Scratch

billyedward wrote:

2) Simply educate the scratch community on what should and shouldn't go here.

I find that many misplaced topics come from users new to the forum, mostly young, so their first misconception is that programming something difficult is Scratch is 'advanced'. It could also be that the description of the 'Advanced Topics' section is rather misleading and could use some improvement.

Simply put: if the goal is to educate user as to what is allowed in the 'Advanced Section', how should it be done? 

billyedward wrote:

3) Have the moderators start to clamp down on topics placed in the wrong section.

Sometimes moderators don't get to move topic right away or are unaware of them at first glance - this is often due to the fact that users will post something like "mods, move this please" and not even bother to report it by using the 'Report' link at each post.

Part of this has to do with the fact that people often associate 'Report' and 'Flag', and they are afraid that it will automatically incur some fraction against the post owner. In reality, this is not the case - no such fraction is incurred. The report button is for anything that needs a moderators attention, which includes a request to move threads to proper locations. 

For future reference, it is easier for us mods to move topics when they receive a report that it needs to be moved to the right section. So use that report link everybody! 

As a supplement to #2 and #3, we could maybe make a 'semi advanced topics' section, so as people that think that their question is beyond the scope of 'all about scratch,' however not quite at advanced topics level.

For a while, I was thinking that maybe there should be a new section to supplement those who have problems coding something in Scratch. Perhaps not 'semi advanced topic', but rather a title like 'Scratch Programming Help' would be good to clean up some of the clutter.

RHY3756547 wrote:

The answers you get in the advanced section usually aren't advanced either. 

They're normally questions about your question.

billyedward wrote:

cheddargirl wrote:

For a while, I was thinking that maybe there should be a new section to supplement those who have problems coding something in Scratch. Perhaps not 'semi advanced topic', but rather a title like 'Scratch Programming Help' would be good to clean up some of the clutter.

This is a great idea... I think that that would clear up 80% of the non advanced stuff in here..

I wonder what formalities would have to be overcome in order to get that thread started?

Usually suggestions have to get the attention of the Scratch Team and have to be feasible in order for them to be considered. Luckily the latter is true so now all we have to do is get the Scratch Team's attention (usually done by posting in, well, where else but 'Suggestions'  )

I've noticed that implementing suggestions usually go faster if it can be proven that:
(1) there is a great need for it
(2) if the suggested plan is clearly outlined (the clearer the idea is, the more faster it is to implement because it gives a better idea of what the Scratch Team needs to do in order to implement the idea). Perhaps providing the 'Scratch Programming Help' forum (assuming everyone's agreed on the title) a description and telling where it should be placed in the overall forum structure might help out here.

What do you think? 

I like all the ideas mentioned here, actually. 

A new forum for programming help would be nice, but that's where some of the threads in All about Scratch and New Scratch Members are... and some of them feel rather at home there.

As for the report button, I use it. 

cheddargirl wrote:

billyedward wrote:

2) Simply educate the scratch community on what should and shouldn't go here.

I find that many misplaced topics come from users new to the forum, mostly young, so their first misconception is that programming something difficult is Scratch is 'advanced'.

If they come here with no previous programming language, it may be confusing. But I've read a C++ book before I started scratching. I never understood C++, but I've got C# now.

It could also be that the description of the 'Advanced Topics' section is rather misleading and could use some improvement.

You see, there's the problem. It fits only up to 3 lines of text, then just looks weird. I think there should be a sticky "***READ FIRST before posting***".

Simply put: if the goal is to educate user as to what is allowed in the 'Advanced Section', how should it be done? 

billyedward wrote:

3) Have the moderators start to clamp down on topics placed in the wrong section.

Sometimes moderators don't get to move topic right away or are unaware of them at first glance - this is often due to the fact that users will post something like "mods, move this please" and not even bother to report it by using the 'Report' link at each post.

And that's another thing: People are afraid of Report link. They don't want to snitch on each other. I use Report link whenever I see anything that looks like spam or belongs to area other than where it was posted in.

Part of this has to do with the fact that people often associate 'Report' and 'Flag', and they are afraid that it will automatically incur some fraction against the post owner. In reality, this is not the case - no such fraction is incurred. The report button is for anything that needs a moderators attention, which includes a request to move threads to proper locations. 

For future reference, it is easier for us mods to move topics when they receive a report that it needs to be moved to the right section. So use that report link everybody! 

As a supplement to #2 and #3, we could maybe make a 'semi advanced topics' section, so as people that think that their question is beyond the scope of 'all about scratch,' however not quite at advanced topics level.

For a while, I was thinking that maybe there should be a new section to supplement those who have problems coding something in Scratch. Perhaps not 'semi advanced topic', but rather a title like 'Scratch Programming Help' would be good to clean up some of the clutter.

Some good ideas here.

Last edited by filo5 (2010-02-14 04:40:33)

Well... pretty much anything about BYOB and mesh belongs in this forum. Some other examples might include tips on reducing project size, speech recognition, and so on - anything rather complex that isn't much of a programming help thread.

Some people use this forum to talk about stuff that they find hard to do, I'd say that is not Advanced Topics.

Off Topic - Vista and I are on TBG, are you two going to come over?

filo5 wrote:

You see, there's the problem. It fits only up to 3 lines of text, then just looks weird. I think there should be a sticky "***READ FIRST before posting***".

That is a very good way to implement the 'educate the scratch community' option.
I think that this in conjunction with the programming help forum will solve 99% of this problem.

WeirdF wrote:

Some people use this forum to talk about stuff that they find hard to do, I'd say that is not Advanced Topics.

Off Topic - Vista and I are on TBG, are you two going to come over?

Sorry, I missed your post. 

Jonathanpb wrote:

GB91 wrote:

Why is this forum in the Advanced Topics? It doesn't go beyond just 'using' scratch. You know; it doesn't expose new things you can do with it or pose questions about ways to go beyond the program itself or even look into how alternative methods can be employed to increase efficiency. It should be placed in 'all about scratch,' or a similar one. (sound familiar?????) All it is, is you [removed] about the way other people do things. Seiriously, is it that big a deal if some people put something unadvanced in the advanced forums. What's the worst that's going to happen - you go into the forum realize it's unadvanced and leave! Oh my gosh, that's a whole minute in your oh so important life wasted - heaven forbbid it!!!

...what? That's just plain crazy. We want to keep topics in Advanced Topics advanced, and that isn't so wild. 

Oh - even though you put asterisks in your swear word, that's still quite rude.

Ya but how is this in the advanceed topics??? It's not advanced at all??!!

GB91 wrote:

Jonathanpb wrote:

GB91 wrote:

Why is this forum in the Advanced Topics? It doesn't go beyond just 'using' scratch. You know; it doesn't expose new things you can do with it or pose questions about ways to go beyond the program itself or even look into how alternative methods can be employed to increase efficiency. It should be placed in 'all about scratch,' or a similar one. (sound familiar?????) All it is, is you [removed] about the way other people do things. Seiriously, is it that big a deal if some people put something unadvanced in the advanced forums. What's the worst that's going to happen - you go into the forum realize it's unadvanced and leave! Oh my gosh, that's a whole minute in your oh so important life wasted - heaven forbbid it!!!

...what? That's just plain crazy. We want to keep topics in Advanced Topics advanced, and that isn't so wild. 

Oh - even though you put asterisks in your swear word, that's still quite rude.

Ya but how is this in the advanceed topics??? It's not advanced at all??!!

This topic's subject is related to the Advanced Topics forum. Therefore, it goes in here.

GB91 wrote:

billyedward wrote:

GB91 wrote:

Why is this forum in the Advanced Topics? It doesn't go beyond just 'using' scratch. You know; it doesn't expose new things you can do with it or pose questions about ways to go beyond the program itself or even look into how alternative methods can be employed to increase efficiency. It should be placed in 'all about scratch,' or a similar one. (sound familiar?????) All it is, is you [removed] about the way other people do things. Seiriously, is it that big a deal if some people put something unadvanced in the advanced forums. What's the worst that's going to happen - you go into the forum realize it's unadvanced and leave! Oh my gosh, that's a whole minute in your oh so important life wasted - heaven forbbid it!!!

That is a very good point you've brought up! However, I think that in this case, this topic actually pertains to the advanced topics thread itself, so it makes sense to put it here.
I think that although it would not bring the end of the world if there are unadvanced topics in this section, there is a reason that there are separate topics on the scratch forums, and ignoring the classification system will bring adverse effects to the scratch community, and who knows? It may cause some user to become frustrated, and stop using scratch, and use the time instead to invent a super atomic bomb and call it sputnik 5, that accidentally explodes on their house in America, whose name makes the US think that it came from Russia, and start a nuclear world war three that wipes out all humanity, and the radiation reprograms all computers, thus leaving the survivors with a robot apocalypse! And that's just one of the many possibilities...

To be honest I don't think people are doing it on purpose. I think that people actually think that their topics are advanced...even if it's not. I think that the description on the front is a little misleading and that it is, at least partially responsible. Also, there is already too many things in the advanced topics. If you really want to fix this then you can check the forums before you post a forum. When I went through the forums there were more duplicates then you could imagine.

Some very good points brought up here.
We'll have to mention these in the proposal to open the new thread.