• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
1

Community Help Posts

LEGEND ,
Jan 28, 2012 Jan 28, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I have seen a few posts from the Community Help group/portal, that were placed in a few of the product forums. All that I am seeing are the link to an Adobe KB Article, that I assume points someone to a starting point, in answering their question, and in one, a reply, but not sure that that reply indicated that the linked article helped, or not. What I am not seeing is any reference to the original question.

Pierre kindly responded that these posts are being generated, and populated to the appropriate product forum, and I think that is a great idea - sort of what most of us do here, when one has posted of a product problem, or question.

This THREAD in the PrPro Forum, is an example, along with Pierre's comment to me.

I do not know if perhaps I am just not seeing the original post/question (on Chrome on PC), or if something is missing, and the original question is not propogating in the Community Help post?

In the Thread, you can see my initial Reply, and then Pierre's, and then my Reply to Pierre. The Adobe KB Article link, also shows that interaction, down thread. What I cannot find is the question, that initiated this. I feel that the Adobe KB Article will be helpful, on "How to Create a Title in PrPro," but cannot be sure.

This question might just be about ME not seeing the question, that initiated the responses, or perhaps MY just not looking in the right spot - or, it could be that the question, that prompted the response post, is just not showing up, and something needs to be changed.

I am not up on Community Help, so might just be missing something on my end. Looks like it might be a great idea, but seems that one piece is missing, or has not been implemented yet?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hunt

Views

10.6K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 1 Correct answer

LEGEND , Jan 29, 2012 Jan 29, 2012

Hi Hunt

I've been watching this thread with interest.

Personally, I have to say that I dislike Community Help as it stands. I dislike the viewer and overall presentation. It takes far too long to load up and present anything helpful. It's not friendly. It's not nimble. It's obtrusive. But that's just me.

I'm also a volunteer moderator for Community Help for a couple of Adobe products. One of my peeves (and I'm guessing the reason behind this change) is that it becomes confusing to end users where

...

Votes

Translate

Translate
LEGEND ,
Feb 10, 2012 Feb 10, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Pierre, I am almost a complete ignorant on the inner workings of these forums, so I may be asking the impossible. What I am suggesting is that the help files posted in the product forums are not open to everybody. Obviously they should be open to moderators, but as for participants, perhaps only to a selected group suggested by the respective moderators. Or maybe to participants with more than -say- 100 posts. My idea is to reduce as much as possible the possibility of transforming those helpful files into irrelevant and long discussions.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 16, 2012 Feb 16, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Last night a new CHP appeared in the Forum in Spanish:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/963410?tstart=0

As there is first a CHP and then a question from a participant, both with the same posting date and time, I am confused. Is this the question that the CHP is addressing, or is this a case of a participant using a CHP as a thread to post further questions?

I apologize if I am being more dumb than usual.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 16, 2012 Feb 16, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Yep, nowadays when somebody posts a question on the help files their question is turned into a forum thread started by "Community Help" and their question is put as the first post in that thread. This way the question (and all the answers) are present in both the help files and the forum.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 16, 2012 Feb 16, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I am with Claudio here: the appearance is rather confusing.

This is quite well expressed in post #2 here:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/962626?tstart=0

I hope there is a way to change it.

By the way: are these threads the ones in which we shall enjoy the absence of points, or who will decide whether the questions have been answered?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 16, 2012 Feb 16, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The Help Files was where the whole point system was first implemented so why wouldn't there be points awarded in those threads?:P Points are awarded as in any normal thread marked as a question, by the OP or by the moderators, it's just that the thread is also mirrored on the Help Files.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Zeno,

The reason for my question is that the one with the question is not the OP: the ghostly entity Community Help is. So it seems that the one getting the help is in no position to communicate appreciation in other than words, just as in the days of the fair forums, and that the OP and the moderators are (one and) the same who will be judging the threads.

The Help Files was where the whole point system was first implemented

So it is no wonder they appear funny over here, see the link in post #28.

It may be more tedious (for a while), but the way we do in this forum, sending posters to the right place, would seem a valid option, less tedious if the ones needing help are led to realize that they may find answers from other users to questions of/like their own.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I agree on all counts. Except that, in their present form, CPHs drift down unless transformed in endless discussions, and so they can eventually make it to the Archives, and finally disappear. And, is it really easier to get a hit when performing a search if the answer is in a CHP?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi, Claudio. Threads might drift off the forums, but they stay on the help pages. Useful for relevant and on-topic posts. I don't know if they will be searchable by Google and co.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe Employee ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Yes, forum posts made in help or the forum are searchable by Google (as you may have found), however, comments in the old system were not.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

What would be the best wording?

"The post below this one is a question or a comment posted in relation this page of the help files :"

"The post below was posted on this page: "

Nice humoristic banter, BTW, on the linked pages. Sorry, but the help file one might need some cleaning, so that only relevant posts show up.(posts might be moved to another thread, if funny/off topic threads are not frowned upon in the AI forums.

(If not, there is the lounge)

The goal is not at all heavy handed moderation, especially when there is a good ambiance in the forums, but for the help files to stay informative.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Pierre,

Chatting and banter have formed an integral and vital part of the Illustrator forum(s) as long as anyone remembers, going back into the previous millennium; even the most serious contributors, and (earlier) hosts, have taken part from time to time.

This may have been part of the reason that we have enjoyed a very helpful and friendly forum.

The two (Win and Mac) Illustrator forums were seemlessly merged in 2009, with no complaints or grudges; I only realized when I saw the many unknown posters who obviously knew one another, and the different keystroke instructions.

I remember no deleted posts, apart from the recent obvious spam.

Therefore I am absolutely certain that any deletion/moving of posts in/from the Illustrator forum would be considered a hostile attack on our integrity.

You may see clear signs of it already, in these two threads (the former linked to already):

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4213337?tstart=0#4213337

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/964087?tstart=0

And as it appears, the first posters had been unaware of their being beamed  to another place, and just as mystified as the natives.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I realize this, Jacob. But I was careful to state on the announcement, that threads from Community Help might need to be curated.

I don't know how best to handle this carefully, I remember some issues with heavy handed moderation in the Ps forum.

You think that even a movement of post would be taken as an attack? even if the reason is explained?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

You think that even a movement of post would be taken as an attack? even if the reason is explained?

I am quite sure, Pierre. Continuance and coherence are seen as essential.

It may be more fruitful if those in need of help realize that they get it in the Illustrator forum, and that they can get help there with other things: they may wonder less, and they may enjoy whichever fun is made.

Is that not possible?

All that said, the first Community Help thread started OT because it was seen as OT in the first place, with no one knowing the context. If the first poster specifies the question, I am sure it will be back on track.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Continuance and coherence are seen as essential.

What if the first post has the initial post as an image, and an explanation, sort of a carbon-copy of the original thread?

Sorry, every forum is specific, but it sounds like the AI forum is an holy place worth more than the others... it is not meant disrespecfully at all, but I know you realize that all forums have ACH posts in there, and I was wondering why a special case should be made of a particular forum.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Mentor ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Shame I don't use AI (Can't make any sence of it came with my CS5.5 WEB premium package). I sure would have enjoyed being in the AI Forums. That more like it should be  run. Answer questions but if get a littele off topic that’s okay to.  Unlike The Acrobat forums  having possibly 4  and sperated by Computer Platform being split into 10 or more.  and everyone dumped to get togethe and if you say so much as how are you today its taken off.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Pierre,

Sorry, every forum is specific, but it sounds like the AI forum is an holy place worth more than the others... it is not meant disrespecfully at all, but I know you realize that all forums have ACH posts in there, and I was wondering why a special case should be made of a particular forum.

I believe all forums are holy, no one more than others; and I had no clue about the Community Help threads until they started appearing in the Illustrator forum.

Quite frankly I see little point in our seeing which article(s) gave rise to the question of each thread: either the question is too woolly to answer without clarification by the one asking it, or clear enough to answer without any background. In Illustrator, and probably in many/most other applications, there are almost always different ways of doing things in Illustrator, unless user specific decisions/requirements, or some fundamental indispensible rules, apply, so guesswork or initial clarifying questions by the helpers often form part of the threads.

For these reasons, I believe that it is better to refer those with questions to the relevant forums, as is done in this forum, and then maybe (have them) post links to successful threads back to Community Help, which may also make them more intelligible there.

Is that not possible?

You might also see it this way: the questions raised by the articles may be of two kinds:

One kind may actually be about the article, including its structure and contents, therefore giving rise to considerations about supplementing/amendmending/whatever, but hardly relevant in the context of the forum in question.

The other kind may be questions that might just as well be completely independent of the article, and therefore more suitably dealt with in the relevant forum(s) without reference to any article.

I have no knowledge about, and therefore no opinion on, the Community Help.

Edit: A fine thread. Thank you for sharing, Pierre.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Pierre, I have just lost a long answer that was not posted because it did not have a title (I never had to add a title to an answer), and of course there was no auto saved copy of at least part of it. I will therefore try to reconstruct the basis of my wild idea, based on what I see in other (non-Adobe) forums where moderation is very heavy, but always with at least a short explaining sentence, and never anonymous.

Perhaps CH posts could be ended with something like this:

This help file was (written in response to)/(motivated by) the following question:

(Full original message reproduced here, including original date and time).

Messages complementing the information of this help file are welcome but

messages not related with the main topic will be deleted.

Just an opinion. Incidentally, in the forums I mention, no discussion regarding moderation is allowed. Any such discussion must be carried through private messages, involving other moderators if necessary. And there are no anonymous moderators in those forums; all of them are duly identified as such.

This time I am saving a copy of my message before attempting to post it, just in case.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Strict forum, Claudio! Rule one: Thou shalt not speak of the Fight Club

I don't know who all the moderators are, indeed, not knowing who is one is a question. Also, some Community Professionals are not moderators/hosts!

I don't know if it is good or not. I just try to use those "powers" with care and goodwill, and try to respect all sensibilities.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Sorry, but I give up. For the second time I have lost a long message because

Captura.JPG

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Could you share details about your setup, Claudio? What browser?

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Pierre, I'm out of town at the time, using latest Explorer 9 under Win 7 and through a slow mobile connection, although I'm mostly a Mac man.

My second lost mail gave the reasons for my previous suggestion. It also acknowledged that many -but not all- moderators are like you: considerate, corteous and good willing. And, being a man who has lived the largest part of his life in the previous century, I complained again by the totally unnecessary anonymity of moderators. As all in my generation, I was taught to face my responsibilities.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Feb 17, 2012 Feb 17, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

The Ps forums also had a lot of funny threads, but at one point, some decided to move them to the lounge, that became the forum lounge.

Here is a nice one that popped up recently: http://forums.adobe.com/message/4214126#4214126

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 18, 2012 Feb 18, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Well, here is a new example of a CH post in the forum in Spanish:

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4213698?tstart=0#4213698

Some comments:

  1. It's not clear which product the discussion refers to, unless one happens to notice the name "illustrator" buried in the middle of the link.
  2. The link takes one to a multi page document, each with a different help topic. I gave up counting after 12 pages.
  3. The help post is followed by a message asking a question that, for me at least, is difficult to guess if it is directly related whith the topic in the title of the help message, or to that of one of the other pages in the link, or is a new question. This message has the same posting date and time than the opening message.
  4. As this second message is in Spanish and the text of the help message is in English, it is easy to be led to think that it is indeed a new question. This happened to Federico, the most knowledgeable and helpful participant in the forum in Spanish, the author of the third message, one of the many people in that forum who still do not understand CH posts.

My previous suggestion on this was crippled because I left out my reasons for making it after having to rewrite my message, and gave up when I lost a second long message; and also because the system graciously eliminated the blank lines that clarified its structure.

Quite frankly, I think that the CH messages may be a very good idea, but they certainly need a lot of polishing. In my opinion, at least. And at least when, in the forum in Spanish (one forum for all Adobe products, with no subforum of any kind and no moderators, remember?), they misteriously and unexpextedly fall down out of the blue sky.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
LEGEND ,
Feb 29, 2012 Feb 29, 2012

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

Same CH thread again,

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4236570#4236570

showing how confusing the situation can get. After Federico answered in message #2 the question in Spanish by natan70 in message #1, natan posted more details in message #3. Then Federico gave a more precise answer in message #4, which natan thanked in message #5, stating that this had solved his problem. And I, in message #6, I asked natan to mark the question as answered, forgetting that he isn't the originator of the thread...



Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines