It was then I realized why some newbies ask questions as; “I am new here, how do I grow”, “What is this forum about”, “Can I shill my project here”, “how do I earn merits” some don’t even ask and goes on posting links in different boards. I know some of the questions are daft but you will likely be in such a mess if you find yourself in a forum you don’t know its little background and current purpose.
Don't you think you're contradicting yourself here?:
So, I think it’s worth considering adding a simple "About" page to the forum.
Something brief that covers:
- Who created Bitcointalk
- Why it was created
- How the forum evolved
- What it is today (Bitcoin history archive, active crypto community)
You say that you realized why newbies ask questions about how they can grow, how they can earn merits, and whether or not they can shill projects or post links to their channels or whatever, but then you went on and suggested other stuff to be added in the "About" page, but not a single answer for the questions or concerned you mentioned first, which you said were the reason why you made this suggestion.
Also, you didn't even ask ChatGPT to add anything a newbie might need to know, initially being a total noob within a forum:
I asked chatgpt to draft me a short about page for bitcointalk, including a little bit of its background : its history, its current purpose. If necessary it can include that the famous 10,000 BTC pizza transaction happened in the form. The famous HODL thread and more.
So, I can't help but wonder, why does a newbie, looking for answers to questions such as, "How can I earn merit?" or "How will my rank increase?" need to know about the background of the forum? Or about historical posts and famous incidents that were discussed here? Or why would they need to find out how the forum evolved for them to understand how the forum works in the first place?
The point is, these things are important, no doubt about that, but if we are to create an "About" page or a "Welcome" message for newbies, especially after realizing how newbies feel lost when they join a new place, that page or message should contain basic information about the forum, such as the rules, about merits, ranks, and their requirements, how a newbie should behave, and other stuff that can fit in this category. The things you are talking about or have mentioned can be optional, and added at the end of the page for knowledge purposes if anyone finds them interesting and wants to read them.
And, everything that I've mentioned could be added in the "About" page or "Welcome" message, we have threads and guides for each one, and they could be added there for newbies to read.
