Making Optiboard a more welcoming place!

[fjpod]

You're right...but sometimes we can't tell if newbies are real optical people or consumers or vendors in disguise. We tend to jump all over these people. Obvious consumers should politely be reminded of the rules. The not so obvious posters should be given a few more posts and be asked a few more questions, since there is really no way to verify someone's credentials.

We should not vent our own philosophical differences on first time posters.

[uncut]

I have been thinking and kicking ideas around. One of my main thoughts is:

*A Newbie Mentor Section
This could be a section of dedicated Optiboarders who are willing to help without the BS usually associated with replies in the general forum. My thought is that maybe newbies would feel more comfortable posting in the "No Hassle Zone"

You mean like a "newbie daycare"?

[Wes]

I know this isn't in the spirit of this thread, but I'd like to share why the "stupid" questions annoy me. I don't mind the intelligent questions, but the ones displaying a near total lack of knowledge that any optician should posess from someone calling himself an optician really gets my hackles up. It's because I call myself an optician as well, and that person is giving us all a bad name. Now I realize that keeping that individual ignorant, not helping him progress, is furthering the bad name. So I help anyway. Sometimes grudgingly.

I can't help but think none of this would be a problem if we had standards. That's the point of that ABO survey. Does an optician encounter this or that in the first two years? Yep. Should know all that stuff before practicing as an optician. Those surveys are being used to support a position that many are pushing for.

Anyone else?

[Judy Canty]

I'm not going to allow this thread to be de-railed. In most states anyone can be labeled an optician. Yes, we need standards, but in the mean time we hurt no one by helping each other.

Back in 1972, when I took my first job in this industry, before I knew that Opticianry was a viable career path, I had plenty of "stupid" questions. They were answered politely and helpfully and it made all the difference for me.

[pseudonym]

Newbies should get a subscription and post their dumb questions to the eyecare professionals forum. That's what I do. Really dumb questions I PM to certain soft-hearted opticians who'll do their best to answer it- you know who you are.

pseudonym (coming up on year one in the business)

[Browneyes1208]

I am a "newbie" and asked my first question not long ago. I was met with very mean-spirited replies by one person in general. Most of the people were very kind. I was VERY discouraged! I received many private notifications of apologies by the nice people on here, but I also received some that said they were met with the same kind of replies as a
"newbie". Some things some people do every day may not be something that someone else is familiar with. I don't think newbies want to be held by the hand, but to make them feel like they are not asking a stupid question would be nice. I like that idea.

[Judy Canty]

I'm not going to allow this thread to be de-railed. In most states anyone can be labeled an optician. Yes, we need standards, but in the mean time we hurt no one by helping each other.

Back in 1972, when I took my first job in this industry, before I knew that Opticianry was a viable career path, I had plenty of "stupid" questions. They were answered politely and helpfully and it made all the difference for me.

Too late...but it was a nice thought.

[chip anderson]

The stupidest question, is the question not asked.

[junebuggy]

This is why those of us who took this most recent ABO are going berserk for results! Until we prove ourselves worthy we certainly don't seem welcome.

And while I'm ranting, thanks ABO for putting up that survey on the front page and not updating us on the progress of our tests. A blurb on the log-in page of any delay would be appreciated. Three weeks is a long time for page maintenance...

[Steve Machol]

I know this isn't in the spirit of this thread, but I'd like to share why the "stupid" questions annoy me. I don't mind the intelligent questions, but the ones displaying a near total lack of knowledge that any optician should posess from someone calling himself an optician really gets my hackles up. It's because I call myself an optician as well, and that person is giving us all a bad name. Now I realize that keeping that individual ignorant, not helping him progress, is furthering the bad name. So I help anyway. Sometimes grudgingly.

I can certainly undersatand that, but in all fairness we were all newbies at some point. The mere fact that someone is taking the time to seek out knowledge and advice from a community of professionals should be rewarded, not discouraged. These are the people we should be helping.

I am a "newbie" and asked my first question not long ago. I was met with very mean-spirited replies by one person in general. Most of the people were very kind. I was VERY discouraged! I received many private notifications of apologies by the nice people on here, but I also received some that said they were met with the same kind of replies as a
"newbie". Some things some people do every day may not be something that someone else is familiar with. I don't think newbies want to be held by the hand, but to make them feel like they are not asking a stupid question would be nice. I like that idea.

I'm sorry for the bad apple, but unfortunately such people are a fact of life, particularly in the online and anonymous world of the Internet. It's important to keep in mind that you will always run into jerks wherever you go. The only thing within your control is how you respond. Don't let the jerks get to you. They really aren't important enough to give them any power over your life.

[finefocus]

First of all, Fezz just made my list of good **** on the planet.
I think that often what newbies require isn't book learnin', it's context and interpretation of seeming contraditions of textbook phrases.
I've tried to offer answers, like those I could have used many years ago, to questions about common areas of confusion: Prism, the EM spectrum, that kind of thing.
I feel the obligation to pay forward the help I received back when internet shoppers didn't make us all defensive.
I don't propose to be a shopping-info service, I propose to support a civil help-a-newbie-today service.

Bravo Fezz. I respect you greatly. I hope that the community agrees to be, well, a community.

[Chris Ryser]

I'm sorry for the bad apple, but unfortunately such people are a fact of life, particularly in the online and anonymous world of the Internet. It's important to keep in mind that you will always run into jerks wherever you go. The only thing within your control is how you respond. Don't let the jerks get to you. They really aren't important enough to give them any power over your life.

Out of Members (today) = 20,804, we have Active Members = 1,365. Therefore any newbie active poster has been lurking in the backyard long before they start to become active poster. They have watched the process and are familiar with it. They have seen how it works and do start on familiar grounds.

In my eyes they do not need any hand holding. Most of the question by a newbie are made just to feel the grounds and make some first steps.
I have seen so many developing into snotty posters within record short times.
Actually I do not see the need for a baby patting and hand holding service on OptiBoard.

[Diane]

I will share what knowledge I have. Thanks for the opportunity. Sometimes it's the looking something up that makes us better. Dipping WAY down in our feeble brains is not a bad thing to do. It may even keep us older Optiboarders, young.

Diane

[hcjilson]

It occurred to me that we already have a forum entitled "Questions, Feedback, and Help. Perhaps it would accomplish the same purpose if we just change the title to Newbies Mentor Corner. Much simpler (I think!) In the early days of Optiboard I used to send a welcome note to each member, but it became too time consuming to maintain with the increased level of new members. Its a great idea Fezz but you have to keep it manageable. Changing the name of the forum is the easiest way out.

[Fezz]

That is a good idea Harry.

In your opinion, do you think that newbies would use that type of forum to get their feet wet before jumping in?