Suggested feature - forum jargon buster

I didnt even know what SOOC was until after that thread .... Lol
 
I am totally in the dark on this. Why is it such a big deal? Is having a glossary in the back of a text book pandering because the student should have to find the definition in a "real" dictionary? There is a fine line for sure between offering learning tools to people and doing too much for them, but I don't see this as treading that line. It's a tool. So is Google. Some people will use the hover thingies but then still go to Google for some more research to learn more. Others probably won't even realize those hover thingies are even there and either ask or go to Google.

And for crying out loud, someone tell me the thread who started this so I can figure out why that poor cat has fleas! ;)
 
.........And for crying out loud, someone tell me the thread who started this so I can figure out why that poor cat has fleas! ;)

Here ya go. The heat turns up in post 10.
 
Now the cat wants bacon.
 
Wow, I've missed this place.

Here's what TPF looks like today:

  1. ImmaNoobPhotog joins the site and posts an inane question, in accordance with the prophesy.
  2. A few snarky replies are posted, along with a few helpful ones
  3. ImmaNoobPhotog is confused by someone's reply which refers to "DOF"
  4. ImmaNoobPhotog posts, "What is DOF??!1one!?"
  5. The thread becomes 6 pages long and highly entertaining

Here's what TPF would look like with this new proposed feature (spoiler alert, I'm about to use cut-and-paste):

  1. ImmaNoobPhotog joins the site and posts an inane question, in accordance with the prophesy.
  2. A few snarky replies are posted, along with a few helpful ones
  3. ImmaNoobPhotog is confused by someone's reply which refers to "DOF"
    1. ImmaNoobPhotog notices that "DOF" is underlined, and hovers his mouse over it
    2. A popup text tells him that "DOF" is an acronym for "Depth Of Field"
  4. ImmaNoobPhotog posts, "What is Depth Of Field??!1one!?"
  5. The thread becomes 6 pages long and highly entertaining
 
Wow, I've missed this place.

Here's what TPF looks like today:

  1. ImmaNoobPhotog joins the site and posts an inane question, in accordance with the prophesy.
  2. A few snarky replies are posted, along with a few helpful ones
  3. ImmaNoobPhotog is confused by someone's reply which refers to "DOF"
  4. ImmaNoobPhotog posts, "What is DOF??!1one!?"
  5. The thread becomes 6 pages long and highly entertaining
  6. Another thread becomes 7 pages long and even more entertaining.

Here's what TPF would look like with this new proposed feature (spoiler alert, I'm about to use cut-and-paste):

  1. ImmaNoobPhotog joins the site and posts an inane question, in accordance with the prophesy.
  2. A few snarky replies are posted, along with a few helpful ones
  3. ImmaNoobPhotog is confused by someone's reply which refers to "DOF"
    1. ImmaNoobPhotog notices that "DOF" is underlined, and hovers his mouse over it
    2. A popup text tells him that "DOF" is an acronym for "Depth Of Field"
  4. ImmaNoobPhotog posts, "What is Depth Of Field??!1one!?"
  5. The thread becomes 6 pages long and highly entertaining
  6. Another thread becomes 7 pages long and even more entertaining.

Fify.
 
I am totally in the dark on this. Why is it such a big deal?

I was rather wondering that myself. I double checked the Book of Revelations, Not one mention that if TPF adds a glossary feature one of the seals will be broken. Maybe it's a Buddhist thing?

And for crying out loud, someone tell me the thread who started this so I can figure out why that poor cat has fleas! ;)

Well, in my defense Derrel started it.. lol
 
Soo we've a lot of jargon terms that we use in photography. We know what they mean, but some people get really confused, especailly when they are new and trying to digest new information and someone has a post full of P mode, OOF, OCF, f number, f, ISO, ASA etc....

So I was thinking, couldn't we use the sites automatic word filter extensions to highlight those words and provide a mouse over prompt giving the most common (photographically speaking) expansion of the term. I know we already have it working for a few other things related to the google thing that gets you ranking high in google (I forget what its called) so why not add to it since its already a feature of the software.

Please re-read the OP...Overread stated that ,"some people get really confused, especailly when they are new and trying to digest new information and someone has a post full of P mode, OOF, OCF, f number, f, ISO, ASA etc...."
 
but each of those requires much more than the acronym being unfolded, it requires a paragraph or a chapter.
there is a glossary already and, unfortunately, no matter what is provided there is no bottom to the well of ignorance.
somewhere the new reader must be required to start to find out things on their own.
 
A lot of those acronyms confused me too when I first joined TPF. When it was important to me to understand what they meant, I used Google or just figured it out from context. But, y'know, I'm good that way ;) If there had been hover tips, I am sure I would have appreciated them and don't think that I would have been dumber for using them instead of Google. Just with an extra 5 seconds on my hands.

There's always going to be a range of people from those who will be confused no matter what to those who insist on independent learning no matter what. Most of the people will be somewhere in between and may or may not find the hover tips useful. If they do, they'll use them. If they don't, they won't use them. I just don't understand what it is about this issue that is making people (on either side of the issue) dig their heels in so firmly. I personally don't care too much - could take 'em or leave 'em.

FWIW, if we do have them, I think it would be best to limit them to the top 10-20 acronyms that are used here. What would be pandering is the obligation to make it an exhaustive list that is constantly updated. But just adding the most common ones and leaving it at that? What's the bad?
 
but each of those requires much more than the acronym being unfolded, it requires a paragraph or a chapter.
there is a glossary already and, unfortunately, no matter what is provided there is no bottom to the well of ignorance.
somewhere the new reader must be required to start to find out things on their own.

Why a paragraph? I don't think anyone said the hover thing needed to explain the concept - just write out the words that make up the acronym.

If someone doesn't know DOF, they can hover and learn that it is "Depth of field." If they don't know what that is, then they Google it. Something like "f number" should probably not get a hover thing (what the hell are they called anyway???) because it's not an acronym.

Just in case I missed it, was anyone ever suggesting that the actual explanation of the concept be included in the box? Or just the written out words?
 
but each of those requires much more than the acronym being unfolded, it requires a paragraph or a chapter.
there is a glossary already and, unfortunately, no matter what is provided there is no bottom to the well of ignorance.
somewhere the new reader must be required to start to find out things on their own.

We're just talking about acronyms, not concepts. People that have been around photography for a period of time don't even see the acronyms anymore - you see "DOF" and your brain automatically thinks "depth of field." Someone new to photography doesn't have that ability. When someone asks, "What is DOF?" they are not necessarily asking you to explain what depth of field is, they may literally not know what the letters D, O, and F are supposed to mean when they appear together.

I'd probably be against a built-in pop-up GLOSSARY but helping noobies remember that "DOF" = "Depth Of Field" isn't a huge sin in my book. If anything, it reinforces those associations so that they CAN learn to "not see" the acronyms. They will still need help - whether it's from us or from Google - to actually understand the concept.
 

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