Tiny Portal Classes?

[parentingdiscussions]

Well you see, a lot of times there are people out here who are using these types of programs to run their sites, and I am sure that not all of them have the money or the means of sending money just for someone to help them set up their sites or upgrade their sites.
There does come a point in which asking for help or taking advantage of the person helping you comes into play, and that I have seen a lot in the past. I think that it is very important to give as much information that is possible when people want to install new programs or do up grades for their sites, because not everyone has the ability to do that kind of stuff.
On the other hand there is also an issue when greed starts to play a roll as well. People want to make money, and their time is very valuable, and if they spend countless hours doing upgrades and installs they do need to be paid for this. These people at first were doing it out of the kindness of their heart, but then when greed starts to take a roll in a website that is when it all becomes a problem.

In today's world of the Internet everyone is out trying to make a fast buck, and in some cases it makes sense to ask for money, but if you offer free programing or a free product asking for money is sort of low, and is why I think it is a good idea to keep it free and make your money some other way, so having a online class is all to important. Also having just text to explain how to do something can be difficult to many others, because they don't understand the terminology of script or other stuff like that, so that is where a lot of these comes into play.

I really feel that with SMF and TP seeing that pretty much everything is for free, it should remain free, support should be free too, and it should be up to the person who is doing the support weather or not they should help, if they want to charge for helping another person that is their choice, but I would rather help someone for free but when I can do it. and when it doesn't cut into my own time. However like I said above there are times when some people like to take advantage of this support, and that is where you have to draw the line.

[Zetan]

Support is free at SMF/TP. Advice, and hints and tips is free. Our time given here is free, even in some cases we have been known to enter somebody's forum to fix, upgrade, carry out a task.

It is not our job to do that. We make the invitation if we feel that the advice given here is not helping and would be resolved quicker by simply doing it for you.

The other thing I feel.. If you don't have a clue what you are doing and are un-willing to learn the basics like installing a package, a new theme, upgrading the forum, general administration duties, like forum maintenance. Why are you running a forum?

I drive a car, I can do the basics, change the oil, fill it up with petrol, install a new stereo.. those are very basic things. Digging into the heart of the engine is a job for my mechanic. So I understand that some not so basic things require help, advice, which is what we try to give.

I must say this again.. this is a forum for TinyPortal only, not SMF, not SMF Arcade, Not PHP tuition, java basics or the learning school of html. The other help given is down to the discression of the people offering the advice or the author of a Block Code Snippet that is hosted here for you to use for free.

[parentingdiscussions]

Now that was a lost cause, some day I am sure this site will have online classes, I am very sure of this, so anyone out there who is looking! just wait a while good things will come sooner or later.

[Zetan]

Now that was a lost cause, some day I am sure this site will have online classes, I am very sure of this, so anyone out there who is looking! just wait a while good things will come sooner or later.

Maybe.. But it's only my opinion, and I'm entitled to it. I can't speak for others, though it would have my full backing and support were it to happen.

[bloc]

I am a bit unsure of whats being referred by online classes though..if its interacting live with users in a tutor/student situation, well, then it will be a time issue lol, we simply don't have the time for that.

If it rather something else, like automated "courses" or demonstration videos etc. then its possible of course. Like Tick says though, it will mostly revolve around TP and what it can do. SMF maybe..and perhpas basic learning of html/css/php/mysql..but thats a large area to cover.

Whats really meant here...?

[parentingdiscussions]

I think what I was trying to get at here Bloc is that in some cases not everyone knows how to write script, and it would be nice to have some sort of a visual look at how people do this type of stuff. As for having live online classes, oh God who has the time for that, I am steering more towards interactive screen capture, to show people step by step how to install either the program, or to install TP, I think then one should be done with doing upgrades. As for different Mods, as one person already said, there are somethings better left alone.

In any case I for online video lessons, if it were possible. Or maybe you guys should contact the Dummies books, and have a book written SMF/Tp for dummies, that is sure to be a hit.

[bloc]

Video is something I like to do - fitting in between all other stuff lol.

Actualy, I can se this go along with the demosites I have been planning for a while, that show what TP can do, and give you the settings to set it up in similar fashion on your own site. Video/flash as part of the process of going from the inital click'n'go step to more, will be interesting I think.

[turboguy]

The other thing I feel.. If you don't have a clue what you are doing and are un-willing to learn the basics like installing a package, a new theme, upgrading the forum, general administration duties, like forum maintenance. Why are you running a forum?

I find this an interesting thread.   I to think there are a lot of people like me who do have a reason to run a forum but really have a full plate without trying to get into the technical side of things. 

I think the classes are a great idea.   I have tried to avoid learning anything for a long time and am a new convert from vBulletin to SMF & TP.   If I see a weakness it is intruction and learning for the non technical newbie.   I have been trying to spend a couple of hours a day here or on the SMF forum.   Learning is definitely challenging.   You can find bits and pieces that help in the forums and the manual touches on a few things but either classes or something that was TP for dummies would be a great help.

[parentingdiscussions]

You would not be the first one to want something like this, however it takes time to set these things up, and I do feel that over time support is going to become less and less well at least in here.
Most people just can't understand the terminology of script, and even though it is easy for some, it can be down right difficult for others. This is where having a good team in place can help others out, but what if that person has no clue to what a support team member is saying, I think that visual aids would come in handy. Video classes, and maybe even some interactive classes would be something of the future in here.

[tick]

You would not be the first one to want something like this, however it takes time to set these things up, and I do feel that over time support is going to become less and less well at least in here.

I do have to disagree with this statement.  As this forum gets bigger and bigger you will notice the team does also.  I think is the need arises when the forum get bigger than the team will support the team will also get bigger.  One thing we pride ourselves on is the way our support team works here.   Support will always be good here because that is what keeps people coming back.  TIck