New Member w/comment & questions

This is an excellent adventure......I've gotten lost several times and distracted many times by more interesting places on DG.

I've found the FAQ of most often discussed topics, but was wondering if there is a General kind of FAQ about uploading images re:size limitations etc.

Also, I love the ability to add plant names not found in the Plants Database. Since all images are reviewed I wondered if there were criteria to be followed and how long it takes for the review process by staff members?

If there is a more appropriate forum to post this in, please let me know....and remember I'm still learning to navigate the site....so much to do, so little time.

Best Regards,
Happenstance

Hi Happenstance,

You're posting your questions in exactly the right place!

I'll let Terry (who is the PDB editor) answer your Plants Database questions.

Regarding your other item, the FAQ type idea. This has been suggested several times in the past but it's never been implemented. What I think would be super cool would be to get members to submit questions (not yet!) that they think would be worthwhile for newbies to know about. I'll spend a bit of time thinking about that.

Dave

Here's an idea: What if we make another special forum called "DG FAQ" which is only for questions/answers specifically related to DG? Then, folks can post a new thread for each question they have, and then I and others will answer. Does anyone else think that's a worthwhile thing?

dave

I'll help.

Sure do! Especially about the journals (:

Great idea!

Happenstance, you came to exactly the right place with your questions.

First, some hints for successful image loading:

You may not be aware, but you can select your watermark preference: http://davesgarden.com/copyrightprefs.php - the system chooses a default, but there are two other choices, so you may wish to review them.

We recommend a standard image size of 640x480 pixels, and no larger than 800x600; however, the system will automatically resize larger images.

Keep your caption brief, but do add one; you may want to note the season and/or location (arboretum, park, etc.) the image was taken, or the age of the plant. Other (lengthier) horticultural information (including your personal opinion of the plant) is better suited for a comment, and a link to add a comment is next to the link to add an image.

When you hit "submit", wait until you receive a message that your image was succesfully uploaded before using your browser's back/forward buttons or closing the page. If you don't wait for this message, the image will probably not load properly.

Second, about the queue of images:

All images are reviewed, and then released systematically. Right now the queue has around 300 images waiting to be released. Here's the review process:

1. I review the image to make sure it isn't a duplicate, is attached to the proper entry, and was properly loaded; and - to the extent possible - check to make sure it wasn't "borrowed" from somewhere else on the web. (This is usually the case with submissions from newer members, until I have confidence that they are submitting only their own images.)

2. Assuming the image passes "inspection", it sits in the queue. I release usually 1-3 images per submitter at a time, and release a "batch" (usually 12-25 images at a time) of images 2-4 times per day, depending on my schedule, how many are in the queue, etc. I *try* (but don't always succeed) to time the first release as early in the morning as possible, with one or two during the day, and a fourth (if necessary) towards the end of the evening.

Ideally we wind up with 50 or so images released within a day. More than that can bog down the nightly newsletter for the readers. Also, I try to balance the releases so that each person with images in the queue has 1-6 of their images released each day.

I release on a first in/first out basis, but if you've submitted a bunch of images at once (and several of our users have), it may take several days to a week for your oldest images to be released given these constraints.

If you have any other questions, feel free to holler :)

Thanks Dave and Terry for your informative answers.

Terry -

The basics of uploading are something I understand and I did find the watermark choices an interesting feature I haven't run across before. I guess I was interested to know what the DG image presentation preferences were. (you know, like the sites where it specifically limits file size)

When I join a site I generally just jump right in (lurking is no fun) and an FAQ sometimes can prevent those unintended faux pas sometimes made by newcomers.

Regarding the images I uploaded last night, I will wait patiently for them to appear before I go for any more....of course I did not make a list of what I uploaded (that would be a nice feature and might prevent duplicates; a "being reviewed" list for each member) so I will be as surprised as anyone when they appear. :-)

And thanks Terry for your quick response to my email regarding html within postings. Thought I had completely lost it when it wasn't working. Hard to teach old dogs new tricks, but I think I've got it now, just list the URL and the system does the rest.

Dave -

This is one great endeavor, pretty comprehensive and HUGE!

I did find your response re:html in another thread and have added a couple of hyperlinks the DG way.

I think your idea of a forum for submitting those "basic" questions is a good one. Would you plan to compile the answers and post a permanent FAQ with those issues addressed?

Thanks for your time, gotta go explore.

The forum is created! http://davesgarden.com/f/dgfaq/

So, go ask questions and let's get an FAQ going. One question per thread, please, and make your subject line as descriptive as possible.

I think the forum will stand as the ongoing "living" faq. :)

dave

Great idea!

...And welcome to DG, Happenstance!

Great idea, Dave! It seems I was pulling together my thoughts to answer Happenstance's questions while you were posting your idea for a new forum :)

Dave, thanks for the new forum, and so quickly installed.



Happenstance, Welcome to DG and such a neat name. Love your dragonfly water feature on your homepage. Donna aka rutholive

Dave,I went to the new forum and it said it was locked for new threads and replys. Am I missing something?

Thanks for the welcome everyone, I too found the new forum locked to replies....waiting with baited breath to post some basic questions I had in the middle of the night. Now if I can just remember them.

Donna - that is actually a Jurassic size mosquito, hopefully protecting the garden from its small sized cousins with West Nile virus. We don't see many mosquitos here in the SF East Bay, but with the wet Spring and the recent humidity from a tropical storm they are around. Happenstance Garden is truly my style.....it may looked planned, but it all happens by happenstance.

Thanks again for the warm welcome.

Oopsie! Let me go open the forum. (I was wondering why nobody was posting on the new forum!!)

dave

Okay, the forum should be accessible now. I had accidentally clicked to lock the forum (ugh)

dave

Dave, I like your new FAQ feature. However, a question immediately came to mind before I read this thread. I saw the FAQ when I logged in this morning, but assumed it was just a link to the FAQ Forum. Now I know otherwise, but thta was my first impression. Earlier in this thread, someone suggested "DG FAQ", so maybe something on that oprder at the title? Maybe Site Use FAQ?

Second, where could one post delicate remarks so they will be seen by (at least) new members? I see so many posters who use ALL CAPS. I aslo see so many posters who ramble on and on in one very long paragraph....

Both of those things make posts difficult to read. I have mentioned long paragraphs to a couple of people, who responded nicely that they changed to more paragraphs themselves and found it easier to read when there's more white space. I have also mentioned the ALL CAPS reading difficulty, but then I always feel like the "Posting Etiquette Police".

Good point Darius...both are litle matters that make things either easier, or harder to read a post. It's also one of the most common little 'bobbles' that folks make.

I have a couple of suggestions relative to the new forum, and wonder how others feel about them.

Since the new forum is basically concerned with how to use DG, perhaps it could be called "User Q&A Forum," "User FAQ," or (as Darius suggests) "Site Use FAQ."

I'm also wondering if the link to the new forum can be moved lower down in the member menu, so that "Home" is still the first navigation link. Most members will use the "Home" link much more often than the FAQ link, and it makes sense to me for it to be first in the menu.

Thanks for moving the FAQ link below the HOME link. When it was first added, I kept clicking the FAQ for the HOME out of habit.

Thanks for jogging my senior brain to thank Dave, as well, Roshana.