Can we put together a sticky with links to a bunch of threads of HOW-TOs?

Being a newbie, I am sometimes afraid of asking a question that has been asked many times before. I think as newbies, they must have a lot of questions regarding simple mods like changing the tailcap rubber, or simple maintenance like lubing seal rings and cleaning contacts.

I think it would be beneficial to all new comers like me to have a thread with links to stuff like this. I know we have a Welcome Mat but that's more like a FAQ about terms of stuff and not really about flashlight maintenance and simple modding.

What do you think?

What do you think?

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1+ on this.

Whenever a search is done a lot of posts with false information is returned.

Lets say a do a search on Fenix L2D Q5; I will get all Centropolis posts since his/her signature includes: "SureFire G2 Nitrolon, G2 LED, 6P LED, L1 LumaMax, FenixRomisen RC-G2, Inova T3, L2D Q5, E01, Coast LED Lenser 7832 Mini Tac, MagLite AA, AA LED, Solitaire". I will get in the response all those posts made by people having Fenix L2D Q5 in their signatures. Probably most of the results will not be useful for anyone doing the same search.

There are some really good threads that would be very useful to have included in a common sticky.

I know forum Moderators/Administrators don't like to make so many stickies, but a few ones don't hurt. This stickies would also save CFP searches that do hurt CPF forum response time/availability.

A sticky thread only "How-to" section in the forum would be nice.

Here's how I would set it up:
A person can write a how-to in the general forum and subit a PM to a mod requesting to have it stickied. Then the mod can move the thread to the "How-To" section upon approval or ask for changes to be made first.

It would be nice because it would supply ideas for mods and information without stressing the search function of forums.

linterno said:

1+ on this.

Whenever a search is done a lot of posts with false information is returned.

Lets say a do a search on Fenix L2D Q5; I will get all Centropolis posts since his/her signature includes: "SureFire G2 Nitrolon, G2 LED, 6P LED, L1 LumaMax, FenixRomisen RC-G2, Inova T3, L2D Q5, E01, Coast LED Lenser 7832 Mini Tac, MagLite AA, AA LED, Solitaire". I will get in the response all those posts made by people having Fenix L2D Q5 in their signatures. Probably most of the results will not be useful for anyone doing the same search.

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Sounds like you need to learn a few searching skills. You can search for words in thread titles only, or combine search words with the specifics of what you are looking for. If you include more than just the name of the light you are looking for (if it's popular), you negate the effect of getting hits on people's signatures. The forum's built in search is quite powerful if you take the time to learn how to use it. Also, Google's search for the forum is equally powerful if you use the search operators or advanced search.

Marduke said:

Sounds like you need to learn a few searching skills.

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Thank you for making me notice this. What I wrote was just an example; it is not the ways I do searches.

I have been a forums user and modarator for a while now. I am new here but not in other forums, most VOIP related, and I can tell you that sticks are really useful for people. Sorry if you believe these are useless. Doing a search on the same thing a lot of times is like adding 2 + 2 every time you need to know the answer; if 4 is sticked somewhere then the addition would be unnecessary and you are saving resources (CPU, bandwidth, etc)

+1 ...I think it's a great idea. I know that the other stickies already present were all extremely helpful when I first got started on the forums.

There would probably be a better chance of this happening if someone compiled a list of links regarding mod tutorials on a single thread and then asked the moderators to make it sticky.

For Example:
List of flashlights using the Cree XR-E, Seoul P4 and Lumiled Rebel LED: http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=193993

or

This list of p60 sized led drop-in's: http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=193992

So far, half the people here thinks it's a good idea, half the people think we need to better searching skills.

One big advantage of having a sticky of HOW-TOs over searches is that for newbies, they would be able to discover for themselves what kind of things they can do to mod their flashlights. If you don't know what you're looking for...then you can't really find it. But a list will provide us newbies with ideas and knowledge without knowing certain terms and jargons.

Since the topic doesn't apply specifically to a type of flashlight, how about a complete How To forum section? (CandlePowerForums > Flashlights > How To)
There could be roughly a half-dozen stickies there about the recurrent issues (cleaning, lube, O-rings, etc) which would be a great primer for the newbie and a useful reference for the flashaholic..

I agree a sticky is a great idea. There are many newbies who don't know how to search, so telling them "learn how to search better" isn't the answer. Also search engines are never 100% accurate so it causes people to have to muddle through all the irrelevant content to find the single needle in the haystack that is relevant - using up bandwidth and server resources needlessly.

The only issue with stickies is that if not properly maintained they get outdated, but they do help newbies and people who are "search" challenged.

Not only newbies but flashaholics and Enlightened (like me or any body else) get benefice from this kind of stickies. I (or anyone alse) have never been interested in HID flashlights, but, probably in a future I will be. An sticky specialized in HID would be very useful for me (or anyone else, don't take it to personal). An sticky specialized in heat sinks would be useful for newbies in mods. I am sure you got my point here.

Just don't think that a simple search is the solution for everything.

+1

I'd like to see a "Budding Flashaholic's Threads of Interest" sticky.

And about searches, newbies don't necessarily know what they need to search for. You can be a search superstar but without knowing a little about what to search for, you're still left in the dark.

geek4christ said:

+1

I'd like to see a "Budding Flashaholic's Threads of Interest" sticky.

And about searches, newbies don't necessarily know what they need to search for. You can be a search superstar but without knowing a little about what to search for, you're still left in the dark.

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This is exactly what I mean. If you're newbie and you want to mod your newly required RC-G2, I am not sure how many newbies will use the orrect terms to find exactly what they're looking for.

LED-holic said:

I agree a sticky is a great idea. There are many newbies who don't know how to search, so telling them "learn how to search better" isn't the answer. Also search engines are never 100% accurate so it causes people to have to muddle through all the irrelevant content to find the single needle in the haystack that is relevant - using up bandwidth and server resources needlessly.

The only issue with stickies is that if not properly maintained they get outdated, but they do help newbies and people who are "search" challenged.

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Yes you're right but the topics within the HOW-TO sticky doesn't have to be anything that needs regular updates. For example, I don't know how to change the stcok black rubber tailcap to a GITD one, or lubing the threads and o-rings....they will not need to get updated that much.

And I agree with you that the search will not be 100% accurate.

Centropolis said:

If you don't know what you're looking for...then you can't really find it.

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Sorry, Centropolis. I missed that part of your post above. I didn't mean to just repeat you