Help!
The web designers have done a great job providing lots of rich functionality on this website. So much so that in some areas, I need a little help in understanding how the features work in detail.
For example, it appears that only the site moderators can create images for voculabulary list words. 'My lists' are public. Swear words will be deleted. Etc.
The question is: "How would someone new to the site know any of this'"
Ideally the site would have an extensive help facility. But I know that this tends to be a lot of work both to create and maintain. So can I suggest some kind of FAQ page to explain some of various features of the system which may not be completely intuitive, and which provoke frequently asked questions?
I know the forum tends to be used by the staff for explaining how various things work, but again the forum is not an intuitive place to go to look for help on a particular feature. It is mostly unstructured, so does not lend itself to providing a reference.
I can live without it, but I thought this might be something useful for you to consider.
5 Answers
Don't miss the update on vocabulary lists:
[url=http://my.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A852789]http://my.spanishdict.com/forum/topic/show'id=1710195%3ATopic%3A852789[/url]
Great idea! As well as a link explaining to that perennial question . . . how to say "I miss you!!"
jeje, I made a vocabulary list on that topic.
The FAQ-link has been suggested on several occasions to the creator. Neither Eddy nor I can do anything else.
I would be further inclined to take Lazarus' more comprehensive discussions of "Ser vs Estar", when to (not) use the subjunctive, discussion of personal pronouns, and (perhaps) preterite vs imperfect, and "reflexive" verbs and put them in the FAQ, as well. They all certainly qualify as "frequently asked questions";.
Great idea! As well as a link explaining to that perennial question . . . how to say "I miss you!!"
Heidita / Eddy, is this something that could be done? It really shouldn't be difficult.
Last summer, I, too, suggested that a FAQ link would be nice (It was in connection with the problem [and oft recurring questions] about how to type accents). We ended up with a link within "Rules/Resources" to "Typing Spanish" and, at least, it is now possible to refer enquirers to that link. Nonetheless, it is the widespread (if not yet universal) custom on websites to have a prominently displayed link to a "FAQ" page. Much of the information in "Rules/Resources" is of the sort that would be included in a FAQ page/section but I, for one, find the name of the link less suggestive than "FAQ". Were I designing the site, I would be inclined to subsume "Dictionary" under "Translation" or "My Page" under "Members" so as to free up room for a primary link to a FAQ section and move all of "Rules/Resources" into that section.
I would be further inclined to take Lazarus' more comprehensive discussions of "Ser vs Estar", when to (not) use the subjunctive, discussion of personal pronouns, and (perhaps) preterite vs imperfect, and "reflexive" verbs and put them in the FAQ, as well. They all certainly qualify as "frequently asked questions";.
The administrators are working on improving the "Vocabulary List" feature.
I agree that the "flow" of the overall website could use a little improvement, and a FAQ page would be a great idea. I've been here a while and sometimes I still get lost in the links. 
