climateprediction.net home page
Support FAQ

Support FAQ

Questions and Answers : Wish list : Support FAQ
Message board moderation

To post messages, you must log in.

AuthorMessage
old_user10858

Send message
Joined: 3 Sep 04
Posts: 12
Credit: 1,048,354
RAC: 0
Message 3087 - Posted: 5 Sep 2004, 14:43:03 UTC
Last modified: 5 Sep 2004, 14:44:15 UTC

In general for these types of Projects, for every problem expressed, a dozen 'experts' appear, but only one or two actually know what they are saying.

There is also the problem of the standard re-occuring question that will always appear with a transient new user population when the user base starts to hit the hundred thousands / millions aka SETI

A support FAQ / knowledge base would be of significant value loaded with the standard answers to common questions, lists of error messgaes and possible associated resolution etc.

More initial tasks for Core staff for sure - and the initial effort needed is not underestimated, doubtless priorities in life etc. However it was a problem SETI never addressed and still suffers badly from it.

It can never be a "perfect" FAQ, too complex, but with a potential user base of millions anything that cuts down frustration and / or repetition of the same old standard questions - potentially answered by well meaning but unqualified people can only be a plus.

Put the link next to "Search Site" at the top of the page in a prominent box.

Regards
Zy
ID: 3087 · Report as offensive     Reply Quote
Profile Honza
Volunteer moderator

Send message
Joined: 5 Aug 04
Posts: 390
Credit: 2,475,242
RAC: 0
Message 3091 - Posted: 5 Sep 2004, 17:53:40 UTC

Hi Zydor,

what you have described sounds like a good idea [and it's has already been started]. I would like to add some comments from my experience suggestin other possible ways...

Core team is usually quite busy and even working during weekends - Carl is a good example of this. Some are very computer skilled, some are skiller in climate prediction stuff - still their knowledge is limited by number of computers and possible configuration. My point is - you can never experience whole variety of possible problems and their solution.

I think that moderators and experienced users can help there also - see links for an example of already made efforts:
http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2299
http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2227

There are some infos already provided by CPDN team - Getting started.
http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/download_main.php
I would think that this is a good point to start reading - but a lot of people don't read it! If they did, we haven't had any 'CPDN WUs too large' since it clearly says that CPDN model takes weeks to complete...

Unofficial BOINC FAQ is also usefull
http://homepage.mac.com/pauldbuck/site-boinc/faq/faq-over.html


There is always good suggestion "Read before ask" and majority of people do follow.
And it almost certanly happens that new issues arise - like 'Visual Fortran run-time error'. A collective investigation of participants and core team should follow to help fix the bug. This is also a good way to make live easier for participants - make BOINC and it's project more stable with less aby-sitting needed.

For sure, there are still many issues that needs some improvments - including BOINC forum board is guess...
http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2194
ID: 3091 · Report as offensive     Reply Quote
old_user10858

Send message
Joined: 3 Sep 04
Posts: 12
Credit: 1,048,354
RAC: 0
Message 3093 - Posted: 5 Sep 2004, 18:42:07 UTC - in response to Message 3091.  
Last modified: 5 Sep 2004, 18:47:11 UTC

> Hi Zydor,
>
> what you have described sounds like a good idea [and it's has already been
> started]. I would like to add some comments from my experience suggestin other
> possible ways...
>
> Core team is usually quite busy and even working during weekends - Carl is a
> good example of this. Some are very computer skilled, some are skiller in
> climate prediction stuff - still their knowledge is limited by number of
> computers and possible configuration. My point is - you can never experience
> whole variety of possible problems and their solution.
>
> I think that moderators and experienced users can help there also - see links
> for an example of already made efforts:
> http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2299
> http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2227
>

> There are some infos already provided by CPDN team - Getting started.
> http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/download_main.php
> I would think that this is a good point to start reading - but a lot of people
> don't read it! If they did, we haven't had any 'CPDN WUs too large' since it
> clearly says that CPDN model takes weeks to complete...
>
> Unofficial BOINC FAQ is also usefull
> http://homepage.mac.com/pauldbuck/site-boinc/faq/faq-over.html
>
>
> There is always good suggestion "Read before ask" and majority of people do
> follow.
> And it almost certanly happens that new issues arise - like 'Visual Fortran
> run-time error'. A collective investigation of participants and core team
> should follow to help fix the bug. This is also a good way to make live easier
> for participants - make BOINC and it's project more stable with less
> aby-sitting needed.
>
> For sure, there are still many issues that needs some improvments - including
> BOINC forum board is guess...
> http://www.climateprediction.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=2194
>

Ooops - didnt realise they had started :) Excellent.

I understand your point on existing sources, but they need to be consolidated into one beastie thats very easily accessible. As SETI rapidly discovered, and never attempted to solve, mass projects like this attract tens / hundreds of thousands of people with a different mind set and experience level that a technician or non support individual finds hard to write process and answers for.

All the links you gave are great - but they are disparate and hard to find if you are a new user - and the majority will be new users. Where do you get the BOINC FAQ link from for example - think of it from a new user viewpoint. They are not written by people with a Supoport background - for example on the BOINC FAQ:
================
I have a problem with some of the answers in this FAQ. You folks think you are funny?

Why, did we make you laugh?
=================

They are gone - out the door ..... :)

In such a large community as this there are bound to be long standing Support Professionals who are used to the mind set needed in writing and organising FAQs and associated support, at the risk of alienating myself from those currently working like crazy on current FAQs - and they may even be support guys (ooopps...) - go find support guys / gals and give them the task - because FAQs like the above, when you can find it - and its not isolated - are a killer - bye bye user :)

All this may already be happening, if so, apologies will get back in me box :) If it isnt I would strongly urge thoughts along these lines. IT support is an art, its not simplistic, and the full time support guy is worth his weight in gold - there are bound to be some who do this work full time in the community, problem will be finding them - if you have not already found one.

SETI took a similar view about existing support - take a look at the mayhem on SETI user boards - it needs the hand of a support pro - there are bound to be some in the community who would love to help out and give Carl etc some time to see that funny thing they think is called a bed :)

Kind Regards
Zy

ID: 3093 · Report as offensive     Reply Quote
Profile Honza
Volunteer moderator

Send message
Joined: 5 Aug 04
Posts: 390
Credit: 2,475,242
RAC: 0
Message 3098 - Posted: 5 Sep 2004, 19:17:56 UTC - in response to Message 3093.  

Actually, classic CPDN phpBB forum is usually highly evaulated - as opposite to SETI forum. I think there are two major reasons: participants and forum itself.
Participant: you can find a bunch of pretty educated folks on climate/enviroment topics around the board.
Forum: i [and i'm not the only one] found phpBB forum very user friendly - unlike BOINC [albeit i like idea of scoring post].
There is also interconnection between participants and forum using administrators, moderators, stickes, annoucements and many many others - as you can find in 'Future of the forum' thread [link already provied].

BOINC FAQ link can be found right on BOINC Question and Problems.

Since i don't consider my English good enough to make summaries, i would suggest you to join effort of making FAQs etc. - crandles has done excellent job so far on this and he would appreciate your helps i guess...

Happy modeling :-)



> Ooops - didnt realise they had started :) Excellent.
>
> I understand your point on existing sources, but they need to be consolidated
> into one beastie thats very easily accessible. As SETI rapidly discovered,
> and never attempted to solve, mass projects like this attract tens / hundreds
> of thousands of people with a different mind set and experience level that a
> technician or non support individual finds hard to write process and answers
> for.
>
> All the links you gave are great - but they are disparate and hard to find if
> you are a new user - and the majority will be new users. Where do you get the
> BOINC FAQ link from for example - think of it from a new user viewpoint. They
> are not written by people with a Supoport background - for example on the
> BOINC FAQ:
> ================
> I have a problem with some of the answers in this FAQ. You folks think you are
> funny?
>
> Why, did we make you laugh?
> =================
>
> They are gone - out the door ..... :)
>
> In such a large community as this there are bound to be long standing Support
> Professionals who are used to the mind set needed in writing and organising
> FAQs and associated support, at the risk of alienating myself from those
> currently working like crazy on current FAQs - and they may even be support
> guys (ooopps...) - go find support guys / gals and give them the task -
> because FAQs like the above, when you can find it - and its not isolated - are
> a killer - bye bye user :)
>
> All this may already be happening, if so, apologies will get back in me box :)
> If it isnt I would strongly urge thoughts along these lines. IT support is an
> art, its not simplistic, and the full time support guy is worth his weight in
> gold - there are bound to be some who do this work full time in the community,
> problem will be finding them - if you have not already found one.
>
> SETI took a similar view about existing support - take a look at the mayhem on
> SETI user boards - it needs the hand of a support pro - there are bound to be
> some in the community who would love to help out and give Carl etc some time
> to see that funny thing they think is called a bed :)
>
> Kind Regards
> Zy
>
>
>
ID: 3098 · Report as offensive     Reply Quote
old_user10858

Send message
Joined: 3 Sep 04
Posts: 12
Credit: 1,048,354
RAC: 0
Message 3117 - Posted: 6 Sep 2004, 3:19:56 UTC

The forum you mention is certainly excellent, and may prove to be the trump card, lets hope so.

If I can help him, I would be delighted to beaver away under his guidence. I personally am not a support pro - although I do work in and around that area of life.

If he believes I can help with the routine stuff and enable him to find that strange thing called a bed, shout, I'm there.

Zy
ID: 3117 · Report as offensive     Reply Quote

Questions and Answers : Wish list : Support FAQ

©2024 climateprediction.net