Suggestion [READ ME FIRST] for plugin development

Alright so lately there have been a bunch of people in the plugin development forum giving us no information about their problem. I would like for someone to create a sticky thread similar to the "READ ME FIRST" thread in the plugin requests forum. Lately people have been saying "It doesn't work" and giving us no information about what exactly doesn't work so it would be nice if one of the administrators would create one of these. Here is an example, feel free to copy and paste it:

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Before asking for help research your issue and look for similar threads. Getting a null pointer exception? Google it and figure out what it means and when it is thrown instead of creating a new thread. If you still can't figure out your issue go ahead and post your problem with as much information as you can provide. Here is a nice format you should use:

Describe the issue:

Classes pertaining to the issue:

Is it a logic error? If not post the stack-trace:

Are you using an API or Library? If so post the link:

Before posting make sure you are using the code tags because it can be very hard to read in plain text. And one last note... learn Java before attempting an API written in Java! if you already know Java your fine but it can be annoying when we are trying to help you and you don't understand what a constructor is. So again... learn Java first!!!

 

Skionz
This stuff should be common sense, if you didn't already know this and need a read me to tell you it's pretty stupid.

 

Creeoer
Common sense doesn't come naturally anymore.

 

Creeoer It should be common sense yet I rarely see a thread with all the proper information until about 10 posts later.

 

Skionz
Instead of putting a bunch of follow up information, people should just edit the first post so new helpers checking out the thread don't have to dig through pages of misunderstandings. So yes, maybe this would make sense in that case.

 

Even if a post existed, do you really think people will read it?
No. They will not.

 

People seem to read it on the plugin requests forums. We would just need A lOt oF CaPiTalIzAtIoN tO aTtRaCt ThE eYe. Getting rid of all those threads EvilSeph created 3 years ago would be nice too.

 

Skionz
Hm. Maybe. I also tend to be cynical. lol. Though I've also seen this happen on other forums.

 

You do have a point though, some people might not look but it will still be easier to just point them to the thread and tell them to follow the format instead of a half hour process of telling them to post the class and them sending you pieces of the code which give 0 information.

 

Skionz This should be a readme post, it is common sense but so little people provide all the information needed.

 

Skionz your hired!

 

Which in particular?

 

The change with health and the change in the JavaPlugin constructor.

 

Well I have no clue what y'all are looking for in that section. Write up a list of what y'all think should be there and I'll go over it with the team.

 

Basically we want a thread like this: http://forums.bukkit.org/threads/read-me-first-plugin-requests-guide.81209/
but for the Plugin Development forum.

It should have a format to use when posting similar to the one I posted above, information about how annoying it is when people ask too be spoon-fed, it should probably have something about googling your question before posting, and something pertaining to not posting on old threads.

 

Skionz Agreed with the above - people still ask questions about them so they're still relevant. Even though CraftBukkit is no longer obtainable, I still see people with the ambiguous health problem - just look at my list of people who've asked for help with it. If they're the ones who haven't read it, and people supposedly read the sticky threads, the just imagine how many people are still being helped by them. Also, in the rules it says:

So I guess the above people are technically breaking the rules