The general purpose "1 message per member" link depository

I see the various "Links and Information" topics to be problimatic. One, they tend to turn into debate topics, which is not the intent of that forum. Second, we end up getting a bunch of micro-topics, that sink out of sight. How often does anyone even look at those "L&I" topics? I think, not much.I often see links in various topics, and I wish that there was a way to compile them in a unified manner, available to all. Not just having them on your personal browser (which would require that YOU constantly update things).Here, I am proposing a general purpose "L&I" topic. Every member can have 1 message to compile links to. Just links, with a one sentence description about each link. Have a new link? Edit it into your personal message.We will have one topic, with individual chapters (messages) where individual members can file what they think are their most significant links. Looking for a Bill Birkeland supplied link? Look in the Bill Birkeland message in this topic. Please - Comments from the other admins first. Don't just promote this message. If you like the idea and think it will work, let's have another newer message, to be spun-off as the new "Links and Information" topic.Adminnemooseus

Hopefully the link would have something to do with a topic, be it an old topic or a new proposed topic. Relevant links can and should still be posted in relevant topics. My proposal would be to additionally have a unified storage site. I like keeping all in a single topic. A member could start his/her message in the topic, and add or subtract links as time goes by. The message subtitle should be "Joe Blow's Links". The topic index would function just fine as the index. All the messages indexed on one page.This is not intended to replace having links in debate topics. But as it is now, people post neat links in topics, and soon they're lost track of. I am proposing that if they think they have a special link, they should also post it in this topic. Then when you find yourself in the possition of "I know Bill Birkeland posted this link somewhere, but I don't know where", you have a chance of finding it by looking in the Bill Birkeland message of this topic.I suggest keeping things bare boned. A url of a link (which would have the main domain right there in the display) and a 1 line description of the links material.Having useful topics sink out of sight is always a problem. Hopefully there would be enough people posting new messages to keep this topic at least close to top of the "L&I" index. In addition, it would be a good topic to have bookmarked, and perhaps in the various admin "signatures". You could also bookmark your personal message in the topic, for easy access.Perhaps an individual member should be limited to, say, 10 or 20 links in his/her message. Thus we might have a "Bill Birkeland's Top 20 links" message.I'll tack on a reply to Jar also: You mean "message" not "topic". You wouldn't edit Bill's message, but you could add the link to your own message. A "via Bill Birkeland" credit might be a nice touch, but I would like to keep the verbage to a minimum.Adminnemooseus

I think I covered what I had to say in message 4.Summary, as I see it:1) A lot of good links get posted all over the place, destined to get buried and lost.2) The "Links and Information" forum, as is, is badly flawed.3) I thought it would be nice if there was 1 unified "L&I" topic, with individual member messages where you could go to find a certain members best links. Considering the general tendency for things to go toward chaos around here, it wouldn't have a prayer of working.AdminnemooseusThis message has been edited by Adminnemooseus, 01-09-2006 01:45 PM