Change Support Forum Rules to Outlaw Trolling

This is where we can discuss what we would like to see added or changed in OpenVPN.

Moderators: TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech, TinCanTech

Post Reply
genlee
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2019 7:09 pm

Change Support Forum Rules to Outlaw Trolling

Post by genlee » Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:02 pm

There is a member of this forum who regularly posts messages like these:
This points to a 9 page long document

or
This points to a 32 page long document

This individual is diminishing the value of this Forum and NOT helping people. Random RTFM comments are Trolling, they are not helpful and they are infuriating to the people on the receiving end. The entire point of a Forum like this is to share knowledge, not to denigrate people and tell them to go read the manual.

Can we please change the rules so this doesn't happen in the future?

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
Posts: 11137
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: Change Support Forum Rules to Outlaw Trolling

Post by TinCanTech » Thu Oct 31, 2019 9:04 pm

Opinions welcome ... 8-)

genlee
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2019 7:09 pm

Re: Change Support Forum Rules to Outlaw Trolling

Post by genlee » Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:05 am

So I tried to help somebody out on the board except they didn't even say what kind of machine they were using as a client or server and didn't post any logs. I think they were just too noob to know how to do this, but I understand the frustration and I just gave up on them, which is maybe worse then posting a link and telling them to RTFM.

Maybe it would be helpful to provide a simple set of directions, or even create a FORM which people must fill out when they are opening a New Topic. For instance the very simple directions might be:

––––––––––––––––––––-


In order to assist you with your OpenVPN configuration problem it is absolutely essential that
you provide the following information:

1. Type of Client machine, operating system, OS version, OpenVPN version, location, etc.

2. Type of Server, operating system, OS version, OpenVPN version,

3. Client Configuration found in the .ovpn file on your client machine
Please use the following format replacing INFO with your Client Configuration
[ oconf=Client]INFO[/oconf]

4. Server configuration found in /etc/openvpn/server/server.conf
Please use the following format replacing INFO with your Server Configuration
[ oconf=Server]INFO[/oconf]

5. Client Log found in your OpenVPN software on your client machine
Please use the following format replacing LOG with your Client Log info
[ code]LOG[/code]

6. Server Log found in /etc/openvpn/server/openvpn-status.log
Please use the following format replacing LOG with your Server Log info
[ code]LOG[/code]

Without these 6 pieces of information there is no way for Forum members to understand
your system configuration and impossible for them to provide you with any recommendation
as to how to fix your OpenVPN configuration.

If you have any questions on how to gather this information please read: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22603#p68963

Google is your friend. Bing.com is moderately useful when Google.com is blocked.

––––––––––––––––––––-

The time to read this is a fraction of the present 9 page viewtopic.php?f=30&t=22603#p68963 link, which while very thorough, I am afraid most people don't bother reading. Of course, creating a form and integrating these short directs that requires the Noob to enter this information might be more effective in actually getting people to actually enter this information.

TinCanTech
OpenVPN Protagonist
Posts: 11137
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:17 pm

Re: Change Support Forum Rules to Outlaw Trolling

Post by TinCanTech » Sat Nov 02, 2019 2:18 am

And what do we do when somebody is incapable of following your instructions ?

Post Reply