+118677 This was on the end of the "End of Day Wrap" but I am moving them into the main forum.
This first post was by NinjaDevo.
I just looked at the sticky topic "Information pages worth keeping or developing," and I can agree that it could use some cleaning up.
A sugestion I have for this is maybe we should just have one huge post containing all this information, and the author (most likely you, Melody) could just "edit" the post when more information is wanted to be added.
Also, maybe a good way to organize this is by "grade levels" of mathematics, if you will. Looking something like this:
Algebra:
-link(s)
Geometry:
-link(s)
Triganometry:
-link(s)
Probability:
-link(s)
Misc. pages:
-link(s)
...and you get the idea
That way, when someone is refering back to the sticky about say, solving inequalities, they can just go under algebra, and go directly to that link, without looking through the whole page of reposts and stuff.
The only problem with this is that there might be a limit to how much text can go in a single forum post. If this problem arises, maybe the creator of the site could allow an option for a no-max charcter count for only mods when posting something.
Also, tell the creator of the site (Andrew, I believe?) that I appriciate his work on the site, it's really made well.
Finally, thanks to your dedication to this site, Melody, without your and dedication, the site would not run as it is running!
by NinjaDevo (30 mins ago)
+118677 RESPONSE FROM CPHILL
I would also like to echo ND's thoughts....thanks to Melody for all she does on here.....
I'm still getting "phantom messages," as well.......maybe they're from a "ghost" poster.....!!! Who knows ???
I like ND's idea about classifying the posts according to grade level or topic......I don't know if the site mods would be responsible for "moving" the topics to appropriate areas (yuck, another "task"), or whether the site could include a "menu" for the questioners in which they could choose to post where they thought most appropriate. (Maybe we could include miscellaneous" category if a questioner were uncertain!!).
Those are my thoughts......but, I might have more as they occur to me !!!
+118677 Firstly, thank you Ninja and Chris for your kind words. I do the best that I can. Thank you also on behalf of Andre Massow. I believe he puts in long hours to make this site as good as he can. He has made massive improvements in the last month or two.
Your ideas are good Ninja but perhaps a little harder to implement than you realise.
Firstly I want most (not necessarily all) of the information to be in the form of reference addresses (as it is now) it is easier to manage this way.
I just realised what Chris wrote. Individual people cannot put things straight under the desired heading because only the writer of the post can edit it!
It certainly does need cleaning up. This is not a task that can be done overnight.
I think that niether Chris nor I can take on more than we already have. Chris seems to spend all day and all night answering questions just to get through most of them. (Thank you so much Chris, I really appreciate it) I possibly spend an equal amount of time on forum matters although answering questions is secondary to my other tasks. I actually cannot handle the workload that I have already given myself and I need to offload some of it and/or accept a less serious approach to the forum. (I no longer have the time to just enjoy the forum and explore/learn from some of the interesting posts. I feel like all my time and effort is being used in administration)
I realize that in posting these great ideas you were not volunteering for anything, and you do not need to volunteer for anything, but if you want to help with the running of this site or the clean up of this discussed thread, that would be very greatly appreciated.
Irrespective of whether you volunteer further I thank you for putting forward your great ideas. We always need the input of ideas.
Melody.
+3454 I didn't mean to pile one more thing on guys' plate, you guys do quite alot!
I could try to make a "cleaner" page for this information, but like you said only one person could edit the post, so would you want to be this person, or would you want me to be the author? If I were the author I suppose you could tell me if you saw something you'd like in it, and I could add it.
I'll commit to making a new page for this though. I am currently on a 22 hour car drive, so I have plenty of time to waste! :)
Do you guys like the idea of the one big post for the information, though?
+118677 Im on a little phone just warning you
I would have thought that one thread with one major section, like algebra, per post.
Leave first page for instructions and odds and ends.
Nearly all addressed
Posts should be elsewhere.
Id want the address of the original include d in the first page so it does not disappear.
More later.
Thanks
Melody
+2353 I thought this might be the best place to say this but I don't think it's a good idea to ask Andrew to have threads which stick to the top of the forum. I think these threads will strongly discourage new members to post a question on this forum. As long as we don't have these threads, the forum still has a 'from people for people' feel. It doesn't matter what kind of question you ask since the people on the other side also feel like people. If you add these kind of 'rules for posting' threads it will feel like the person asking the question is asking it to mathematicians with little time that don't want to be bothered with 'stupid' questions. In short, I think it will strongly discourage the playfulness of the forum, which is basically the main strength of the forum.
That's my opinion about this, but maybe someone else could give his opinion about this too.
Reinout
+3502 I think rein-outs right this place wouldnt be the same if you implied those rules.The main reason i come here now(because of summerbreak) is to joke around.But if the rules were added this place wouldnt be the same.....
+33661 I'm with reinout and zegroes on this. The forum might be a little "messy" but a much more structured look/feel would probably put off several who need help but would not ask for fear of being laughed at by "serious" mathematicians.
+3454 Ok, sounds good.
I'll try making a "rough draft" for the new information page, then post it for you guys or somthing.
If you guys have any sugestions or just hate how I aranged it, I can then edit it or delete it altogether. :)
As for the sticky topic thing, I can see what your guys saying, and I actually agree with you guys.
This forum has a very relaxed feel, and is probably why I liked it and joined!
+118677 I have already written quite a lot for this - they in the sticky topics already - there are actually 2 of them that need amalgamation.
Let me see.
Here is the newest one that I did yesterday
http://web2.0calc.com/questions/information-for-new-people
And here is an older one (second post) that I found afterwards and in some ways it it better.
http://web2.0calc.com/questions/become-a-member-why-would-you-want-to
I don't care if you do not want something stuck to the top of the forum but the idea has grown on me. It would not be written by Andre, it would be written by us and it would not need to fixed for all time it can be edited and moulded as we choose.
It would not be a list of rules - just a welcome message with some helpful hints and some ideas on getting started.
Like information on uploading pictures and using the message centre etc etc.
The one/s that have been written for the forum do not need to be used if they are too formal.
I don't understand the objection but for now I have enough to organise so if you don't want it that is totally fine by me.
