Renaming "How To" category

Meta
#1

The “How To” category was created to curate and document solutions to common user problems that arise from discussions on the forum. However, it is frequently confused by users as the place to ask questions about how to do things.

It has therefore been suggested that we rename the category. We have some suggestions for alternative names already. Please vote for the one you think is most appropriate or suggest a different one.

Vote for a new name for the “How To” category:

  • Solutions
  • Tips & Tricks
  • FAQs
  • Other (please comment with your suggestion)

0 voters

Moved many "howto" tags to "help-appreciated"
#2

Voting for “Other” isn’t particularly helpful if you don’t comment and tell us what your suggestion is. :slight_smile:

#3

Some more input would be helpful in reaching a consensus.

Edit: still a dead heat.

#4

In a sense you answered your own question :-). “Solution” implies a definite outcome. “Tips etc.” could be proto-solutions but are not definitive outcomes, rather they are pointers more than final resolutions.

Just a comment
TT

#5
#6

I agree with you that solutions is a better description of the intent, I would only counter by asking what we’re solving for, which I think should be what will new users look for. Most blogs for say, Excel or common softwares would have an Excel Tips section rather than Excel Solutions which sounds more like what we’d call Editions in TW. Just thoughts from another perspective.

1 Like
#7

I agree with @TiddlyTweeter about the implication.

I think that “Solutions” could be good choice but it needs some extra words to avoid any confusion.
Maybe something:
Propposed Solution(s) To
Community Solution(s) To
Comunity Wiki-solution(s) To (Wiki- to refer solutions in wikitext, without any javascript)

I don’t know if it better singular or plural.

1 Like
#8

I agree with you in the sense that the intention and context of solutions matters but my sense is @saqimtiaz is trying to first deal with a basic issue of “How To” being too vague.

#9

@Alvaro I think you right, in the sense that some differentiation on solution type would be usefully additive. It is unfortunate that the English web-language lacks one-word terms for such distinctions. My point? Bit like yours. You can have a “solution” but it is nearly always a type of solution. My impression was that @saqimtiaz, in the OP, was simply trying to clarify that “How to” is far too vague. The solution to “solutions” might need another round? :slight_smile:

#10

Working Solutions Only (no questions please)

or

How-tos (no questions please)

I think you have to spell out your intention right in the title. And you’ll still have to have questions moved elsewhere occasionally.

1 Like
#11

As I intimated elsewhere (I think to @boris?)

  1. I don’t think “How To” is a big problem. If people post Qs you can just move them. Personally, I prefer HowTo as a tag which provides a list when clicked.

  2. I use “Tips & Tricks” in another Discourse forum which seems to work fine. People do post Qs there but I just move them.

To get the message across semi-officially, when I see a post that might make a good Tips post (which might be a reply), I contact the author and suggest they write a Tips & Tricks article based on the original. Understand that a reply is going to contain “context” from the OP which would make it awkward to move.

Moved many "howto" tags to "help-appreciated"
#12

Right. It is unclear sometimes. Your macro was our time. I go back to black.

We only see a How-To when there is noooo Solution (refrain).
Let’s get back to basics :slight_smile:

#13

“Helpful tips and solutions”

IMHO as one of the people who misunderstood How to, I might have also misunderstood Solutions, by itself, as a way of requesting solutions. Probably not, but maybe. I think the adjective Helpful above reduces the ambiguity.

#14

Correct.

If there are other choices we want to add to the poll, please feel free to edit and do so.

#15

Just to muddy the waters …
We could have two categories

  1. How can this be done in TiddlyWiki
  2. Answers to - How can this be done in TiddlyWiki

Scot

#16

I voted “Other” - maybe name it “How To Articles” or
“How To Wikis”

Could also “lock” or make the category read-only. The user would then need to request access to post which may be seen as unfriendly.

1 Like
#17

Based on the results of the poll I suggest we rename the category to “Tips & Tricks”.
If that still proves problematic we can revisit the topic.

#18

Maybe for this week “Tricks and Treats” :grin:

1 Like
#19

So we really should do this. Do we take a vote somehow, or someone just pull the switch, or what?

People are still routinely posting questions to the “How To” category. I think we should try the various suggested names and see what sticks.

#20

From my point of view, the poll was the vote.

Unless the moderator team has a different process in mind, I think we just need a moderator to make the change.