Attention Mod

[Rhutobello]

From my point of view,..as new..,to send a PM to any of you in order to get focus on my "thread", would I see as a bad thing to do.
I would love to receive help....but this had to come voluntary.

The same goes for the asked mod, to ping the "Guru"
I feel, just like pointed out, that such an option might be "used" to often, and the receiver of the request, will go more from an voluntary contributer, to one that will have a task.
This might lead to burnout or to avoid the site.

I see it each day on our site where we offer free Readings....more and more members start to ask for specific readers for their request, and this lead to no answer at all, or at least seldom...again because it goes from voluntary to task.

Much can be achieved by the way the thread's tittle are "created".
Does this show a "good subject" line that fetch the interest of the one with knowledge in the field, then I think most of the job is done...then it up to the thread owner and the participant to keep the thread so good that the "Guru" feel the urge to watch it

[Grorgy]

I think Rhutobello is right. People come here for fun and relaxation, to discuss topics and issues of interest, and the 'gurus' help out when they are able to or feel like it.  In the months Ive been here I've noticed that most are very generous with their time and knowledge, but they do it because they want to, not because of some expectation that they will.  Seems to me the last thing people need is a hard day at the office followed by another (potential) few hours of answering questions offering advice and so on on a website they come to for a bit of fun and relaxation with like minded folk.

Anyway thats my 

[app103]

10-11 for wazzisname? The smf alien-talk guy...

-nosh (January 26, 2008, 04:29 PM)

If you have heard DC podcast #01, you'd know 10-11 would be me. 

[CodeTRUCKER]

I think adding ability to send to a member from the Send This Topic page is a no brainer and should be added.
CodeTrucker has a point that that doesn't let you send a specific message, which is unfortunate, but im not sure it warrants adding another button to every post.
So my inclination is to put on my todo list a change to the Send This Topic page which:

• Expands size of comment field
• Lets you put in user names instead of emails to send to and sends them a PM if you do

I do think this feature could be useful -- for example people sometimes email me and let me know there is apost about one of my programs that i havent replied to yet, and so i think this would make this easier.

-mouser (January 27, 2008, 01:29 PM)

I finally realized why the "Send Topic" dialog is set up the way it is.  It is designed to send DC topics to friends that are not on DC, hence the name/email fields, essentially an invitation to non-DCers to "come see!."  It really wasn't designed for internal use, IMO.

Not that this has a bearing on the present direction, but if there is a way to verify use/non-use of this original intent of this button, it may be a factor.

[nosh]

If you have heard DC podcast #01, you'd know 10-11 would be me. 

-app103 (January 28, 2008, 10:36 AM)

Just heard it. You totally deserve the tag!

[mhb]

Hi everybody,

While reading through all the post concerning this topic my sometimes weird mind came up with a somewhat more complicated but maybe more effective and nun disturbing idea....

If I understood it correctly, you want to have an option to call an "expert" into a thread if his/her help is needed.
Implementing an easy solution to call a specific person can be quite annoying and disturbing as a couple of people pointed out earlier.

What do you guys think about the following system ....

Well, my system needs some setup.....

- Specific topic/fields should have assigned "experts", the information about this assignment is non public (there can me more than just one "expert")

If a threat is in a need of an expert a logged in user can trigger a SOS call to a specific expert-group by clicking on some "SOS"-button and choosing the desired expert-group. Such a help request is only issued if the thread had already a specific amount of replies and also if a specific amount of different users triggered the SOS call in this thread. This way the users in the thread first have to try to find a solution by their on and also have to agree on calling an expert. (Example: A thread needs at least 10 replies and 4 different users asking for an expert before such a call is issued)

When such help request is issued a PM is sent to all the members of the expert group and a help request for this topic is shown on the forums main page, allowing also non-assigned experts so visit the thread and help with the problem.


Just my 2cents on such an "Invitation"-System.

Cheers,
Marc

[CodeTRUCKER]

Hi everybody,

While reading through all the post concerning this topic my sometimes weird mind came up with a somewhat more complicated but maybe more effective and nun disturbing idea....

If I understood it correctly, you want to have an option to call an "expert" into a thread if his/her help is needed.
Implementing an easy solution to call a specific person can be quite annoying and disturbing as a couple of people pointed out earlier.

What do you guys think about the following system ....

Well, my system needs some setup.....

- Specific topic/fields should have assigned "experts", the information about this assignment is non public (there can me more than just one "expert")

If a threat is in a need of an expert a logged in user can trigger a SOS call to a specific expert-group by clicking on some "SOS"-button and choosing the desired expert-group. Such a help request is only issued if the thread had already a specific amount of replies and also if a specific amount of different users triggered the SOS call in this thread. This way the users in the thread first have to try to find a solution by their on and also have to agree on calling an expert. (Example: A thread needs at least 10 replies and 4 different users asking for an expert before such a call is issued)

When such help request is issued a PM is sent to all the members of the expert group and a help request for this topic is shown on the forums main page, allowing also non-assigned experts so visit the thread and help with the problem.


Just my 2cents on such an "Invitation"-System.

Cheers,
Marc

-mhb (January 28, 2008, 03:56 PM)

Welcome to DC, Marc! 

You have the essential ingredients, but the behind-the-scenes work necessary to implement these kinds of things tends to be the major hurdle in ratification (e.g., lots of work, but not lots of people).  Still, your idea does add a new wrinkle.   We'll just have to see how things go from here.

See you on the boards!

Calvin

[Grorgy]

Good idea Marc, and welcome, your idea seems to provide both for a method to gain an experts opinion if one is needed, and to respect their privacy and free time. 

[f0dder]

I honestly still don't see that this system would be useful.

Personally, as stated previously, I tend to see most threads. If somebody feels I've overlooked something and really need me, they can always (and sometimes have ) send me a PM or (for important stuff) an e-mail. Fixing up the "send this topic" to include a textbox for short message, and be able to use the forum PM system instead of emails, could be a decent thing, though.

But that was of course based on how I surf the forum, the other experts (xhrist, did I just call myself an expert? >_<) might have other views. I just know how "report to moderator" is sometimes abused, and I think that "call in expert" would probably be mainly unused/unnecessary, but with the occasional (probably well-meaning but ill-informed!) abuse.

[Carol Haynes]

I tend to agree with fOdder on this one.

Why not leave "Send this Topic" alone (or possibly make it clearer by calling it "E-mail this topic") and add a different button to PM the topic to another user by user name. Effective the PM topic button would just open the usual PM window and insert the topic URL as a quote in the text box and a modified subject line - that way the person can simply enter the user ID they want to send to and add a comment. The rest will take care of itself.

[CodeTRUCKER]

I tend to agree with fOdder on this one.

Why not leave "Send this Topic" alone (or possibly make it clearer by calling it "E-mail this topic") and add a different button to PM the topic to another user by user name. Effective the PM topic button would just open the usual PM window and insert the topic URL as a quote in the text box and a modified subject line - that way the person can simply enter the user ID they want to send to and add a comment. The rest will take care of itself.

-Carol Haynes (January 28, 2008, 07:58 PM)

I like changing the button to "Email this Topic" idea!

In adding a button, if we're going to go that far would there be any extra overhead to setting the PM mechanism to be populated with the post address rather than the thread address?  I'm too spent to get a clue on what the trigger mechanism would be right now.

Hmmm... would that be more convenient for the Sender and Receiver as the target would be "location" (post) as opposed to an "area" "(topic)?  Seems like it would be more precise/convenient for the Responder.     Just thinking out loud here.

In the meantime anyone else feel free to offer your thoughts.  We always have our eyes open.


<edit> wording and what else... spelling </edit>

[Rover]

Alt solution:  Add a button to call for help, that when activated changes the Topic Icon to something attention getting.
Pro: Easy to see.  No direct Pressure to participate.  Open to anyone who thinks they are an expert on the topic subject.
Con:  Adds yet another button to the thread.  More passive than originally suggested.

[nosh]

Slight digression: Wonder how many people would find a button to open all threads in separate tabs on the "show new replies to your posts" page handy. I know I would.

[Darwin]

Slight digression: Wonder how many people would find a button to open all threads in separate tabs on the "show new replies to your posts" page handy. I know I would.

-nosh (January 31, 2008, 10:40 PM)

Ooh... I like that one 

[CodeTRUCKER]

Slight digression: Wonder how many people would find a button to open all threads in separate tabs on the "show new replies to your posts" page handy. I know I would.

-nosh (January 31, 2008, 10:40 PM)

Regardless what happens with the Attention Mod, THIS is a great idea!  What would you think about splitting this off in its own thread?