Large Scale Central

Beginner information

General Discussion
#41

Gary Buchanan, FOG said:

The problem I see with a beginners forum where newbies don’t need asbestos undies to post is that for any given question 20 (or more) egg spurts will chime in with their favorite choice or solution which may offer the newbie a lot of choices or just be that much more confusing. It’s a little like asking what automotive brand is best and getting a hundred passionate responses championing their favorite brand. I think a FAQ with just the basics would be more helpful.

Yea, I think the beginners forum will be the only heavily-moderated forum to keep things calm.

#42

thinking it through, i think, a FAQ and a beginner section both would be optimal.

questions like:“whati is G-scale?” can be answered very well in a FAQ.

but questions like: “for my xxx situation, what yyy do i best take?” need a unique answer, not a pre-made one.

for the “egg-spurt problem”, maybe it would help to have a rule for the non beginners, writing in the beginner section, to restrict their posts to descriptions, of what they have actually done (plus pros and cons), to keep everything more factual and less confusing.

edit for ps: and possibly that section should be a little bit more moderated.

so Bob, name one or two watchdogs…

#43

Bob McCown said:

Hey folks

In the last several months I’ve had (surprisingly, actually) a non-trivial amount of requests from people for beginner-level “Whats all this about” kind of information about Large Scale trains. Very basic information we all take for granted (various scales, approximate costs, how to get started, Manufacturers, etc…). Something in a non-forum format. I’m thinking a separate section under Articles for it. Opinions?

-=Bob

Bob: I belong to a forum that uses a Wiki type data base that allows members to input all kinds of stuff. That way you can update information as needed. it has a moderator and others who can watch the content and approve it. Any forum member who is accepted can input or update information.

Here is the Wiki site: http://www.diylightanimation.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

As you see it is broke down to subjects with a lot of information under each subject.

X

#44

Bob, I think that you might be over stating the need to heavily moderate a Beginner’s Forum.

Witness the most recent two new guys, Devon and Nicolas. Folks have been chiming in to help them, without any rancor.

Among established folks, there might be some good natured ribbing, but I challenge you to find it in new guy threads. Once Devon became established, we started kidding him, but not at first. Even now, when he asks a question, he gets respectful answers.

It is the good natured ribbing among friends that keeps folks coming back.

#45

I like the beginner forum idea but I also dislike all the added forums we have these days. I find these days I stick a few main forums because of time. I like simple and easy (shut up Rooster) Sometimes I think all the different forums can be overwhelming, especially for a new person. Having one forum devoted for the new person would help and keep things less overwhelming. You can add the FAQ as a sticky on top but if someone wants to be more personal (shut up Rooster) the beginner forum is the place to go.

#46

Well, I do have the agree with Steve. The beginners section will have to be monitored, but probably not as much as you might think. And it may end up having to be monitored more for the newbies then the established folks. Remember Stacy, and that dude with the double ended crane? Bob you have done a good job in escorting the really bad element out of here. And while the rest of those here may get out of hand once in a while, myself included, we are generally a well behaved bunch now.

#47

I have to both agree and disagree with what Steve said below:

BUT, and it is a HUGE but in my mind,

  • you cannot search and find the “distilled” information on hardly any of Devon’s threads.No offense to anyone but pages and pages of posts for a few questions are not going to help people who want to learn right away.

  • Also, these threads tend to go in multiple directions and have the topic drift. Again not great for a newcomer.

  • Lastly, these posts have been one person asking questions just for his particular situation. This only helps people in that particular situation.

So, a place to ask questions is fine, but of course it’s always here, this is a forum ALREADY.

But beginners won’t even know what questions to ask. They are eager to get started, and tend to drill down one path without realizing the other things they want to ask about… they don’t know enough yet.

So the “passive” information is needed to give the beginner a basic understanding to go to the next level. This means reading, and a good concentrated primer in easy to digest chunks.

Greg

Steve Featherkile said:

Bob, I think that you might be over stating the need to heavily moderate a Beginner’s Forum.

Witness the most recent two new guys, Devon and Nicolas. Folks have been chiming in to help them, without any rancor.

Among established folks, there might be some good natured ribbing, but I challenge you to find it in new guy threads. Once Devon became established, we started kidding him, but not at first. Even now, when he asks a question, he gets respectful answers.

It is the good natured ribbing among friends that keeps folks coming back.

#48

At first while reading some of the posts I was afraid to ask a question, having dealt with people at open houses who seemed put off or were too busy chatting with their friends to answer my “dumb” newcomer questions. It looked like here that there were the same guys giving grief back and forth, a club of sorts where newcomers might be scorned for asking a question, so I roamed the forum looking for answers to my questions, then one day I got the courage up and started asking a few simple questions and got good answers, so I became more involved asking more questions, found everyone here seems to personally involved enough to answer my simple questions, even noted authors in national magazines, dictators, and guys with their own websites have answered me.

A long winded way of saying that a beginners forum however it is put together may help people like me who come to this forum. As a beginner I am looking forward to it!

So now just as you have predicted you have 200 different ideas with our opinions on a new subject

#49

Pete Lassen said:

At first while reading some of the posts I was afraid to ask a question, having dealt with people at open houses who seemed put off or were too busy chatting with their friends to answer my “dumb” newcomer questions.

This may be true however the folks in chat were never to busy to answer what you call “dumb” newcomer questions. Honestly there are no dumb questions.

#50

" Rooster " said:

Pete Lassen said:

At first while reading some of the posts I was afraid to ask a question, having dealt with people at open houses who seemed put off or were too busy chatting with their friends to answer my “dumb” newcomer questions.

This may be true however the folks in chat were never to busy to answer what you call “dumb” newcomer questions. Honestly there are no dumb questions.

shut up Rooster!

i think, you missunderstood him.

the term “chatting” once upon a time had a verbal and non tactil meaning.

i think, Pete meant, people in conversation with others at the open houses had no time, because they were chatting (antique english expression for smalltalk)

#51

Shut up Korm !

I did not misunderstand him and I believe he will understand what I just said…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#52

" … " (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cry.gif)

#53

Bob,

feel free to use this:

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/scottychaos/Large-scale-scales2.gif

if you like, any way you can.

Scot

#54

Yes, we harangue each other, but usually its friendly banter. I understand that a new comer might be a bit intimidated to jump in, since he doesn’t know the context of our relationships with each other (shut up Rooster). Maybe a “beginner’s” thread might help. And even though the person may ask what he thinks is a dumb question, if he doesn’t have the answer, then its not a dumb question (shut up Rooster).

Searching old threads can yield some good information, but often times when I search, I get hundreds of hits, and I give up after a few. Many folks are like that, they would rather ask then sift through the archives. So a FAQs and beginners thread is sounding like the way to go. That’s just my opinion. YMMV

#55

" Rooster " said:

Pete Lassen said:

At first while reading some of the posts I was afraid to ask a question, having dealt with people at open houses who seemed put off or were too busy chatting with their friends to answer my “dumb” newcomer questions.

This may be true however the folks in chat were never to busy to answer what you call “dumb” newcomer questions. Honestly there are no dumb questions.

We used to say that when I was teaching: “There are no dumb questions”. (But, under our breath we’d think “But YOU get an A for effort!”)

#56

Shut Up Both of you!

Rooster that is what i was trying to get across, I should have said “BSing with their friends” I clearly remember a “what the hell do you want” look from a group of guys at one layout, my wife even mentioned it later. But like you said Rooster you all here have been really quick to answer any questions I have put up, so thanks for the help.

Edit to say; Thanks Bruce for giving the A for effort, even if the actual grade will be a F, as long as an effort is put forth, learning will happen.

#57

And a good forum with more information, nice and concentrated will make searches work better.

My site is basically a big database of information, and gets “crawled” by google all the time.

This can work with a little effort.

Greg

#58

Pete Lassen said:

Shut Up Both of you!

Rooster that is what i was trying to get across, I should have said “BSing with their friends” I clearly remember a “what the hell do you want” look from a group of guys at one layout, my wife even mentioned it later. But like you said Rooster you all here have been really quick to answer any questions I have put up, so thanks for the help.

Edit to say; Thanks Bruce for giving the A for effort, even if the actual grade will be a F, as long as an effort is put forth, learning will happen.

Pete, yes. The members of one of the HO clubs I belong to are like that at shows. I really would like to say something to the worst offenders, but I don’t need to start a fight. People lament the fact that new people aren’t coming into the hobby in droves, but then some folks don’t welcome them in. So, they don’t come in.

#59

Greg is right, that it is difficult to find factual information in our threads.

but, who cares? i love the relaxed tone here at LSC.

and for factual info, the beginner section should/could have some links. George Schreyer’s site, Greg’s as well and Richard Schmitt’s article about his layout-building come to mind. i’m sure, there are more “worthy” sites to be linked.

we are no cloned copies, nor are our backyards, eras, interests and purses identical.

so “search the f. forum!” will give no really fitting answers in most of the cases.

those, who can’t stand to read the “same” questions over and over, should simply stay away from beginner’s threads.

#60

Excellent idea Bob, with the dwindling numbers of dealers left out there, might be another good “sticky” to keep running list of shops that deal in large scale. We are blessed with on good one near me in Zionsville, Indiana. Zionsville Train Depot, reborn from the old Watt’s Train Shop that is gone. But a beginners online guide to large scale is a good idea. Kalmbach does a nice book as well I can recommend, although its a bit dated in its material and content. I was taught by Dave Watts that step number 1 after getting my LGB starter set was to just put down a circle or loop of track in the garden and run a train. Making a start, any start, is better than just doing it all online or from your arm chair. Mike