Posted by Brent_IL on April 01, 2002 at 15:23:33:
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General FAQ question. - Posted by Brent_IL
Posted by Brent_IL on April 01, 2002 at 14:35:13:
Several years ago when affiliate programs were new, I signed up with a web hosting company as an affiliate. They had the usual puffery to sell the program, but before you could complete the sign-up process they sent you to an information page. There was a quiz at the end. We were tested on do’s and don’ts, commissions, pay dates, unsubscribing, etc. You needed to pass with 100% to continue with the sign-up process. If you missed a question it sent you back to the relevant material and you had to start over again.
My infatuation with internet businesses was extremely short-lived, but I never forgot the testing idea.
My question is if it is feasible to require a passing grade in some kind of simple FAQ test before replying to another’s post on CREonline.
The advantage I see is that it would offer people a better chance at getting good information, eliminate the repetitive what-is-a-(fill in the blank) questions, and provide an educational foundation or review. The Vaughan?s would benefit from reduced archive storage, newsgroup trashers who wouldn?t bother taking the test and buyers who don?t procrastinate when purchasing a course because they have a better sense of personal direction.
I know that I?ve posted a lot of garbage when I was half-asleep or misread a question. I often wonder what misinformation I?ve given that has slipped through without correction.
The disadvantages are that someone has to write the program, it?s a hassle, and first-time viewers, not knowing the depth of information available on site, will just go to a competing site.
This is only an idea. I?m undecided if it?s a good idea.
Any opinions?
Re: General FAQ question. - Posted by JohnBoy
Posted by JohnBoy on April 01, 2002 at 15:14:48:
I think having to pass something to be allowed to post is a bad idea. I like things the way they are and I follow the belief that if its not broke, then don’t try to fix it! I think its because of the way things are now is a big reason for the success of this site.
The only thing that might be a good idea that I have seen on other sites is where vistors can come and read everything having full access, but before you can post you have to sign up to register a valid e-mail. They also have a feature that allows you the choice of have any responses to your posts to be automatically sent to your e-mail like it does here now, or you can opt to not have responses sent automatically. Those that type “nospam” won’t have to do that since nothing would be sent to them automatically. They already have the program to stop the robots from lifting e-mails here, so the only way to lift them is one by one by hand and they can still lift the ones with “nospam” in them if they’re doing it by hand anyway. But by having to at least register a valid e-mail before being allowed to post would elimante the phony posters with bogus e-mails. If they post crap the Vaughns would know who they are.
A general FAQ page would be OK, and J.P. has stated something about anyone wanting to do that to write up there questions and answers and assemble one that could be posted. But I don’t think it will eliminate much since many vistors don’t bother to search the archives before asking repeated questions anyway.
I think some things that would be neat is to have a FAQ page that lists things about each state as far as what the foreclosure process is for that state, the average time it takes to foreclose in that state. Some general info on landlord/tenant laws for each state as far as, how many days you need to give as a grace period before serving a pay or quit notice. Some states are 5 days while some are 3 days. What the normal procedure is to evict, etc. What the process is for each state pertaining to contract for deed sales. Can you evict or do you need to foreclose. Things of that nature. I think that would benefit everyone, not just newbies where someone experienced thinking about a deal in another state could reference that in a FAQ page.
But as far as posting bad information, that goes with the territory and for the most part someone does catch and correct it. That’s part of the benefit of this board and people just have to take some responsibility to verify things they read from a site like this. Besides, it will always happen regardless of what you try to prevent it, so why add all the extra restrictions?
Besides, this IS the internet and there is only so much anyone can do to keep things in check. The Vaughns do a fantastic job of that as it is and they have many of eyes from other posters that help to keep things in line so why complicate things?
Besides, if things starting being restricted as to who can post or answer questions, what would you do with all that extra free times on your hands by having less posts to respond to or correct??? LOL