Useful links FAQ page

[James Adams]

Hi,

It's me again so I'll hope you'll bear with me for a while.

I'm relatively new to this site (at least, I haven't been around here recently for a while, and didn't do much before that) so I haven't had much chance to get aquatinted to new links that keep popping up over the place. It's very easy to lose useful links in the thick of things, so I'm requesting an FAQ page where useful links are stored. I'm mainly talking about http://hogwartsnewzealand.com/pages/PAGENAME pages, for instance the Quidditch control panel, and the applications page (for checking your app status). I realise that there are probably quite a few of these links around, so it is probably quite a task to undertake, but for new members, it would be greatly useful and appreciated on my part.

Thanks for considering this, even if it isn't worth it.

James

P.S. Most likely to post in the Suggestions forum anyone?

 

[Nicolas King]

Hi James,

I think most of the really important links for users are all accesible via the information link at the top of the page.
The app tracking page is linked to on the "Applications Page" in the site documentation page. The Preferences page also has links added for application information and the code control panel (see attached screenshot #1).
If you don't have the account tracker set up, you see screenshot #2 with a link in the preferences page as well as in the PM system. The account tracker is also a clickable link via the "OOC Name" field in every user's mini-profile.
The gradebook is linked to in every student's miniprofile.
The QCP is really only important for captains, and they have a pinned topic with a link to it. It does provide minor stats for players but it's not very useful at all and was mostly done "just 'cuz" - it may be removed.

I don't think there are any links that aren't easily accessible, or on the site docs page, that could be added to another page like you're suggesting. Similarly, if such a page was created - it'd have to be linked to places, as well, and new members might not see it, either!

 

[James Adams]

Nick,

Thanks for the response, it certainly gave me all the links that I need at the moment. I must have somehow missed the Applications Page link in the Preferences section, even though I looked there

Having read your post however, I feel that perhaps the links are cluttered all over the place. You link to many places where you can find all of the information, but you must realise that they are all over the place. Sure, I can look for one link here, another there, and I now know where to look for them, but having a page where all of those links you linked me are on (with perhaps a note on how to find each of them elsewhere) would still be useful would it not?

I do see your point, "the member has to see the page for it to work" but I believe the Information documents were created to have a page for stuff such as this. Were they not created to have a place where new members can look at, and find all of the information that they require?

Sorry if I'm misreading any of your information you provided,

James

 

[Nicolas King]

Of course links are in different places... but all logical places. It's a website - links lead to defined areas that have links that lead to other defined areas. You have to get used to that, sure, but it's easy enough to do.
And, once again, the site documentation page has 99.9% of all important links. Including the application information page! (See the attached screenshot for that.)

Why would a user need to access their gradebook? To see their grades. Access via the character's profile. Logical.
Professors, who need to access the gradebook for more things, have a link in the dropdown from the report control panel.

Why would a user need to access the account tracker? To see which accounts are linked, or to link their accounts. Accessed via the character you're not sure about or changing. I think this is logical again.
Users who don't have this set up yet have a more prominent link for even easier access.

A whole new page for links that are already placed in prominent areas of the site (preferences page is a main section for settings and information, profiles are a main section for character information) isn't very useful in my mind.

Like any website, you need to get used to where things are. I think the fact that you're used to ZetaBoards but not HNZ makes this transition a little bit harder for you - because we've placed links in the midst of the usual ZB user interface so our users see them and know as they explore the site generally. You already know the basics of the software so haven't done that same exploration and seen where we've placed links.

But the site documentation page handles most of it, and it's for the reasons you've mentioned that it was created.

 

[James Adams]

A most informative answer, and I concur with all the points you make. I thank you for your time in answering my (ignorant) queries; you are right, I do know the default ZB better than HNZ, so I guess I only skimmed over the Preferences links because I assumed nothing was going to be there. (How wrong I was : ).

You certainly cleared up any queries, and (yet again) showed me that I've still got a lot to learn

Thank you once again,

James