Josh Ong
Apple announced the new Support Communities upgrade to its online forums last August on the Apple Discussions board.
"Apple Support Communities brings together thousands of Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, and iPad users from around the world to discuss Apple products and topics," the official introduction read. "Apple Support communities provides a wealth of information about your favorite Apple hardware and software products to help you get the most out of your purchase. And, in the spirit of community, you can also help other Apple Support Communities' users by answering their questions."
As first reported by MacStories, Apple has officially launched its newly redesigned forums, which add a highly social element to the support forums.
Users are encouraged to browse through "communities" to find one focused on the relevant product or topic, then join the discussion by replying or liking posts. Those who don't find the answer they're looking for can easily submit a question to the community.
To join ASC, users simply sign in using their Apple ID, select a username for the Community and then approve the new ASC terms and conditions.
A new "Your View" section with customizable widgets allow for a personalized experience and layout with modular content categories from both outside or inside the community.
The "Your Stuff" section of ASC includes Bookmarks, Discussions, Documents, Communities and Notifications, as well as a Preference and Profile.
The ASC user interface takes inspiration from the iPad and iOS, with frequent use of popover menus and overlays.
ASC members can customize their profiles with photos and avatars, which include iconic Apple products such as the original iMac, clamshell iBook and first-generation iPod.
Apple has outlined a "Community Etiquette" policy for ASC:
- Post only technical support questions and answers, unless otherwise noted.
- Be polite, constructive and stay on topic.
- Search for questions similar to your own before submitting them to the community.
- Reward helpful community members by marking answers to your questions helpful and correct.
- Avoid speculation and rumors.
Users who submit helpful and correct responses will continue to receive reputation points, which contribute to an increase in status level, thereby unlocking greater privileges, though it's not immediately clear what those privileges entail.
Apple has been systematically revamping the support section of its website. In January, the company added a Support Profile site that allows users to track repair and support activities for their products.
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Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
Andrew Orr
45 Comments
Check your privacy settings. For some reason, my phone number and home address came up as Visible to: Everyone from the old discussions board.
And it's probably more generically secure to change anything that you want the world to see from Everyone to Registered Users.
Check your privacy settings. For some reason, my phone number and home address came up as Visible to: Everyone from the old discussions board.
And it's probably more generically secure to change anything that you want the world to see from Everyone to Registered Users.
When you edit your profile, these fields are not there. There is no place to add this info.
However, you are correct that those fields should default to Yourself (not Registered users).
I have notified the mods there.
Oh, and you are now subscribed to 14 magazines such as "Big 'Uns" and similar titles as well as having your name and phone number submitted to as various charities.
You can expect delivery and solicitations to begin in 7 to 14 days…
Check your privacy settings. For some reason, my phone number and home address came up as Visible to: Everyone from the old discussions board.
And it's probably more generically secure to change anything that you want the world to see from Everyone to Registered Users.
*gasp*, it's also in the phone book!
This move further strengthens the Apple Ecosystem. What Apple should do is not only this but something similar to a wikipedia relevant to everything Apple;
CGC
Oh, and you are now subscribed to 14 magazines such as "Big 'Uns" and similar titles as well as having your name and phone number submitted to as various charities.
You can expect delivery and solicitations to begin in 7 to 14 days…
Do you have proof that Apple is selling member information to various charities? Or are you just being yourself, and speculating the worst of Apple?
*gasp*, it's also in the phone book!
A database of names of Apple customers has greater value to solicitors than that of the names in a generic phonebook. Hsving stated the aforementioned, it is true also that marketeers and demographic analysts can learn a lot about a person or a family from the ZIP Code or Area Code (Phone).
CGC