FAQ: Update of regular FAQ pointer - regulars please read

[Phil Addison]

> John Rumm wrote:

> > > > Just a thought, but how about all regular posters agree and adopt a > > common posting signature, something like, oh: > > > > ----- > > Please search the uk.d-i-y archives at and the > > uk.d-i-y FAQ at before posting a question! > > > > Can't think where you got that idea from. 8-) > > -- > Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter. > The FAQ for uk.diy is at > Gas fitting FAQ Sealed CH FAQ up on some of the suggestions here, I have had a stab at

re-worded the regular "FAQ: Want to ask a DIY question? Here's how. (Version 12)" posting. Please have a look at it and say how you would like to see it written. Feel free to suggest anything you like from typos corrections to a complete revision.

/Quote

Subject: FAQ: Want to ask a DIY question? Here's how. (Version

12) Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y, free.uk.diy.home

This is an introduction to the UK.D-I-Y newsgroup for new and experienced Do-It-Yourselfers in the United Kingdom. If you want help, or just want to find out more about a problem before calling in 'the professionals' you are welcome to 'pick our brains'.

There is a good chance your query, or a very similar one, has already been discussed and answered by the group, so please have a look at the Google uk.d-i-y archive, and our companion website for Frequently Asked Questions (the FAQ) before posting a question here.

The Google uk.d-i-y archive is at

the UK.D-I-Y FAQ is at FAQ website gives background information about a diverse range of DIY topics, and guidance on formulating questions to post here that will most easily get the answers you need. For example, you should explain the background to the problem as well as asking your question.

The FAQ includes detailed information on common DIY problems in areas such as central heating, plumbing, electrical, decorating, security, plastering, and tools. It also has a reference section pointing to other useful sites and companies.

You should be aware that although replies in most cases are perfectly accurate and sensible, there are occasions when someone posts an inappropriate answer. In this case one of the regulars is sure to post a correction, so it is always a good idea to check back later.

The FAQ makes clear that commercial advertising in the group is NOT welcome. Unsolicited advertising is considered abuse, and is likely to be reported as abuse to the advertiser's ISP. However, replies to specific questions which mention products sold by the person replying are acceptable. There is more information on commercial participation in the FAQ.

/End quote

Thanks

[Stefek Zaba]

Looks good to me - thanks for taking this on, Phil.

The tiniest of mainly-humourous quibbles only: where we have

I'd replace 'sure to post' with 'very likely...' or 'almost certain...' or 'almost sure...', lest the newbie get the idea of there being some contractually-obligated Forum Monitor or similar non-unmoderated-Usenet ubergruppenfuhrerfigure waiting to nanny the group back into line...

Stefek

[Grunff]

Yet you manage to avoid actually naming IMM! ;-)

[John Rumm]

Don't actually think that was me, but no worries...

...and here is a list of the posters and their pet answers... ;-)

Seems pretty fair to me.

Not in particular reply to this intro (more a handy place to hang an idea), there are a few things I think might be worth adding to the FAQ - but some will need to be group efforts to get enough information to be useful.

So what does the group think of:

A section on how to choose a heating system? i.e. all the stuff that folks trying to sell you one will neglect to mention. To be fair some of the ctuff is spread throught the FAQ in the individual sections, but there is not one place to start.

A boiler "quirks" table. There seems to be a number of questions that crop up (particularly with combi boilers) that relate to behaviours that result from design decisions made by the maker, but that are rarely if ever mentioned in any literature about them. I was thinking about things like, what minimum flow on the HW is required to get the boiler into HW mode? Is it one of the few with a flow regulator? Does it include a internal store for "instant" hot water? What is its temperature modulation like exspecially at low flow rates? It is likely to deliver a slug of super heated water if you have been running the CH for a while and so on? If we could come up with a series of entries for the table then each owner of a particular model could fill in details etc.

Perhaps even a "how do I tell what sort of heating system I have?" section.

How to get power to an outbuilding/shed/garrage seems to be a pretty common question in all its varieties.

Perhaps a section giving a list of things to do when designing a circuit. I know most of the books have this information burried somewhere, but it is not always easy to find. Also even when you are resonably clued up, it is still easy enough to forget one set of calcs that ought to be done.

I am sure there are more, but that will do for now ;-)

[Phil Addison]

It wasn't easy!

Phil

[mike ring]

I had the impression there were several....

Who?

I couldn't possibly comment.

;-) mike

[Lobster]

Looks good to me Phil. One minor point: following the discussion last week about Google Groups vs Google Groups Beta, I'd suggest including the following URL instead, which links to the original Google Groups, not the dreadful Beta:

[:::Jerry::::]

accounts whilst advising people to only use Google as an archive and not a message posting medium ?....

[Lobster]

But hasn't it been established over the past week that google posting is now working OK at last (ie, properly threaded)?

David

[:::Jerry::::]

I don't think anything has been established other than Google is ATM doing thing more or less correctly, if some bod in Google HQ changes something next week it could all over the place again.

[Lurch]

On Fri, 21 Jan 2005 09:49:11 GMT, Lobster strung together this:

Well, not logically working 'out of the box'. It still makes a pig ear of things in different ways depending which buttons you happen to press, (click).

[Dave Stanton]

I agree. Usenet works, full stop.

Dave

[Phil]

Sorry, I have only just seen this on free.uk.diy.home as for some reason it hasn't shown up on my ISP server for uk.d-i-y which is the only one I regularly read.

I want the advanced search window to appear rather than just opening up the newsgroup list, but can't find a url to do it in 'old' google groups, but I can with the bete version. If you can find a url that does that I'd be happy to change it.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Phil Addison]

Yes, that's the sort of thing. Any offers???

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Lobster]

See what you mean. No, I can't see a way of doing that - looks like a googlebug (surely not?!). If you're "in" uk.d-i-y on the old google groups, and click on "advanced search" you are taken to the following link, which includes the string "uk.d-i-y" in there, but doesn't make any use of it as it should (ie by pre-populating the relevant field):

I guess you already knew that, didn't you?!!

David

[John Rumm]

I will have a crack at starting some of them if you want... ;-)

[Phil]

Yes, wasted an hour on it :-( Google seems to have lost the plot - hope someone else is saving the archives in case we get another dejanews deja vu.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Phil]

Great stuff.

-- Phil Remove NOSPAM to reply

[Lobster]

So have I!, but I think I've sussed it now: by fiddling about with the URL I've got it to insert the group name OK now:

Try

instead

David

[Phil]

OK, but I really wanted to get both uk.d-i-y and free.uk.diy.home in the groups field, but couldn't get it to take more than a single group in spite of their example.

I read uk.d-i-y, and rarely free.uk.diy.home, which is why I didn't read this until now.

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me