I was recently reading the Skeptics.SE FAQ, and one of the top lines of their faq is:
New users (even users familiar with the StackExchange format) should read our introduction to the site before posting
The link listed goes to a very newbie-friendly meta post which explains what SE is, how it differs from online forums, and the sort of quality expected from both questions and answers. In fact, the top paragraph states:
This post is written for news users of the Skeptics - Stack Exchange (or Skeptics.SE, for short) - especially those who have just asked or answered their first question, and have been surprised by the feedback.
There has been quite a bit of discussion lately about how to maintain quality standards of the site without alienating new users, and I was thinking perhaps this is the sort of thing we need.
I think new users are much more likely to read a page specifically designed to introduce them to the site, than they would be to read something titled "frequently asked questions"
We would be able to teach them how to ask good questions, what makes a good subjective question, and that answers should be backed up with references or personal experience, all without cluttering our FAQ further. In addition, it could help alleviate the perceived hostility that is sometimes mistaken by close votes and downvotes.
I realize that the FAQ is currently meant to be for new users, however it is quite long and contains more than a standard new user is usually willing to read. A FAQ should be for frequently asked questions, not for a manual on how to use the site.
we can "borrow" a lot
<wink> – yannis May 3 '12 at 12:15