Why

[#1]

Quote from: jelv

.. "Can someone please help" (with what?), "help", "web help" (in the webspace help forum!)...

You forgot the old classic .. "Not Happy", or maybe you'll even get the slighly longer "Not Happy With PlusNet"
EDIT: Added quote of some of Jelv's post as mine went onto another page.

[#2]

We did used to do it, but as so many of the old hands have left, and we are now below strength there simply isn't the time to correct everything.
Its hard enough keeping up with the 'Report to Moderator' actions we get sometimes!
We did used to have a page seperate from the forums which gave help on BBCode, and general netiquette type advice when the forums were integrated with the portal.
Obviously thats gone now, and we are just left with the rules.
I don't personally feel that its worth making a formal statement that such topic titles are unacceptable, as it raises an onus on the moderating team to deal with the issue.
Much better IMO would be to resurrect the old FAQ/Advice page, bringing the BBCode up to date for SMF, and including the extra functions etc.
Trouble is, as always, time.
Hopefully when the new moderator is on board, we'll have a better chance to nominate somebody to complete the task.

[#3]

There is still help available on BBCode:
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php?action=help;page=post#bbcref

[#4]

James_H
You are welcome to hold that opinion, but I feel that topic subjects like today's:
"Some advice please"
started by Jovetic are just plain unhelpful and should be stopped.
Tony W

[#5]

Quote from: rogerloxton

I'll highlight this thread to the moderator team and see if we can't put some thought into this. Upon reflection, it's actually a pretty good idea

Is there any progress on this?
I was informed that a proposal would be taken to a meeting of moerators in February.
The first page contains the following titles:
'could someone please check'
'I know it's only a minor point...'
'ah [Removed] '
'Where did that lot come from'
Very helpful in selecting which topics may be relevant.....
Tony

[#6]

Now I'm going to have to cogitate as long over the title of my new thread as I do over the content of my subsequent post

[#7]

And then get it "mod  ed " by the Mod Ed (itor) 

[#8]

Why don't the bright sparks and all round clever dicks on here realise that this forum is for a broad spectrum of users.
Not everyone is an IT pro, a technical expert or have a degree in English. Maybe you wish they were and you could geek speek till the cows come home. Don't you recognise that users have differing levels of English skills, some are dyslexic and for some English is not their first language
A lot of posts are from people who are new to forums, not technically minded and are unsure of what to ask and how.
Some of the topic titles being criticised are from users who are posting regularly right across the forum including the General chit chat.
These people make a great contribution to the forum which, I for one really enjoy. I also have to say I think their topic titles are  mostly clever, witty and relevant.
So someone is looking at the screen having read about Rwin, MTU,  sync speed, Postini, Adsl, master sockets etc etc trying to figure out what their problem is, how to fix it and preparing to post to the forum for help.
Now they read this thread and all of a sudden they have to come up with a topic title that will get them a Nobel prize for Science.
Whats next are you going to start picking people up on spelling mistakes?
I know, we should arrange a course in Topic titles for new users, then when they post clever dicks won't waste 5 seconds looking at their post before realising they are not interested

Do me favour, get a life
[Edit] I saw a spelling mistake and I thought I better fix it real quick.

[#9]

I think that's being a little unfair. Some users invest far more energy helping on these forums than they do requesting help; for such users, maximising their efficiency by knowing what a thread's going to contain before viewing it is hardly a bad thing, and results in the 'helper's being able to help more people in the time they have available. Furthermore, a descriptive title can also be helpful when searching... or at least, that's the case on some forums; I'm not so sure about these as I try to avoid the search facility like the plague (it's not very good).

[#10]

So, really it boils down to this..... some people know what they are posting about, and consequently they put that in the title..... then 80% of the people know it is a " technical" matter, that may be of interest to them..... great stuff....
Some people do not know what they are talking about, (in technical jargon) all they know is they have a problem, which when they describe it, the 80% who know what the description describes, can help.  It doens`t need  Formal Orders from the mods (or rockers) to enforce a "full descriptive title of the contents"  (as on a tin of beans & sausages) as a means of getting help..... If a person has a problem with his phone,.... usually they are clever enough to post it in Home Phone Help..... if they have a problem with the Hard drive, (and they recognise that) they are usually clever enough to post it in "computers"....
Just because they do or don`t know what the "exact" problem is, should not prevent them from posting.... as will be the case when you cannot think of the technical title to put on your post, even if you are an expert.....
Perhaps a plethora of posts stating " problem with my hard drive" again, again, again, again, again, again,  (or will they have to be numbered for identification?)will make interesting reading?
I am not a techie. I know how somethings work,  I think I know how some other things work, so I read all the post titles, and if it is obscure, I check it out..... if I think it might be of interest, now or in the future, I will read the posts, and follow  them up each time I come back to the forum....
Probably most others do the same.....
Conclusion for this ...... leave the system as it is..... nice and friendly, and let us all help each other, and not get bogged down with too many rules and regulations..... which will deter the "less technically gifted" to avoid the forum, and subsequently not be of any help except to the "experts" ........

[#11]

smf forum?  admin here has the power of god.  global and other moderators, a smidgen less.  you can delete the entire thread if you're feeling mean.  of course you can change the topic title.

[#12]

That remind us we have not published the minutes of the moderators meeting.
Getting back to the subject of thread titles, the general consensus, that it's not the moderators place to change thread titles unless they are in breach of the forum rules. It can upset and alienate the original poster if the thread title is changed, and also make it difficult to follow and find threads.
Jonathan

[#13]

Quote from: artificer

smf forum?  admin here has the power of god.  global and other moderators, a smidgen less.  you can delete the entire thread if you're feeling mean.  of course you can change the topic title.

Not quite god as he is not a moderator, more like the Pope.
We don't in fact delete threads or posts that we remove for moderation purposes but move them into storage, so that we have an audit trail.

[#14]

@ Chilly..... Agreed..... (with your first post..... second one came up as I was typing ) 
it is only the OP`s who should be able to change the title..... however, the mods "could" send the OP a PM to advise him/her of a more "appropriate" title, therefore, acceeding to the "search" criteria, however, having changed the post title, it will still have the old title in the forum list, as (xxxxxxx  changed to yyyyy in zzzzz forum )  so is there any point in doing it in the first place?

[#15]

Quote from: chillypenguin

That remind us we have not published the minutes of the moderators meeting.

Oh really and where would that be published......next to the newsletter that I didn't get?