cjmcguinness Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I have only been a member of this forum for just over 3 months, but in that time the membership has grown exponentially and the number of posts in the General Discussion area for a "How do I do this..?" when more than one tutoral already exists leads me to believe that newer members are struggling to locate the required tutorials due to the weight of tutorials being posted each day. There have been numerous threads in several different places within the forum discussing better, more convenient ways to approach the posting and moderation of tutorials. I would like to add my own suggestion, regarding the reorgnisation of the forum to allow easier navigation to required tutorials. Currently "Tutorials" resides within the Paint.NET discussions index. I would propose that it is now time that "Paint.NET Tutorials" was promoted and given completely it's own section. Within this index, tutorials could be organised according to categories, such as: Paint.NET Tutorials > Tutorial Submissions > Basic Tools & Effects > Digital Art & Drawings > Effects & Adjustments > Miscellaneous > Photo Manipulation > Signatures & Avatars > Text Effects > Textures & Patterns > Web Graphics, Buttons & Layouts. (These are just some suggested category names, perhaps 10 categories is too many, the amount of categories and the way they are organised could be decided my the admin/mods or suggested by forum members via a vote) The first in the list "Tutorial Submissions" would be the place where users submit new tutorials. All sub-categories would be locked so that new topics cannot be posted by forum members, but topic replies are allowed. It would be the duty/responsibility of the moderators to review the newly posted tutorials and decide which category they should be moved to. Mods would have final say where tutorials may possibly fall into two (or more) categories. Also, if a mod decides that the post does not constitute a tutorial it would, at that time, be moved to the Q&GD area. If this reorganisation was to take place it would also be a good opportunity for the moderators to go through the list of almost 500* existing tutorials and classify them, possibly deleting some of the closed and obselete threads. I would wager that a large number of the users visiting/registering on this forum are looking for tutorials to help them to learn and explore the power of PDN. I think by giving tut's a categorized section this would help them find what they are looking for and massively cut down on the unneccessary "How do I..." posts in the Q&GD section. I'd be interested to know what the moderators and other forum members think of this suggestion and what categories you think would be suitable for organising current (and possible future) tutorials. Thanks for reading. -CJ *490 as of 00:30 GMT, 2007-06-25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilNeko Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Already been through every tutorial, and theres only 10 pages. If people took the time they wanted, its pretty easy to find certain tutorials, but..I suppose it is possible to make it a little easier. I could help presort them into lists if the mods wanted me to..(im bored) ~EnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 People are impatient, it's as simple as that. I agree with your suggestion cjmcguinness, and the sub-categories are around what I would have suggested, so I have no qualms with your idea. Quote How to Save Your Images under Different File Types My dA Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 No, that's a terribly bad idea. Imagine: Day 1- yan00b: hello there! Things had changed a lot there! can't find the 'Let's make a Software box!' tutorial I saw Thursday? In what category is it?- Mod: You're lucky, I just moved it under the Advanced category.- Another_Mod: Mod, I think it really belongs to the 'Other' category I just created, as it's now outdated by the Render3D plugin.- Mod: I agree, I move it.Day 35- pUr3n00b: Hi! Where can I find the tutorial when you make a software box? Thanks!- Mod: Well, it's a simple tutorial showing how to use the Rotate/Zoom tool. Look at the beginners section.Ho, but it's made by Buzzkill, so to not say he design simple things, I may put it in the Advanced section.Well, in fact, it's outdated, so check the Other subforum too.- n00b: Okaaaaaaaaaay...Day 98- intrstdnewb: Hi! I used the search tool but can't find the tutorial where one design the box of a product in 3D. I know I can use the Render3D plugin but I need it for some reason [insert reason here]. Thanks in advance.- Mod (tired): Eeerrr... it's... somewhere. Definitely.Hire a bunch of guys and dig in the Tutorials forum and his different subforums. You might find it in a year or two. http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewt ... 4793#54793 I gave more reasons why I think this idea is not good, in the end of the text. Please care: this is just my 2 cents on this issue, I'm not stating something or saying this is how we have to do it. Quote No. Way. I've just seen Bob. And... *poof!*—just like that—he disappears into the mist again. ~Helio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilNeko Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 It is possible to make the Tutorials section, and then have a key to it. Every name on a tutorial listed on one page(announced) before the topics. EX: List of Tutorials: Tutorial 1- Digital Art Tutorial 2- Effects and adjusting existing photos Tutorial 3-Digital Art Tutorial 4-Signatures & Avatars Except instead of "Tutorial#-place", its "Tut name-Place" Although this would be a lot of work to do. Id rather just put in an hour's worth of work and search all the tuorials, putting hte ones that are worth my time on my 'favorites' in the browser. ~EnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 the whole forum needs a re-org, but I think I like the idea posted above me by EN^^ just make a key, and we'll all be happy. Or make 3 sections like the one suggested above, eliminating the "key" but keeping everything organized. I would say no more than 3-4 categories. It would help. But using the search function is fine for now. It doesn't take that much effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike 121 Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 every one could just put tags in front of the tut or use search *nudge nudge*:wink::wink: Quote "No. Dreaming is illegal."~Pyrochild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephan Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 or use search *nudge nudge*:wink::wink: That is the most controversial idea i've ever heard o_O Anyway, i guess PDN needs more of a database, which automatically transfers tutorials to the database, instead of on the forum. maybe both. this could apply for plugins aswell... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilNeko Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 A moderator rating on this one? I have free time all next week until friday at about 6 pm... One of the other options is...take all of the tutorials in links, and someone or myself can make a list. Jsut hook everything in either its name on a link, in a catagory on one page, instead of moving all these extra tutorials and screwing with phpBB more. ~EnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.atwell Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 Why don't we just move all the sticky'd tuts and plugins to the Wikibook, and place a link in an announcement at the top of both forums? Organization and categories would be a lot easier then, and the search ability is a bit more user-friendly with MediaWiki than with phpBB. Quote The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.Amy: But how did it end up in there?The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I already have a list of all my tuts and useful plugins in my google page, And later I will make a list of tuts from others I think is useful. All have links. Much easier for people to find the things they need. Quote All creations Ash + Paint.NET [ Googlepage | deviantArt | Club PDN | PDN Fan ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBlackLamb Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I like the Wikibook idea. The tagging idea also makes sense. I agree with the idea of the "tutorial publishing" forum, this would help stop people posting useless tutorials that are similar to other tutorials. Quote dA Son, someday you will make a girl happy for a short period of time. Then she'll leave you & be with men that are ten times better than you can imagine. These men are called musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoltBait Posted June 25, 2007 Share Posted June 25, 2007 I agree with the idea of the "tutorial publishing" forum, this would help stop people posting useless tutorials that are similar to other tutorials. I like this too, only if there is an "ashtray" forum to put these tutorials into: "Look at this totall cool random effect I stumbled into involving the polar inversion effect..." Quote Download: BoltBait's Plugin Pack | CodeLab | and a Free Computer Dominos Game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireFly Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 How I love the polar inversion effect... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.atwell Posted June 26, 2007 Share Posted June 26, 2007 "Look at this totall cool random effect I stumbled into involving the polar inversion effect..." It's usually the Clouds and Twist effect... Quote The Doctor: There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior... A nameless, terrible thing, soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world.Amy: But how did it end up in there?The Doctor: You know fairy tales. A good wizard tricked it.River Song: I hate good wizards in fairy tales; they always turn out to be him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjmcguinness Posted June 26, 2007 Author Share Posted June 26, 2007 I like this too, only if there is an "ashtray" forum to put these tutorials into:"Look at this totall cool random effect I stumbled into involving the polar inversion effect..." As a Moderator you would have power of veto over all tutorials submitted by members; either placing them into one of the organised categories or banishing them to the pictorium or some other 'miscellaneous' thread, where many of them belong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 I like this too, only if there is an "ashtray" forum to put these tutorials into:"Look at this totall cool random effect I stumbled into involving the polar inversion effect..." As a Moderator you would have power of veto over all tutorials submitted by members; either placing them into one of the organised categories or banishing them to the pictorium or some other 'miscellaneous' thread, where many of them belong. That would be cool, but I believe too many people will keep PM-ing the Mods about: why did you take my tut away? Good for forum users, bad for mods. :? Quote All creations Ash + Paint.NET [ Googlepage | deviantArt | Club PDN | PDN Fan ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lionhearted Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Increase number of mods? :? Quote My Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 So 10 mods will be spammed instead of 2? Might be a not so good idea. Quote No. Way. I've just seen Bob. And... *poof!*—just like that—he disappears into the mist again. ~Helio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Lionhearted Posted June 27, 2007 Share Posted June 27, 2007 Share the spamming! Actually, Bob, I thought you made some good points earlier when you wrote your book on the topic. Go read it, peeps. Quote My Gallery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Thanks! It's hard work! Quote No. Way. I've just seen Bob. And... *poof!*—just like that—he disappears into the mist again. ~Helio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I never got a chance to reply to Bob's off topic post. Tags would be a good idea, but.....some tut makers might think their tut is Advance and put "advance"...but to others it's only "easy". What happens then? Quote All creations Ash + Paint.NET [ Googlepage | deviantArt | Club PDN | PDN Fan ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephan Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Rating and tagging by the mods? You WILL need more then though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Rating and tagging by the mods? You WILL need more then though... These thing are all subjective. One person think it's hard, another will think it's easy. I think it would be too much work for the mods to look at every tut..and judge whats what. Mods will get spam PM like: hey...my tut is harder then that...blah blah.. I think it's best up to the users to do what should be done. 1. Not posting a tut for anything that comes to their mind. 2. Search before posting tut, so they don't post something already done. or with little changes to the other tut. 3. Don't make the 1st post a tut-----Please!! 4. Learn more before trying to teach. 5. Find easier ways to do things so they don't post something that can be done in 3 steps using more. 6. If they wanna show something they've done, post it in the The pictorium and see what others think. If enough people really like your work....I'm SURE many will ask for a tut!! 7. READ #4 there should be more....but gotta go Quote All creations Ash + Paint.NET [ Googlepage | deviantArt | Club PDN | PDN Fan ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 @ash first post: Someone wants to post one? 'Hey I'm too good to make beginnerz tutz now! im L33t pDn uzer! To the advanced subsection!' Mod, minutes later: but what's all those n00b tutz in the advanced section?? Well, so I click the Administration link, Tutorials, Advanced, ... well where are they? Oh there! Check, move, Beginner section, right. *Mod do some other stuff* -Mod: Oh I missed one! Back to Admin ... With tags: edit message -> change subject line -> submit -> done. Maybe add some Kid, sorry to say that, but you're overestimating yourself. Take care or you'll be banned. Quote No. Way. I've just seen Bob. And... *poof!*—just like that—he disappears into the mist again. ~Helio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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