When a constant stream of new users come to MSE and repeatedly flout policy, deluge the site with bad questions, write them as PSQs, post images instead of MathJax, then get them serially downvoted, closed and deleted, we have to take a look at ourselves and ask what we're doing wrong.

• There will some who say what we're doing wrong, is answering those questions.

• There will be others who say, what we're doing wrong, is not onboarding those new users effectively.

• Some may say both.

Whatever one's opinion, this obstructs the fundamental purpose underpinning MSE's existence, i.e. people getting answers to their maths questions.

The CRUDE chat room co-ordinates policing of certain policies, predominantly taking the form of co-ordinated closure and deletion, with occasional discussion of reopen requests - and I'm sure we're all grateful for their hard work freely given to improve the site.

While this maintains standards, IMO, it's confusing and unwelcoming to a new user to find their question downvoted, good answers downvoted, their question closed and then deleted. Furthermore, I'm concerned about rapid deletion following closure which puts reopening beyond most users, sometimes possibly obstructing improvement of the question or coaching of the new user before they have had a chance to do so.

To complement the current community activity, I thought a new chat might be useful having more of a focus on the welcoming aspect of onboarding new users. Here, new users could be coached about what's expected, and being realistic I see a part of this room's role to mitigate some of the confusion created among new users by closure, deletion and downvoting, and perhaps co-ordinate the un-deletion and re-opening of good material that meets community standards.

To this end I've created a chat room - it will either live or die - with the idea of making MSE more welcoming to new users: Welcome to MSE

There is a handful of admins, but the idea isn't fully defined yet. I was about to put some time into thinking what its stated aims ought to be, then I thought I should ask the admins, but then I thought - actually I should ask the community for suggestions about its aims and how we think it ought to be managed - so please feel free to give any thoughts or suggestions... No answer is a bad answer.

When a constant stream of new users come to MSE and repeatedly flout policy, deluge the site with bad questions, write them as PSQs, post images instead of MathJax, then get them serially downvoted, closed and deleted, we have to take a look at ourselves and ask what we're doing wrong.

• There will some who say what we're doing wrong, is answering those questions.

• There will be others who say, what we're doing wrong, is not onboarding those new users effectively.

• Some may say both.

Whatever one's opinion, this obstructs the fundamental purpose underpinning MSE's existence, i.e. people getting good answers to their maths questions.

The CRUDE chat room co-ordinates policing of certain policies, predominantly taking the form of co-ordinated closure and deletion, with occasional discussion of reopen requests - and I'm sure we're all grateful for their hard work freely given to improve the site.

While this maintains standards, IMO, it's confusing and unwelcoming to a new user to find their question downvoted, good answers downvoted, their question closed and then deleted. Furthermore, I'm concerned about rapid deletion following closure which puts reopening beyond most users, sometimes possibly obstructing improvement of the question or coaching of the new user before they have had a chance to do so.

To complement the current community activity, I thought a new chat might be useful having more of a focus on the welcoming aspect of onboarding new users. Here, new users could be coached about what's expected, and being realistic I see a part of this room's role to mitigate some of the confusion created among new users by closure, deletion and downvoting, and perhaps co-ordinate the un-deletion and re-opening of good material that meets community standards.

To this end I've created a chat room - it will either live or die - with the idea of making MSE more welcoming to new users: Welcome to MSE

There is a handful of admins, but the idea isn't fully defined yet. I was about to put some time into thinking what its stated aims ought to be, then I thought I should ask the admins, but then I thought - actually I should ask the community for suggestions about its aims and how we think it ought to be managed - so please feel free to give any thoughts or suggestions... No answer is a bad answer.