Information organization within Threads

[Rybolt]

Just wanted to toss out couple ideas I had for sifting through large quantities of data.

1. What do others think of having something of the likes of "thumbs up/down" on each post. So when you go into the thread, you can skim through posts, and only read the ones that have high ratings. A visual indicator could be as simple as red/green circle or 5 star bar.

2. Wiki style summary for a thread. For ex., thread that especially lend well to this feature would be machine comparisons. The idea is here, after the OP's first post, you have a Wiki section, were all the pertinent information is gathered by the users, into a nice condensed, informative summary.

Thoughts?

[ira]

1. What do others think of having something of the likes of "thumbs up/down" on each post. So when you go into the thread, you can skim through posts, and only read the ones that have high ratings. A visual indicator could be as simple as red/green circle or 5 star bar.

Any you get to decide if the thread will be interesting to me? Personally, I think that would harken the end of HB as we know it.

Ira

[HB]

There's already a few elements of Antonio's ideas in place. The FAQs and Favorites is the moderators' collective list on noteworthy threads (not specific posts). The Announcements include "quotable quotes", which can be added by any member, though I have added the majority of them (specific instructions are provided when you post in the special Announcements forum). The MVP scores identify, in an abstract fashion, those who are solid contributors, but intentionally avoids the thumbs up/thumbs down/karma approach to avoid rewarding chatty posters or cronyism.

I've toyed with wikis a couple times. At one point I started converting all the articles to wiki format so they could be updated. What stopped the project, besides the work effort, was the general concern among Team HB that it would be challenging to maintain. Wikipedia benefits from an army of volunteer editors and there are those who live to excise the slightest error. An HB-based wiki would not benefit from this level of oversight, though I still find the idea of "thread summary" wikis an interesting idea. DaveC's coffeetime wiki has used this approach effectively.

[Rybolt]

@HB

The Wiki summary does take some commitment to make effective. But if you can implement it well, and you have buy in from the community it is a beautiful thing.

@Ira
Members would rate the posts within the thread, the thread as a hole is not nec. rated.

I don't think you quite understand what I am proposing, you would still have the ability to read all posts, even if they were deemed worthless. Go at it, I just don't have that kind of time, so I've honed in on my skimming abilities and taken adv. of what Dan mentioned in his post above.

By no means, would my proposal hurt HB, it would only add to the value in my opinion.

[cafeIKE]

I'd have to up my anti-depressants with all the I'd collect

[Rybolt]

I'd have to up my anti-depressants with all the <image> I'd collect

I just assumed you already upped them b/c your MVP score is 0.

[cafeIKE]

Actually 9 but I've disabled it.

[ira]

@Ira
Members would rate the posts within the thread, the thread as a hole is not nec. rated.

I don't think you quite understand what I am proposing, you would still have the ability to read all posts, even if they were deemed worthless.

I promise I understand what your asking and I promise it would be the end of HB as we know it.

Letting me mark all your messages as worthless after you annoy me would accomplish exactly what?

Ira

[Marshall]

Dreadful idea.

[sweaner]

To me, for what it is worth, these threads are like a conversation. Not an encyclopedia. During a normal conversation there will be important info as well as fill. It all fits together perfectly.

I say, leave everything exactly as-is.

[Rybolt]

I have no idea of knowing for sure, but I think I am dealing with an older generation here. Please go out and read Who moved my cheese?

This type of feature is implemented in numerous prosperous web sites.

I promise it would be the end of HB as we know it.

You _promise_ it would end HB ? You must be a powerful entity. That's a pretty foolish comment.

[Rybolt]

Dreadful idea.

It's just a different feedback mechanism, like the MVP feature, that I see you have enabled. Your post here is case in point; it's very informative and insightful.

[cafeIKE]

Your comment

I have no idea of knowing for sure, but I think I am dealing with an older generation here. Please go out and read Who moved my cheese?

brought to mind this HUMOR

A very self-important college freshman attending a recent football game, took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.

'You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one,' the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. 'The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with DSL, BPS,light-speed processing ...and........(pausing for another drink of beer)

The Senior took advantage of the break in the student's litany and said, ' You're right, son. We didn't have those things when we were young, ... so we invented them. Now, you arrogant little sh**, what are you doing for the next generation?'

The applause was resounding ... I love senior citizens.

[HB]

Letting me mark all your messages as worthless after you annoy me would accomplish exactly what?

FYI, phpBB supports the notion of "friends and foes". If you don't want to see messages from a given member, add them to your foes list in the User Control Panel. Their posts will not be shown unless you explicitly click the link shown in place of their post.

This post was made by <foe> who is currently on your ignore list. Display this post.

[cafeIKE]

'Foe' is a bit strong... any chance of changing to "bugwit"