Hello! I've noticed that alot of people that have problems with MSGPLUS and posts it here are asked what version of WLM, MP!L and windows ect. So here's some guidelines on what to include in you post to help us help you. (Basically we know what your using)

So please include:

Windows Live Messenger or MSN Messenger Version:

Messenger plus! Live version:

Windows Version & Service pack:

Scripts enabled:

Hopes this makes things easy for you and for us

Hmm. Did you actually read the text that appeared when you posted this thread?

It says:

Sorry but -> T&T

See post above

hahahahahahahahaha lolwned

also, john, "Write in proper, concise English."

that box should be in red so it stands out for noobs who are blind

and with a bigger fonts size

wft, that's the first i have see that

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Originally posted by john-t
wft, that's the first i have see that

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Originally posted by john-t
wft, that's the first i have see that

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
d with a bigger fonts size

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Originally posted by Chrono

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
and with a bigger fonts size

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You, me and everyone else hate big fonts, so im not so sure about that . A red border would help better i guess.

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... Or a big "READ FIRST" message at the top

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why not a big hand that comes out of the screen and smacks you in the face?

[strike]I don't see the text. [/strike]

Ah ha cool, it only appears on MP!L help forum =]

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
I thought you just said you hated big texts 

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READ THIS FIRST!
Before posting...

Have you searched the forums for an existing thread that answers your question?
Is your question answered in the Messenger Plus! Live FAQ?
Is your question answered in one of the "Sticky" threads at the top of this forum?
Please remember...

Write in proper, concise English. This makes it easier for other members to understand your question. Also, please read the forum rules.
If you want support in your native language, you can visit the Dutch, French, Italian, or Spanish forums.
Provide as much information about your problem as you can. For example, tell us everything you have already tried and what versions of Windows, MSN Messenger and Messenger Plus! you are using (type (!VER) in a conversation window to find this info).

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Before posting...

Have you searched the forums for an existing thread that answers your question?
Is your question answered in the Messenger Plus! Live FAQ?
Is your question answered in one of the "Sticky" threads at the top of this forum?
Please remember...

Write in proper, concise English. This makes it easier for other members to understand your question. Also, please read the forum rules.
If you want support in your native language, you can visit the Dutch, French, Italian, or Spanish forums.
Provide as much information about your problem as you can. For example, tell us everything you have already tried and what versions of Windows, MSN Messenger and Messenger Plus! you are using (type (!VER) in a conversation window to find this info).

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How about just not showing the thread page until they've checked a box saying they've read it or something?

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Originally posted by Chrono
Although, apparently, wdz already changed the font size of "Before posting"

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Originally posted by Chrono
Although, apparently, wdz already changed the font size of "Before posting"

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it isn't?     but it looks very eye catching, hard to miss ....

Anyways, something which does make some sense too (I hope):
Add the same box in Bug Reports (especially the (!VER) part).

Well, I think the notice is more noticeable now.



I'm also planning to get that ajax similar threads thingy added soon, but it still needs work...

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Originally posted by andrey
Hmm. Did you actually read the text that appeared when you posted this thread?

It says:

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instead of insisting on adding text people won't read anyway, why not create a special "New Thread" form when people post in the help/bug sections? they would be required to select things like Messenger version, Windows version, etc... in addition to their bug description, how to reproduce it, etc... would that be possible?

.





didn't bother matching font

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Originally posted by vaccination
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didn't bother matching font

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There should be a "type of problem" box as well, which would help determine the subject of the thread.

My opinion on that feature is:
-Only in Help & Support
-Drop-down lists
-Default value blank, promt if left empty when hitting post
-Not too many options, mainly MP!L version, WLM version and OS.

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Originally posted by Vilkku
My opinion on that feature is:
-Only in Help & Support
-Drop-down lists
-Default value blank, promt if left empty when hitting post
-Not too many options, mainly MP!L version, WLM version and OS.

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Originally posted by Phillip

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Originally posted by .Lou
There should be a "type of problem" box as well, which would help determine the subject of the thread.

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There should also be a box for Age, Sex and Location

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Originally posted by john-t

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Originally posted by Phillip

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Originally posted by .Lou
There should be a "type of problem" box as well, which would help determine the subject of the thread.

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There should also be a box for Age, Sex and Location

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Agreed Also favorite food & Drink?

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Originally posted by .Lou

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Originally posted by Phillip

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Originally posted by .Lou
There should be a "type of problem" box as well, which would help determine the subject of the thread.

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There should also be a box for Age, Sex and Location

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You know just like I do that there are way too many Thread titles that say "HELP ME!" or some derivative of it .

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I think it should be as shown in vaccination's screenshot.

thing is people who post such questions generally don't know which version of software they have, and even telling them how to do it, generally is more hassle, although I fully endorse it

In my experience making a pull down menu that needs to be filled before
entering the form, makes people randomly choose options and that would just
make the troubleshooting part a lot harder/confusing...

Because the people that will fill in the correct and exact information are the
people that used the search function and will be the people that would include
the information anyway.

The people that make posts that didn't bother to search are the people that will
randomly push in numbers while calling techsupport until they get someone on
the phone.

I can certainly customize the form, but I need a plan first.

The drop-down menus for version numbers sound good... having a text field would mean more typing for the user, and the stuff entered would probably be inconsistent or not detailed enough.

Should the version numbers be required though? In some cases the user might not know what they're running, or the versions might not matter ("not applicable").

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Originally posted by .Lou
There should be a "type of problem" box as well, which would help determine the subject of the thread.

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Also WDZ, there should be a [help] button next to each field which tells them how to find the version number of each thing (WLM, MP!L, OS).

Would there be someway that the browser could fetch all this information automatically? Maybe patchou could start implementing it into all the future builds, something to send headers to the browsers or some shiz.

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Originally posted by Napbree
Maybe patchou could start implementing it into all the future builds, something to send headers to the browsers or some shiz.

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Originally posted by Jesus

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Originally posted by Napbree
Maybe patchou could start implementing it into all the future builds, something to send headers to the browsers or some shiz.

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There's no guarantee they will post from the same pc that actually has a problem, so that would be useless IMO.

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Originally posted by WDZ
Should the version numbers be required though? In some cases the user might not know what they're running, or the versions might not matter ("not applicable").

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Originally posted by Chris4
Also WDZ, there should be a [help] button next to each field which tells them how to find the version number of each thing (WLM, MP!L, OS).

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Originally posted by john-t
That would help, i agree with you. The most common 6 problems in a drop down box.

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How about a JS thingy that displays:

"If you know your versions numbers CLICK HERE"

Then it shows all the boxes ect?

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Originally posted by john-t
How about a JS thingy that displays:

"If you know your versions numbers CLICK HERE"

Then it shows all the boxes ect?

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Can't help those who refuse to use their brain even a bit. It's a fact of life - you can make it as foolproof as you like, but there are always those who just don't have the slightest clue what you meant (again, because they refuse to use their brain).

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Originally posted by Haz
Can't help those who refuse to use their brain even a bit. It's a fact of life - you can make it as foolproof as you like, but there are always those who just don't have the slightest clue what you meant (again, because they refuse to use their brain).

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I didnt know the font used, so sorry for this crappy attempt
(The image of desktop is an example, of course it doesnt have to be on the preferences window ) (If implemented)

Also there can be a Shortcut/something in the Configuration Wizard (when just installed)

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Originally posted by blackjack


I didnt know the font used, so sorry for this crappy attempt
(The image of desktop is an example, of course it doesnt have to be on the preferences window ) (If implemented)

Also there can be a Shortcut/something in the Configuration Wizard (when just installed)

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Why don't show this info in the prefs? You can copy the box too...

I know..
But this is meant to be for erm.. Unexperienced users..
Do you expect them to know how to use (!VER)?

Anyway
If they are going to fill that thing you made (If implemented)
they need to know what versions they are using anyway..

Of maybe just Plus! doing it by default (Showing versions on desktop)
and thats it.. the unexperienced user now knows their versions

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Originally posted by blackjack
I know..
But this is meant to be for erm.. Unexperienced users..
Do you expect them to know how to use (!VER)?

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How about this.

There's a link on the help page to show all info? The link is

msgplus://SHOW_VER

and FireFox, IE or whatever opens it and sends it to Plus!. Plus! then shows the information.  I've seen it done. Like irc:// or whatever that game uses...

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Originally posted by andrey
Hmm. Did you actually read the text that appeared when you posted this thread?

It says:

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Originally posted by Napbree
Would there be someway that the browser could fetch all this information automatically? Maybe patchou could start implementing it into all the future builds, something to send headers to the browsers or some shiz.

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you could always add a blank string value to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\Post Platform" named "MsgPlus 4.50"...

I have an idea.

We should like make an automated questionnaire that is asked before the post is submitted for the most common problems and questions like if he/she/it is using Plus! or Plus! Live, not using the latest version of Plus! or Messenger (or maybe as an approximate download/update date, so if they haven't updated their Plus! for a year, we can tell they haven't updated) and using SmileyCentral. Er can then have an automated page that tells them what to do. If their problem "qualifies" the questionnaire, the information could also be automatically displayed in their thread.This way, it could also sort-of filter out some Messenger related questions, as some people don't even have Plus! to begin with.

Just extra fields on the bug/support forums seems enough. Add a questionmark on each field that pops up a little helptext on how to find versionnumbers etc.

Automating these things is invasive, and putting people trough some type of wizard or forcing them to search first is just unnecessary evil. Compared to the old days there hardly seem to be real support/bug threads anyway, make it harder for people to ask for support and you'll loose most of your feedback.

We have the feature that puts a lightbulb next to really good posts, so why don't you make a list of all the lightbulbed posts in Help & Support, and then make a really extensive FAQ?

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Originally posted by saralk
We have the feature that puts a lightbulb next to really good posts, so why don't you make a list of all the lightbulbed posts in Help & Support, and then make a really extensive FAQ?

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I wasn't actually thinking that it'd be used for people trying to get help, but for people giving help mainly.

They could use this list of links to direct people to the post with the information in.

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Originally posted by saralk
We have the feature that puts a lightbulb next to really good posts, so why don't you make a list of all the lightbulbed posts in Help & Support, and then make a really extensive FAQ?

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Originally posted by Chrono

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Originally posted by CookieRevised
d with a bigger fonts size

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You, me and everyone else hate big fonts, so im not so sure about that . A red border would help better i guess. Or a big "READ FIRST" message at the top

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Has WLMI been released by Naruto yet? It gets all version information and stuff for ya. I can get him to add an option to list scripts installed too

There is one thing I must suggest as well.

About half of the threads under MsgPlus! Help&Support forum is asking for help about WLM itself, not Plus!. I am a bit tired reporting them and I think mods did as well.

So either add a new item in the box like

• If you are going to ask for help about a Messenger issue, not Messenger Plus! issue, then please create this thread in MSN/Windows Live Messenger subforum.