[Aura]

Alright so that suggestion will probably get insta-denied, but we won't know until we try.

We all know how users here can't use the search function, right? Hell, even some Ub3rs and oldies can't use it properly. Anyway, I thought that technical sections, like the ones in the Tech, Code and Hack (maybe even Web if it's worth it) areas should all have a sticky with an index to all the tutorials in that section. Who would handle this job? The Mentors, why not? It would give them something to do and I'm sure that someone like Adam would love spending his free time on this (don't lie to me, I know you would) and at the same time it would give ideas to members on what kind of tutorials are missing in the section and hopefully motivate them to write one, or even more.

There's two ways this thing could start up (well, three if you do a mix of both of them). First way, you post a thread and you ask the members to link tutorials/guides they would like to see in the sticky. I'm sure a lot of people here have a few tutorials/guides bookmarked or else that they liked and would like other users to enjoy. Second way, the Mentors build the index themself using the Search feature by looking the keywords "tutorial", "guide", "walkthrough", etc. I know I did it once with the Windows section and never released it but I had around 50 tutorials at some point.

Now, if we check the pros and cons of this suggestion.

• Will create an helpful thread that will offer centralized resources to users browsing a section and looking for something in particuliar;
  
• Allow users to see what kind of tutorial is missing (or outdated) in a section and inspire them to write/create a new one;
  
• Give the Mentors something to do, since some seems to think that they aren't doing enough (I have no idea of what they are supposed to do, nor is it my business);
  
• Hopefully stop people from posting stupid questions in the technical questions and/or find their answer by finding a tutorial about it first;
  
• It'll make the section look more organized with an index, so you'll be a bit less loss in it;
  
• Give more visibility to the tutorials/guides and their authors. Some users spend hours writing these for a couple of views, and 2-3 replies before it falls in the depths of the section, never to be seen again;
  

Now, every suggestion has it's cons so...

• Takes up one sticky spot in each of these sections, and I know Omni tries to keep the number of stickies low;
  
• Even thought I think it never happened, remove one idea of thread for the "Stickyman" award;
  
• Add a workload to the Mentors (like I said, I have no idea of what they're doing, maybe they're busy as hell and we don't know about it, even more if they go with the second way of starting these threads because the members won't contribute to the first way);
  
• There's still a chance that users won't pay attention at all to the thread and post their question requesting a tutorial included in the index anyway;
  
• If not done properly, low quality and tutorials/guides with poor content would end up in the index;
  

So that's basically my idea. I expect it to be denied anyway since it's nothing out of the ordinary, nor something that should have been done a long time ago, but I just thought that I would give it a shot. Back in the days, when I was still active I would have loved to see something like that, now I'm just a lurker so it matters less but who knows, the day will come where a new generation of helpers and users will join HackForums, and they might appreciate that kind of index.

[Roger Waters]

https://hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=4975806
https://hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=4941613

Like these?

I think the moderators of these sections (the ones that have these) should work with the members that post in those sections often to create these. Last time I knew, sectional moderators were not allowed to just sticky the threads, and had to have Omniscient do that for them.

[Oliver Sykes]

I like the idea.
Something like, Mods of a section/mentors get a Notification of threads with Tutorial keyword pending sticky approval. If approved, added to the sticky. If not, it's a normal thread and not affected.

[Aura]

Yup exactly like this. I honestly though about saying that this should be in the hands of sectional moderators, but not every technical section have one and it means that Omni would have to select one per section for thé ones that doesn't have one right now and I doubt he wants to do that. Hence why I suggested the Mentors since I can see you guys doing some work like that.

[Zayzo]

I like the idea. I also think that (2) or so members should be assigned to most sections that are fairly active. To moderate and etc. Instead of the general group of mentors.

[Aura]

I like the idea. I also think that (2) or so members should be assigned to most sections that are fairly active. To moderate and etc. Instead of the general group of mentors.

I don't think that Mentors have control over sections other than the ones in the General tab. For the rest, the Staff will manage them and also the section moderator if there's one. And there's usually one by section and it also involved the subsections. I was a Section Mod of the Misc. Computer Talk once and therefore the subsections Virtual Machines and Web Browsers were also included in the sections I could moderate.

[Zayzo]

I don't think that Mentors have control over sections other than the ones in the General tab. For the rest, the Staff will manage them and also the section moderator if there's one. And there's usually one by section and it also involved the subsections. I was a Section Mod of the Misc. Computer Talk once and therefore the subsections Virtual Machines and Web Browsers were also included in the sections I could moderate.

Looks like to me mentors are default mods, in alot of sections. Including the hacking tab.

(PIM, etc.)

[King of Hearts]

I asked Odus/Looka to sticky the indexes I made and they said only Omniscient can sticky threads. Luckily I had asked Omni to move the thread from The Brotherhood SF to Java so in the process he sticked the Java thread. As for teh NET compilation, Roger moved it so it was never sticked.

Personally, I would love to see similar threads sticked. However, with the new search system, we should be able to search tags and such.

[Aura]

@King of Hearts: That's assuming everyone uses the "Tutorial" and "Guide" tags or tags the threads properly to do that I guess.
@adam: Why don't you go for all these stickies, eh? 😝

[Tricorn]

A good concept but then it also seems as if hackforums is endorsing the thread, could easily lead to scams or other malicious things, I think this idea will most likely get shot down and I feel as if the search function supersedes the need for this.

[Aura]

How could an index of tutorials and guides in a technical section (let's say Windows or White Hat Help) could lead to scam or malicious things?

[Tricorn]

How could an index of tutorials and guides in a technical section (let's say Windows or White Hat Help) could lead to scam or malicious things?

Say you link a tutorial, someone could simply edit their post and add malicious content. It would take a lot of moderation and upkeep to maintain and make sure it is actually worth staying stickied. I guess it is kind of dependent on the section.

[Aura]

... Never seen that happened to be honest. Did you ever heard of something like that?

[King of Hearts]

... Never seen that happened to be honest. Did you ever heard of something like that?

Actually out of the 50 pages I went through for the Java and .NET threads, I found 2 or 3 that were closed b/c they had malicious files in them. Obviously when adding threads to the list, those threads won't be added.


Also, the sticky thread can be divided into mutliple sections like I did (especially for the Java thread).
Basically, have one section for curated content (tutorials that are essential and have been made by reputable members and have been vetted) and another section just like a directory that has all the listings (use at your own risk).

[SIM-2015410]

I support this suggestion. I think it would definitely be very helpful. Obviously a lot of work though - and a lot of the mentors are very inactive and/or wouldn't bother doing this. Raj and Adam already have the sticky man award anyway xD

On a side note, related but not directly related to this suggestion: I know sticky suggestions are autodenied, but I think that Omni should make a thread for sticky suggestions like the thread prefix one, it can be ignored most of the time but would be good to make sure threads from all sections get noticed.