um... its impossible to not disrespect in terms of age because so many posters are not even 14...

 

Which, inevitably, they'll never read...

 

I agree. But at least when a Mod locks their thread because it's a common question we can show them the link to where they can get an answer. That's good for all: it gives the "newbie" an answer to his question and it keeps the board from getting cluttered.

 

One thing that will really help would be to change the forum search engines default from the "last 20 days". Those few newbies that DO try to search usually wind up without any good hits on the subject. Perhaps the forum moderators and administrator would be better off setting the individual forum defaults to "the beginning". and hopefully the newbie will find a thread that answers the question.

 

I think there should be a waiting period for posting. Lets say two weeks.

 

That sounds good on the surface, but a lot of people join up just for the purpose of asking a question they haven't seen an answer to. You don't have to register to look at posts, just need to join to post or search, I think.

 

How about this?

For all new members,...for the first 24 - 48 hours...

All forum functions are disabled. The only two functions available are the Search function and the FAQ links.

(And these two functions are "spotlighted" on the screen, by either highlighting the function or enlarging the font 40 times!!!!!)

This is a totally far fetched idea. I know.....ugh......

 

but then again, how is that any different from what Mahjik ends up doing all too often?

 

what if my broad-band connection enables me to stay logged on for hours while not in front of the screen?

 

It doesn't require him (or any other mod) to actually use the search function, find a thread with the answer and then post it as a link. If we had a good faq that answers all the simple questions the mod can lock the thread and say "see faq". Then the question gets answered without a mod having to go search and post the link. Mahjik does that a lot and I try to as well but we don't pull those links off the top of our head; we go look for them as well by searching.

 

personally, i like jimlab's idea of having an advanced tech section where other members can be invited in. i still don't have any sort of advanced knowledge/advice myself but really do keep up on reading what many of the "smarter" members here divulge.

it's not a matter of creating two different classes in the third gen section but a matter of not having to deal with mindless crap

 

and to add to what i said, anybody who ends up perceiving this as a class system probably doesn't have too much to offer in that section anyway

 

I say 6 months.

 

shouldn't you guys be embracing the idea of more people getting introduced to the rotary community? Everyone starts out as a newbie one time or another, and just because they're new to rotaries doesn't mean they're new to cars. I've had a nissan 240sx for 4 years, turbocharaged sr20det, and i can tell you everything there is to know about it. I traded it for an 3rd gen rx7, and here i am. I read the forums and I try to learn everything I can before I go and ask some stupid question. Socioeconomic status? age? what does that have to do with anything? I have respect for my elders, I probably make more money than most people here, but im still willing to listen and learn. Just because someone is a newbie on a forum doesn't mean anything. You shouldn't generalize that "all" newbies are not "good people" but judge on an individual basis. I mean.. lets go back to the very very first posts you guys made. I'm sure you didn't just sign up and suddenly become the king of the forum, and a walking rotary dictionary. Who knows.. the "newbie" that you insult for asking stupid questions may end up knowing more than you do. ; P

 

"Socioeconomic status? age? what does that have to do with anything?"

More than you would think.

When some of us first signed up we exercised patience and discretion before posting naive questions - and even then it was after searching.

 

ok. well im rich, but im 20 years old, and i've created wealth on my own accord and not from my parents. I have money to blow on my rx7. I invested over 25k into the motor of my 240sx. Does that mean im better than you? More knowledgeable than you? More mature? I think thats a very unfair judgement.

 

I don't think anyone was ever trying to say that. The major point is when you start as newbie to use common sense persay.

Well that's actually good. This is the way the forum is supposed to be used IMO. If everyone did that we wouldn't really have a problem to discuss.

I don't care how much money you really make, nor could anyone else really I'm sure. You could be G. W. Bush, if you join and act like a fool then someone is bound to tell you you're a fool. As far as age you can tell by the terms that some of the younger generation use in their threads and just plain using slang in a thread that it seems to be a big problem with the younger crowd that joins. If I see a thread where it's a jumbled mess with no punctuation, everything mispelled, and missing words do you want to guess it's a 40 y/o man or a 16 y/o kid?

If I am going to officially insult a "newbie" you can bet that it's over a really really stupid question. So that would prove to me that they don't in fact know more than me because they would be lacking common sense.. Which apparently isn't so common anymore..

 

im glad to hear that, but perhaps not all of the newbies are as.. inexperienced as you think they are. after all, rx7's aren't cheap. Not many parents would buy a 15-20k car let alone a sports car, for their kid. Assuming the kid had a nice job, would he be willing to blow that much of his own hard-earned money on something he knew nothing about? Don't underestimate kids these days. My neighbor is a 17 year old kid. He did his own 4age 20 valve swap into his corolla. He redid the wiring harness on his own, changed the cams, cam gears and ported out the manifold with his own powertools that he bought with his own money. It was one of the cleanest swaps I've seen. And yeah, it was his first time doing it.

 

"Don't underestimate kids these days. My neighbor is a 17 year old kid. He did his own 4age 20 valve swap into his corolla. He redid the wiring harness on his own, changed the cams, cam gears and ported out the manifold with his own powertools that he bought with his own money. It was one of the cleanest swaps I've seen. And yeah, it was his first time doing it."

Well that's great.

Even greater if he used the search function on freshalloy or whatever to find the information he desired.

Not necessarily great if it took 60 hours of everyone else's time and guidance to bring ONE person there.

 

well heres an analogy. say you know computers well, and someone plops a new sony laptop infront of you. you look around but you can't find the power button.

say someone knows cars really well. they get an rx7, but they can't find where to find the radiator cap. the cap isn't labeled very well, and its a rotary engine, different than other motors. What does he do? he posts on this forum and asks, WHERES DOES THE DAMN COOLANT GO?! everyone automatically assumes he's an idiot and insults him and tells him to sell his car, but he's just trying to be cautious not to accidentally pour coolant in with the oil. he can't do a search to find something like that, and say he can't find any diagrams online. It's much quicker just to ask someone, and maybe he doesn't have many rotary resources in his area. I mean honestly i bet there are morons out there. Just ignore those guys, and if someone has a REAL question, then answer it. It's that simple.

 

Sony manual is sitting right on the desk.

Open it.

Look,

Our issue is NOT with "stupid" questions. That's not even the problem. Everyone asks stupid questions - it's required. However, nobody has to ask stupid questions if their answer is right in front of them. The main problem is people being lazy and not attempting to find out information which is RIGHT THERE (search engine) and instead posting a question wanting others to work out their problems for them.

 

well if thats the case, then theres no excuse.

 

Yes, they are.

Yes, they would.

Are you shitting me?!?

You're absolutely right. They're probably even dumber than I think they are.

 

I sure as hell don't run to another computer and post a question on a computer forum(do they even exist? lol) about "My laptop won't turn on!" I read the manual and try to figure it out myself.


Don't know what to tell you about the coolant scenario, but I would tell him that he can purchase a FD workshop manual at his local dealer or a copy on CD online so that he can learn a little more about his car. I mean when it gets down to asking questions like that and questions like "does a rotary have spark plugs?" you need to try to find out for yourself first instead of posting a new thread just because you THINK it'll be quicker..

 

Although I dont know how the times were before I joined, I can see how reposting can get annoying. I started off to a bad start by not searching and posting a topic, since then I havent posted but maybe 1 other topic and all Ive done is read and read and read. Im 16 and although reposts are annoying, I think the best thing that people can do to "newbs" is just point them in the right direction, and not critisize them. I have been on some of my friend's boards where everyone is friendly, and glad to point people in the right direction. I would love to see it this way but the only way it could happen is if people become more tolerant of mistakes. Posting a question asked 10000 times is a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, and you dont have to go down hard on them just bc its a repost, just give them the link to the other topic, and let them be.

Some of you may be thinking why I am I reading something from a 16 yr old who hasnt been on here but for 4 months? Its just an opinion from what I've seen since Ive been a member here.

I respect the older here greatly for their knowledge, and realize that most know more about this car then I do. But to keep this car alive, its the younger people that keep the car going in popularity, and they should be welcomed to the community and given a chance to learn rather than the "you dont know anything, go away and stop annoying us with ur reposts"

This is just a rx7 community and should be treated as a friendly place. IMHO