Welcoming New Members

[johnsimion]

I would like to ask the admins if there is any way to announce the new members as a group instead of individually? It seems like the "What's New" has become overwhelmed with automatic announcement posts of new members. I myself would like to welcome new members but with so many threads out there it's kind of daunting -- with so many, it's hard to keep track of who you welcomed and who you didn't, and of course every time someone else responds, that thread now has a "new post" and it stays on the "What's New". It's nice to announce the new members but it would be a lot easier to respond and probably a lot more meaningful to them if there was one announcement a week that we could all respond to.

[AnthonyG]

You haven’t welcomed any new members.

Mark that forum read by double clicking the blue icon, then they won’t be in the top of what’s new for you when you click that link..

[Bob Denman]

I think that the newest of our group; might prefer a more individual approach to the process...

[ARtraveler]

Another card on the pile for individual welcomes.

I had also thought of groups of five or so...but since have changed my mind.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Another card on the pile for individual welcomes.

I had also thought of groups of five or so...but since have changed my mind.

:agree::agree: …. When I first noticed " Spyderbot " posting this info , I thought it was a TROLL , I checked further and found out He is legit …. I don't think individual posting is necessary, JMHO …. Mike :thumbup:

[AnthonyG]

There will be no group posting.

Why you ask, because if a member joins on monday, you want me to welcome that user thats been on the site for a few days & posting on friday with other users?

[Easy Rider]

I'm not sure that having a "robot" blindly welcome every new member with a public thread really accomplishes anything useful.
It sure does clutter up the new message list.

:D I think that you just volunteered to Lead the Welcoming Committee!! :clap:

[AnthonyG]

blindly?

The script does exactly what its supposed to do, makes a post for a new user & welcomes them, i dont see any of you welcoming new members to the community.

[Bfromla]

How about welcoming the new members that actually post & not just lurk around. Participants are more welcomed:ani29::roflblack:

[Bfromla]

:p :dontknow: how about yes we welcome everybody that joins:thumbup: but the ones that participate & post,rather than lurk, are more welcomed:2thumbs: :roflblack: just a thought

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

blindly?

The script does exactly what its supposed to do, makes a post for a new user & welcomes them, i dont see any of you welcoming new members to the community.

Prior to Sypderbot a lot of us did ….. Mike :thumbup:

[Grandpot]

You just can't keep everyone happy.

[AnthonyG]

Prior to Sypderbot a lot of us did ….. Mike :thumbup:

No, a very few only welcomed them if they made a post saying they was new.

As ive already said, mark the welcome forum read & then click on the whats new link, then they wont show up as new.

[johnsimion]

I think that the newest of our group; might prefer a more individual approach to the process...

I wouldn't call an automated welcome from a computer "a more individual approach." Programming-wise, a welcome from a robot is technically proficient but also virtually meaningless. An automated response means about as much as the automated voice on the phone that tells you over and over how important your call is -- while you're left on hold for an hour. And even if they're not saying anything, the "bot" is also getting a very poor response from the rest of the group - not just me. In reviewing posts in the last 48 hours, I could not find a single Spyderbot welcome with more than about four individual welcomes and those were all from the same people: Deanna777, Pegasus1300, Little Blue and akspyderman and none of those were the least bit personal. I applaud those four for at least responding, but there were no individual welcomes from you, Bob. You favor an individual approach, why aren't you welcoming them yourself?

Now, if it's the consensus of the admins that you want an automated Spyderbot "welcome" for every new member, that's fine -- but don't criticize ME for not responding to them when your own admin isn't responding and you have four people out of the entire group doing all the welcomes.

[Chupaca]

I have and continue to welcome all new members when I see their first (or first few) post on the site. We have many members that have never posted here and for all intent and purposes are just lurkers....:roflblack: In some of the other sites I used to be on the new members often "Thanked for the add" in which case others welcomed them to the group/site...Just me I guess...:thumbup:

[AnthonyG]

I wouldn't call an automated welcome from a computer "a more individual approach." Programming-wise, a welcome from a robot is technically proficient but also virtually meaningless. An automated response means about as much as the automated voice on the phone that tells you over and over how important your call is -- while you're left on hold for an hour. And even if they're not saying anything, the "bot" is also getting a very poor response from the rest of the group - not just me. In reviewing posts in the last 48 hours, I could not find a single Spyderbot welcome with more than about four individual welcomes and those were all from the same people: Deanna777, Pegasus1300, Little Blue and akspyderman and none of those were the least bit personal. I applaud those four for at least responding, but there were no individual welcomes from you, Bob. You favor an individual approach, why aren't you welcoming them yourself?

Now, if it's the consensus of the admins that you want an automated Spyderbot "welcome" for every new member, that's fine -- but don't criticize ME for not responding to them when your own admin isn't responding and you have four people out of the entire group doing all the welcomes.

I’ve responded to 10 myself, sorry but I’m not retired myself, but I take care over 30 servers, I run multiple forum sites, not counting the time I’m donating here for Lamont while he’s ill.

There are also more than 4 users that have been responding to the welcome posts on a regular basis.

Regardless of the debate here & the opinions on it, it will stay the way it is as far as the script goes & what it does.

Also, Bob wasn’t referring to the script as being a more individual approach

[ARtraveler]

I have been welcoming new members since 2010. I don't think I have missed to many in that period of time. The bot welcomes get a :welcome: for now. When they actually make a first post--they will get a "proper" welcome. :thumbup:

[AnthonyG]

Those users all get redirected to their welcome post once they verify their email after signup

[canamjhb]

You haven’t welcomed any new members.

Mark that forum read by double clicking the blue icon, then they won’t be in the top of what’s new for you when you click that link..

Could you please translate your comments into non-computer English. I honestly have absolutely no idea what I need to do to eliminate all the new welcome messages. Isn't that what the issue is.....? Jim

[UtahPete]

Could you please translate your comments into non-computer English. I honestly have absolutely no idea what I need to do to eliminate all the new welcome messages. Isn't that what the issue is.....? Jim

Good luck with that! :thumbup:

[SpyderAnn01]

We
Could you please translate your comments into non-computer English. I honestly have absolutely no idea what I need to do to eliminate all the new welcome messages. Isn't that what the issue is.....? Jim

I agree, I attempted to mark the forum as read, and I succeeded in losing all of the What’s New posts for all forums.

[ThreeWheels]

Yes, a whole host of robot generated messages appear whenever new members join.
It's great to be friendly and welcome new members to the site, but the sheer number of these automatic messages seems to dilute the effectiveness of the site.
A filter would be greatly appreciated.

[AnthonyG]

Could you please translate your comments into non-computer English. I honestly have absolutely no idea what I need to do to eliminate all the new welcome messages. Isn't that what the issue is.....? Jim

Always been a feature on the site


We

I agree, I attempted to mark the forum as read, and I succeeded in losing all of the What’s New posts for all forums.

Thats why i said "mark that forum" read & not "mark forums read"

[PMK]

As a person that is not involved in the Welcome Wagon commitee, never really welcoming new members, seeing the new member posts was a bit much.

Took me a few seconds to try what Anthony recommended, so as needed or more likely, as I remember, I will mark that forum as read prior to opening “What’s New”.

As for the automated message info, seems ok to me as it contains good info a new member should likely know and those wishing to make posts personally welcoming others is cool too.

[PMK]

Always been a feature on the site



Thats why i said "mark that forum" read & not "mark forums read"

I did it similar but a touch different than your red circles. I clicked the topic above the one you circled that is about new members, that topic opened and then I moved the cursor to the right side drop down and marked that new members forum as read. After that I hit the Whats New.

No doubt if a new member post happens after I marked that forum as read, the new post could show up until I mark that forum as read again.

In some ways, and likely not possible with the website software, in the past, there was a huge amount of off topic posts. Myself I seldom participate in off topic, and others mentioned being able to block an entire forum. Doubt this is possible from a user settings standpoint. No big deal, the mark as read works fine for me.

[Easy Rider]

I wouldn't call an automated welcome from a computer "a more individual approach." Programming-wise, a welcome from a robot is technically proficient but also virtually meaningless.

+1

AND.....is this really set up to post the welcome message BEFORE the new user even finishes his registration procedure by verifying his email ????

I greatly appreciate the consideration that has been given to this forum and it's users in "our time of need" but I think this has just gone TOO FAR.
We don't want this; we don't need this.
To insist it is a good thing when everybody says it is a pain in the backside is just an insult.

Please reconsider.

[AnthonyG]

+1

AND.....is this really set up to post the welcome message BEFORE the new user even finishes his registration procedure by verifying his email ????

I greatly appreciate the consideration that has been given to this forum and it's users in "our time of need" but I think this has just gone TOO FAR.
We don't want this; we don't need this.
To insist it is a good thing when everybody says it is a pain in the backside is just an insult.

Please reconsider.


1. That was partially answered in this post, why would i create a post for a user that hasnt verified their email?

2. I see about 5 ppl that stated they dont like the welcome posts, but you claim "everybody" doesnt like it?

So your claim of its an insult is invalid, if you feel that "everybody " that is a member of the site dislikes it, please post a poll & ask all 20K+ registered members, just an fyi, im lucky if i get 200 ppl to read a poll, let alone vote on it for me.

[AnthonyG]

I did it similar but a touch different than your red circles. I clicked the topic above the one you circled that is about new members, that topic opened and then I moved the cursor to the right side drop down and marked that new members forum as read. After that I hit the Whats New.

No doubt if a new member post happens after I marked that forum as read, the new post could show up until I mark that forum as read again.

In some ways, and likely not possible with the website software, in the past, there was a huge amount of off topic posts. Myself I seldom participate in off topic, and others mentioned being able to block an entire forum. Doubt this is possible from a user settings standpoint. No big deal, the mark as read works fine for me.

I was just hovering over one forum to show what was asked about.

[AnthonyG]

Yes, a whole host of robot generated messages appear whenever new members join.
It's great to be friendly and welcome new members to the site, but the sheer number of these automatic messages seems to dilute the effectiveness of the site.
A filter would be greatly appreciated.

I can do that, thanks for asking politely & not bashing the welcome threads for new users!

We're simply trying to get them active, posting, keep them interested, while also providing them useful
links to help their experience on SL.

This very script is used on many sites i admin & run, its very effective on them all, its also custom coded from its original form, as all members of this site joining are moderated.