PistolPatch
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 29/11/05
- Messages
- 2,717
- Reaction score
- 44
Five years ago, I remember several people putting a fair bit of thought and time into working out how to make AHB welcoming and informative to new brewers. A few FAQ threads were written (one active tonight) and this lead to the AHB Wikki (which is a topic that needs a whole other thread .)
I don't think anyone could criticise me in my desire to help out new brewers. I now seem to hardly have the time to even help new BIABrewer's properly so why am I bothering writing here tonight?...
What worries me is that when I have the time to browse AHB, I see a few brewers bending over backwards to help others whilst a few others (some with way too big post counts) plainly scoff at new brewers apparent "ignorance". According to them, they knew everything about brewing since birth and the rest of us should be laughed at. (These guys aren't even great brewers.)
I've been brewing on and off for over twenty five years now and there are heaps of questions I can't answer on brewing and never will be able to. It took me over twenty unnecessary years just to find a brewing method that actually gave me great beer!
So, where should a new brewer start?
If you click on the AHB home page? there is nothing to welcome or direct the new brewer. It is bloody hard for them. The smart arses tell them to search etc. You try it! It often takes me hours to find a thread I have written to!
Isn't it time that when you clicked on the AHB logo or home page that the first thing you see at the top is a, "Welcome to New Members," forum? And, within that forum, which should be the most highly moderated one, the new member can easily find FAQ's., Wikki links etc.? (I seriously can never even find the forum that contains the FAQs that I spent hours to help write!)
I think this forum should be the most highly moderated as new brewers need the best and most dedicated information. They certainly don't need brewers who are "above" them making posts of no value or simply frivolous.
I have learned some amazing things from new brewers I have helped or met. Many of them have quickly developed skills I will never have such as in recipe formulation. New brewers are a gold mine of information, skills, challenges and, more importantly, friendship.
I think it's about time we (if I am allowed to say that) at AHB gave them a welcome mat.
Until we do, I'm seriously not at home here.
and <_<.
Pat
P.S. No edits so I can't even correct my topic title capitalisation - I hate that!!!
I don't think anyone could criticise me in my desire to help out new brewers. I now seem to hardly have the time to even help new BIABrewer's properly so why am I bothering writing here tonight?...
What worries me is that when I have the time to browse AHB, I see a few brewers bending over backwards to help others whilst a few others (some with way too big post counts) plainly scoff at new brewers apparent "ignorance". According to them, they knew everything about brewing since birth and the rest of us should be laughed at. (These guys aren't even great brewers.)
I've been brewing on and off for over twenty five years now and there are heaps of questions I can't answer on brewing and never will be able to. It took me over twenty unnecessary years just to find a brewing method that actually gave me great beer!
So, where should a new brewer start?
If you click on the AHB home page? there is nothing to welcome or direct the new brewer. It is bloody hard for them. The smart arses tell them to search etc. You try it! It often takes me hours to find a thread I have written to!
Isn't it time that when you clicked on the AHB logo or home page that the first thing you see at the top is a, "Welcome to New Members," forum? And, within that forum, which should be the most highly moderated one, the new member can easily find FAQ's., Wikki links etc.? (I seriously can never even find the forum that contains the FAQs that I spent hours to help write!)
I think this forum should be the most highly moderated as new brewers need the best and most dedicated information. They certainly don't need brewers who are "above" them making posts of no value or simply frivolous.
I have learned some amazing things from new brewers I have helped or met. Many of them have quickly developed skills I will never have such as in recipe formulation. New brewers are a gold mine of information, skills, challenges and, more importantly, friendship.
I think it's about time we (if I am allowed to say that) at AHB gave them a welcome mat.
Until we do, I'm seriously not at home here.
and <_<.
Pat
P.S. No edits so I can't even correct my topic title capitalisation - I hate that!!!