Best of test thread

JimD

Waiting for Godot...
Moderator
This is a test thread for a new idea in how to establish a "Best Of" section. It will consist of a series of posts that contain links to pre-created search links that will look for tags added to posts that are deemed "Best Of" worthy by Xweb members. This is still an experiment, so it may or may not work out.

Lets start with a generic search of all threads tagged "bestofxweb" in the Discussion and Workshop forums only.

Best of Xweb link.
 
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It will consist of a series of posts that contain links to pre-created search links that will look for tags added to posts that are deemed "Best Of" worthy by Xweb members.
Whazzz??? Jim, not sure I follow the concept correctly. I looked at your examples, but please tell me again, how does this work?
 
So this was a response to a request I made to have a sticky thread with links to common, often used, best practices threads created by forum members.

I frequent the VWVortex and they have a decent system (not perfect and not the only way to get to this) for gathering the links to threads around a particular subject. In the VW forum’s case it would require someone gather up the links, post them and try to maintain them.

In this case, it would be a self maintaining system that would be created by users who placed Best of in the tags at the top of the thread. Now clearly my thread for hoses is not Best of worthy, it was done as an experiment, but LarryC’s AC thread clearly is a best of, as is the Megasquirt thread and so on.

Basically it is a means of having easy access to so many of the how to’s that get buried in the forum as we forget them and so on. A it would be an easy way to find a how to for established members who know there was a great thread on a subject but can no longer remember who or the exact name and whose search foo is deficient (me) and B for new members as a resource mine that we can point people to so we don’t need to do a use the search you idiot (not how this forum runs but you get my gist) or let me find that for you (which is what we often do, it happily)

So basically we could have a Best of Cooling, Best of Electrical, best of carburetor etc or what ever nomenclature we all think works best. It’s getting the tag into the top of the thread or how we anoint the Best of to a thread, that is the interesting question.

Pics below of what VWVortex looks like. No need to be slavish to what they do, more how can we use the strength of the this forum’s built in features to get more out of the hard work many have spent to create a great thread.

So that was my thought, What does everyone else think?

D6B72BCF-318A-4CBB-9B70-FDEB3C948C6C.png 08746923-8BA8-4C97-845E-B5029C33FD21.png 4ACA5110-CA19-47E5-9D53-1D2F7B1BBB68.png
 
Whazzz??? Jim, not sure I follow the concept correctly. I looked at your examples, but please tell me again, how does this work?

It is a test thread at this stage. I didn't announce it, or sticky it because it is still just an idea.

In short, Xweb v1.0 had a "Best of..." section were members could write up a fix, document useful information or link to an existing thread they felt had good content. Karl wanted to see if there was interest in recreating that idea in V3. The few sample links in the posts above are canned searches I created that are looking for specific keywords that I added added to a few posts as "Tags" in Xweb V3. I have restricted these canned searches to DF and WF posts only.

How will it work? Well, if we decide to proceed, we would create a sticky thread with a bunch of canned search category links as proposed by Karl above. (Best of Cooling, Best of Electrical, best of carburetor etc). Each search would state the "Tag" keyword to add to a post to get it to show up in the search results. Any member who is reading a thread and says to themselves "This is great, is should be in the Best of!" would use the "Add Tags" button at the top left of every thread to add the appropriate keyword as a tag ***. (e.g. If you add the keyword "bestofxweb" as a tag on a thread, it will then show up in the search results from the "Best of Xweb Link" in the first post.)

(*** Update: Karl pointed out that only the thread creator or a mod can add tags to a specific thread. So I was wrong that everyone could do it.)

In theory, this is a simple way to create a repository of the important threads floating around the Xweb content from V2 and V3 (since V2 was migrated into V3). Each member can promote content into the "Best of" search results as needed. The only help most people would require could be in getting a new canned search link set up when new categories are identified.

So that is the idea. It may never be realized, which is why I stuck it over here in the Help forum. I just wanted Karl to get a look at the theory in action.
 
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That would be exceptional! [Danks four splain'in at me lev'l]

The one in the VW Vortex forum does not work mainly because most of the old threads on the lists no longer have valid links for some reason. So when you try to look at one, it comes up empty.

I was thinking of the "Best Of" in v1.0 when I first read this, but it is a similar case to the one on Vortex. So an improved method would be very desirable, especially for the technically challenged idiots like me. Also the old version did not have but a small percentage of the good stuff in it.

One potential snag I see that might be possible with this proposed method (if I understand correctly); it sounds like it would be "automatically generated" by anyone that adds the appropriate tag words to their (or any) post? That could lead to enormous lists of threads, many of which aren't actually "best of" worthy. Perhaps some sort of secondary requirement might help, such as two or more people having to agree the post is "best of" worthy before it goes onto the list? Kind of a "I second that motion" thing. Or some other way of 'screening' the items before adding.

I vote YES! As any of you regulars can attest, I SUCK at 'searching' and therefore I'm always bothering you guys to help me find stuff. My memory is just fuzzy enough to give me the notion that something was well covered a few years ago, but not nearly clear enough to actually remember who/what/where/when/etc. However once in awhile I do find other threads that are extremely helpful and wish they were not buried and forgotten.

A huge thank you to Karl, Jim, and everyone else involved for taking the time to work on this! I would say let me know how I can help, but I'd only slow you down. However I am willing to do what I can; I'm a big believer in having reference materials available and accessible for future use (a giant factor in the scientific research work I've done). The collection could even be book worthy (I'm sure many of you are familiar with the "how to" books produced from similar work on the BMW and Porsche forums).
 
Its very much a concept in progress. Yes it could be abused, yes anyone can add tags to their own threads but not to anyone else's. Only a moderator can edit the tags for other's posts.

At the moment there are like three pages of results and it has only just begun. Clearly the list will need to be trimmed but just being able to have them all directly accessible to then decide which no cut wiper relay mod is the best or the best two. You get the point.

It may not work. Right now the biggest problem is that so many threads have been brutalized by the Photobucket scourge that a lot of content is no longer really there. There is a plugin for Firefox and Chrome with overcomes this and as I find threads that I think are worthy I am making a PDF of the thread with its pictures that could be added to the end of the thread. Not ideal but at least it is something until folks took the time to rebuild their posts.
 
I put this same post on the Discussion forum

Extension to fix the hotlinking issue in Photobucket, It's not needed to pay with this extension, the images will continue loading.

Extension to fix the hotlinking issue in Photobucket, It's not needed to pay anything with this extension, all the images will continue loading without any p500 image. If it's not working for you, clear cache or do a full refresh of the page.

Chrome:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/...nk-fix/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg?hl=en

Firefox version here:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/photobucket-fix/?src=cb-dl-created

Who knows how long this will work. Either download your favorite up to now broken thread as a PDF of download the images of your great thread and rebuild it while it is relatively easy.

Karl
 
anyone can add tags to their own threads but not to anyone else's
I think what might happen is people with the really good content posts will tend to be modest about "tagging" their own post and not submit it. Is there a way to have them tagged if a few other people think it is worthy (without burdening the moderators)? Regardless, it is a fantastic project...thanks.
 
Karl and I shelved this project due to real life issues, but we were working towards a new "Best Of Xweb" style thread based on some specific TAG-ging of threads.

The Best Of content would look something like what you see below. It is basically a series of links tied to specific TAGS that are used to add topics to categories. It is still a work in progress, but I think it would be helpful. Note that the "box" TAG stands for "Best of Xweb".


General information: (tag "box general info")
Engine related threads: (tag "box engine")
Engine swaps: (tag "box engine swap")
Electrical related threads. (tag "box electrical")
Tool related threads: (tag "box tools")
Heating and cooling related threads: (tag "box hvac")
Transmission related threads: (tag "box transmission")
Interior topics: (tag "box interior")
Exterior topics: (tag "box exterior")
Keep in mind this was a test sample of categories and content. It was not considered complete.
 
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