Let's End "How Do I Make $10?" Threads Once and For All!

[Deleted member 720373]

We are considering introducing a section specifically for newbies at some point, so we are working on ways to combat these things, but as always, there is something more important to get implemented/fixed.

Wouldn't this be seen as segregating newbies from the rest of the forum? If done correctly and not a compulsory thing then it may be a good idea but I don't think it would be good to force noobs into a specific area of the forum.

There is obviously an auto moderation system in place as it blocks certain types of posts from new members. Wouldn't it be possible to add to this so certain keywords/phrases trigger an alert message for the poster to suggest they use the search function before actually posting? It may even reduce auto posted spam.

Not being a coder I have no idea if this would even be possible but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

 

[srb888]

Instead of creating a thread about useless stuff -> which makes also your thread useless, you could've atleast shared some decent method or ideas, as the misleading title would suggest.
Who writes the threads you talkin' about already have a sad life, you've got money and ideally a better life, so just ignore and go on, I say. They don't hurt you directly in anyway, and if you get so pissed off by them, then I must advice you to smoke some weed more often, 'cause these are for sure the problems worth some mentioning, or even a thread.

Sounds too rude a postat:... wasn't needed on this thread either... couldn't you too have just walked away from this thread? This thread is just a pathfinder to find an ideal solution to ALSO posts like *youKnowIt*.

See? This goes both ways. Don't be rude needlessly and we all are ok with you otherwise -- dude!

 

[GreyWolf]

In the past few days (and over the past few months) I've seen more and more of these threads popping up. I've seen a handful of these threads recently where the OP wants to tell their story of how they need to earn $10/day or how they have a debt to pay and need to make $2k in two weeks and need help from BHW to make the money and get it in their bank account within 14 days...

Actually this has been a problem pretty much forever. A lot of people are desperate and search google for terms like "how to make money fast" etc. In the course of their search they find this forum, but have no real clue how forums function. So post the same useless question as has been posted 1000s of times before expecting some type of "yahoo answers" reply.

Can we make a rule that these threads are prohibited? They serve absolutely zero purpose and are not beneficial to the forum whatsoever. The only responses are angry members (including myself) ripping on the OP and telling him to use the search bar.

Actually if you read the forum rules you will see that those threads are already prohibited. Those type of threads are started much more than you even realize, but the bulk of them are deleted by mods as soon as they come across them. When I first joined the forum (wow, over 5 years ago now) the forum moderation was really understaffed and those "help I'm desperate and need $xxx right away" threads were pretty overwhelming. That's pretty much why people started getting so rude with the newbies making those posts. The rudeness in those posts now is pretty much a holdover from that time. Either older members that remember how annoying it was seeing so many of those posts everyday, of newer members that picked up on it as part of the BHW culture.

Have you ever seen a thread like this and actually gotten a money making idea out of it? Or thought, "I'm really glad I clicked on that thread." The answer is no.

ROFL. No, I can't say as I have. I guess on occasion someone feeling generous might point the newbie to a few sticky threads and maybe a few money making threads. Can't say I've ever seen anyone actually post anything new in answer to the thread though. lol

What are your thoughts?

Actually, one of my first "how forums work" type posts was made directly because of all those "Tell me how to make $xxx right away" back in 2010. I started the thread Guide for New Members - Start Here so that whenever I saw one of those posts I could just reply to their post with a link to that thread and be done with it. For a while a bunch of other members were doing the same thing. The thread comes across a little condescending now, but nowhere near as rude as the flames those annoying thread-starters were getting back then. It's actually still a pretty good introduction about how to act on a forum and has a lot of good info for forum newbies.