[David]

The Forum Feedback FAQ

General notes:

• I suggest you first read the forum guide, as well as guidelines relating to avatars and signatures. These are all linked to at the bottom of this post.
• This is not a democracy. The Admins and Mods make the decisions about how the forums are run. If a member comes up with an idea then the staff may consider it, but at the end of the day their word is final on any matter.
• Feel free to PM/email/post if you have suggestions for changes and additions.

This the new and improved Forum Feedback FAQ. In this FAQ I aim to answer some of the issues most frequently brought up in the Forum Feedback Section. If you have any questions please feel free to let me know and I can add them to the FAQ.

The Classifieds

• What are the Classifieds?
• Who is responsible for maintaining the Classifieds?
• When and how can I access the Classifieds?
• I have 101+ posts and I still can't access the classifieds?
• Click here [post #2]

Using The Forums

• What is postcount and how I find mine?
• Why can't I have an avatar?
• Why are avatars limited to 10k?
• Why can't we hotlink avatars from our own webspace?
• Can I have links in my sig?
• How can I search for an item that is under the character limit on the forum search engine?
• When can I access General Discussion forums?
• What do I do if I have a complaint about a member of staff?
• How do I get my forums name changed?
• How do I post a poll?
• Click here [post #3]
  

Stars and Ranks

• What do yellow/orange/white/pink/blue/green/red stars mean?
• How do I earn extra stars?
• When does my rank change?
• How do I get a custom rank?
• What do all the different staff actually do?
• How do I become a Senior Member?
• How do I become a Moderator?
• Click here [post #4]
  

Improving the Forums

• We need a forum for X!
• What about an OCForums Chat room?
• Click here [post #5]
  

Suggested Further Links

• Forum Guide: http://www.ocforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=66
• Avatars: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=71266
• Signatures: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=58341
• Podcast: http://www.ocforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=173

28/01/05: Edit to add sections on dealing with complaints, and name changes
11/11/04: Edit to add section on accessing General Discussion

[David]

The Classifieds

• What are the Classifieds?
  
  The Classifieds are a section of the Overclockers forums where members can offer goods and services for sale, and purchase items available for sale.
  
  
  
• Who is responsible for maintaining the Classifieds?
  
  The following moderators run the classifieds:
  • Mr B :: http://www.ocforums.com/member.php?u=4719
  • Silversinksam :: http://www.ocforums.com/member.php?u=7905
  • LutaWicasa :: http://www.ocforums.com/member.php?u=4159
  • JoT :: http://www.ocforums.com/member.php?u=18059
  
  
  
• Where, When, and How can I access the Classifieds?
  
  The Classifieds are in a section of their own. To access them, go to the forums home page and scroll down to the bottom. They are there. You may only access the classifieds when you have 100 posts or more. This is a hard and fast rule implemented to discourage trolls from joining simply to rip off our members. Please also note that due to this we look very unfavourably on people who spam. If you are spamming you will be permenantly blocked from the classifieds. Also if you have a high rate of postcount we may not immediately grant you access to the classifieds for security reasons.
  
  
  
• I have 101+ posts and I still can't access the classifieds?
  
  First of all, clear your browser cache and cookies. If this doesn't work, then contact one of the aforementioned classfieds mods.

[David]

Using The Forums

• What is postcount and how I find mine?
  
  Postcount is simply the number of posts you have made. This isnt displayed next to your name, as it is on many other forums, because it was encouraging people to post needlessly to increase their postcount. However, if you click on your name to the left of one of your posts and choose to view public profile, or click on your name on the "Who's online" listing you can see your postcount.
  
  
• Why can't I have an avatar?
  
  Avatars are only available once you have more than 10 posts. Newer members wont be able to select an avatar.
  
  
• Why are avatars limited to 10k?
  
  Firstly, this is from the "old days" when Skip used to host the forums on a server in his basement. In those days, avatars were often 50k, 100k or even larger. This ate up loads of bandwidth. So it was lowered to 10k.
  
  This has been kept at 10k for our members who are on dialup, and to reduce page loading times overall.
  
  
• Why can't we hotlink avatars from our own webspace?
  
  Two reasons:
  • It is difficult to regulate the size of avatars if they are hotlinked from other sites.
  • It uses up other peoples bandwidth. This is fine if it is your site, but if not it means you are using someone elses bandwidth, possibly without their permission.
  
  
• Can I have links in my sig?
  
  Short Answer: No, unless you are staff.
  
  Long Answer: Members are allowed certain links in their sigs (specifically those to pages within the forums, or to articles on Overclockers.com as well as links to the websites for the Overclockers.com Folding@Home, SETI@Home and 3DMark teams, or heatware links). Anything else, which includes email addresses and links which are not necessarily hyperlinks, is not allowed. The only exceptions are members of staff - Senior Members, Moderators, and Administrators.
  
  See this thread on the subject: http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=58341
  
  
• How can I search for an item that is under the character limit on the forum search engine?
  
  Simply use *s to make your search item up to the minimum character limit in the search keywords box. For example, to search for DDR if the minimum character limit is 4 characters type in: DDR*
  
  
• When can I access the General Discussion and General Computer Related Discussion?
  
  These forums are available once you have more than 100 posts; you can access them at the same time as Classifieds access becomes available.
  
  
• What do I do if I have a complaint about a member of staff?
  
  Take it up privately with the staff member concerned. Try and resolve differences quietly and appropriately, as it may simply be a misunderstanding. If this does not help:
  • If you have a complaint about a Senior Member, contact a Moderator
  • If you have a complaint about a Moderator, contact another Moderator or an Administrator
  • If you have a complaint about an Administrator, contact another Administrator.
  
  
• How do I get my Forums name changed?
  
  Forums usernames are rarely changed, the decision whether to do so or not lies with the Moderators and Administrators. If you feel you need your username changed, contact a Moderator or Administrator and explain why you feel you need your username changed.
  
  
• How do I post a poll?
  
  Only Administrators, Moderators and Senior Members can post polls. This is to avoid there being too many polls being posted, and for silly reasons. if you would like a poll posted please contact one of the above. Administrators appear red on the Who Is Online section at the forums index page. Moderators appear in green and Senior Members in blue.
  Please include the following when posting a poll:
  • What do you want the poll question to be?
  • What do you want the options on the poll to be?
  • Would you like the poll to have a specific end date?
  • Do you want multiple choices to be allowed?
  • Do you want votes to be public?

[David]

Stars and Ranks

• What do yellow/orange/white/pink/blue/green/red stars mean?
  
  The colour of stars a user has reflects their status within the forums:
  • Yellow Stars. These are for our newest members, until they reach 100 posts. The number of stars increases with postcount.
  • Orange Stars. These are for the majority of members. The number of stars each member has increases with postcount.
  • White Stars. These are for members with 3,000 posts or more.
  • Pink Stars. These are for members with over 10,000 posts.
  • Grey Stars. These are for members of staff from iNet Interactive, who finance these forums. All iNet staff have 10 grey stars.
  • Blue Stars. These are for Senior Members. Read below on how you can become a Senior Member. All Senior Members have 10 blue stars.
  • Green Stars. These are for our Forum Super Moderators. All Super Moderators have 10 green stars.
  • Red Stars. These are for our Forum Administrators. All Administrators have 10 red stars.
  
  (Note: The pink stars were originally created for Yodums, who has the highest postcount on the forums, after a rather bad photo of him with a pink hat was posted on the forums.... He claims to this day that the hat was white...)
  
  
  
• How do I earn extra stars?
  
  The number of stars you have will increase with postcount. All staff always have 10 stars, but the stars you have are as follows:
  • 0 - 10 - No Stars
  • 11 - 50 - 1 Star
  • 51 - 100 - 2 Stars
  • 101 - 250 - 3 Stars
  • 251 - 500 - 4 Stars
  • 501 - 750 - 5 Stars
  • 751 - 1000 - 6 Stars
  • 1001 - 2000 - 7 Stars
  • 2001 - 4000 - 8 Stars
  • 4001 or more - 9 Stars
  
  
• When does my rank change?
  
  Your rank is also dependant on your postcount. Member ranks are as follows:
  • New Member : 0 - 11 posts
  • Registered : 12 - 99 posts
  • Member : 100 posts
  • Contributing Member : 3000 posts
  • Dedicated Member : 5000 posts
  
  The ranks Senior Member, Super Moderator and Administrator are not post count dependant and are assigned manually.
  
  
• How do I get a custom rank?
  
  Custom ranks, at one point, were assigned if you donated money towards the forums bandwidth costs. After Inet Interactive acquired the forums the money for bandwidth was no longer needed, and nowadays custom ranks are given to staff, or to members who perhaps help out by writing a sticky, or in other situations where a moderator gives a member a new rank.
  
  
• What do all the staff actually do?
  
  Here is a quick summary of what each member of staff does:
  • Administrators are responsible for ensuring the forum is set up correctly, including usergroup and forum permissions. They are also involved in Moderating the forums. They should be contacted for moderator issues, or if you have a complaint about a Moderator.
  • Super Moderators are responsible for the "housekeeping" within the forums such as managing stickies, making sure threads and posts are in the appropriate sections and adhere to the forum rules. All Moderators have powers in all forum sections. Moderators also choose who new Senior Members and Moderators will be.
  • Senior Members are chosen from amongst the members of the forum, in recognition of attitude, commitment and contribution to the forums. See below for criteria. Senior Members aid the moderators by pointing out issues that need resolved, and are often asked for opinions on any new changes the Moderators plan to introduce, before they are introduced. Senior Members can also be contacted if you require a poll to be started, or have a question about the forums.
  
  
• How do I become a Senior Member?
  
  Senior Members, like myself, are simply members who have been around a bit, we have a good knowledge of Overclocking and Hardware in general, and are here to help as best we can. Moderators select Senior Members from the general membership.
  
  From the forum guide:
  

  Want to become a Senior Member? Here is what the moderators and staff look for when appointing Senior Members: (In order of importance)
  
  1. A willingness to help others, particularly when an individual has little personal interest in the topic or problem. As when a Senior helps a beginner with a problem which has been discussed many times in the past.
  2. A demonstrated patience and reserve in dealing with disagreeable people.
  3. The ability to discuss or disagree in a topic on the basis of REASON rather than personal attacks, which never further knowledge, but can only wound hearts.
  4.A reasonable to good back ground in overclocking and cooling combined with a general knowledge of hardware as a whole.
  5. Approximately three - four months in our forum. Time to demonstrate a continuing interest in our forum and allow us to determine the presence of the afore mentioned qualities.

• How do I become a Moderator?
  
  Moderators are selected from the senior member group, as and when they are needed. Moderator promotions tend to be few and far between.

[David]

Improving the Forums

• We need a forum for X!
  
  Is such a forum really needed? When asking about a new section explain why you think it is needed, how it would improve the forums, and if it is relevant to the forums as a whole. Other factors to consider include how easy it would be to moderate ? Does it really warrant its own forum or could it fit in elsewhere? Is there sufficient traffic to justify a new section? Has your idea been suggested in the past and denied? If so, why? (I recommend a forum search).
  Note: "The Emergency Section" for system crashes etc was tried and didn't work out. It is unlikely that it would be re-opened.
  
  
• What about an OCForums Chat room?
  
  The staff have decided against an offical OCForums chat room, due to the difficulty of keeping it appropriately moderated. However, there is an unofficial chat room that members often visit - #octeams on irc.ZiRC.org irc://irc.zirc.org/octeams <= Will direct you there if you paste that into a browser when you have mIRC installed, alternatively Clicking Start > then Run and pasting the irc://... line into it and hitting Enter would do the same thing.

[David]

< This post reserved in case I add stuff later >

[aja]

Please add something about the proper way to nominate a member for senior status (id est not myself!)

I started a nomination thread a while back and it got removed. It was my mistake and a foolish one at that.

But I had no idea how to nominate someone in an official manner.

Thank you!

[aja]

David where are you? lol

[Thelemac]

PM a mod or admin about it.

[aja]

Originally Posted by Thelemac

PM a mod or admin about it.

haha, excuse me thelemac, YOU are an admin...

okay okay, I'll PM a mod to update the thread!

[Thelemac]

Sorry, that was the answer to your question, actually.

[aja]

Originally Posted by Thelemac

Sorry, that was the answer to your question, actually.

Hehe you crack me up

Thanks for the answer....

[I.M.O.G.]

Could use an update here David, at least for classifieds mods.