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 sticky threads?
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| Author | Topic: sticky threads? |
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vathek Posts: 966 |
posted 03-25-2009 09:32 AM
  
[01-2728] Just a thought but would having some sticky threads about topics that would be of ongoing and general interest be appropriate, i.e. removing black spots from silver? IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-25-2009 10:48 AM
Suggestions like this are always welcome.  Most of the suggestions we get often require coding changes. Often the first technical approach that comes to mind about instituting a suggested change is not the best. In doing these first blush changes, frequently it results in breaking all or part of the forums. As such we are slow to make/test such changes. After some time to reflect, occasionally we have a “eureka” moment which allows us to try something close to what is being suggested. I generally understand the concept of “sticky threads”. I am not sure exactly what you are suggesting. Would you please provide more detail about how you see the suggestion working/being implemented. Thanks. IP: Logged |
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vathek Posts: 966 |
posted 03-25-2009 02:43 PM
hmmm. maybe threads that get a lot of hits or provide certain info that might be difficult to search for. My understanding is that if 'sticky' they will always stay at the top of the list. I could see that this could be a problem if too many of them were to accumulate. [This message has been edited by vathek (edited 03-25-2009).] IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 03-25-2009 05:30 PM
Perhaps such threads might be edited into a set of FAQs? That would take some work though and I am not in a position, time-wise, to be able to offer to do it. [This message has been edited by Kimo (edited 03-25-2009).] IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 03-25-2009 08:13 PM
There are certain threads, such as the ones about missing passwords or how to earn posting privileges, that moderators keep having to bump up to the top of the page. Those would be good candidates for stickiness. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 03-26-2009 12:18 AM
Sticky threads generally are for topics that recur constantly. They seem to be used by sites that allow a 'view posts last 24/12 hours' option. Peakoil.com uses them very effectively; they have subjects that go on for 50 pages, over 1,000 individual postings. IP: Logged |
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Paul Lemieux Posts: 1792 |
posted 03-26-2009 02:27 AM
Sticky threads are usually, as Dale says, frequently-discussed topics as well as forum-related issues (e.g., etiquette, posting rules, etc.). Many sites use them in addition to having guideline/FAQ pages as users are probably more likely to see them than seek out a FAQ link somewhere. Example of stickies: On a smaller forum like ours, which doesn't get hundreds of new replies/posts a day, I don't see that they are absolutely necessary, since people are pretty diligent about locating previously-answered questions and pointing out guideline violations/problems. I don't know about the programming aspect, but from Scot's comment it sounds like it could be more trouble that it is worth. Did we ever attempt to compile a list of FAQs about generic silver topics? Such as "What does EPNS stand for?", "What does coin silver mean?", etc.? IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 03-26-2009 10:09 AM
"Did we ever attempt to compile a list of FAQs about generic silver topics? Such as "What does EPNS stand for?", "What does coin silver mean?", etc.?" That sounds like a great idea. It seems that the experts in the forums could add/edit- new/old posts that would cover the most asked questions in their area of knowledge. Some old sections of explanation could be copied and edited by the authors so as to cut down on the work. Also there could be a way to make each post have a critique area for others to add or comment on accuracy. If this was done as a positive add on not a negative then the accumulated knowledge would grow. I would enjoy finding old posts that fit the bill or writing on new subjects. The idea of all this silver knowledge in one easy to access place is huge! IP: Logged |
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swarter Moderator Posts: 2920 |
posted 03-26-2009 12:50 PM
The three threads for newbies that you keep bumping to the top would be ideal as sticky threads. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-26-2009 06:29 PM
I've been at a client's all day. I expect to be out most/part of tomorrow. A portion of Saturday will also have me at a clients, so I may not provide my additional comments until late Saturday or Sunday. IP: Logged |
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Scott Martin Forum Master Posts: 11520 |
posted 03-30-2009 11:47 AM
As a test at the SSF, Sticky Threads were once done manually. After a couple of months it didn’t seem to make a difference in that new posters either didn’t read the sticky posts or ignored them. Be this as it may, I think this dialog and any other suggested recommendations is a good thing to review regularly. Just because something isn’t implemented the first time it is suggested doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. Our forums are powered by stable but aging code. A few years ago we stopped upgrading because of several reasons. A few are: • With every code upgrade other things would be broken. Therefore we would spend hours fixing things that weren’t broken before the upgrade. • Because the SSF has customized features, the upgrades would have to be customized and tested. Again this required a large time commitment. • No upgrade undo. If the upgrade didn’t work well or didn’t get applied correctly there was only the option of doing a wipe of the SSF and a bare install/restore. This could be a several day project that would have the SSF offline.. • Occasionally what would break wasn’t immediately apparent. By the time it was discovered there has been data loss. • etc, etc. Also the code maker was working a new platform.... The pending new code sounded interesting and we were interested. The new code platform was delayed and then the first releases were as buggy and problematic as the existing upgrades. Since we had a running release that seemed stable, we took a wait and see approach. By the time they got things to what we considered a stable platform, the upgrade path for our forum data didn’t exist. We could hire them to do the data migration but it was more than I was willing to pay when the code we had was working. We have 10 years of data in the forums. We don’t want to loose this. It will take a sizable financial commitment and a capacious about of time to ensure that a new code base works as desired and that all the data (past posts) moves as desired. Everything that happens here is done by the few that volunteer. With the exception of a $100 stipend the SSF received for some help members and moderators gave to Silver Magazine, there is no financial support of the SSF. Volunteers efforts come in small spurts and most don’t realize what the scope/size it is they are truly volunteering to do and just how much of a commitment it takes. So many volunteer started projects never really get that far. All of the above is just some of the realities we have to face but it doesn’t mean that we can’t keep trying. I, like many of the volunteers, am willing to do my part but I am limited by real life issues. Help and suggestions are always appreciated. Whenever it is possible we will try to implement the suggestion and to move our SSF community forward. My next post could be about doing a sticky thread alternative. The sticky thread alternative will require some volunteers. I will be glad to make the sticky post alternative suggestion if there are volunteers to willing to see the effort through. Basically it is to add to the forum header important posts categories. Selecting, cataloging, editing, etc., is the volunteering effort. IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 03-30-2009 08:45 PM
I would be happy to commit. IP: Logged |
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This is a problem for several reasons. Mostly since the forum’s coding is not well documented (by the developers) and the rest of us are not CGI/Pearl coders. 