Question Do we really need the Ask section anymore?

The Catboy

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So upon seeing this Ask, I started to wonder, "Do we really need the Ask section anymore?" It was a cool idea back when it was first added, but now it's hardly ever used and most of the answers are found in the forums or on the wiki. I understand that it was made for quick questions and quick answers, but it seems no one is really into that idea anymore. It hasn't cut down on quick question threads being made. And it's not like it's a section that's hard to find, it's the fourth section in the main tabs, so people just aren't using it.
This lack of interest/use just makes me wonder if it's really severed it's purpose and if it's worth keeping?
 

The Catboy

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To add or remove a thing is work, and it's not like it's a dangerous thing :)
But it's also really kind of pointless. It's not causing any issues, but it's also not serving the purpose it was intended for. It was suppose to help cut down on quick question threads, but that has not happened. In fact it's almost never used and has barely been used since it was added. So it poses the question of, is it worth keeping?
Not to mention this isn't some case there it's not being promoted. It's very clearly shown in several places and even part of the main tabs. So people just aren't using it and it doesn't seem like they care enough to use it.
 

Abu_Senpai

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Out with the old and in with the new is what i say. OR in this case, out with the old and in with the nothing. Never used that feature of the forum tbh, so dont really care if it lives or dies.
 

H1B1Esquire

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It's better to have it an not need it than to need it and not have it.

I am definitely okay with the idea of showing new users all of the available site features and tips, in a concise bullet-point page before they start posting--some don't know how to use the search function of GBAtemp.
 

Sketchy1

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So upon seeing this Ask, I started to wonder, "Do we really need the Ask section anymore?" It was a cool idea back when it was first added, but now it's hardly ever used and most of the answers are found in the forums or on the wiki. I understand that it was made for quick questions and quick answers, but it seems no one is really into that idea anymore. It hasn't cut down on quick question threads being made. And it's not like it's a section that's hard to find, it's the fourth section in the main tabs, so people just aren't using it.
This lack of interest/use just makes me wonder if it's really severed it's purpose and if it's worth keeping?
tbh we also don't need the Nintendo network section on the 3ds forum. most of the posts there more or less belong in the cfw forum, because its usually just a bug thread saying "how to connect with luma"
 

H1B1Esquire

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Never had to hump your own pack or reduce the attack surface for a website?
e5cf2801491b17cc97bd870503e3f1c382bbd41820b7cc9f42580bb3fe6b72df.jpg

Even if you don't think you need it, you never know if you'll need it.
 

FAST6191

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Even if you don't think you need it, you never know if you'll need it.

OK, but there is still a tradeoff one gets to make. The deployment of the ask section is not a long and drawn out one, compared to say a wiki which is easy to deploy but info and linking it all together is harder, should it come to pass that having an ask section would outweigh the negatives of having such a thing.
 

Sketchy1

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e5cf2801491b17cc97bd870503e3f1c382bbd41820b7cc9f42580bb3fe6b72df.jpg

Even if you don't think you need it, you never know if you'll need it.
but it only finalizes at about 10 less quick questions threads, because noobs making the support threads (which is the bulk of what should be in the ask forum) simply create their own threads, and we answer them anyway which kind of defeats the purpose of having it exist.
 

H1B1Esquire

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OK, but there is still a tradeoff one gets to make.

Possibly, but I think with more exposure, people might utilize the Ask section. I think we're in an area where most questions are already answered or people are afraid of jackass answers like, "Buy a new one.", but when we won't have all the answers and the knowledge isn't as wide-spread, I feel there will be someone asking, "Is there an Ask section?" to which the reply will be, "No; we got rid of it because not enough people asked questions."

The other way I'm looking at it is: it's (Ask) already here, coded into the site. It seems like a waste to take it out if it might have to be coded back.
-----

but it only finalizes at about 10 less quick questions threads, because noobs making the support threads (which is the bulk of what should be in the ask forum) simply create their own threads, and we answer them anyway which kind of defeats the purpose of having it exist.

We replied around the same time, but

more exposure
 
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Sketchy1

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Possibly, but I think with more exposure, people might utilize the Ask section. I think we're in an area where most questions are already answered or people are afraid of jackass answers like, "Buy a new one.", but when we won't have all the answers and the knowledge isn't as wide-spread, I feel there will be someone asking, "Is there an Ask section?" to which the reply will be, "No; we got rid of it because not enough people asked questions."

The other way I'm looking at it is: it's (Ask) already here, coded into the site. It seems like a waste to take it out if it might have to be coded back.
-----



We replied around the same time, but
thats up to the site managers really, to which they most likely will not remove it (a bunch of work for no real gain) but as @Lilith Valentine said, its the fourth link in the forum tab, so i dont think more exposure would exactly get it to be used, i mean, how much more conspicuous can you get then the top 5?. its also just questions that could just be googled or wiki'd and answered in seconds
 

H1B1Esquire

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thats up to the site managers really, to which they most likely will not remove it (a bunch of work for no real gain) but as @Lilith Valentine said, its the fourth link in the forum tab, so i dont think more exposure would exactly get it to be used, i mean, how much more conspicuous can you get then the top 5?. its also just questions that could just be googled or wiki'd and answered in seconds

I guess people could make EoF posts about how useful the Ask section is :rofl2:
 

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