Thread: Welcoming users

Can we, like, do it?

Welcome messages are a critical part of building the community and creating a friendly and helpful atmosphere. For whatever reason, most of you seem completely uninterested in taking three seconds to put "{{subst:welcome}}" on a new user's Talk Page when he or she registers. Especially you, administrators. I'm talking to you.

I hope I don't need to go into a whole speech about how important welcome messages are to the wiki. I don't know if you guys buy it, but I hope you do. What I do know is that every time I log on, there are ~15 users who have recently registered with blank Talk Pages. Unacceptable. I generally end up spending time I could otherwise devote to a long list of projects welcoming users. And regardless... users should be welcomed as soon as they register anyway. It gives the impression of a smoothly run wiki that's concerned about its users. A welcome message a minute after you register says "We want you here." A welcome message twenty minutes later doesn't, if the person is even still online.

So could we please try to work on this? It's been going on for a few months now. Welcoming users used to be exciting. I don't know what happened to that.

Originally Posted by Politoed666

I generally end up spending time I could otherwise devote to a long list of projects welcoming users.

This is typically why. The administrators typically are the people doing important lengthy projects. I personally don't want to waste my time welcoming users who most of the time don't edit, when I could be spending my time doing something for the mainspace. That's why the Archives rule on welcoming is the way it is.

And also, don't get pissed off and ranty because you're helping. It makes it seem like you don't want to be the one doing it either. And why should we listen to someone about welcoming users when they seem like they don't want to do it themselves? Just my thought.

It's going to be based on everyone's personal views. I personally care more about the mainspace and getting stuff done, and would be just as happy if Bulbabot did the welcoming while rotating one of the administrators signatures every day in its edits. Other people undoubtedly feel the same way about editing the information in the mainspace: the stuff that matters and what people come here to see.

So, can regular users welcome new registrants too?

Because I did on one occasion.

The few times I get on to do stuff, I will normally go through the list. Sometimes there's only a few, other times there will be many. I'll start doing this every day if needed.

I used to do it a lot before, but I backed off because I didn't want to look like a hog in welcoming users, and I also didn't want the welcoming edits to make up a bulk of my activity.

Now, I usually wait until the user has edited at least once, especially with what is happening with all the spambots suddenly appearing.

Originally Posted by Zekurom

So, can regular users welcome new registrants too?

Because I did on one occasion.

Yes, all users can welcome.

I personally welcome some, maybe i should welcome more. I feel good doing so.

I welcomed during my Bulbapedia time. Maybe I should come back, if only for welcoming the new users.

any user can welcome any user. it is highly encouraged.
now, while Nate does point out a decent point in saying that admins are generally doing more important things, i wouldnt go as far as to say the staff shouldnt (not implying you said this Nate, just putting my thoughts on it). while it is annoying that weve had a recent wave of spambots, talk pages can be deleted upon realization of said bot.

Originally Posted by Maverick Nate

This is typically why. The administrators typically are the people doing important lengthy projects. I personally don't want to waste my time welcoming users who most of the time don't edit, when I could be spending my time doing something for the mainspace. That's why the Archives rule on welcoming is the way it is.

And also, don't get pissed off and ranty because you're helping. It makes it seem like you don't want to be the one doing it either. And why should we listen to someone about welcoming users when they seem like they don't want to do it themselves? Just my thought.

It's going to be based on everyone's personal views. I personally care more about the mainspace and getting stuff done, and would be just as happy if Bulbabot did the welcoming while rotating one of the administrators signatures every day in its edits. Other people undoubtedly feel the same way about editing the information in the mainspace: the stuff that matters and what people come here to see.

1. I suppose I respect your opinion that it's a waste of time, although I disagree. I think if it were a waste of time we wouldn't have spent so much time developing and refining a stellar welcome message.

2. Sorry I came off as pissed and ranty. But no, I don't want to do it. I don't mind doing it if I glance at the RC and see that someone has registered... but it gets irritating when I get on and see that no one's welcomed the past twenty users, so I have to do ALL of it. I have better things to do. If everyone just chipped in and welcomed users as they registered, no one would be out of a significant chunk of time.

3. The BulbaBot idea is a good one... has that been brought forth before? Thoughts on that?

And yes. Normal users can welcome users. It's strongly encouraged.

Originally Posted by Politoed666

The BulbaBot idea is a good one... has that been brought forth before? Thoughts on that?

It has, but was denied because some felt that the welcome wasn't sincere.

Originally Posted by immewnity

It has, but was denied because some felt that the welcome wasn't sincere.

That was bulbabot signing bulbabot's name. Not bulbabot signing someone else's name

we would Botty go signing other peoples names? thats more insincere than using its own name. if anything, it would be signed by "the staff" (with a link to the staff page).

Originally Posted by MAGNEDETH

we would Botty go signing other peoples names? thats more insincere than using its own name. if anything, it would be signed by "the staff" (with a link to the staff page).

I thought of it more as a personal admin that each person could go to if they want, while also freeing up the admin's time to do more important things.

It's comparable to the president sending out letters to people all over the country, or E Gorden Gee sending out e-mails to all 50,000 students.

I am a complete new member, not just to this forum, I have never been a member of any forum before joining here. My hubby even deals with my business facebook

Thought it may be useful to contribute here.

I am aware that everyone here at sometime, was new. How important to you were your welcomes? For me I think I got about 18. Which was really nice. But I was in and out like a yo yo checking. A few of them were from moderators. It did make me feel as though I was actually welcome here. It still took me a bit to put in my first friend request. Whilst still learning forum ettiquette I am getting there. In normal business life I have to be outgoing and outspoken but without those welcomes I would most likely have bailed, as being quite shy comes more naturally the minute I walk away from work.
Even hello's from other newcomers would have been lovely because straight away I would have had something in common with that person...They were new too .

So far I haven't welcomed anyone because, being so new, I felt that it would have been too presumptious. Although I would be happy too whenever I'm signed in.