How about a section in the forums for beginners?

[Erick]

Why not have a section in the forum designated for beginners who are new to everything hostgator has to offer?

I like to consider myself at least slightly computer literate, but have to say that all of the things I've read searching around the net about it being "easy" to build a basic site with hostgator (or any other hosting site for that matter) is nothing short of laughable. The biggest problem for me is the terminology. Everything is written and laid out as if everyone is already well versed in the terminology associated with hosting and building sites. For beginners, that is not the case. I've spent several hours today and many hours yesterday just sorting through things and trying to figure them out.

I am a personal trainer for a living and can only imagine how frustrated and lost my clients would be if I instructed them on how to do things by using terminology that most people other than trainers would not understand. That is how I feel on this site trying to weed through all of the info and make it useful.

I am truly thankful for hostgator's chat feature as I would have definitely quit by now otherwise. But even with chat I don't even know what to ask half the time.

So if there is anything that I see the site could use, IMO it would be a beginners forum in the discussion board that would be for newbies like me, and that people answering would know to try and answer with better explanations that take into account the newbie asking the question is very green on most of the terminology.

Thanks.

[alemcherry]

I guess what newbies initially need is the hosting guide. Most of your questions should be answered there. It is hard to expect someone to explain the very basics every time for a new question. For questions that are above the scope of the hosting guide, there is support and peer support forum

[joanne]

Hi Erick,
We were all beginners once and it's not that easy. I think most people on here have not spent hours learning they have spent weeks, months and are probably still learning after some years. There is a lot of information both on Hostgator and by searching the web. Here people will be glad to help but you have to search and learn the basics. It is not quite as easy as it’s made out to be!
I expect you spent a fair bit of time to be a personal trainer. The same applies to webs really, people can help out but the main work you have to do yourself and it takes a long time reading and searching. If everyone told all of their tricks then there would be no competition!!

[satnav]

The first thing each beginners should do is to read and read a lot about what HostGator offers. If you can't find the information you are looking for from hosting guide, then that would be the time for you to ask specific information to the community.

[skyrim77]

Hostgators support hosting guide is pretty good.

[eLIANT]

If you have a category for beginners, shouldn't you also have a category fo experts? What about me? I'm advanced in PHP, but a beginner in DNS. So where do I post my question?

When a "beginner", or anyone, comes to a forum looking for help, I think it's best if the forum is by topic, not by skill level.

[striddy]

Originally Posted by eLIANT

When a "beginner", or anyone, comes to a forum looking for help, I think it's best if the forum is by topic, not by skill level.

I agree with eLIANT

[Jonny Quick]

Originally Posted by eLIANT

If you have a category for beginners, shouldn't you also have a category fo experts? What about me? I'm advanced in PHP, but a beginner in DNS. So where do I post my question?

When a "beginner", or anyone, comes to a forum looking for help, I think it's best if the forum is by topic, not by skill level.

I spent almost an hour trying to figure out how to change the DNS server to Hostgator. I finally Googled "change dns server hostgator" and found out how. The whole "Intro" thing was a complete waste of time and annoying. There should be a beginner section and they should scrap that "Introduction" thing they do. The "Welcome" email should specifically state the very next thing a person that has just purchased webhosting needs to do is change the DNS Server.

They failed to provide for me basic information, but they did manage to get cute and call me a "Hatchling". How stupid. This isn't Burger King and I'm not 10 years old. I bought this hosting because of some comments I read on BHW, and right now I am on the fence in terms of my opinion. I could have went several different ways, and since I only bought a month of service, I could still go another direction.

I realize some of the stress of this is due to my lack of experience, but it did not have to be this difficult. A small bit of effort into providing some direction and information could have gone a long way. Now, I'm just looking for something else to go wrong, so I have a good excuse to go somewhere else.

[EarlyOut]

Originally Posted by Jonny Quick

The "Welcome" email should specifically state the very next thing a person that has just purchased webhosting needs to do is change the DNS Server.

Usually, that's not the very next thing a new customer should do. Many customers (maybe most?) already have their web sites on another host, and shouldn't switch the DNS server until they've built their new site on HG.

[justMe]

Originally Posted by Jonny Quick

I spent almost an hour trying to figure out how to change the DNS server to Hostgator. I finally Googled "change dns server hostgator" and found out how. The whole "Intro" thing was a complete waste of time and annoying. There should be a beginner section and they should scrap that "Introduction" thing they do. The "Welcome" email should specifically state the very next thing a person that has just purchased webhosting needs to do is change the DNS Server.

They failed to provide for me basic information, but they did manage to get cute and call me a "Hatchling". How stupid. This isn't Burger King and I'm not 10 years old. I bought this hosting because of some comments I read on BHW, and right now I am on the fence in terms of my opinion. I could have went several different ways, and since I only bought a month of service, I could still go another direction.

I realize some of the stress of this is due to my lack of experience, but it did not have to be this difficult. A small bit of effort into providing some direction and information could have gone a long way. Now, I'm just looking for something else to go wrong, so I have a good excuse to go somewhere else.

Maybe what we really need is a section for whiners to post...

[joanne]

Originally Posted by justMe

Maybe what we really need is a section for whiners to post...

Lol! I think so too.
Nice review in the customers review too!
Oh well... seems like he has a LOT to learn.
Cpanel not working with Windows 7 ??????????

Really who is the slimy and sleazy one ????

I really wish I could reply in the Customer reviews forum.

[EarlyOut]

I replied on his blog. Not extensive comments, but to the point, I think.

[EarlyOut]

Oh, man, this one takes the prize. Probably the most obnoxious, pompous incompetent ever to check in here. He uses anger to try to cover up his lack of skills. Seen it before.

[quietFinn]

I have been told, by Brent, that I must not call other customers idiots.
So I don't.
But this one certainly acts like one...

[EarlyOut]

One of the great lies of business is that the customer is always right. Sometimes, that's manifestly not true. Sometimes a customer is just way more trouble than he's worth, and ends up chewing up vast amounts of staff time, to the detriment of everyone else. Those kinds of customers should be given a prompt, full refund, and sent packing.

[joanne]

Originally Posted by EarlyOut

One of the great lies of business is that the customer is always right. Sometimes, that's manifestly not true. Sometimes a customer is just way more trouble than he's worth, and ends up chewing up vast amounts of staff time, to the detriment of everyone else. Those kinds of customers should be given a prompt, full refund, and sent packing.

Very true.
Hostgator staff have soooooooo much patience.

[joanne]

EarlyOut,

I have just seen the reply on the blog......Well sort of blog anyway.... I can see why he has no idea about anything now.
I think his frustration comes from lack of knowledge and is venting it out on others.
This person has serious problems and we are all much better of without him.

[EarlyOut]

Originally Posted by joanne

I have just seen the reply on the blog...

Pretty spectacular, eh? It's almost like the script of a comedy sketch about a crazed customer. His reply in the Customer Review section is pretty good, too. "How dare you presume to try to go out of your way to help me!!!" Oy.

[joanne]

It's much easier to hide behind written words.....
Maybe he is scared of not being up to scratch on the phone with his seething comments!

[striddy]

Originally Posted by quietFinn

I have been told, by Brent, that I must not call other customers idiots.
So I don't.
But this one certainly acts like one...

Did Brent also tell you not to call them morons, or cretins? Or can we call certain ones that?

Just askin'

[quietFinn]

Originally Posted by striddy

Did Brent also tell you not to call them morons, or cretins? Or can we call certain ones that?

Just askin'

Well I kept calling some customers idiots so Brent told I must stop doing it.
But I understood he actually asked me to stop insulting other customers.

[Erick]

Originally Posted by alemcherry

I guess what newbies initially need is the hosting guide. Most of your questions should be answered there. It is hard to expect someone to explain the very basics every time for a new question. For questions that are above the scope of the hosting guide, there is support and peer support forum

My hope was that if a beginner forum was available, a lot of easy topics would be covered once or twice and easy for newbies to find answers to. It seems to work great on most forums that I've been to before, and it puts a lot of basic questions for newbies in one section that is easy to access for those of us trying to figure out what we are doing just simply getting started.

That being said, it appears it is not a popular idea which is odd because most forums on other subjects that I go to already have a beginner section at the very top.

[Pata5359]

The first thing each beginners should do is to read and read a lot about what HostGator offers. If you can't find the information you are looking for from hosting guide, then that would be the time for you to ask specific information to the community.
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