Quite often people make assumptions of what SketchUp version and/or license people have based on the information in their profile. In my experience the information in people’s profile cannot be trusted. Some use Make at home and Pro at work. Some have used Make before but are now using pro and have forgot to update their profile. Some, like me, use one major version at home, and another at work and maybe yet another in school and perhaps another one when visiting friends and family.
Quite often users ask other users to fill in this information in their profile and I still don’t get why. Isn’t it better to write it in any thread where it is relevant? If I encounter an issue at work that would be in another version than if I encounter an issue at home. What version my profile says I’m using isn’t relevant. What is relevant is what version I was using when I encountered the issue.
It’s not the first time this happens. That’s why I think the profile info shouldn’t be trusted and personally don’t care to read it. I find it more reliable to ask directly when the version is relevant to know and hasn’t been stated already in the current thread.
I just checked what my own profile says and laughed a bit. I have no memory of writing this but it’s very typical of me . At least I’m aware of how forgetful I am .
Haha, @eneroth3, I updated my profile a few days ago and found it still said I was using 2016, and it listed an old website that I don’t use anymore.
It might be cool if, when someone makes a new post, there’s a form field option built in to the post field, prompting them to answer a few basic questions such as the operating system and SketchUp version used, or at least used during the problem, and that info would be attached to the new topic. What do you think about that idea?
I think that’s a bit too specific. For many posts, e.g. this one, it’s not really relevant what version people use. Many bug tracking systems have required fields for version, OS etc and it’s quite annoying to have to fill them in when they don’t apply.
I think it’s better to simply encourage people to write the useful information when it is useful which depends on context.
I should have added that the form field would be optional (and clearly marked as optional), as a way to encourage them to include that information if it’s useful, as you said. Without a form field included as an option, they might forget about it. I suppose a line of text suggesting it above the main text field would also work just as well, though. How do you think the interface could better encourage inclusion of that info?
I think extra fields would just clutter the form. Also it’s very different information that is relevant in different cases. For technical problems wit the application OS, SketchUp version and when the problem first occurred is relevant to know. For problems with the web services the web browser is relevant and perhaps proxy settings and whether you have an oppressive government that restricts the internet. When asking for help how to draw something hardly any of this is relevant. When discussing plugin development it may be useful to know what SketchUp versions you plan to support but usually not.
I think it’s best to just let people write what they think is relevant in the post directly and if something is missing other forum members ask them about it.
Based on your arguments, you’ve moved me from “Everyone should keep all profile fields up to date” to being “on the fence” regarding the computer information (OS version and graphic information),
However, I’m still firmly in the “This information should be kept up to date” for the SketchUp type (Make vs Pro) and version. There are just so many issues where the answer is different for different versions - and Make vs. Pro. I’d find it intrusive to be asked about this with every post.
I agree that it’s good policy with technical issues to put the version info in the post. People do use different versions on different machines, and profiles aren’t always up to date.
I have one somewhat tangential question, though.
Since a Pro license can be installed on two computers, can you not use the same Pro license from work on your home computer? I guess your employer might forbid that, but that would be somewhat counterproductive since it would basically forbid you from ever working from home.
You might have two computers at work (on desktop in the office and one laptop for meetings). Or more than one computer at home that you use SketchUp on. Personally I also use SketchUp quite a bit when visiting friends so even if I have Pro both at work and home I frequently use Make too.
My personal view on this is that the Profile info should be shown on the “user card” so that it appears with just one click.
Those three questions help us answer a multitude of questions, without having to ask more.
You can know straight away from the graphic card info the beginning of the troubleshooting process.
You can know from the OS either this option or that option, or I shouldn’t even answer this because its not an OS I’m familiar with.
You can know from the SU Version so many things, especially now that things not only are different from Make to Pro but also from year to year.
There should be complete guidance as people sign up on how to fill in those questions, perhaps a drop down choice and an ‘Other’ option, and they should only be able to create a thread once those three questions have been answered coherently. I know that isn’t realistic, but that is how much I feel the profile info is critical to efficient discourse.
It would be easy to trap blanks and require entries before proceeding, but extremely difficult to detect nonsense entries. Maybe that requires a selection box instead of a text entry. As you wrote, even “Other” or “Don’t know” would be more useful than some of the junk people type today.
In a majority of threads of in the forum it’s irrelevant what SU version or graphic card people have. It’s pretty much only relevant for troubleshooting technical problems. Not allowing people to post without first filling out this information would make the threshold for getting into the community higher without little to no gain. It wouldn’t prevent the information to get outdated either.
I think it’s best to simply ignore the what the profile says and ask people for this information whenever it’s relevant and they haven’t disclosed it themselves in the thread.
It could be that there is a Discourse plugin (or one could be created) that presents the user with a special reply form for technical problems categories.
. At least I’m aware of how forgetful I am 
.