# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  >  Change "post new thread" dialogue to reflect forum rules

## Mallycat

When you post a new thread, there is a text box called "title". Why not change the text to be something like the following. 

"Descriptive title that explains your problem."

This would make it easier for new users to understand the forum rules, and take the pressure off the moderators slapping infringements on people that don't know any better. 

Edit:  I posted this on the second page, but have added it here for completeness. 

 How about  in addition, above the "details box" we add a message similar to the following:

"Add details of your problem below. Consider posting a sample spreadsheet to illustrate your problem. Make sure you enclose any posted code in the code tags - click the # button"

Surely this would help eliminate >50% of the angst in this forum. That can't bea bad thing!

I assume this can be changed in the forum configuration. 

Matt

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## Pepe Le Mokko

> on people that don't know any better



Weren't they supposed to read forum rules?

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## Paul

"Supposed to" and "did" are often mutually exclusive.

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## Mordred

Judging by the count of people that have actually read the rules and the amount of active and non-active members, I would presume that most people still don't read the rules even after being told to do so.

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## Pepe Le Mokko

> "Supposed to" and "did" are often mutually exclusive.



Maybe then delete the rules altogether...

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## Fotis1991

I angree with Pepe, on this!!

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## Mallycat

> Weren't they supposed to read forum rules?



It is unreasonable to expect that everyone will somehow magically know that they are supposed to read the rules before posting. 

My post however as not about if people read e rules, it was a suggestion for improvement which I believe will make a meaningful difference.  Any comments on this suggestion?

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## arlu1201

I agree with you.  Lets see what we can do about it.

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## snb

Have all issues been solved ?? :Confused:  :EEK!:  :Mad:

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## arlu1201

Snb,

You can check the issues sub-forum for an update.

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## royUK

Everyone on joining is asked to agree to the Forum Rules

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## Fotis1991

It's a good idea, Matt. But...

1) If anyone does not want to read the forum rules, then will not do it for any reason...

2) There are many other issues to improve first...

So, i angree with Roy


Apologize, for my bad English....

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## Pepe Le Mokko

> It is unreasonable to expect that everyone will somehow magically know that they are supposed to read the rules before posting. 
> 
> My post however as not about if people read e rules, it was a suggestion for improvement which I believe will make a meaningful difference.  Any comments on this suggestion?



I must have a "pre-upgrade" version then, because this is what I see on the registration page..

www.excelforum.com - 2012-04-19 - 21h-05m-07s.png

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## Mordred

> Maybe then delete the rules altogether...



Without rules, this and other sites like this would become chaotic in nature!

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## Mallycat

> I must have a "pre-upgrade" version then, because this is what I see on the registration page..



Sorry for my error.  It was 6 years ago that I signed up, so the details are not top of mind.  Let me put it another way.  We can fool ourselves that people always read the rules when they sign up.  We can go on to then justfiy why the moderators should slap an infringment on all of those users to "teach them a lesson" and get them to "follow the rules" and it is "their own fault" if they didn't follow the rules.  Or we can all go back to the original post that I made, consider the suggestion on its merits, and realise that more can be done to help people use this forum the way it was intended and hence help them get value from the forum.

I for one participate in this forum because I like helping people.   And I cringe every time I see someone with 1 post having an infringment slapped on them.  They are here because they want help.  We can do a better job in helping first time users by following my suggestion.

Let the person who has never ever clicked "I agree" when installing software or joining a new service without reading every line cast the first stone.

By the way, sarcasm in a forum is not a good look.

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## arlu1201

I agree with Mallycat.  If its helping the forum to become a better place, why not?  It wont do any harm in including a few extra words to the label of the field.

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## Mallycat

In fact let me go one step further. How about above the "details box" we add a message similar to the following:

"Add details of your problem below. Consider posting a sample spreadsheet to illustrate your problem. Make sure you enclose any posted code in the code tags - click the # button"

Surely this would help eliminate >50% of the angst in this forum. That can't bea bad thing!

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## Mordred

@Mallycat, 





> Make sure you enclose any posted code in the code tags - click the # button"
> 
> Surely this would help eliminate >50% of the angst in this forum



That's a good idea to test out.  However, and this is a personal opinion based on my relatively short time moderating here, it is possible that if too much is added the user may be deterred by the 'clutter' around their threads while creating them.  I could be 100% wrong though and I think that would be beneficial to test.

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## Haseeb A

I know all members are agreeing with rules when they register. That doesn’t means they read the rules before post something. A small suggestion to force the users to read forum rules.

1). Pop-up a message box when they log in, shows the forum rules (better to limit the words, rather than the long brief description)
2). On the bottom an acknowledge button shows ‘I have read & understand the forum rules” or something similar.
3). Acknowledge button needs to be inactive for a while eg: 30 seconds or 1 minute, depends the time required to read those rules based on the words in the msg box.
4). This way users can only click on acknowledge button after a period. So at least force them to read the forum rules for a while.
5). On top shows the count down timer. ‘N seconds remaining to go to home page’ or something similar.
6). Once execute this in to forum EVERY MEMBERS (regardless of title, new user, forum contributor etc..) has to get this message box, so everybody is aware of the rules, even though they already know about the rules.
7). Once the user acknowledge, doesn’t pop-up in their future log in.

This is still not guarantee to read the rules, just force them to read

I am not a native English speaker, So I am apologize, if it is a bad English.

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## Mallycat

The rules are there because we ( the helpers) want an effective forum. The need for moderation against the rules should be viewed as a failure in the process, and anything that can be done to lessen the need for moderator intervention can only be good

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## Mordred

I can't say I disagree Mallycat.

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## Mallycat

> Pop-up a message box when they [log in].



I know your intention is well founded, but I don't think is the right way to go.  Everyone hates rules and regulations when they sign up to something.  As I implied in an earlier post, every single person hits those "i agree" buttons and yet most people never ever read one word of the text that is presented to the user.  So we are battling with a fact of life - most sites and all software have rules, and we never read them because people bundle all these "rules" together into one bucket and treat them all the same.  ie "this is another one of those buttons that I just click to say I have read it when actually I haven't".

So, my view is that this approach wont make a meaningful difference to the results.   

The objective should be to get new users to post threads in a way that follows the rules using the least pain possible for everyone.  The measure of success is how much less moderation is required on the forum as a result of any changes that are made.  I believe integrating brief, targeted instructions into the new thread post dialogue box is the most effective way to acheive this objective.  

The most important instructions to add to the new thread dialogue are the ones I have already covered.
1. Use a meaningful title that describe your problem, not your personal pain
2. Attach a sample sheet
3. Use the code tags around your code by clicking the # button

If we had those three things covered, my guess is 75% of moderation requirements would immediately be eliminated.  And then everyone would be a lot happier.  

Hopefully the organisers of this forum agree and will try to make this change.  I have some base technical knowledge of forum software and would be happy to try to help if required - I am far from an expert however.

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## sweettooth123

I just signed on as a new user and I don't understand the whole thing.  I posted a help question and it says I have one reply, where do I go to read the reply?

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## Mallycat

> where do I go to read the reply?



Your post is off topic, but to answer your question, just click on your name in your post above, , then click on the "View forum posts" link. That will find your thread.


(Edit: changed "river forum posts" to "View forum posts")

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## WasWodge

> The objective should be to get new users to post threads in a way that follows the rules using the least pain possible for everyone.
> 
> The most important instructions to add to the new thread dialogue are the ones I have already covered.
> 
> 3. Use the code tags around your code by clicking the # button



I would think that one way to encourage more members to use code tags is to put the code tags button in the quick reply button toolbar as well as/instead of the quote button. 
I know it is in the advanced and new thread toolbars but it should really be in all of the posting toolbars (especially as there is a button to add a smiley). 

I won't say that giving people a gentle nudge via a message isn't a bad idea though, as long as it can be done without making the page look too cluttered (right hand side of where it says Your Message???)

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