How things are set up...

Xyzzy · 2003-08-05, 03:03

We need to maybe think about how things are set up here and how they are labeled... Suggestions are appreciated...

1) We definitely need better names for the forums... "Math" just isn't clever... We could use some funny/clever descriptions too!

2) I think possibly the categories ("General", "GIMPS" & "Other Projects") are not optimal...

3) We need to make sure that messages are in the right forum...

4) We need some moderators... Ideally, we'd have three per forum...

Anyone can help... For example, #3... Read back through the messages and if you find one that is not in the proper forum please email the moderator of the forum that the message is in currently so he can move it... (Emailing the mod of the forum it needs to go to will not work!)

Anyways, before we get much bigger we need to do some cleanup... Thanks!

dswanson · 2003-08-05, 12:55

Suppose a request for a move is emailed to a moderator, but in that moderator's judgement the requested change doesn't make sense. Who makes the judgement call? The moderator of the forum to which the topic/message would be transferred?

eepiccolo · 2003-08-05, 13:18

First, What if we made another lounge-like forum, but under GIMPS? See, we could keep the existing lounge under General, and any topic in the world could be discussed there that doesn't have a forum it fits into. But then make a new lounge, possibly called "GIMPS Lounge", where things like M40, poaching, and "Where did you first learn about GIMPS" would be.

Next, Personally, I like the three tier structure as it is now, and can't think of a better structure. But perhaps someone else has an idea. I wouldn't mind if the names were changed, though. But again, I don't have any ideas there, either.

Lastly (for now), we may want to move the Math forum to General.

Axel Fox · 2003-08-05, 14:02

I would like to be a moderator. Preferably of the LMH forum or the new Factoring forum, because I loooooooove Factoring.

Xyzzy · 2003-08-05, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by dswanson

Suppose a request for a move is emailed to a moderator, but in that moderator's judgement the requested change doesn't make sense. Who makes the judgement call? The moderator of the forum to which the topic/message would be transferred?

I think the move would have to be supported by both mods, or else the topic would get bounced back and forth... :)

Maybe if it is such a close call it isn't worth the trouble?

Xyzzy · 2003-08-05, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axel Fox

I would like to be a moderator. Preferably of the LMH forum or the new Factoring forum, because I loooooooove Factoring.

The LMH already has three... If you are interested in the new factoring forum (Which needs a name!) just email me... Be advised that selection as a moderator doesn't automatically make you more desireable to the opposite sex, despite what Ernst claims...

Axel Fox · 2003-08-05, 14:38

No problem about that. I already have a good girlfriend. :D

trif · 2003-08-05, 18:13

I dunno, Xyzzy, LMH is such a huge load that maybe we could use a fourth. :mrgreen:

Wacky · 2003-08-05, 18:49

Personally, I would prefer a fifth

But the warehouse burned down :(

Maybeso · 2003-08-05, 20:52

This really isn't the appropriate place to discuss this, please move it to the Meta-Forum.
( Sorry, couldn't resist. ;) )

It would help if we started with an outline, or tree diagram, etc. of the current layout. The we could post new diagrams that others could add to. And finally we could vote on them in a poll.

Hmm, what if we did a keyword frequency analysis of the topics -- Make each topic a node, and connect it to topics that share its most repeated words. By adjusting the minimum words, the topics could be clustered. And the words shared would suggest forum names.

It would require a language filter/parser to build a list of important words, and/or an exclusion list of names and trivial words. Then scripts written to search the database. And probably scripts to untangle the output.

I suspect there might be too much overlap or too little. We'd end up with all the topics in a few massive clusters, or a thousand clusters of less than 5 topics each.

Xyzzy · 2003-08-05, 23:58

I'm game for whatever you all come up with... I know the current setup is suboptimal but I know a rework might be more work (for you all) than it is worth...

In one email I was told that we should have one big forum with little identifier tags on each thread, like:

[M] This is a math topic!
[L] This is a lounge topic!

I would consider that a bit extreme, but it is worth looking at...

I am a bit concerned that having 42 forums on the main page might scare some people away... On the other hand, each little forum is like a little world of its own...

FWIW, the new version of this forum software, which is supposed to be released "real soon now", supports nested categories...

Here is a preview...

http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB22/

Anyways, please keep posting ideas!

2003-08-05, 03:03	#1
Xyzzy Aug 2002 2³×1,069 Posts	How things are set up... We need to maybe think about how things are set up here and how they are labeled... Suggestions are appreciated... 1) We definitely need better names for the forums... "Math" just isn't clever... We could use some funny/clever descriptions too! 2) I think possibly the categories ("General", "GIMPS" & "Other Projects") are not optimal... 3) We need to make sure that messages are in the right forum... 4) We need some moderators... Ideally, we'd have three per forum... Anyone can help... For example, #3... Read back through the messages and if you find one that is not in the proper forum please email the moderator of the forum that the message is in currently so he can move it... (Emailing the mod of the forum it needs to go to will not work!) Anyways, before we get much bigger we need to do some cleanup... Thanks!

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2003-08-05, 12:55	#2
dswanson Aug 2002 2³·5² Posts	Suppose a request for a move is emailed to a moderator, but in that moderator's judgement the requested change doesn't make sense. Who makes the judgement call? The moderator of the forum to which the topic/message would be transferred?

2003-08-05, 13:18	#3
eepiccolo Dec 2002 Frederick County, MD 2×5×37 Posts	First, What if we made another lounge-like forum, but under GIMPS? See, we could keep the existing lounge under General, and any topic in the world could be discussed there that doesn't have a forum it fits into. But then make a new lounge, possibly called "GIMPS Lounge", where things like M40, poaching, and "Where did you first learn about GIMPS" would be. Next, Personally, I like the three tier structure as it is now, and can't think of a better structure. But perhaps someone else has an idea. I wouldn't mind if the names were changed, though. But again, I don't have any ideas there, either. Lastly (for now), we may want to move the Math forum to General.

2003-08-05, 14:02	#4
Axel Fox May 2003 2⁵·3 Posts	I would like to be a moderator. Preferably of the LMH forum or the new Factoring forum, because I loooooooove Factoring.

2003-08-05, 14:38	#7
Axel Fox May 2003 2⁵×3 Posts	No problem about that. I already have a good girlfriend. :D

2003-08-05, 18:13	#8
trif Aug 2002 2×101 Posts	I dunno, Xyzzy, LMH is such a huge load that maybe we could use a fourth. :mrgreen:

2003-08-05, 18:49	#9
Wacky Jun 2003 The Texas Hill Country 3²×11² Posts	Personally, I would prefer a fifth But the warehouse burned down :(

2003-08-05, 20:52	#10
Maybeso Aug 2002 Portland, OR USA 2·137 Posts	This really isn't the appropriate place to discuss this, please move it to the Meta-Forum. ( Sorry, couldn't resist. ;) ) It would help if we started with an outline, or tree diagram, etc. of the current layout. The we could post new diagrams that others could add to. And finally we could vote on them in a poll. Hmm, what if we did a keyword frequency analysis of the topics -- Make each topic a node, and connect it to topics that share its most repeated words. By adjusting the minimum words, the topics could be clustered. And the words shared would suggest forum names. It would require a language filter/parser to build a list of important words, and/or an exclusion list of names and trivial words. Then scripts written to search the database. And probably scripts to untangle the output. I suspect there might be too much overlap or too little. We'd end up with all the topics in a few massive clusters, or a thousand clusters of less than 5 topics each.

2003-08-05, 23:58	#11
Xyzzy Aug 2002 10000101101000₂ Posts	I'm game for whatever you all come up with... I know the current setup is suboptimal but I know a rework might be more work (for you all) than it is worth... In one email I was told that we should have one big forum with little identifier tags on each thread, like: [M] This is a math topic! [L] This is a lounge topic! I would consider that a bit extreme, but it is worth looking at... I am a bit concerned that having 42 forums on the main page might scare some people away... On the other hand, each little forum is like a little world of its own... FWIW, the new version of this forum software, which is supposed to be released "real soon now", supports nested categories... Here is a preview... http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB22/ Anyways, please keep posting ideas!