Read this SMALL post BEFORE you submit a question.

[AcousticBruce]

CODE TAGS must be used when submitting code.

What are code tags and what do they do?

This looks very nice doesn't it?

public class MyProgram {
        
    static int questions = 2;
    
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.printf("I have %d questions.", questions);
    }
}

How do I use code tags???

Good question. All you do, when you are ready to paste in your code, is click the number (or pound) sign in the editing icons provided above.


It looks like this (manually type it if you want)
[CODE] type your code here [/CODE]



Check out the Forum FAQ HERE
For more codes tags BB Code Tags Here

See. Very easy.
Happy coding :)

[Singing Boyo]

FINALLY! Can this be stickied please?

[JosAH]

FINALLY! Can this be stickied please?

Well, everything is in the FAQ list already but the trouble is: almost nobody reads it; the same will happen to this little thread. Reading is an (almost) lost art ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

[Singing Boyo]

I found a forum once where you actually had to read a thread with all these requirements. I wonder if we can get that done here.

[JosAH]

I found a forum once where you actually had to read a thread with all these requirements. I wonder if we can get that done here.

Maybe with a small quiz at the end, but who wants to take that hurdle?

kind regards,

Jos

[AcousticBruce]

Well, everything is in the FAQ list already but the trouble is: almost nobody reads it; the same will happen to this little thread. Reading is an (almost) lost art ;-)

kind regards,

Jos

Actually while this is true, you cant change people. But this thread is MUCH easier to see. Im sure this would limit the amount of newbs posting code without tags.

I found this site by searching in Google and it linked me to "new to java". I have not visited ANY other part of this site. So I didn't read the FAQ first.

Truth is you have all different types of people who all learn different. If people do not know about the CODE and know how to use a forum, why would they know to even look for that knowledge if the good old CODE tag?. Why would you read an FAQ if all you want is an answer to a java code problem (this is most people).



Notice how direct and to-the-point my post was. It was easy read. AND notice the name of the post. I chose the words carefully to make it less intimidating to others. BB Code list looks pretty intimidating and if I saw that I wouldn't read it either. But if someone eased me into the idea with something like my simple post above, I would look at it occasionally when needed.

by the way I added the FAQ to the top post.

[AcousticBruce]

Just like the old Java book question that KEEPS getting asked (im guilty of that)
That would almost stop completely if I made a post that had all the info on books and reviews. The community here Im sure can appreciate that. I want to contribute, I see areas that even I was guilty of and I want to illiminate them as much as possible. So Ill be designing a book review type post that is very easy to navigate and have links to specific needs.

I will have book reviews for all different styles of learning.

So I do ask that you sticky this. And A sticky on books is much needed, which I will do my best on.

[DarrylBurke]

Actually while this is true, you cant change people. But this thread is MUCH easier to see. Im sure this would limit the amount of newbs posting code without tags.

Nope. The Oracle forums have 'stickies' and most noobs don't read those.

db

[AcousticBruce]

Nope. The Oracle forums have 'stickies' and most noobs don't read those.

db

OTN Discussion Forums : Java Programming

That is Welcome post. You're right. No one reads those. I made a post that would catch the eye of a newb. Their post is much more bland and if someone clicked it they might not read it. I used more of a marketing approach. It is more direct and I believe it will have a better effect.

[JosAH]

Notice how direct and to-the-point my post was. It was easy read. AND notice the name of the post. I chose the words carefully to make it less intimidating to others. BB Code list looks pretty intimidating and if I saw that I wouldn't read it either. But if someone eased me into the idea with something like my simple post above, I would look at it occasionally when needed.

by the way I added the FAQ to the top post.

I find your initiative admirable but I'm afraid your post is still not going to be read; I did the same once for a small Forum; it had a FAQ list and I added a simple to read, friendly, excerpt as a sticky post to the forum list. I was almost constantly pointing to it because nobody had read it.

kind regards,

Jos

[Zack]

I talked to Fubarable and Eranga a while ago about having a sticky and they declined. I do think, though, that honestly a sticky is RIGHT THERE, as opposed to the FAQ which is a little hidden. Even having a sticky with a link to the FAQ would be nice.

Even just a tiny little paragraph on code tags, homework dumps, and how to ask questions would be nice.

Oh well!

[DarrylBurke]

IMHO the only way to get new forum members to read instructions is to display the instruction page ahead of the edit/submit screen*, with a 'proceed' link that is initially inactive and is activated only by the member checking a checkbox against each point.

Yes, I agree that even that's not foolproof but at least a new member who clicks away without reading doesn't have any excuse ;)

db

* maybe for the first 10 posts or so, and disable the 'quick reply' too.

edit2 And maybe even put each point on a separate page with a 'Next' button that is active (say) 10 seconds after the page loads