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[peter]

Smileys are NOT commonplace for people of my generation, ie the average LostCousins member. Even though I was using bulletin boards before the World Wide Web existed, so have been exposed to them for longer than most, I recognise that any form of abbreviation - whether graphic or not - makes it more difficult for newcomers. Jargon (definition: "special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand") is inherently divisive.

Three-quarters of the members of this forum have never posted a message - the last thing we should be doing is making it more difficult than it needs to be, whether by using jargon or forming cliques.

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Whilst I agree that jargon and cliques are bad. The forum software already takes care of user understanding of smilies by providing a tooltip when you hover your mouse over the smiley. So that if anyone is confused by a smiley the exact description of what it means is already quickly and easily available. A built in jargon buster if you like.

 

[peter]

Whilst I agree that jargon and cliques are bad. The forum software already takes care of user understanding of smilies by providing a tooltip when you hover your mouse over the smiley. So that if anyone is confused by a smiley the exact description of what it means is already quickly and easily available. A built in jargon buster if you like.

Tooltips don't work on tablets and smartphones, but in any case many people are going to be put off by seeing what appear to them to be childish symbols. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression!

 

[emjay]

I was under the impression Peter, that you wanted us to make use of them, as well as the ratings icons ?

 

[peter]

I was under the impression Peter, that you wanted us to make use of them, as well as the ratings icons ?

The smileys are a feature of the editor that I can't disable, but if I could have done I would have done.

The ratings icons are very different - they offer a means of providing feedback without writing a message at all. This page lists the advantages of using them (without the add-on the only option you would have had is to 'like' a post)..

 

[emjay]

Yes, I rate the ratings; in fact ' thanks' for example, shows appreciation and is after all just good manners.( And here is where I am tempted to insert a smiley)

 

[Bob Spiers]

Smileys are NOT commonplace for people of my generation, ie the average LostCousins member

Well my generation is in advance of most -thankfully not all - members, including your own Peter, and if I only had a pound for every time I have had to get used to something that is not commonplace, I would be a rich man.

The 'ratings' are inspired and I use them regularly, and even if 'smileys' remind of childish symbolism, bully for them say I. They act as ice breakers and are enormous fun to use and add a touch of levity to a posting, as not everything posted needs to be on a serious level. In fact I would go so far as to say that if they were used more often, they might even encourage others to respond and create postings of their own.

Although hard to resist I will - like emjay - on this occasion desist from adding my choice smiley; but only on this occasion.

 

[peter]

even if 'smileys' remind of childish symbolism, bully for them say I. They act as ice breakers and are enormous fun to use and add a touch of levity to a posting, as not everything posted needs to be on a serious level. In fact I would go so far as to say that if they were used more often, they might even encourage others to respond and create postings of their own.

Bob, I think you're making the mistake of assuming that others are like you - they're not. You alone have posted more messages on this forum than 90% of forum members have posted in total (ie the 75% who haven't posted at all and the least prolific three-fifths of the remainder).

I looked at the most recent messages posted on Rootschat, but only 2 out of 20 messages included a smiley (and they had been posted by members who had previously posted hundreds of other messages).

I found a similar pattern at AVForums, which I also belong to. Only 1 of the 10 most recent messages included a smiley, and again this has had been posted by a highly-experienced member.

Smilies don't seem to be something that obviously appeal to new forum users. I can't rule out the possibility that your hypothesis is correct, but at this point there seems to be no evidence to support it.

 

[Bryman]

I agree with Bob and think that the occasional smiley can just lighten the tone a little to avoid apparently serious remarks from being too much like criticism. I can't remember what my early posts were about but I am sure that I used the odd smiley or two somewhere within the first few.

The first few posts can be a little daunting for anyone and if some members would rather not use smileys until they feel comfortable then that should be fine. A bit like an MP's maiden speech in the House of Commons, it is better to get it over and out of the way on a relatively trivial matter so that confidence can be built up ready for anything important which might follow.

I would suggest that anyone who has yet to get involved, should cut their teeth on topics like "What's the weather like where you are?", etc, where NOT ALL posts need to be very carefully considered.

 

[Tim]

Smileys obviously have a purpose, otherwise why would they be available on the forums you mention? They don't need to be used all the time, only when required.

I find it hard to believe that you consider Smileys to be the reason that 75% of the members here haven't posted!

I think the members here are very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to discuss a wide variety of topics with. So what is the real reason that people don't post?
They may feel they have nothing to contribute?
This is a very specialised or focussed Forum?

I'd like to talk to the people who don't contribute and find out their reasons.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Bob, I think you're making the mistake of assuming that others are like you - they're not

Actually Peter I make no such assumption and have no more than academic interest in the quantitative status of my postings, mainly because you have referred to them on a couple of occasions. However like you I would want to encourage new members to post and firmly believe the light hearted (with or without smiley) approach is best. I constantly check for new posts and I am just as likely to respond to a ‘new member’ as an oldie if their post strikes a chord; and many do.

I post because I enjoy doing so and have met a good many soul mates in the Forum and had many 2-3-4 way banters along the way. This encourages others to join in and that is good and should be encouraged.

My first posts were along genealogical lines and many still are but the Forum blossomed when I found the inspirational ‘Anything but Genealogy’ and especially ‘Anything else’ Section which places it head and shoulders over the more single minded Roots Chat and its ilk. Its a great starting off point and I would recommend new members to take a peek at its past content for inspiration. Genealogical topics will surely follow.

 

[peter]

Smileys obviously have a purpose, otherwise why would they be available on the forums you mention?

They use standard forum software, so probably don't have any choice. AVForums use the same software as we do (Xenforo); I suspect Rootschat use the software which inspired it.

Judging from what I've read on Xenforo's forum the vast majority of forums are aimed at a younger demographic.

I find it hard to believe that you consider Smileys to be the reason that 75% of the members here haven't posted!

I didn't say it was the reason, but I suspect it is one of several reasons. There's certainly no evidence that smilies encourage people to post.

I think the members here are very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to discuss a wide variety of topics with. So what is the real reason that people don't post?
They may feel they have nothing to contribute?
This is a very specialised or focussed Forum?

I'd like to talk to the people who don't contribute and find out their reasons.

Other reasons why people don't contribute are likely to include discussions dominated by a small number of very active posters (nearly 63% of ALL messages have been posted by just 25 users); discussions which are highly technical; and discussions which are apparently unrelated to family history (as they know it).

Some, of course, will be happy just to read what's going on without making any overt contribution. Others may not have the time to scan the forum looking for discussions of interest.

I plan to survey a sample of the 983 non-contributors to get their views.

 

[Bob Spiers]

The first few posts can be a little daunting for anyone and if some members would rather not use smileys until they feel comfortable then that should be fine.

I recall the topic that first attracted me to post was the 'Growing up in the war, 40's 50's etc' section and I was amazed at the responses from people I did not know, but who have since because very well known. I also enjoyed the 'County' section enabling me to post of experiences growing up in Warwickshire & Worcestershire. As you say, once you have broken the ice and answered responses, it becomes easy to find other areas - especially the more light hearted 'Anything else' section.

 

[peter]

Actually Peter I make no such assumption and have no more than academic interest in the quantitative status of my postings, mainly because you have referred to them on a couple of occasions. However like you I would want to encourage new members to post and firmly believe the light hearted (with or without smiley) approach is best. I constantly check for new posts and I am just as likely to respond to a ‘new member’ as an oldie if their post strikes a chord; and many do.

I post because I enjoy doing so and have met a good many soul mates in the Forum and had many 2-3-4 way banters along the way. This encourages others to join in and that is good and should be encouraged.

My first posts were along genealogical lines and many still are but the Forum blossomed when I found the inspirational ‘Anything but Genealogy’ and especially ‘Anything else’ Section which places it head and shoulders over the more single minded Roots Chat and its ilk. Its a great starting off point and I would recommend new members to take a peek at its past content for inspiration. Genealogical topics will surely follow.

Sorry, Bob, but you're doing it again - assuming that something that appeals to you will also appeal to others.

People are different - everyone is unique. But - how can I put this? - some of us are more unique than others. You and I and - probably - most of the other outperforming contributors are what statisticians would call outliers (in other words we are not representative of the population as a whole).

 

[Bob Spiers]

I think the members here are very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to discuss a wide variety of topics with. So what is the real reason that people don't post?
They may feel they have nothing to contribute?
This is a very specialised or focussed Forum?

I believe the latter point you make is perhaps the most daunting for new comers. I belong to a 'Geek' Forum (mainly dealing with IT matters but not exclusively) which is quite fascinating and illuminating but it frightens the life out of me to actual post a question. I am sure my ignorance will shine through and will be met with scorn. Actually it never is because the learned Geek members (& moderators) have a way of putting me at my ease, even if it is the 'nth' time of being asked the same question. So we should not be too surprised to find others feel the same way in this Forum and why I think we need to take this into account and 'lighten up'

 

[Tim]

Although there were over 500 messages posted in the Genealogy in the Sunshine 2015 area of the forum I don't think any of the attendees or speakers used smileys - we didn't need to.

(I found some)

 

[Bob Spiers]

Gosh I turned my back for a few minutes to answer Peter, Tim & Bryman and then find I have missed some half dozen other responses; all on the subject of the use or misuse of smileys.

Well at least now I know I and many other fellow (of both sexes) 'outperforming contributors' are -like the pigs and dogs in George Orwell's Animal Farm - more equal (or unique as Peter puts it) than others. Well I don't know about that because all I ever wanted to be was a Lumber Jack (and if that isn't an appropriate use of a smiley I don't know what is).

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Well I don't know about that because all I ever wanted to be was a Lumber Jack (and if that isn't an appropriate use of a smiley I don't know what is).

Did you sleep all night and work all day? And wish to be a girlie just like your dear papa?

 

[Bryman]

I think the members here are very friendly, knowledgeable and easy to discuss a wide variety of topics with. So what is the real reason that people don't post?
They may feel they have nothing to contribute?
This is a very specialised or focussed Forum?

I'd like to talk to the people who don't contribute and find out their reasons.

I belong to a 'Geek' Forum (mainly dealing with IT matters but not exclusively) which is quite fascinating and illuminating but it frightens the life out of me to actual post a question. I am sure my ignorance will shine through and will be met with scorn.

I think this is exactly the reason for new members to be reticent; unnecessarily so.

I would like to suggest that if anyone reading this feels that way then I would invite them to send me (or Tim?) a Private Message, which is like posting on this forum but only goes to that single person, unless deliberately extended. Just left click on the photo avatar of the chosen recipient followed by a left click on "Start a conversation". Initially, there doesn't have to be a technical reason for the message. Just a "Hello" will do to get things started. Make your "maiden speech" in private!

 

[Heather]

I plan to survey a sample of the 983 non-contributors to get their views.

That should prove interesting Peter. Sorry couldn't resist !