GWC FAQ - Need contributors!

Support and Suggestions Volunteers
#1

All,

The GWC Crüe needs your help in pulling together a, “GWC FAQ.” This should be a “getting started” document with an introduction that explains what GWC (podcast, us, and the community) is(/are) and then a listing of all the ways one can participate – forum, frak parties, meetups, chapters, after-frak party, calling in to the podcast, etc. We can also add Q&A for some of the more common questions

The final product will appear both in the forum but also on the main www.galacticwatercooler.com page.

Simply write a section using the following structure

Subject
This is the first sentence.

Feel free to start a new section or add to/rewrite another section. I will compile the master document as we progress.

Thank you!

#2

Who’s the target audience?

#3

Since we transitioned into the age of Geek a few years ago it is important that we make things easy for our Jock brothers and sisters to participate in the wonderful culture that has been hidden from them by the man. :stuck_out_tongue:

What about the FAQ’s that have already been worked up? Is there a first draft?

#4

Target audience is someone who finds us on the internet. Imagine we have 30 seconds to capture their interest…how do we describe who we are and what we do.

The existing FAQ in the forum is pretty specific to community nuance (what is an OG, what is an Alpaca e.g.) so it wouldn’t serve as an introduction to the community.

#5

Actually it is sort of an introduction to the community. When you’re contributing content for this, you’re speaking to nascent GWCers – other cool people like yourselves who’ve stumbled on the site and/or podcast and don’t know anything about what GWC is.

What would you tell them to help them learn that the water’s fine and it’s OK to jump right in? We’re looking for a “How to get involved in this great community” primer.

#6

If you have some suggested topics/questions we could each claim one, post the answers and then edit in a semi-wiki system…

#7

Do you want the submissions posted here or sent somewhere else?

#8

Go ahead and post here.

Great, how about this to start:
[ol]
[li]Overview[/li][li]Who we are, what we do[/li][li]What is the blog?[/li][li]What is the forum?[/li][li]What is the podcast?[/li][li]What is a frak party?[/li][li]How do I get involved?[/li][/ol]

#9

Easy. You just come up with the picture of a beaver wearing pants and holding a cookie. He’s in a German-brand convertible that has New Jersey license plates reading “IKYWIM”. In the background: a huge gutter.

On the serious side of things: I’ll leave writing the FAQs to the native speakers but my two cents: I’d advertise with slogan from the podcast: “The friendliest people in Scifi” - because it’s just really true. I recently spent some time on another forum for other purposes and I quit after two weeks or so because … well, let’s just say there wasn’t much love going around.

#10

I thought I would make a start and see where it goes…

first draft…

Getting started and finding your way around the Galactic Watercooler.

For those of you here for the first time, it is a good idea to click on the forum button at the top of this page. You will find myriad topics to browse through; Some are very current, regarding TV and Movies that are playing now as well as topics on Classic Sci-fi.
You will even find a book of the month club (sci-fi and fantasy of course) as well as many “off-topic” posts like a “questions only” topic where you have to post in the form of a question. So what ever your interest, click on the forum button and discover the friendliest forum on the inter-web.

P.S. BTW- there is a pretty good podcast associated with this website as well.

feel free to comment… i am not overly sensitive.:slight_smile:

#11

Great stuff, THX! That made me think of something we should include re: the forum – the five threads you should visit immediately upon joining.

[ol]
[li] The (Un)official Introduction Thread: Introduce yourself and let everyone know you’re here. You’ll see hundreds of friendly greetings; yours is next![/li][li]The GWC Dog Tag Gallery: Want to fix that naked, barren signature? Check out the dog tags most GWCers display in the sigs, give some thot to what your nickname/call-sign should be, then PM Solai to get your tag.[/li][li]Life is teh suck today because (a.ka. the official B tch & Moan thread): You’ll note that GWCers are some of the most positive, enjoyable people you’ll find on a forum anywhere. Why? Because we post all the btching and maning here! There’s one rule, though: For every post you make in this thread you must also post at least once in the…[/li][li]Cool craaaaap you’ve acquired/done lately: This counterbalance to the bitch and man thread is the home to happy thots. Visit whenever you need a pick-me-up – or to share your own happy news.[/li][li]Meetups: Want to meet some of the friendliest people in sci-fi/fantasy/comics in person? Check out this forum where everyone posts meetup opportunities. Don’t see one near you? Post and start your own![/li][/ol]

#12

Chuck, that sounds like a pretty good one on its own.
but I will take a swing at it… (even blind pigs find truffles. :slight_smile: )

#13

Ok. here is Draft 2…

Getting started and finding your way around the Galactic Watercooler.

For those of you here for the first time, it is a good idea to click on the forum button at the top of this page. You will find myriad topics to browse through; Some are very current, regarding TV and Movies that are playing now as well as topics on Classic Sci-fi.
You will even find a book of the month club (sci-fi and fantasy of course) as well as many “off-topic” posts like a “questions only” topic where you have to post in the form of a question.

To get started, in the forums, check out The (Un)official Introduction Thread: you can find it by clicking on the “off topic\Other” thread, and its ‘stuck’ at the top so you can find it easily. Introduce yourself and let everyone know you’re here. You’ll see hundreds of friendly greetings; yours is next! This is a great place to get your first post out of the way, to break the seal. That will qualify you as Alpaca. (alpaca is anyone on the forums with less than 1,000 posts) and start you on your way toward O.G. status.(O.G. is anyone with 1,000 posts or more.)

You will find as you look at posts here that a lot of people have rather elaborate signatures. (That place below the posts, where they express themselves.) A number of these have BSG inspired DOG-TAGS in them, you to could have your own, just go to The GWC Dog Tag Gallery: Check out the dog tags most GWCers display in their signatures, give some thoought to what your nickname/call-sign should be, then PM Solai to get your tag. (PM is ‘Private Message” , you can send messages to other forum members from the “user CP” or user control panel, on the tool bar.)

We call ourselves the “friendliest forum on the net” and for good reason, and because we have learned to have an outlet for both the negative stuff life throws at us, as well as, a place to crow about the good stuff that happens to us. This keeps the other topics, well, ON TOPIC. If you have a bad day or something negative to talk about, head on over to the “Life is teh suck today because (a.ka. the official B tch & Moan thread)”: There’s one rule, though: For every post you make in this thread you must also post at least once in the “Cool craaaaap you’ve acquired/done lately”: This counterbalance to the bitch and man thread is the home to happy thoughts. Visit whenever you need a pick-me-up – or to share your own happy news. (ok, its more of a guide line then a RULE)

Everyone here shares at least one thing in common! Most times we have a ton more than that. After you ‘talk’ to people online for awhile, you do start to wonder what they are really like. So… One word… Meetups! This is where anyone from the forum gets together with anyone else in the forum to do something fun (or just have a cup a coffee.) Sometimes, Chuck, Audra or Sean (did I mention they do a pretty good podcast.) may show up. Don’t see one near you? Post and start your own!
So what ever your interest, click on the forum button and discover the friendliest forum on the webs.
P.S. BTW- there really is a pretty good podcast associated with this website as well.

#14

THX, here is my feedback:

Sure there are some small nips and tucks that we can do, but you nailed it.

#15

thanks. go ahead and Nip and tuck away.

#16

We just tell them we don’t wear pants.

#17

GWC - proud of bare legs since 2007

#18

I love you, man! XXX

PS I’m not a homophobe! :cool:

PPS Just some important pointers you should include in the FAQ :
- Who Barb is, and why we say ‘sorry’ to her?
- Who the frak is Larry?

#19

You guys rock!! I agree that the the “friendliest people in Sci-fi” is a big deal for newcomers. So many folks come here and the first thing they say is “be gentle! It’s my first time here,” or something like that. I like to tell friends and new people that you can express yourself here and that there’s a general respect for one another that we all try to maintain.

#20

Thanks Audra. When I came to this forum, Having never been to the forums before, I came because I was so mad about ‘all along the watchtower’ being used in BSG that i was ready to dump the show. and posted a rant to that effect. Solai, and others did not jump on me, but rather talked me through it, and I stayed with the show and the forum…So yeah, I agree, the “friendliest people in Sci-fi” is important to me to…