Please note for ease of reading throughout the document these abbreviations are used:

• T&E = Testimonials & Experiences Sub Forum On the Ubuntu Forums.

• OP = Original Poster.
• CoC = Ubuntu Forums code of conduct.

This document is all about maximizing a volunteer team's coverage abilities while minimizing the impact malicious users can have in the T&E sub-forum. These are only suggestions, most of which are variations on ideas conveyed by the first draft writer and by other Ubuntu forum users and moderators.

The following guidelines include the concept of discouraging posting in threads that are already moving in a positive direction. This could be accomplished by publishing a request in the T&E forum for users to voluntarily refrain from posting in T&E threads that meet certain criteria. None of the listed criteria should include CoC violations, as the goal of these voluntary restrictions is to improve the OP experience in the T&E forum, not create shadow moderators.

Please stress this is voluntary if you choose to use these aspects of this doc.

Voluntary Criteria for abstaining from a T&E thread

1. Links pertinent to the OP's concern have already been posted to a thread, but the OP does not address the information in a positive or negative manner. (Anyone can voice in T&E, but the T&E community helps those that make an effort)

2. An OP has been provided with links to material pertinent to concerns voiced in the thread opener, but responds in a negative manner. (Don't swarm or dog pile)

3. Another forum user (not necessarily a T&E team member) has engaged the OP, and the OP is actively posting responses to the other forum members in a productive manner. (Leave well enough alone)

4. The OP has been asked for information pertinent to the thread opening commentary, more than five posts follow the request for info, but the OP has not yet responded. (Facilitate more direct communication by letting the OP dictate thread pace - some of these people might really only have weekends to log onto Ubuntu forums and we don't want to class them as trolls or drown them out)

5. A thread tail contains at least 10 non-OP responses consecutively (Again, they probably didn't post in the T&E sub-forum to get drowned out... and then unmentioned maybe they weren't real to begin with)

6. A T&E team member has excused themselves from the thread, See below.

T&E Specific Direction

1. Encourage T&E team members to focus their resolution skills only on the OP. Other users posting in T&E threads are entitled to their opinions within the scope of the CoC, but that does not obligate anyone to address their concerns within another poster's thread. Furthermore, directly addressing the OP despite ongoing conversation may be a priority tactic to cool threads that are getting hot. Actually addressing non-OP's in thread should be discouraged, reporting these posts to moderators with a description of 'Thread Cooking' should be examined as a first attempt at dealing with these posters.

2. Identify closure points - Even in conversations where two sides seem to hold unresolvable views there will be opportunities to facilitate temporary closure of the discussion. Closure points can focus on bringing a thread to one of the stages listed in the voluntary abstention criteria - so may include links to information, requests for information that go unanswered etc.. Here is a sample closure point technique:
   • The OP is frustrated with a long standing and well known issue such as the availability of drivers for specific hardware.

   • There is no way a volunteer community member can address this situation. By being forewarned and forearmed with a list of closure point links, a T&E team member can post a sympathetic comment and links to a few hardware combat resources rather than engage in the traditional incendiary thread that the T&E sub forum is accused of hosting.

   • In this scenario, the Ubuntu forums community has supported the user to the limit of their ability in the T&E sub forum with regards to this complaint as soon as the supporting information is linked. Any further participation is at the discretion of the involved parties.

   • Making negative comments of any sort should be strongly discouraged by the T&E team. In this hardware complaint scenario, a T&E team member would abstain from commenting negatively on manufacturer support of Open Source drivers as such comments do nothing to move the Ubuntu community toward resolution of the issue.

   • The OP does not seem interested in resolution -

     • Sometimes people need to blow off steam. Sometimes that happens in T&E. If there is not a positive response from the OP after other users have commented, then users are doing everyone a favor by moving on. T&E team members should be able to spot OP's who do not respond to constructive comments. It should not be considered impolite to ask an OP if they feel their current comment style is going to result in resolution. Any sort of commentary beyond this should be left to the report button.

   • Excusing yourself - This OP is not the first OP in the T&E sub forum, nor will they be the last.

     • When a closure point is not becoming apparent in a negative, but not CoC violating thread, T&E team members may refer to maintaining the quality of their own Ubuntu experience in excusing themselves from the thread provided they do not direct their comment at the OP, but at the nature of the argument.

T&E membership can be reviewed based on how this device is used. A T&E member should most likely discuss a thread with an administrator or moderator before publicly excusing themselves from the thread, as this is a potentially embarrassing situation for legitimate OP's that really just don't get it. T&E team members should consider the excuse technique to be kind of like 'THE FORCE' i.e. you don't excuse yourself because it is easier to do it that way... *scary voice* in that way, lies darkness...

Quit before you burn out

• T&E team participation is contingent upon the team member being able to protect the quality of their own Ubuntu experience. T&E team members who get hung up on the difficulty of arguing malicious users may need some perspective management from the team veterans and/or advisors.

Don't Provide Support

Adding a few links to a post in order to redirect a frustrated T&E poster is fine, but T&E should not allow for support. OP's should instead be redirected. Topics which are looking for support should be reported and the report should include a request to move the thread to the proper forums.

- Here End's The Ubuntu Testimonial Teams Draft -

Template for New T&E Sticky Post

The following represents what we the Testimonials team feel should be included in a new and updated sticky post to be viewed by members whom have had a bad Ubuntu experience. It's our hope that this should be posted in the Testimonials & Experiences sub forum at the Ubuntu forums.

Begin Sticky Template

Thank you for taking the time to try Ubuntu, we're sad to see you go. Before you give up completely, there are links below that may be of some use to you in solving your problem(s).

It is well known that computers can be frustrating and learning anything new on them can make them even more so.

If you have any support requests already posted on the Ubuntu forums, please bear in mind that everyone who provides help here is a volunteer. Because of the nature of support offered it may take a while before someone who is familiar with your issue(s) comes along and reads your post. It is acceptable to bump your post (i.e. reply to it bringing back to the front page) once every 24 hours. Keep in mind it can be quite difficult to keep up with all the support requests due to the massive size of the forums. Although these forums may be your first stop for support, there are many other ways to find answers. One such way is Google. Many problems have been solved by searching for the key words in the question(s) that you have and prefixing the terms with Ubuntu.

These other websites also offer superior documentation to help configure & setup your system. They are listed below for your convenience.

• http://www.ubuntugeek.com

• http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/index

• https://help.ubuntu.com

• http://www.howtoforge.com

• http://www.ubuntupocketguide.com

If the information listed here still does not help to resolve your issue(s), feel free to let us fellow Ubuntu Users know what your issues are and how your experience could be improved. We welcome any and all information in the hopes that it will help us make Ubuntu and the Ubuntu community a better place for all. Remember The testimonials & Experiences forum is not a support section, so please don't post in it looking for support.

[Name of poster]

Template for a new, more descriptive forum heading

Giving the testimonials and experiences forum a more descriptive heading will allow users to get a better understanding of the forums purpose. A descriptive heading also doesn't require them to read a separate sticky forum post as it is more easily accessible.

Begin template

This forum is where users, post their reviews of Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Edbuntu, this is not a support/rant/debate forum For support please visit the mandated support sections, for rants please see your own personal blog.

T&E Team Members

Only person's whom are officially declaring themselves to be active members should add their names to this list.

• forestpixie

• Ms_Angel_D

• ZachK_

• longtom