I suggest we drop the Woodworking Articles and Reviews forum

[Ken Salisbury]

I could see a single thread in the A&R Forum titled "Review Threads" or something similar. Make that thread a closed thread that requires Moderator update, but that would become a series of links to threads that are reviews. Ideally, if someone starts a thread because of their experience with a tool or product, we would encourage that person to take the contents of the thread and create a formal review document to post in the A&R forum.

Maybe I am confused I think what you are suggesting is already there:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/forumdisplay.php?f=13

I also feel - quite strongly - that an A&R forum should not be a place to just dump "good" or "meaningful" threads. It seems to me that an A&R forum is for work that an individual has taken the time to write, not just a series of responses in a thread. That's what the Search function is for.

Absolutely agree. There is a big difference in a user's "view" of a tool and a "article/review" of one.
Personally I see no reason to change what we have now.

[Rob Russell]

Ken,

Frank's original suggestion included "to move threads there when those threads either are themslves or are references to articles / tool reviews."

I don't think we would want to move the threads in. Point to them. For example, let's say there are a couple of threads that are about people's experiences with specific dust collectors. Have a thread in the A&R forum titled Dust Collection Link. Make the first post in that thread a series of links to the original threads in whatever forum they reside (General, OT, whatever). This would sort of be like a "static search", but if there are really great threads about a specific topic, it's one way to not lose the. I realize these wouldn't be articles, more a "Best of Threads" sort of thing.

Course, now you have to decide what's worth linking to and that's a whole 'other (subjective) can of worms ...

Rob

[Ken Salisbury]

The current system lists similiar threads at the bottom of each thread for the user to reference if he/she wishes. It just takes a little effort to review those of interest.

Course, now you have to decide what's worth linking to and that's a whole 'other (subjective) can of worms ...

Rob

****AMEN ****

[Frank Pellow]

Ken,

Frank's original suggestion included "to move threads there when those threads either are themselves or are references to articles / tool reviews."

I don't think we would want to move the threads in. Point to them. For example, let's say there are a couple of threads that are about people's experiences with specific dust collectors. Have a thread in the A&R forum titled Dust Collection Link. Make the first post in that thread a series of links to the original threads in whatever forum they reside (General, OT, whatever). This would sort of be like a "static search", but if there are really great threads about a specific topic, it's one way to not lose them. I realize these wouldn't be articles, more a "Best of Threads" sort of thing.

Course, now you have to decide what's worth linking to and that's a whole 'other (subjective) can of worms ...

Rob

Rob I think your suggestion is a good one. I see that there could be a few lists that cross reference other threads. I still think that there are some threads (mostly tool reviews) that should simply be moved into the "Articles and Reviews" forum.

The current system lists similiar threads at the bottom of each thread for the user to reference if he/she wishes. It just takes a little effort to review those of interest.

This does not work very well because it is machine generated. The machine always arbitrarily finds the 5 best matches according to words it finds in the title -not a very sophisticated nor effective alorithm. A knowledgeable diligent human could do a much better job.

[Ken Salisbury]

I still think that there are some threads (mostly tool reviews) that should simply be moved into the "Articles and Reviews" forum.

A knowledgeable diligent human could do a much better job.

The member posting the information places it in the forum he/she feels is appropriate. He/she has the option of submitting that post as an "article/review" to also be included in the Article/Review Forum. I think the poster is the person who should make that choice. If a post is moved arbitrarily it then becomes buried in a different forum and may limit the responses the poster was looking for in the first place.

If in your opinion, you feel a post warrants inclusion in the Articles/Reviews Forum you can simply reply to the post and suggest the poster submit it to be included in the Articles section. It should be the poster's decision (IMHO).

[Frank Pellow]

... I think the poster is the person who should make that choice. If a post is moved arbitrarily it then becomes buried in a different forum and may limit the responses the poster was looking for in the first place.

If in your opinion, you feel a post warrants inclusion in the Articles/Reviews Forum you can simply reply to the post and suggest the poster submit it to be included in the Articles section. It should be the poster's decision (IMHO).

That seems to be the right procedure to follow (assuming that we were to actually start to do this).

[Ken Salisbury]

(assuming that we were to actually start to do this).

It has always been that way:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=3558

[Frank Pellow]

It has always been that way:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=3558

Ken, your reference is about people nominating their own stuff for an article. It is not about a moderator or others getting approval from the originator to make something a review.

Also, although the title of the forum is Articles and Reviews, all the referencerd material talks about is Articles. The reason that I started this thread in the forst place is not so much about Articles as it is about Reviews. I remain convinced that we could do a much better job of indexing cross referencing reviews.

[Aaron Koehl]

Ken, your reference is about people nominating their own stuff for an article. It is not about a moderator or others getting approval from the originator to make something a review.

Also, although the title of the forum is Articles and Reviews, all the referencerd material talks about is Articles. The reason that I started this thread in the forst place is not so much about Articles as it is about Reviews. I remain convinced that we could do a much better job of indexing cross referencing reviews.

Reviews and articles are handled the same way, so there is no need differentiating between the two. (A review is just an article about a product).

The Articles and Reviews forum is not designed to operate like the rest of SawmillCreek. Articles and Reviews are submitted by users and placed in the forum by request. Once the article is formatted and submitted (usually as a .zip file), it is uploaded to its own place on the server, and a "comments" thread is created in the Articles forum.

Despite what has been stated here, the articles and reviews get quite a bit of attention and use (not necessarily reflected in the comments posted), and is one of the more prevalent "entry points" to SawmillCreek.

I don't anticipate changing the Articles and Reviews forum, or granting access to moderate it any differently (due to the upload requirements). However, I would encourage members to submit their articles and reviews (a PM or email to me is fine). If there are any existing reviews in other forums that are of archival quality, I will be glad to move it to the Articles and Reviews forum at the user's behest.

If I get time, I will amend the introductory thread in that forum to this effect.

[Roger Eihausen]

Frank you have my vote, go for it.

[Frank Pellow]

Frank you have my vote, go for it.

It seems, according to Aaron's note, that I am not going to get the chance to "go for it".

[Aaron Koehl]

It seems, according to Aaron's note, that I am not going to get the chance to "go for it".

Indeed, but primarily because the articles forum has specific security requirements and necessitates direct access to the server. (Which, I might add, only Keith and I have access to).

[Jeff Pilcher]

It seems, according to Aaron's note, that I am not going to get the chance to "go for it".

Frank,

By working within the current guidelines you could take it upon yourself to find existing threads that may qualify and submit them to Aaron for inclusion in the R/A forum.

Instead of Moderator, we could bestow upon you the title of Reviews and Articles Advocate.

[Frank Pellow]

Frank,

By working within the current guidelines you could take it upon yourself to find existing threads that may qualify and submit them to Aaron for inclusion in the R/A forum.

Instead of Moderator, we could bestow upon you the title of Reviews and Articles Advocate.

Not a bad suggestion. I will think about it in May (when I get back from vacation).