard on newbies, I don’t know why. Maybe because you think your a little “above” everyone else, lol. Maybe a newbie section would benefit newbies and maybe bring more traffic to the site. If anything it was stop the turds from responding to the simple questions with a “did you do a search” response. [Y][B]
If anyone has an issue with people asking basic questions that can be found with a search, it’s best to just pass and not comment. The best method is to answer the question and point out the search feature at the same time. Since they are new they probably aren’t very familiar with search.
Also if you think of it, when people do a smart ass comment to just do a search, the first thing that will come up in future searches is, you guessed it, just do a search.
Don’t tell them you’re new. You might not be scolded then.
[;)]