What would make Peer Directory better?

Nearly $10 this morning!!

Really though, I think a REQUIREMENT for people to fill out the information and having that information available to others for peer contact would be great.

It would reduce the number of people who quickly sign up a new alias just to reinforce their own comments. It wouldn't eliminate it, but reduce it.

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I think that the TR editors are focusing on the technical aspect of the site, which is the real intent in the first place, while your objections are aimed at the non-technical. The ganging up and the flaming observations you've made, for example, just don't happen in the technical questions and discussions. So for the purpose of "designing a better site", so to speak, perhaps keeping the non-technical issues as non-issues might be more productive.

As far as peer contact, I don't think it should be mandatory. If someone doesn't want to be bothered with emails from anyone, it's certainly his/her prerogative. At best, the personal information is a way to satisfy one's curiosity, and has nothing to do with that person's ability to provide technical assistance; and at worst it may be a way to harass or, heaven forbid, even bring malice upon someone. If I'm Maxwell Edison or Joe Blow, what difference does it make? Or if I list my residence as Denver, Colorado or Dallas, Texas, again, what difference does it make? Besides, both - or neither - may or may not be true. Providing fake information - at least what's shown to the public - doesn't hurt anyone. And, perhaps in some cases, it might even be expected. People are extremely hesitant to provide a lot of (or any) personal information over the Internet, and forcing the issue would drive people away in hoards. Moreover, it just doesn't matter.

I think a listing in the peer review for any articles, faq's, how to's, etc that are are famous for.

Perhaps even witty lines should need a mention. Call it Zinger of the week?

Solid links to the peer directory.

Aside from clicking on a member's name or actually clicking on the site map below, the directory is not easily found by a new subscriber. I don't know if we'd like to keep it that way or not.

I know we could find room on top of the homepage somewhere. Perhaps it is better though that transients don't have such easy access.

Ps - I've just joined in this forum. Although I've been using this site for a long time, I haven't even been a member for a month. I don't know why I was nominated, but thank you for the consideration. This is the only site I visit for discussions of any sort.

I have to agree with you and apotheon on this one. It is very difficult to promote a two way conversation with the current setup regarding the Q&A. I often see questions where, when posted originally, the user does not leave enough specific information for us to properly troubleshoot his/her concern. That was one of my main concerns regarding a question that I posted. The question was not getting any responses and I wanted to change the context and location of the question without sounding too negative. I responded to those who submitted their answers, only to find out that I couldn't leave them positive feedback without sounding like a jerk and then running away with my points...I was not aware either that I would be awarded points to close my question. I had never expected this at all, and was originally concerned about not being able to post elsewhere without a proper amount of points to offer.

Coming from an answering point of view, there [i]is[/i] a huge communication gap that exists in a Q&A request. It is difficult for me to weigh a user's knowledge, and submit an appropriate response, without being rejected - sometimes the terminology is too thick for a user to grasp and sometimes their question is much too general. I feel that the Q&A should remain a seperate entity but could be better served with a discussions type format. This being said, we would need a way to flag or post an accepted response either by marking the title in some way (if you go with a discussion format), or by keeping the original format and offering some kind of middle option in the rating system.

I tend to agree that the current point system implementation is problematic. That doesn't mean that there can't be a point system for a Q&A functionality. Rewards for being helpful is a good thing. The problem is in figuring out how to arrange that without unwanted consequences, like a more-difficult interface for question-posters, point-hoarding, and too-rigid procedures (all of which we seem, currently, to have).

It seems that a certain amount of separation from other discussion categories is called for, though. Perhaps just create a separate heading on the discussion page, and provide a targeted link in the main site menu (as there currently is) that just goes directly to the Q&A section so that people looking for help can bypass the other discussion categories. In other words, I think discussions and Q&A might stand to be more closely related to one another, but that there should still be direct access to Q&A rather than having it fully undifferentiated from all other forms of community participation.

If the point system should be eliminated altogether, though, I see at least one problem: There will certainly be a number of people who have put in some time and effort answering questions that have reasonably large point totals that might be upset if those points disappear, or suddenly become meaningless. I don't have any specific ideas for what to do with points if the current system is eliminated or substantially changed, but I think that is something worth considering in the process of evaluating the future of the TechPoint system.

...yeah, it probably will upset some long time members. Keep in mind that we are generally more active and not necessarilly the Q&A gurus. There are a few names that I don't see here - members with whom I have a difficult time finding fault in their response.

An example of this is the member 'rewrite'. Everytime I see his name on a Q&A board, I find myself adding to his answer rather than providing an independent idea. Certain members who do not take part in our "insider" discussions, may be shocked initially with the change. We should consider the fact that we might throw these people for a spin - and potentially damage a dedicated Q&A community.

This idea aside, I do think that the new system will actually promote in building a strong community. Perhaps a notice should be sent out to Q&A participants before applying the change.

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It might actually make sense to announce, possibly a week or two before it happens, that TechPoints can no longer be earned (if they're going to be abandoned) with the end-date clearly stated. Then, after that date, some kind of compensation could be provided. Something like a period of free TechProGuild membership might be in order, length based on the number of points, automatically expiring upon the end-date of the free service with a simple one-time opt-in email or other notification providing the chance to pay the usual fee to continue the membership.

I know that, for my part, the biggest deterrent to trying out trial memberships for paid services is the worry that it will be difficult to unsubscribe at the right time. Companies like AOL have ruined the whole "trial membership" idea for most of us with difficult-to-end memberships that automatically renew the membership through direct credit card deduction. The preferable option would be to provide the trial membership without requiring any personal or financial information, except perhaps an email address, and an explicit assurance that the email will only be used one time to confirm the ending of the membership when the time comes. The email, by the way, should (as I already suggested) be an "opt in", so that no response translates as "not interested".

Erm. I think I've swung off-topic from where I was originally headed, slightly. The point is that a period of free TPG membership whose length is determined by the number of TechPoints might be a possible "compensation" to mollify point-carrying members at the time that the TechPoint system is abandoned.

. . . or not. I'm just spitting out whatever wanders into my head at this point. I think t-shirts would be cooler, and better received, and less likely to screw with the TR business model, but probably more expensive to manage as a compensation. If you DO decide to offer t-shirts and other such merchandise (which would, conveniently, double as advertising), I'd be more than happy to help develop pithy slogans for the shirts/mugs/whatever.

Abandoning the points is fine and dandy but it detracts from the original intent of the points system to begin with.

Back in the day....TR had started the points system with under the premise that they would be allowing frequent users, who supported and helped the site to profit by increasing it's popularity, to purchase vendor swag from them for the points they had aquired.

Perhaps TR shirts, mugs, hats and all that junk that companies slap their logos on these days. I am not knocking it, I understand THAT market oh too well. It would have been kinda cool but never materialized for whatever reasons.

So by allowing TR to ditch the points all together, we are standing down on an old uprising of users trying to get TR to open up 'the store'.

And that there just aint MY style! :D

So do we let TR off the hook for the sake of their own improvement and profitability or do we hold TR to their goal of rewarding the community that built it up!?
Kinda like AC/DC's Who Made WHo!

(Now I am pushing some buttons, eh? tee hee!) ]:)

I keep wanting to have a link to the peer directory listings available without having to click other links to get to it. If I'm looking at something other than discussions, that's not the case.

Yeah, I must be lazy. That's one virtue down, at least.

(three virtues of a programmer: laziness, impatience, and hubris)

I suppose I should get over it.

I'd love the swag. indeed I would. TR isn't like AT&T or Nike, whose t-shirts I use for painting houses and hauling lumber and polishing shoes. I'd actually wear a TR t-shirt as part of my day-to-day attire (especially if it was witty and came in colors other than yellow, orange, and pink, to name a few I prefer to avoid).