Philip, put me in charge of user reviews and other submitted content

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 2:39 am

Time to kick this place in the ass. I'll start by creating some content and then I'll assign ALOT of other people here to start doing something constructive for the site.

If it were me, I'd disable the general forum for 30 days and lose some of the fat. But you aint me lol.

But I think you will agree, we need a tech push here, bring this place up to date.

Post by **Philip** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:25 pm

I'm ready to do whatever it takes to facilitate user content as well. The site does need some updated content, hardware reviews and network/broadband related articles.

We've had this interface for submitting articles to the site for quite some time, and only a couple of users have actually taken advantage of expressing their opinion and being heard by a large audience. For anyone interested, try here: http://www.speedguide.net/submit.php . If this does not work well, you can always email me with any questions or articles you'd like to submit.

I've tried to add some insentives to writing user articles and posting them on SG in terms of Premium membership for contributing content, and we've had almost no response so far.

In addition to user-contributed content, I'm even prepared to offer some monetary compensation to a couple of contributing editors that would be able to periodically submit well written networking hardware reviews and related articles. This, however would be more involved, and require them to demonstrate some type of technical writing skills, as well as networking knowledge and ability to submit a review that can be posted without much editting. Contact me for details if interested.

I'm not sure what you're asking, but if you feel you can help us with rallying people and making this site a better place for the benefit of the entire broadband community, you'll get my full support.

Debbie · Post by **Debbie** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 5:37 pm

UOD wrote:If it were me, I'd disable the general forum for 30 days and lose some of the fat. But you aint me lol.

So you feel that the general forum is bringing this site down?

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:03 pm

UOD wrote: If it were me, I'd disable the general forum for 30 days and lose some of the fat. But you aint me lol.

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bad idea IMO,,the gen forum has 50,000 more threads & 766,000 more posts than any other forum here,thats alot of traffic for SG,

and besides,whats wrong with many people coming here just for the gen forum?

there are plenty of regulars who hangout in the tech forums.

the gf is really a seperate entity that seems live and breathe on it's own.

please don't change the gen forum Philip.

UOD wrote:Time to kick this place in the ass. I'll start by creating some content

and thats sounds great,I'm sure the staff would apreciate that.
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Paft · Post by **Paft** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:35 pm

Just submitted a software review.

Part of the problem with writing articles is that this is a broadband site - I don't get all that much new networking hardware or software. A bsaic router (that's been reviewed) and a network card (that's been reviewed) are all I have to work with.

So I'm going to look at submitting just general programming/software articles for you to use instead, Phillip.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:52 pm

I think it would be cool if we could write comments on some of the articles that downhill posts on the main page.

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:59 pm

Debbie wrote:So you feel that the general forum is bringing this site down?

I think that there is untapped talent in the general forum....but that is being nice.

Back in the day, we used to fell BAD if we didn't hang out 12 hours at a time in one of the tech forums helping people....imagine that. My first 1,000 posts were made almost exclusively in the tweaking forum. I use to feel guilty about posting in the gen forum because I felt I had NOT earned that privilege yet. Even then, a good deal of the gen forum content was based in PC's.

I think the gen forum should be configured as such...as a privilege. You have to earn that ability to post in the gen forum by accomplishing something in the other forums first or by contributing submitted content for reviews.

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:59 pm

Cabledude wrote:I think it would be cool if we could write comments on some of the articles that downhill posts on the main page.

Post by **Philip** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:35 pm

Dan wrote:bad idea IMO,,the gen forum has 50,000 more threads & 766,000 more posts than any other forum here,thats alot of traffic for SG,

and besides,whats wrong with many people coming here just for the gen forum?

there are plenty of regulars who hangout in the tech forums.

the gf is really a seperate entity that seems live and breathe on it's own.

please don't change the gen forum Philip.

and thats sounds great,I'm sure the staff would apreciate that.
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We're not going to change the General forum

Izzo · Post by **Izzo** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:46 pm

Good... because I have nothing to add. I came here looking for help and stayed because of the people. I learn as quickly as i can but i have zero experience with anything in the field ...sorry

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 2:24 pm

Izzo wrote:Good... because I have nothing to add. I came here looking for help and stayed because of the people. I learn as quickly as i can but i have zero experience with anything in the field ...sorry

You can add in money can't you? Become a premium member.

Meggie · Post by **Meggie** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 12:33 am

UOD wrote:You can add in money can't you? Become a premium member.

im with izzo on this one, there isnt a whole lot of help that i can give on comp problems (am a premium member) but if i had to "earn" the right to post in the gen forum i wouldnt never have come back after a visit or two.

Starmax · Post by **Starmax** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:07 pm

Well like me,even if someone could'nt right a technical artical,maybe since the puplic read's those artical's and such,A user could still right a straight up intelligent artical about how the tech forum's and software forum's really paid of for THEM,or something to that affect and that's what urged them to become a member because of the knowledge and skill's of alot of the people here at speed guide in General.
In a sence other than just the techie's promoting computer tweaking and knowledge,you have actuall user's reinforcing all the other aspect's of SpeedGuide as a whole it self.

I think in the long run that'll make other's say hmm, it's not JUST a tech site,more traffic will generate as well.Dont get me wrong i dont mean just evrybody and anybody,,There are people who would'nt know where to start anyway.

But i think that could work,and also would somewhat reinforce the idea of earning our way.I'm a paid premium member now myself but id be willing to submit a straight forward artical based on what i DO know about computers and such,as well as some other benifet's of the site.

I think i have a Guy that own's an Avatar site looking here for programming idea's,I'll have to keep you posted about that one,he know's my user name.Anyway this was just an idea and my opinion,Thanks for the opertunity to post it.....(Star.) Keep up the good work ...

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 11:00 pm

Starmax wrote:There are people who would'nt know where to start anyway.

Why do you keep looking at me?

Starmax · Post by **Starmax** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:41 am

MadDoctor wrote:Why do you keep looking at me?

ScottE · Post by **ScottE** » Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:59 pm

Meggie wrote:im with izzo on this one, there isnt a whole lot of help that i can give on comp problems (am a premium member) but if i had to "earn" the right to post in the gen forum i wouldnt never have come back after a visit or two.

You know more than you want to give yourself credit for.

Norm · Post by **Norm** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 5:39 pm

Another suggestion.....

Speedguide has always been about broadband and networking mainly. The name Speed - guide infers more than that. I've always thought the site should branch out to all areas concerning speeding up a system, from the BIOS setup and custom installed OS, to tweaking the OS and whatever else.

In my own experience(s) I have noticed people like to write about the things they are personally involved in.
How many members here are into broadband and networking, as opposed to many other tweaks, and projects?

Just a thought, but I don't believe there is as much interest in writing about Networking, Routers, NIC's, etc as there would be about speeding up the 'entire' system.

Also, a "Recommended software" page would be nice too.

AAF Striker · Post by **AAF Striker** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 11:35 pm

Norm wrote:Another suggestion.....

Speedguide has always been about broadband and networking mainly. The name Speed - guide infers more than that. I've always thought the site should branch out to all areas concerning speeding up a system, from the BIOS setup and custom installed OS, to tweaking the OS and whatever else.

In my own experience(s) I have noticed people like to write about the things they are personally involved in.
How many members here are into broadband and networking, as opposed to many other tweaks, and projects?

Just a thought, but I don't believe there is as much interest in writing about Networking, Routers, NIC's, etc as there would be about speeding up the 'entire' system.

Also, a "Recommended software" page would be nice too.

I second this idea of branching out into other areas to bring more people in, and exploring other areas to keep those that are here more interested and likely to interact.

Post by **Philip** » Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:54 am

Windows tweaks have always been a part of, however small of SpeedGuide.net. There are general tweaking articles on the main site as well, and we'd be happy to publish more general pc / tweaking / speed related user articles as well. If you're not sure whether something is within the scope of the site, I'm always reachable via PMs and email to discuss topics, and I'd be happy to assist you in getting your work published on the site.

knightmare · Post by **knightmare** » Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:57 am

UOD wrote:I think that there is untapped talent in the general forum....but that is being nice.

Back in the day, we used to fell BAD if we didn't hang out 12 hours at a time in one of the tech forums helping people....imagine that. My first 1,000 posts were made almost exclusively in the tweaking forum. I use to feel guilty about posting in the gen forum because I felt I had NOT earned that privilege yet. Even then, a good deal of the gen forum content was based in PC's.

I think the gen forum should be configured as such...as a privilege. You have to earn that ability to post in the gen forum by accomplishing something in the other forums first or by contributing submitted content for reviews.

The Gen forum is kicking back, shooting the breeze time, in between forums.
You have to have a people-friendly site. Otherwise they check something out, fix a problem and poof*. Watch the community dwindle. I used to know alot about hardware, but unless you are upgrading all the time, your technical knowledge on new products & their problems will dwindle. What sold me on this site was the Classified/Marketplace.
I was a noob, and a few people really treated me well, with some computer parts. Even recently someone just really took care of me. And when I could, I did the same for other members. This site is well-rounded... If you want a purely technical site, you can become one. But this is a technical site & community.
I bought a premium membership because i believe in the site.
Everyone doesn't though, although they post about spending 2k on their latest rig. My only gripe is that, there could be more premium members.
But if you force it on people, there is resentment. Tough call....

Joan · Post by **Joan** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 1:25 am

I agree with Maggie and Izzo. I am new and just trying to learn some helpful information. My computer was hit by a Trojen Backdoor last August. I got what someone jokingly calls help from Dell (my computer vender) talked to a bunch of guys in India that didn't know any more than I do. Dell calls these computer tec's Ha. Then Microsoft well at least their tec's are in Canada. But their customer service stinks. I was about to take a sledge hammer to my computer when a friend of mine helped me out and then plugged me in here.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 5:47 am

Joan wrote:I agree with Maggie and Izzo. I am new and just trying to learn some helpful information. My computer was hit by a Trojen Backdoor last August. I got what someone jokingly calls help from Dell (my computer vender) talked to a bunch of guys in India that didn't know any more than I do. Dell calls these computer tec's Ha. Then Microsoft well at least their tec's are in Canada. But their customer service stinks. I was about to take a sledge hammer to my computer when a friend of mine helped me out and then plugged me in here.

Welcome to SG Joan. Great place for information.