[Tilt, TyTN II, MDA Vario III Windows Mobile ROM De] GotTilt:
I see two main problems here. The first is the classic conundrum of how to store data. It is virtually impossible to archive data s.t. they can be retrieved according to everyone's needs. And IMO -- and my brief experience here -- for those new to this topic, searching is frustrating, time consuming, and rarely productive. The essential and basic prerequisites to understanding more advanced topics, usually return the most hits via any search method. It is unreasonable to expect new users to wade through 25 pages of comments -- on a topic for which they have no foundation -- simply to see if someone has answered "what is a cab?" And although this forum has numerous, excellent and detailed threads about flashing, unlocking, and cooking ROMs, even these can be difficult for the new user to find. They (we) do not have that jargon 'loaded' and once it is, they (we) have prudent questions about the consequences of making OS-level changes to expensive gadgetry.

The second problem is attitude. XDA needs to decide whether it is a teaching forum, a technical forum, or both. If educating new users is valued, then expressions like "stupid noob question" need to be throttled. Much of the redundancy here stems from new users being unable to find answers to their questions, as mentioned above. So, after searching, they in good faith post a question that's been asked many times before. This inevitably causes a few "experienced" users to throw a cerebral clot in frustration. At best, the question receives a reply with a link to a file and an admonition to search before posting, which of course the new user did.

Now, the "stupid noob" has learned nothing new about "upgrading" their phone. But they do have a link to step-by-step instructions for doing it, which results in the spate of panicked questions in the aftermath of flashing gone wrong.

As with all online communities, some users have more patience with newbies than others. It would be helpful if those who don't simply choose to ignore threads they find annoying. In my experience, ignoring nuisance posts is the fastest and most effective way to discourage them.

I've been here for 2 months, and have no prior experience with WM6 or flashing a cell phone. I am, however, at 45 years of age, in no way "new." I have a PhD in a physical science, administer 2 flash-based webs sites I designed from scratch, have run a forum in this very environment, write code in 1/2 a dozen languages, and -- I hereby publicly confess -- was a "mud" addict for most of the 90's (so I'm touchy about being called a newbie *toe*) :-).

And though I'm dying to, I still haven't flashed my Tilt because I can't find answers to some very basic questions. My cell phone is my only phone -- I can't abide 48 hours of troubleshooting. And having broken my aforementioned online addiction, I can't spend hours here wading through hundreds of posts to find the 3 I need. I'm savvy enough to fear the consequences of hasty action, and yet after 2 months can't figure out whether unlocking my phone will interrupt my AT&T service, and if so what steps I need to take to correct it.

What I have learned, however, is that despite being a little unclear about who and what a "Dutty" is, the name invokes worshipful tones throughout the community. ;-)

gt