Do any Newbies read the FAQ ?

[GGKoul]

At the top of the Main Forum posting, there is a post linking to a variety of questions that have been asked before.  

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=19049

And I'm wondering if newbies even read that post?   And do any newbies use the excellent search function?  As that will most likey help answer some of your basic MAME configuration questions.

Such as:
- Control Panel Layout (4 player & 2 player)
- What controls I need to buy
- Which controls can I buy when I have a limited budget
- How many buttons do I need
- PC hardware
- Golden Tee 2005 does not work in Mame


So if your a newbie.  Read the FAQ, Read the Project Arcade book and do a search before you post any of your basic questions.  As there's a wealth of information on this board and it'll most likely have you get on your way.

Thanks
-GGKoul

[NoOne=NBA=]

Nope.

Maybe we need to come up with a test for them to pass (covering all the repeatedly asked basics) in order to get posting rights.

That way they'd HAVE to use the search function before they could post.

[Goz]

Not to be completely negative, I saw the subject and was hoping it was a POLL. But I think we all know that a certain percentage of people are lazy in general and most others get noob-itis and get so excited that they often start off asking what appears to us as a potential entry form for the darwin award.

ie. How do I turn off the type OK message? or How do I type OK?

I find myself biting my tongue more often than not on alot of peoples first couple of posts.

It is hard and I just know that at some point some of us will pop and then it makes this board a little less friendly and thats just a shame for the best damn hobby board I have ever participated on to be blemished like that.

With all of the sensitivity and politically correct BS out of the way, please RTFM and FAQ's

-Goz

 

[GGKoul]

How do you add a poll to the post?

[TalkingOctopus]

When CitznFish made a newbie FAQ over a year ago, I read it and it was helpful.  I have not looked at the new FAQ though.

[foomench]

How do you add a poll to the post?

Isn't that in the FAQ?

Seriously, I read the FAQs, and did a small amount of searching before posting my first questions. My questions went beyond the FAQ, and also got into some opinion areas.

-foomench

[Sir Auros]

I think the FAQ would do better integrated into the site...also doesn't help that a lot of the topics I went into from it were derailed quickly or just not helpful enough.

[MoonDog]

yup!  that's why i haven't made any posts yet (well, until now).

this is a great resource with a wealth of knowledge.  i'll probably have some questions at some point, but so far the FAQ's and other posts seem to be keeping me busy.

[monkeybomb]

   I read the entire faqs before I posted.  I think the faqs are awesome, but some of the answers aren't that clear.  The question I see asked most that is answered in the faqs is about the minimum specs needed for a mame computer.  IMO The problem is that the discussion simply gives extremes.  What people really want is a chart of what games have worked with their speed computer.  I know that OS and mame version are also factors but there are games that run on 1.3g that won't on 600m regardless of how  hard I try to screw it up.  Ideally a chart would contain a few representative games and the optimized OS and mame version for that system.

[mozzer]

So if your a newbie.  Read the FAQ, Read the Project Arcade book and do a search before you post any of your basic questions.  As there's a wealth of information on this board and it'll most likely have you get on your way.

Thanks
-GGKoul

Wow, I guess you were never a newbie. Just incase you forgot, here are some of your earlier posts. I even used the Search Function to find them, my that thing is handy.


790     / Main Forum / More NEWBIE Questions - Be Gentle  on: March 25, 2002, 10:33:10 PM  

I understand these questions may have been answered 100's of times before.  But I hope you can bare with me and answer some of my basic NEWBIE questions.  As I just want to make sure I have a firm understanding of MAME:

5:  Is there a min system requirements to play the all the games?  I understand a AMD Duron 850 with at least 256 of ram will do... but is that too much or too little?  And what is more importmant when running a ROM.  Horsepower or RAM?


788     / Main Forum / Marquee & Control Panel Art   on: March 29, 2002, 10:05:15 AM  
Just a couple of questions:

- What are the dimentions of a standard Marquee?

- Where can one download Marquee's that goes in to the Mame/Marquee directory

- I've seen a couple of peope have created there own custom artwork for there control panels.  Just wondering, how you did created this (What program did you use) and does any have a site where I can d/l or a place where I can view some custom Control Panel designs?

Thanks
-GGKoul
 




I could have listed more examples, in fact your first 15 or so posts were full of questions that could have been answered by the faq.

[GGKoul]

I'm when I started here.. there was no Project Arcade book nor FAQ.

[RayB]

What's a FAQ?

 

[Sir Auros]

I'm when I started here.. there was no Project Arcade book nor FAQ.

Yeah, but demanding newbies go buy and read the book doesn't make this site seem very helpful now, does it? The FAQ could use some better organization (like the site's going to be getting) since, as I said before, a lot of those threads look like they'll be helpful but end up being...not.

[GGKoul]

I'm not demanding people go out and by a book.  

But if people just spent 5 mins searching around, then they would see that a number basic  questions that get asked on a weekly basis.    

[RayB]

Sometimes the search doesn't reveal the right threads.

I searched for "Atari lit buttons" and did not get the info I wanted. Turns out I should have searched for "Atari LED" and I would have found what I needed.

[missioncontrol]

I read the FAQ but slept since then so now I don't remember it

[Chris]

Sometimes the search doesn't reveal the right threads.

I searched for "Atari lit buttons" and did not get the info I wanted. Turns out I should have searched for "Atari LED" and I would have found what I needed.

Unfortunately, the YABBSE search function leaves something to be desired...

[the3eyedblindman]

What is the big deal? let them post there questions, I believe me first post about 6 months ago was "can anyone give me a walkthrough on how to build a machine, step by step," cuz i had no idea. If it bothers you just dont read them, but if they have questions, let them ask.

[Pieman2004]

A lot of times I do not post my questions or comments, because of the fear of being a nuisance(sp). When I first learned about mame I was pretty excited about getting a arcade built. I found this forum and wanted to join in and interact with everyone here. You have to ask questions to interact on the forum, and when you are a newbie your questions will be of the same nature. So some people like myself are caught in a dilemma(sp again). I want to interact, but I don't want people to go off on me because I asked some newbie question. But It will continue to be like this, so there is nothing to be done.

[the3eyedblindman]

Ask your questions man, they wont ban you for asking a question. When you have no experience on the site or on building a mame machine, your gonna have lots of questions, and the only way to get them answered is to ask. If people like this guy who started this thread get annoyed by them, he can just not read them, newbies have a right to ask questions, cuz they dont know anything. I bet when everyone here first started they asked all the "Frequently asked Questions" alot too, but back then they didnt care because they wanted answers, now that they know there answers, and new people are asking the questions, they are getting annoyed, and that aint right, so just keep askin questions, and again, if it bothers the old people, just dont read them.

[GGKoul]

Ok.. so my point of this thread was too see if any one reads the FAQ at the start of the Main Forum.  And it appears nobody does.  

So I guess there's no need to keep a history of the questions here since people are just going to ask the same questions over and over again.

I started this thread because as someone who has been here for over 3 years, I find it funny that the same questions get asked on a weekly basis.  And sometimes I read them and sometimes I don't.  

But if someone spends 5 mins looking at the FAQ or searching for your question using the SEARCH funcation, you'll see a few posts regarding your questions.  And you'll probably find your answer.

[Chris]

There is a need for the FAQ's; when a newbie asks them, we can pleasantly link them to the thread with the FAQ while welcoming them to BYOAC and encouraging their enthusiasm.

[Pieman2004]

I do read the FAQs and use the search function. I can understand that people can be annoying. I once saw someone on this board post a question that was answered in the topic just below his. FAQs help some people, but the impatient people ask their questions before any research. Everyone can be impatient if they are excited about something. I did not mean say you started this thread because you are grumpy or anything. because threads like this do make some of the newbies(like me) search extra hard for answers before they post. I am just not always so good with searching for answers. When I do a search I either have too many topics to read or not any. I guess I don't know how to pick keywords. Anyways I got off topic. The point I want to make though is that even if someone slips and posts a few newbie questions, I hope people will still help them, and forgive their eagerness.

[GGKoul]

Example of using the Search Function:

If I was interested in searching for posts regarding a 4 player panel I was interested in building. You would search for:

"4 Player Control Panel"  - Match as Phrase

Search Main Forum.

---
I just did a search for this phrase for the past 90 days.  And I got over 27 posts using this tag.

[spystyle]

.

[GGKoul]

I wish the FAQ had pictures...  Like a picture for every topic, pictures are good for people with short attention spans
Craig
http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com

Great Website!! Well document!!

[Arcadiac]

I did.  As a "newbie" (Damn I hate that term, other boards use it like a curse word or give it a "dumbass" connotation) here myself, I do my best to search out the answer for myself before posting.  The FAQ are useful by can by no means be all-inclusive.  Inevitably I WILL post asking something that has been answered here for someone else before.  I hope that when that happens, you will be understanding and helpful as always.  Nothing can stifle the urge to learn new things than being put-down by someone with a know-it-all attitude.  "The only dumb question is the one I don't ask", before I electrocute myself f'ing around with something I know very little about!!  Just keep on being helpful to us new guys and we will hang around and hopefully learn something that we in turn can pass on.  After all, isn't that what we are really here for, to help each other out?  Respectfully, ARCADIAC  

[MoonDog]

Ok.. so my point of this thread was too see if any one reads the FAQ at the start of the Main Forum.  And it appears nobody does.  

yup!  that's why i haven't made any posts yet (well, until now).

this is a great resource with a wealth of knowledge.  i'll probably have some questions at some point, but so far the FAQ's and other posts seem to be keeping me busy.

[monkeybomb]

I wish the FAQ had pictures...  Like a picture for every topic, pictures are good for people with short attention spans


Craig
http://spystyle.arcadecontrols.com

As a teacher (non-arcade), I find this site very impressive.  I especially love the closeup of the wood filler picture.  No guesswork and it is a product that can be found anywhere.  If only algebra text came that clear.

[GGKoul]

Inevitably I WILL post asking something that has been answered here for someone else before.

But given that you used the SEARCH and FAQ options on this board to get you started.  I assume your question will be more advanced then the generic questions that get asked every couple of days.

[foomench]

Example of using the Search Function:

If I was interested in searching for posts regarding a 4 player panel I was interested in building. You would search for:

"4 Player Control Panel"  - Match as Phrase

Search Main Forum.

---
I just did a search for this phrase for the past 90 days.  And I got over 27 posts using this tag.

I'm guessing that 27 is only a small percentage of those that are actually relevant. What about the threads that use "4P CP"?

-foomench

[Dave_K.]

Sorry for being obvious, but BYOC was built to be one giant FAQ...and newbies need to look around the entire site (not just read some pinned post at the top of the main forum to get information).  

I think some newbies link directly to the forums (through a google search) and don't even know the rest of the site exists!  If you don't have a list of FAQ's on the left hand side of the page with arcade buttons of all colors, then go back to the homepage to load that frame http://www.arcadecontrols.com

[captainpotato]

I, for one, as a newbie of sorts who is about to start building his first cabinet tomorrow with any luck (yeah, been saying that for weeks...), I'd like to think that I didn't post anything really obvious and embarassing to date (go on, prove me wrong...) - well, at least nothing covered in FAQs, that is.

I have my software up and running, including hardware support, I'm on the way to making my own spinners (without any information from here - it just seems so obvious, although if (when?) I fail you can all remind me of this post...), and so forth.

Maybe I am just too up myself, but given the hours I have spent reading and searching the fora and site, I hope I haven't done the usual newbie thing

[FoX]

I definately hit the original FAQ.  Read through pretty much every post to give myself a general understanding right off the bat.  When the FAQ was inaccessible for a few days I had to go and create another just to make sure that kind of knowledge wasn't lost.

I'm sure I asked quite a few "stupid" questions that were answered previously but I know I put in an effort to find the answers.  Part of the problem is with individual posters.  There is a wealth of info in some of these threads but the title for them is so bad that you would never know.  Threads with the title "I NEED HELP!!" or "Joystick question" does little to tell what the thread is about.

[enchntr]

One thing you might want to remember regarding the search function and the FAQ...I'm a part of a couple of other communities out on the web, and sometimes data is purged due to space limitations on the BB and the server it resides on.  I think the FAQ is probably more important than the search function in most cases because of this limitation.

Just something to think about.

[Felsir]

I think some newbies link directly to the forums (through a google search) and don't even know the rest of the site exists!  If you don't have a list of FAQ's on the left hand side of the page with arcade buttons of all colors, then go back to the homepage to load that frame http://www.arcadecontrols.com

Very true! I found the boards using Google. I thought I had remembered the URL correctly but when I typed 'arcadecontrols.com' (instead of '.org') I accidently stumbled on the BOYAC site which had all my newbie questions answered. I managed to build my cab using mainly those resources and links from the .com site.
I was wondering why the BOYAC boards and the site seem like two complete seperate entities. The "look" of the board doesn't really match the site and there is no obvious way to go from the board to the main site. If we could draw more attention to the main site as a resource it might help a lot of people who are just starting in the arcade cab building/restoring hobby.

[MiKman]

I think some newbies link directly to the forums (through a google search) and don't even know the rest of the site exists!  If you don't have a list of FAQ's on the left hand side of the page with arcade buttons of all colors, then go back to the homepage to load that frame http://www.arcadecontrols.com

Very true! I found the boards using Google. I thought I had remembered the URL correctly but when I typed 'arcadecontrols.com' (instead of '.org') I accidently stumbled on the BOYAC site which had all my newbie questions answered. I managed to build my cab using mainly those resources and links from the .com site.
I was wondering why the BOYAC boards and the site seem like two complete seperate entities. The "look" of the board doesn't really match the site and there is no obvious way to go from the board to the main site. If we could draw more attention to the main site as a resource it might help a lot of people who are just starting in the arcade cab building/restoring hobby.

Yep I linked directly into the forums when I first found the site as well, added it to my list of favorites and never looked back. So in the end I never read the faq or anything else on the main page.  I never knew it existed really until a few months ago I accidently clicked on the title at the top and I was like wow! a whole new site with stuff to explore :-)

[spidermonkey]

When I started here I found that *alot* of info and ideas can be found by sifting through everyones projects on the examples page. Most of the examples are backed up by entire websites about their cabs and there is TONS of valuable info all the way back to the days of keyboard hacking (pre i-pac) to recent cab examples that have all the new cutting edge arcade componants such as Oscars brilliant video card to the very latest encoders. By using the examples section you get tons of perspectives on project componants and tons of different ways to achieve any given task. If one really digs in the examples they will find a hundred different ways to interface controls to a pc. Although the faq is awesome it can't show you fifty ways to build a presentable looking control panel. The examples section most certainly can. And on top of that, most builders have links on their sites that will lead you to tons of more info and resources.Be prepared to read for weeks on end which if you're really interested in this hobby you'll enjoy all the reading. If you don't want to be bothered with all the reading and instead want all the answers handed to you on a platter then you're probably not as commited to building a cab as you think you are. There are three outcomes as a result of this. 1-you'll start the cab and never finish it, 2-you'll finish the cab but the results will be sub par at best or 3- you'll buy all of your controls and componants but when it comes down to build time you'll loose what little interest you thought you had and end up selling off your collection of parts and move on to another hobby. I'm not trying to be mean but I see it happen all the time. Bottom line, if you're not willing to read a wealth of information in the beginning then the finished product will suffer as a result. Newbies should read the faqs but also check out the examples section on the home page. Not to be confused with the "project announcements" forum.  You'll find alternatives and answers to questions that you haven't even thought of asking yet. If you still have unanswered questions (and you will)  then by all means ASK AWAY. I am by no means a know it all as there are cab builders lurking around here who can build circles around me. I'm just passing on search methods that really helped me with my projects as I don't want new builders to cheat themselves out of valuable info just because they don't know quite where to look.
P.S No need to dig up my first 20 posts as you can trust me when I say they were all absolutely brilliant questions. Maybe even genius caliber!!  If you believe that then I have a  *wireless* keyboard encoder I'd love to sell you.

Happy building !

[Knoxximus]

Nope....never read it.  Not that I ever needed to either....lots of nice friendly MAME'rs in here.

[neuromancer]

I don't know how many people read the faq, but I know that a lot of people read old posts, so they're either searching or scrolling through.

I know this, btw, because my avatar (the dog on the pink background) lives on my website, and my webserver keeps good logs.

Some of the posts that generate hits on my image haven't been posted to in over 2 years.

Bob