Access Essentials sticky thread recommendations (1 Viewer)

[Jon]

Discuss here what you think should be added to each "Essentials" thread in the Microsoft Access Discussion category. Then let the mods decide what makes the final cut and then implement.

 

[vba_php]

there's so much knowledge that can be put in these threads, Jon. don't you think that going overboard with something like this would discourage new users of access and put them off by overloading them with information and make it seem like the forum is suggesting they fend for themselves? sometimes asking questions, even stupid ones, helps newbies learn easier than just reading text for hours on end. I use people at GoDaddy as sounding boards all the time. I even do it to salespeople at Wal0Mart if I've been coding for hours and don't want to think anymore. it may result in a tad of bickering, but usually both people involved become more knowledgeable when it's over...

 

[MajP]

@vba_php
If I understand what Jon is recommending I think he is trying to make them like a table of contents where you would have
Topic
--- Faq 1
---Faq 2
Topic 2
--- FAQ 1
--- Code Example 1

If so that would be very helpful and organized.

If that is correct it works well. See this thread with an example form another forum. Currently the FAQs and Code examples are not organized. No way to find something unless you know what you are looking for.

Solved - Should each forum have a sticky called <section> Essentials? e.g. VBA Essentials

You guys know I am not a fan of stickies, or at least too many of them. How about each Access related forum has a sticky called Essentials? e.g. Form Essentials, Report Essentials, VBA Essentials? These stickies can then contain text explanations and also links to other posts that are...

www.access-programmers.co.uk

 

[Jon]

FAQs provide value. So do table of contents, ability to search and choice to post. None are compulsory.

 

[AccessBlaster]

At times they feel a little heavy and obsolete, but honestly I just ignore them.

 

[vba_php]

compulsory.

that's an intelligent person's term. aside from looking it up, I would just choose something similar that's more in line with "less-thinking: I agree MAJ...no arg here.

 

[Jon]

At times they feel a little heavy and obsolete, but honestly I just ignore them.

How do you mean neavy and obsolete? Curious of your perspective.

 

[vba_php]

How do you mean neavy and obsolete? Curious of your perspective.

compulsory = mandatory/enforced/coercive/compelling. why not just say "necessary"? that's what I mean.....I was referring to using simple language, rather than language that's evolved due to political correctness or over-intelligent humans (OOP-obsessed engineers for example). (this will draw fire, i'm sure!)

 

[vba_php]

speaking of engineers, Jon, I would be you a million bucks that I could take the following terms and convert them to common sense terms:

=>polymorphism
=>abstraction
=>encapsulation
=>object orientation

 

[AccessBlaster]

In the older software there seemed to be a lot stickies. Some of them felt stale, and not relevant. I think annual pruning might be in order.

 

[Jon]

I don't think its compulsory to say necessary.

Please, entertain us all...

 

[vba_php]

I don't think its compulsory to say necessary.

Please, entertain us all...

ok mr. leader, now you've annoyed me! who's the trickster now, eh?

 

[Jon]

In the older software there seemed to be a lot stickies. Some of them felt stale, and not relevant. I think annual pruning might be in order.

I agree entirely. That is why I have suggested in another thread to cut down the stickies! Prune them down to 3 maximum. By having an "Essentials" theme, I believe it would represent a great placeholder for links to great posts, act as a FAQ and so on. Less stickies=less scrolling=happier human beings.

 

[vba_php]

happier human beings.

happier human beings could come about by them discarding their worldly fears and following the Lord. what did the son say?

pick up your cross and follow me

doing so widens the door for entry. what else did the son say?

it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven

 

[Jon]

Just done an example format here: https://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/threads/general-access-database-essentials.309328/

 

[Jon]

Big changes in the General section, with a cutting and slashing of the stickies. The original stickies can be found in the Essentials thread.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

I responded to to an observation by Steve R in this thread:- https://www.access-programmers.co.uk/forums/threads/a-locked-library-sub-forum.310352/ --- I didn't mention in that thread, but I think it's worth mentioning here, the stickies themselves are at the top of the forum so first off, this gives you the first level of organisation because you will have a stickie related to a forum. As the sticky becomes full, let's say when it gets to 10 or 20 items, then place similar topics in a separate thread, link to that separate thread from the sticky. By way of example, imagine the "Form Forum" sticky, primarily it would fill up with random form related links. Then when it reached an unmanageable level, say 10 or 20 links, the links could be grouped on controls, subforms, forms, form subroutines as in close, open, onCurrent, whatever groupings become apparent. The sticky would then become one of the first places to look for an answer to a question.

 

[Jon]

I like the idea of sticking to the one sticky. But if you had say 20 items on there, instead of breaking up into more threads, just categorise on the sticky thread, so it looks a bit like a table of contents in book. Just my tuppence worth.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

instead of breaking up into more threads, just categorise on the sticky thread,

Please provide an example

 

[Jon]

I like how this guy breaks down links into sections: https://community.centminmod.com/threads/hello-from-the-uk.19199/

So, for a Forms sticky, you could have categories such as: subforms, mainform, general, fields, code etc