System Spec's Compulsory

[Kursah]

Many people that would like to register may or may not know most of the detailed specifications of their hardware. It could be extraordinarily difficult for them to fill it out. There is a good chance that if they're not familiar enough their hardware to fill out the list then they probably don't know about everest, CPU-Z, etc. Let's not forget that Techpowerup is a place where people of all skill levels come to learn. I think this would be an unnecessary hurtle for beginners.

Yep I mentioned along the same lines in my previous posts also, but if there was either links in the e-mail giving them the option to gain more knowlege and help quicker before needing to post, it might intrigue them to check out a small guide on how to fill out the System Specs area, how to find out more about their hardware inside their PC...a list of the free programs popularly used can be pretty easily run by many.

I do agree that this is a place where people of all skill levels visit and join, again leading to an even larger challenge, and that's why I don't believe something like this should be mandatory but a help article or small series that covers some things they can do to improve their quest for attaining the proper help and diagnosis tips will be read by many imo. Again, some will skip all that, and we're still here to help them...that's what TPU is about, that's what I'm about on TPU.

Making an article or small series that are just intro-help topics would be interesting though and could be created with teamwork from users on this forum, something with easy to see/read screenshots and easy to understand, short and simple instructions is still very possible...just not by this guy, I'm incapable of cutting off all of the fat in my comments/articles/writings...just how my style works (see my guide for even more long winded reading! lol!). I would like to see something constructive that we could link to new users seeking help to read through and learn from, and possibly improve their knowlege of not only this forum's workings/features, but even links to other articles/guides on TPU, the web and such that those willing to read can. Those that want a quick answer generally need to research more anyways (when inexperienced that is) since they wouldn't be able to comprehend the answers they recieve, so a small structured area that is giving them an easy access area of opportunity.

We all may have different visions of how this could be done, or if it should even be done. I think it should be an option for new users, maybe merely suggested in the Activation E-mail and maybe at the Activation Screen with links, instead of being a "You Must Read this, You must Do this before you can join"...that will deter users from joining and we don't want that. Hopefully more users can voice their opinions on this topic, it is nice to see the staff involved with their opinions, hopefully more will voice their opinoins.

 

[imperialreign]

I can't say I'm 100% for that idea of making specs mandatory - like Kursah pointed out, there are a lot of users who just aren't sure.

Those users who do join, genuinely looking for help, though, are more than willing to fill out their specs or post them after we've prodded them for it.


If we're loking for ideas to detere SPAM bots and the like - I've seen other sites require a VIP password or similar during registration, and a link to where the VIP password can be found within an article or FAQ. Then there's always the lovely, irritating pics with the letters and numbers . . . TBH, I haven't really seen much of an issue at all on TPU with spambots - I can only recall one spam post, and that lasted on the board for about 5min.

Overall, I'd say the system works pretty well as it is now - obviously, people still feel welcome enough to join, and many stick around for quite some time.

 

[Namslas90]

I have seven running computers in this house....what specs do you want??

 

[imperialreign]

I have seven running computers in this house....what specs do you want??

7?!

damn, dude! If you sold off 6 of them, you'd have one lean, mean, beast of a machine!

 

[Triprift]

Menchin all of em in ur sigs nams lol

 

[Mussels]

i havent read all of this thread, but i have a few points here.

Forced filling out of system specs upon signing up will prevent spam bots.

people who 'dont know' their specs wouldnt be very useful anyway - its no more info than we'd ask for in the second post! If it asks what the system name/model number is and they fill that out, at least they'll think about it. If they know (and tell us) its a pentium and its a laptop - hey, thats a start. ALL the fields need not be compulsory.

Just make some fields compulsory:
System name/Model number
CPU
Memory
Video Card

Those are the most common info we will need, EVERYONE can GUESS what those are or at least make something up - bots wont.

 

[Mussels]

I have seven running computers in this house....what specs do you want??

double post, but this ones offtopic so its a rulebreaker anyway - i too have seven rigs. i sold a few off recently to make room for a bigger screen and speakers they got in the way.

I have talked to w1zzles about this in the past, but the forum system here is not capable of handling multiple PC' entries - and w1zz doesnt have the time to code it himself to fix it, or enough reason to pay someone else to do it for him.

 

[Dia01]

Just a brief help guide of how to obtain some of the necassary sytem info when new members are in the process of creating a profile would surely help. They can take it or leave it but I'm sure if explained to them the majority would decide to fill out the spec's to obtain maximum help faster and easier. Making it compulsory may have the reverse effect thinking about it now.

 

[Mussels]

Just a brief help guide of how to obtain some of the necassary sytem info when new members are in the process of creating a profile would surely help. They can take it or leave it but I'm sure if explained to them the majority would decide to fill out the spec's to obtain maximum help faster and easier. Making it compulsory may have the reverse effect thinking about it now.

a link to CPU-Z and GPU-Z would easily allow the fields i mentioned above to get filled out - even motherboard.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

a link to CPU-Z and GPU-Z would easily allow the fields i mentioned above to get filled out - even motherboard.

Thats a really good idea. That would make it very easy. And a tad tough for W1z I imagine.

 

[Triprift]

How bout we just leave things the way they are if it aint broken then dont fix it i say.

 

[spud107]

linking or suggesting programs to use to get system information is a good idea,
maybe a help button/link in the system specs cp.

 

[Dia01]

How bout we just leave things the way they are if it aint broken then dont fix it i say.

Only suggesting improvements, it may help or may not. If only a few gain help what's the problem?

 

[Triprift]

No problem man i just dont see the need but thats me.

 

[Mussels]

the main thing is that

A: lots of bots DO get on here. people report them and they go away before others see them.
B: lots of people ask for help WITHOUT READING THE RULES - its a waste of time and makes it impossible to fix their problem, if we dont know what hardware they have.

A page saying we need 'THESE' specs before you can sign up: with links and a guide to CPU and GPU-Z would make it very, VERY easy.