Quick summary

It would be nice to have a summary of the situation in the topics. A text displayed on top of the page for example, before the users posts and always available, although a fixed place easy to find would also be enough.

As to who would write that summary, i think the topic opener would be suited, or maybe a moderator, i don't know how the site works.

Don't take me for a lazy guy, i have been wanting to post on several topics but each of them has more than a hundred posts, and i don't really have the time to read all that.

Well, for the time being i'll just ask for a summary in each post, but it may become frustrating for the people talking in those subjects to have to post a summary each time somebody new comes in.

Hey Zift, Welcome to EvC.

I understand your issue, but (there is always a "but") the problem with some kind of summary is that ... well, topic creep.

Any thread is apt to diverge into several separate topics related, somewhat related but mostly, not a damn bit related to the suject of the OP (Opening Post).

The mods here are quite flexible but they do try to keep threads from getting too far off topic.

I humor myself.

Anyway, a constant updated summary most probably will not happen because of the time/effort expenditure over a fast moving broad scope thread.

The best, and I encourage you to try this, is to just jump in. Read the op then read the last few messages. If you're interested in one of the side topics or want to try to get the thread back on topic, just let'r rip. Jump on in. If you're not interested in the op or a side topic, jump in anyway. It's fun, educational, cathartic and we need the breadth of opinion.

Come on in.

What is a "Zift"? Where you from? What do you like? Where do your interests lay?

Summary of everything:

(1) Creationists are wrong.
(2) That's about it.
(3) ... oh yeah, Alfred Maddenstein is not really a cat.

It would be nice to have a summary of the situation in the topics. A text displayed on top of the page for example, before the users posts and always available, although a fixed place easy to find would also be enough. As to who would write that summary, i think the topic opener would be suited, or maybe a moderator, i don't know how the site works.

Yeah, that would be nice...

Unfortunately, it ain't gonna happen. The board isn't set up for it and nobody is going to write it anytways. The only time it happens is when threads come to a close and people post a summary at the end, but then the thread is over so that isn't going to help you.

Don't take me for a lazy guy, i have been wanting to post on several topics but each of them has more than a hundred posts, and i don't really have the time to read all that.

Then just don't read them and write your reply anyways. If its already been addressed then somebody will let you know. Or we'll just reply to your reply and keep on going like normal.

Well, for the time being i'll just ask for a summary in each post, but it may become frustrating for the people talking in those subjects to have to post a summary each time somebody new comes in.

Yeah, don't do that. Just write up your reply and post it.

What is a "Zift"? Where you from? What do you like? Where do your interests lay?

Well, Zift Ylrhavic Resfear is simply an anagram of Fitzchivalry Farseer, the main character of the Royal Assassin books by Robin Hobb. First real book i read so i developped an admiration for it^^

I'm writing from France (excuse my poor english ^^), and when i learned about the creationism still being true and important for a good part of the USA people (well maybe not just after hearing it, i admit it's been quite some time), i went out into a crusade to explain to all those poor people that aren't aware of the improvement of the way of thinking about the science and religion why exactly the two don't oppose themselves.

Although from what i've seen so far i seem to be a little late, so i end up talking about other thing more often than not^^

Thanks for your advice, Catholic Scientist, i'll do as you say and just give my thought. I asked because i've already been in the situation of explaining something precisely and having somebody ask the exact same question just after that, and i wasn't exactly pleased by it --

Edited by Zift Ylrhavic Resfear, : No reason given.

Hello and welcome!

FYI:
You can track a particular 'conversation' back using the links below each message.
(It says something like: "This message is a reply to: Message 5 by Zift Ylrhavic Resfear". Click on the "Message 5" and it will take you back a step.)

So, before you reply, you could look back a bit and check that your point has not already been made.

Edited by Panda, : No reason given.

Thanks for the advice

I wonder if some type of word counter might be useful.

So, at the head of each thread is a list of the words that have been used most often in that thread.

If you take the opening post from SpiritualAnarchist's thread Delusions of Grandeur and plug it into this site then you get this list;

quote:

---

1. god 36 (16%)
2. would 19 (8%)
3. dawkins 14 (6%)
4. hypothesis 13 (6%)
5. universe 13 (6%)
6. us 13 (6%)
7. nature 11 (5%)
8. could 10 (4%)
9. debate 10 (4%)
10. reality 10 (4%)

---

Not perfect but something.

Edited by Prototypical, : what edit?

Edited by Prototypical, : I said "What edit?"

Oh, I think I'll let someone else do the obvious here.

What do you mean? Influence the count?

1. god 36 (16%)
2. wishful 19 (8%)
3. thinking 14 (6%)
4. metaphysics 13 (6%)
5. universe 13 (6%)
6. soul 13 (6%)
7. woo 11 (5%)
8. objective 10 (4%)
9. reality 10 (4%)
10. rules 10 (4%)

A topic index page can be reached by clicking on the symbol to the left of the topic title. This image is usually:

For example, this topics index page is here.

At the index page any subtitles are also listed. Unfortunately, people do not make good use of the subtitle option.

Moose

Unfortunately, people do not make good use of the subtitle option.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Bigamy Is Disdained By Many Small Angry Goats

Evidence please?

Minnemooseus writes: Unfortunately, people do not make good use of the subtitle option.

Well, you're asking people who don't use the subtitles to do a favour for the people who do. You might as well ask motorists to stop and clean up the bus shelters.

I expect the same problem would apply to the summary idea.