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I see the same questions being asked on forums. It occurred to me that if they were added to a FAQ for each forum with the best answers, it would:
1. Reduce the volume of questions in the forums,
2. Avoid wasting peoples' time by repeatedly giving similar answers to the same questions, and
3. Provide a resource where people could get answers without having to compose a question, and wait to see if anyone answers it.
Sometimes I see an interesting question and even more interesting answers, but I don't copy it because I don't have that problem at the time. Later I do have that problem, but the item is months or years old, and hard to find.
It would take a bit more work, but in addition to helping people it would provide another set of pages for codeproject.com to sell advertising space on. After a couple of years, each FAQ could even be published as a book.
Peoples' answers on these forums are a valuable resource, and include wisdom gained from experience that you often can't get in a book!
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Brilliant! 
Citizen 20.1.01 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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Sure.
I do have a collection of "standard answers" to FAQ, and occasionally cut and paste
from there, gotten tired of retyping basically the same answer over and over.
In the end we could create an entire wiki, and it could be valuable.
however some people are just lazy, they don't read documentation, don't google,
don't search in CP articles, they just launch a question, good or bad, original or
seen many times before. So whatever great idea you or anyone else comes up with, they will ignore it.
So, while valuable to some, a FAQ would not change much overall, I'm afraid.
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Luc Pattyn wrote: however some people are just lazy, they don't read documentation, don't google,
don't search in CP articles, they just launch a question, good or bad, original or
seen many times before
Back when i hung out in the C++ forum, there was a C++ / MFC FAQ in the form of an article, written and maintained by Mike Dunn. You're right - the folks that needed it the most didn't read it. But, it was well-written, nicely formatted and indexed, and you could post a link to the proper topic faster than typing up a reply from scratch. Perhaps users thus directed would even hang around long enough to read some of the other FAQ entries, and save everyone a bit of time that way.
:shrug:
I liked it.
Citizen 20.1.01 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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Well, CP could give it a try, but like I said I am not overly optimistic.
Now who would manage it? CP staff? a single person? a couple of volunteers?
I am willing to contribute some material.
Mind you, there are some articles that somehow look like a FAQ, such as
this[^]
and this[^]
and this[^].
Problem seems to be, all the info is squattered around, there is a lack of structure right now.
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Luc Pattyn wrote: Now who would manage it? CP staff? a single person? a couple of volunteers?
Everyone. 
Actually, i'd say anyone >= Silver status just to reduce spam / trolling.
Luc Pattyn wrote: Problem seems to be, all the info is squattered around, there is a lack of structure right now.
Yup. Build the trellis & watch it grow...
Citizen 20.1.01 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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Wow! That's what I had in mind! If this was organized by forum (with a View FAQ link in each forum) it would be easier to find. I didn't know these existed.
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Two comments:
1.
I found them searching articles for "tips". You didn't? Doesn't that prove one of
my points?
2.
Organizing FAQ per forum, I'm not sure that is a great idea. I am not particularly fond
of the forum partitioning, a lot of issues could belong in several forums. Quite
often the issue is "I am using such language, and I don't know what classes are
available". Now where should these issues be handled? I think I would prefer having
a single wiki, over a lot of FAQs.
Anyway, most problems could be solved by:
- people willing to search
- good search facilities, which, I am sorry to say, this site does not have.
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1. I found them searching articles for "tips". You didn't? Doesn't that prove one of my points?
If there was an obvious link to the FAQ for each forum, I wouldn't have to search. As the FAQs become better known, more people would use them.
2.Organizing FAQ per forum, I'm not sure that is a great idea. I am not particularly fond of the forum partitioning, a lot of issues could belong in several forums. Quite often the issue is "I am using such language, and I don't know what classes are available". Now where should these issues be handled? I think I would prefer having a single wiki, over a lot of FAQs.
A FAQ per forum would avoid one level of search in the Wiki. Links can be used to refer someone to an answer that fits multiple categories. The question about classes available would be handled in the FAQ for that language. (Or the FAQ for that platform in the case of something like .NET's CLR.)
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Shog9 wrote: there was a C++ / MFC FAQ in the form of an article, written and maintained by Mike Dunn
I remember seeing that. It was very helpful when I did C++ stuff
"The clue train passed his station without stopping." - John Simmons / outlaw programmer
"Real programmers just throw a bunch of 1s and 0s at the computer to see what sticks" - Pete O'Hanlon
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If someone repeats a question that's answered in that forum's FAQ, it can be handled with a link to the answer(s) in the FAQ. Even that would save time over someone typing a custom answer to a stock question.
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Alan Balkany wrote: If someone repeats a question that's answered in that forum's FAQ, it can be handled with a link to the answer(s) in the FAQ
I agree, I did consider putting my collection of standard answers in my blog, but never
actually came around doing that.
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I'm not saying it would be immediately be abused, but...
Q: Who is always right?
A: The Developer.
Today's lesson is brought to you by the word "niggardly". Remember kids, don't attribute to racism what can be explained by Scandinavian language roots.
-- Robert Royall
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Add a [Bump] link to the message voting form on thread heads.
Three bumps moves the thread up by one (appears nearer to the top of the forum). Three more bumps moves it up again. And so on.
20 bumps moves it to a "best of" list for the forum.
50 bumps automatically submits it to Digg and adds a [Digg this] link to it.
100 bumps creates a fake name and Facebook page for it, populating the event list with random musings composed from the replies using a Markov text generator.
200 bumps creates a separate forum for the thread and moves it there.
500 bumps and CP sponsors a ticker-tape parade in its honor.
1000 bumps and the thread will be printed out, burned, and its ashes shot into orbit.
Thoughts?
Citizen 20.1.01 'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - that's all.'
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Aren't bumps reserved for birthdays? 
Chris Meech
I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar]
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra]
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Something didn't digest well today? 
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It seems as though their are many forums that are missing from the forum search. A few forums that don't catch my eye in the list are: Coding Horrors, Soapbox, Lounge, and a few others. Although these forums are not necessarily used for programming issues sometimes I find that I still need to do a quick search in these forums for posts that caught my eye before.
Regards,
Thomas Stockwell
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.
Visit my homepage Oracle Studios
Discounted or Free Software for Students:
DreamSpark - downloads.channel8.msdn.com
MSDN Academic Alliance - www.msdnaa.com
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You can search these from within the forum page itself. They aren't included in the forum search page itself because they aren't Q&A forums
cheers,
Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
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When I posted my article I got an improvement feedback in this message[^]. I asked how to do it long time ago (after getting that suggestion) and follow the instructions I was said: I retrieved the HTML of the article, modified it and sent it back. But the change has been never shown. It is not urgent and not so important, but if it could be changed...
Thanks anyways.
Regards.
--------
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
“The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet.” - Michael A. Jackson
Rating helpfull answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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When did you send back the changes? Updates should be done within 1-2 business days.
cheers,
Chris Maunder
CodeProject.com : C++ MVP
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mmmm, about one year ago... I guess it was missread or lost between something with more priority and got outdated.
Regards.
--------
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
“The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet.” - Michael A. Jackson
Rating helpfull answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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But as I say, it is not so important, the people that may use the article can read the improvement in the article's FAQ and modify it by themselves once code downloaded.
Or I can send the update another time if you want.
Regards.
--------
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
“The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet.” - Michael A. Jackson
Rating helpfull answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Re-Sent. If you want you can delete this thread. Sorry for disturbing.
Regards.
--------
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
“The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet.” - Michael A. Jackson
Rating helpfull answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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I posted an article.... which I wanted to edit later on.... actually I tried to post a complete version before but by that time the session expired.... I tried to recollect it but it did'nt......
I jotted down the ideas and placed a summary so that I can edit it later on... but by the time I come back.... due to bad comments it was deleted hahaha....
I'm trying to say 3 points here:
1. If I can save my article for publishing later on instead of immediately publish.
2. If I get the html back if my article is deleted.
3. If an article can remain as anonymous contribution for the time even if someone is not logged in, so that one can claim it later.
Amit Kumar Thakur
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Nice point.
But one way to do it is to download the article template and work locally on the computer. Then going to the assistant, paste your article and make the preview, if all is ok... submit. If not... continue working/editing locally.
Then you will have the first 2 points solved.
Regards.
--------
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
“The First Rule of Program Optimization: Don't do it. The Second Rule of Program Optimization (for experts only!): Don't do it yet.” - Michael A. Jackson
Rating helpfull answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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