FAQ

[BoxTree]

Why doesn't this forum have an FAQ? We could get rid of most of the annoying, "When is HoH3 and NL Ring coming out" threads if someone would just sticky (and update as needed) the answers to these questions.

And it wouldn't hurt to define commonly used acronyms (GSiH, HoH, ToP, SSHE, etc.). A lot of newbies seem to just drop the "What does this mean" question in way too many threads.

If no FAQ is in the works, please let me know and I'll write one up.

lemme know if you need help.

[Niediam]

MM doesn't believe a FAQ would be appropriate for this forum.

I dont believe that bandwidth being flushed down the toilet for people asking easy questions is good for the site.

course, I dont run it.

[BoxTree]

[ QUOTE ]
MM doesn't believe a FAQ would be appropriate for this forum.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm waiting to hear back from Mason.

[plummy1013]

It took me a while to learn all of the abbreviations for the diffrent books. I think new posters would appreciate a FAQ. Good luck writing one and I hope the moderator decides it is good enough to be stickeyed.

-Plummy1013

[Mason Malmuth]

I don't believe a FAQ is appropriate for this forum.

Best wishes,
mason

[BoxTree]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't believe a FAQ is appropriate for this forum.

Best wishes,
mason

[/ QUOTE ]

Shrug. I'm sure you have your reasons. I just wish I knew what they were.

Edit: Hrm...I read through some old threads where Mason explained that this forum affects book sales (2+2 and non-2+2). I guess rather than ride the slippery slope of acceptable FAQ topics, he just wants to avoid it entirely. I think I understand now. But I still think a useful and non-partisan FAQ could be constructed, but that's just my two cents.

yeah, that makes more sense to me now. How bout a faq that says all these books rock, but here are the abbreviations?

oh, and Im just wondering if we couldn't get MM to sticky a listing of paraphrased book and dvd reviews?

Most questions that are asked can be quickly answered by using the search feature. If people are too lazy to use the "search" to have their question answered in less time and with less effort than posting a new thread, it's almost guaranteed they won't read a FAQ.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Everyone:

I'm going to answer this in a little different way than what most of you probably expect.

There use to be a person who posted on these forums and RGP who regularly attacked me and Two Plus Two. I won't identify him by name but some of you will quickly realize who I'm referring to.

One of his standard claims was that I would do anything to damage the sales of any books that might be competitive to us. He managed to build up a following and I was accused of this not only by other (non-Two Plus Two) authors who would occasionally post here, but by people who would come up to me at random in the poker rooms and other places that I went. Of course, when my published reviews are examined, this is not the case. I try to recognize those books that are (in my opinion) good, and point out which ones need some fixing.

So I feel that having a perament FAQ that would recommend certain books and not recommend many others would open us up to the same accusations again. Plus, different people have different opinions.

In addition, there is simply an avalanche of new poker books (and poker themed books) coming out. I suspect that most of these won't be very good, but a few will be outstanding. Unfortunately, while I'm spending some of my free time reading, it's slow going, and many of these books won't make my reading list for some time. Furthermore, it would be troubling to have an official FAQ on this site recommend a book that I wasn't sure deserved it. Since we are very influential in how all poker books, whether ours or those of other publishers, sell, I don't want to be put in a position of being accused of damaging the sales of books that I'm not yet familiar with because they don't appear as recommended reading in our FAQ.

So while I feel that it is just fine for me to slowly publish my reviews of poker books and other books related to gambling as an individual, it's also my opinion that doing this as an official Two Plus Two Publication is wrong.

Plus if we go ahead and put this FAQ up, Jake won't have anything to post about.

Best wishes,
Mason

[Supern]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus if we go ahead and put this FAQ up, Jake won't have anything to post about.

[/ QUOTE ]

Touché! /images/graemlins/grin.gif

I can't understand why everyone wants a FAQ all the time.
I totally agree with you Mason.
And finding the usual recommendations aren't that hard.
Just search for Jake's posts and you will find them. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[BoxTree]

Thanks for the explanation. I presume that an "Abbreviation Sticky" would be inappropriate for similar reasons. (For instance, GSiH and WLLH may be defined, but why not SSII or PPLtP, etc.)

[Sintax]

I think a great sticky for this forum would be a 2+2
"Coming Soon" thread. As far as I know, theres the Sklansky NL book, the Raymer book, and a third Harrington book in the works. I imagine Miller is working on something too... a list of these works with an ETA would serve your purpose well...

Thanks for the lengthy post MM. I've not been around for long enough to see any of that, so thanks for taking the time to explain.

I understand now.

[PJS]

Hi saintax. The NL you mentioned, is going to by both Sklansky and Ed.