27 replies to this topic

[dusty]

Hello everyone,

 

After gathering feedback and comments from our dear HH members, we are pleased to announce the opening of a new sub-forum for members to contribute articles on hamster-care. This will supersede the previous "no-informative" topics rule. From today onwards, all topics deemed "informative-only" will be moved to this sub-forum. The rest of the hamster-care forums will still be used for question-and-answer type of topics only.

 

Do understand that this is an avenue for members whom, think that you have done sufficient research, and are ready to write articles to help other members. As such, this special sub-forum will not be vetted for accurate or correct information by the HH staff, so we do not endorse any of the information in it. This will be a purely member-help-member area. Important: If you require specific help for your hamster, please still use the rest of the hamster-care forums such as "Ailments & Injuries" or "General Care" for your questions.

 

Member-Written Articles sub-forum (It comes under General Care):

http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/forum/106-member-written-articles/

 

Please read the rules and disclaimers on the use of this sub-forum thoroughly before you use it:

http://hamsterhideout.com/forum/topic/107121-disclaimer-rules/

 

Feel free to post feedback here. We will fine-tune the rules as we go along.

 

Thank you all and love your hammies!

 

dusty.

[Tiger Lily]

OMG Yes! Thank you so much dusty! I just posted a topic there, and I'm so happy you made his new forum!

[Word Weaver]

This is a great idea! Hopefully lots of people will be able to use this to their advantage

[Tau]

Thank you for putting your thought and consideration into creating this subforum; I'm extremely glad it's there as I have been extremely confused in the past over the whole "informative topic" ordeal.

EDIT: I'm curious; what if I wanted to post an informative topic regarding, say, hamster species? The Member-Written Articles subforum is under General Care & Health, so presumably I would only be allowed to post topics about general care and health in that subforum. However, if I were to want to post a topic regarding hamster species or food & nutrition, how would I go about doing that?

Edited by Tau, 05 April 2015 - 10:26 PM.

[Word Weaver]

Adding onto the question, what if you wanted to post a topic about, let's say, bird care? I'm assuming this wouldn't be allowed because it is a hamster forum, but I'm just curious

Edited by ~DisneyMagic~, 05 April 2015 - 10:28 PM.

[Azayles]

I'm confused, and apparently not the only one. Do correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.
Will all informative topics be moved here, or just newly created ones? How will this effect the organisation of the forum as a whole? At the moment we have a wide range of well-written informative topics covering a range of issues, each carefully organised in the relevant sub forum. What this new system now proposes is that all informative threads, regardless of area of topic, will be lumped together in this one "members topics" thread.
Finding a particular topic is going to be interesting when it's buried under a sea of completely random other topics! You might as well have a single sub forum and call it "stuff".
What criteria decides where a topic goes? At the moment we have proper sub forums for everything, making things easy to find - but now we have this "stuff" thread as well. Now when searching for something, it has a fifty fifty chance of being in either forum.

Just my two pence!

[Taxonomist]

I'm confused, and apparently not the only one. Do correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.
Will all informative topics be moved here, or just newly created ones? How will this effect the organisation of the forum as a whole? At the moment we have a wide range of well-written informative topics covering a range of issues, each carefully organised in the relevant sub forum. What this new system now proposes is that all informative threads, regardless of area of topic, will be lumped together in this one "members topics" thread.
Finding a particular topic is going to be interesting when it's buried under a sea of completely random other topics! You might as well have a single sub forum and call it "stuff".
What criteria decides where a topic goes? At the moment we have proper sub forums for everything, making things easy to find - but now we have this "stuff" thread as well. Now when searching for something, it has a fifty fifty chance of being in either forum.

Just my two pence!

 

This new subforum is not affecting the pinned topics in any way.  Pinned topics are more or less considered part of the official forum canon and have nothing to do with the new subforum.  If we see a particularly good topic in the new subforum, we may decide to work with the author to edit it and pin it in the appropriate subforum.  

 

The new subforum is so that members (any and all) have the freedom to write informational topics (which were previously not allowed for the most part) and post them without cluttering the care boards and causing questions to be hidden.

[Word Weaver]

This new subforum is not affecting the pinned topics in any way.  Pinned topics are more or less considered part of the official forum canon and have nothing to do with the new subforum.  If we see a particularly good topic in the new subforum, we may decide to work with the author to edit it and pin it in the appropriate subforum.  
 
The new subforum is so that members (any and all) have the freedom to write informational topics (which were previously not allowed for the most part) and post them without cluttering the care boards and causing questions to be hidden.

But only on general hamster care?

[Taxonomist]

 

Thank you for putting your thought and consideration into creating this subforum; I'm extremely glad it's there as I have been extremely confused in the past over the whole "informative topic" ordeal.

EDIT: I'm curious; what if I wanted to post an informative topic regarding, say, hamster species? The Member-Written Articles subforum is under General Care & Health, so presumably I would only be allowed to post topics about general care and health in that subforum. However, if I were to want to post a topic regarding hamster species or food & nutrition, how would I go about doing that?

 

But only on general hamster care?

 

All hamster care informational topics (nutrition, species, health, illness, injury, etc.) can and should go in the new subforum.  The reason it was put under General Care & Health is that it's the catch-all forum.  Technically everything falls under that category, it's just that we have separate subforums for questions on more specific topics.  However, it doesn't make much sense to have a whole bunch of informational topic subforums--it's easier to just consolidate it to one area.  And the General Care & Health subforum seemed to be the best fit.

[Word Weaver]

All hamster care informational topics (nutrition, species, health, illness, injury, etc.) can and should go in the new subforum.  The reason it was put under General Care & Health is that it's the catch-all forum.  Technically everything falls under that category, it's just that we have separate subforums for questions on more specific topics.  However, it doesn't make much sense to have a whole bunch of informational topic subforums--it's easier to just consolidate it to one area.  And the General Care & Health subforum seemed to be the best fit.

Oh! That makes sense! Thanks for clearing up Tax!!

[Azayles]

So it's kinda a forum buffer, a probation period, if you will? I dig that.
I don't understand why it's a sub forum of hamster care though, and I think many people won't get that, technicalities aside. If I wanted to write an article on how to fix a Silent Spinner (something which I'm planning), that'd go in the members topic sub forum, understandably, but would it be classed as hamster care?

[Word Weaver]

Sorry, sorry I just have one more question: what happens if the person writing the article is misinformed? Which means they would be giving out the wrong information? Wouldn't this be setting a bad example to newbies? What would happen if this is the case?

[Dusk]

So it's kinda a forum buffer, a probation period, if you will? I dig that.
I don't understand why it's a sub forum of hamster care though, and I think many people won't get that, technicalities aside. If I wanted to write an article on how to fix a Silent Spinner (something which I'm planning), that'd go in the members topic sub forum, understandably, but would it be classed as hamster care?

I'm not 100% sure so don't take my word for it but that sounds like it could go in the Tips How-To and DIY section but I really don't know.

[Taxonomist]

So it's kinda a forum buffer, a probation period, if you will? I dig that.
I don't understand why it's a sub forum of hamster care though, and I think many people won't get that, technicalities aside. If I wanted to write an article on how to fix a Silent Spinner (something which I'm planning), that'd go in the members topic sub forum, understandably, but would it be classed as hamster care?

 

Well unless you're fixing the Silent Spinner for a lion, it's still for the care of a hamster is it not?       But seriously, we get that it's not a 100% perfect fit.  That said, it still covers the majority of topics that might be posted there.  And Shadow is correct, you could also post that thread under Tips, How-To, and DIY instead if you find that a better fit.  

 

Sorry, sorry I just have one more question: what happens if the person writing the article is misinformed? Which means they would be giving out the wrong information? Wouldn't this be setting a bad example to newbies? What would happen if this is the case?

 

That's a great question.

 

So first, you will note that there are disclaimers in two places in that forum stating that the information there is not endorsed or checked by Hamster Hideout mods or staff.  Basically stating that we're not promising any of the information in that subforum is correct (though we can't really promise that anything on the forum is 100% correct, since we don't edit / verify every post made by every member).

 

Second, that subforum is very much open to discussion, constructive criticism, and debate.  If any member sees something there that is incorrect or misleading, they are more than free to ask questions, point it out (politely and kindly) and have a discussion about it.  We're hoping that the forum is going to be self-regulating in that way so that information does not go unchallenged.

[Azayles]

I thought you couldn't post under the tips, how to DIY forum though if it's an informative topic?