Suggestion: new member email/letter

Following is extracted from my response to clc from the thread "Newbie Exam". I would like to post this as a suggestion in the feedback forum. - Thanks.

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First of all clc, thanks for putting together a set of questions. I think these questions are good questions. I appreciate your work and praise your ability of browsing (and absorbing) tons of information in a short amount of time.

I am still gathering information from this board and am completely awe-struck and spell-bound with the knowledge of old timers and experienced folks here.

Having said that, I would say that I agree with soren. I do not want to repeat soren's arguement as it was a well written post.

I strongly disagree with the term 'exam' as it has a connotation of passing with a minimum score or something. And I disagree with the idea of putting newbies through a test/grill session.

This is an open board, and open forum for discussion for people from all walks, people from all levels. Putting an exam as a sheild or filter, in my opinion, will not do justice with the very idea behind the foundation of this group(or such a group). Just like any discussion group, live or online, it is everybody's responsibility to maintain the decorum and participate intelligently. The reality is that no matter how many exams/tests you create, there will be newbies asking basic questions.

If it is desired that a discussion group to be open for people having a certain level of knowledge, that group should have restricted entry. Meaning some sort of referral or membership criteria.

I still like the "questionnaire" (notice i refuse to call it an exam) and I would suggest, if some/all of it is not already in the standard documentation places (like FAQ's, Library), they should be added there. I would leave it to the more experienced to decide the content of what all should be added (in FAQ's).

That becomes the central repository of information for both newbies and not-so-newbies. This board already has such places. I founded the FAQ area highly helpful in my first few days.

At the end, it becomes the responsibility of all newbies to first go through the central repository (not necessarily all searches, but basic questionnaire), absorb the information (based on their ability and time constraints) and then ask questions. We all have different background, different situations, and are under different degrees of urgency when we come to this board.

I guess I have started repeating myself. Have I started repeating myself? I think I have started repeating myself....

Basically, as I see it, clc, some of your questions should be added to FAQ's - if they do not exist there already.

HAVING SAID THAT, this discussion has prompted to make the following suggestion:

Anyway, my suggestion is as follows:

1. We create a collection of links and directions to fresher/newbie.

2. We create a welcome letter(or document). In that document, we mention the FAQ's and basic palces and where to look for information.

3. When anyone joins the group, with the first email we send that letter to everyone. That way you get to see the basic sources of information even before you are elligible to post a question.

4. We leave those newbies alone and 'trust' them to read the letter and browse through information before asking basic questions.

When I joined, I got a simple text email with the link to go directly to the borad. If my suggestion is followed through, I will be willing to contribute some time to make a html based formatted intro email containing info for new members.

Thank you.

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