As we talked about at the Community Summit, rewriting the forum welcome and creating a dedicated forum rules page is something we should do.
There are some caveats, I’ve already created a Forum Rules page, it’s a copy of the current welcome page, but with the first line removed so far, and I’ve come up with a starting point (not the absolute text, feedback is definitely needed on this) for the new welcome page.
One thing to take note of, the current links we’ve used to link to the rules in the handbook will stop working, that’s why the start of the welcome page should link to the rules in some way (I talked with Otto, and replacing all existing links isn’t a simple task), this is also why I created the new rules page early, so that we can start linking to it when referencing things in posts.
Now, on to the suggestion for the forum welcome starting point:
Welcome to the WordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ support forums!
Please make sure you read the forum guidelines before contributing to WordPress support, both when asking for and giving support, this helps maintain a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all involved.
Asking for support
Before posting, make sure it’s about a self hosted WordPress.org site and not a WordPress.com An online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ site (See WordPress.com vs WordPress.org to be sure).
Post your question in the appropriate forum, but don’t worry if you’re unsure about which one to use, we’ll help you regardless, and may even move it to the right forum for you if there’s a better place for it. Feel free to make a new topic, even though your issue might appear similar to other topics, most sites are unique and it’s rarely the same issue.
Remember to check the box for receiving email notifications from replies, this way you know when someone has answered your question, or might be requesting more information.
If you don’t feel entirely comfortable posting in the international forums, we’ve created a list of localized forums where you may also get help.
Once you’ve tried some solutions from someone helping you, it’s always a good idea to return to the topic and let people know what worked and what didn’t work, this can also help others in the future who might be searching having the same question you had.
Providing support
Find an area that interests you and look at what topics have gone unanswered. The list of unanswered topics from across the forums is a great starting point if you’re not quite sure where to start.
If a problem interests you, but you don’t already know the answer, view it as a great opportunity to learn along with the user asking, you can share how you research it and help each other learn and grow!
Remember to check the box for receiving email notifications when someone posts to a topic you participate in. This way you know if the one seeking help has provided feedback (did the issue get resolved, did something else happen and they have new information and so forth).