I'm not just whining. It's clear that from here on out the forum will face its own form of meltdown due to volume. Seems to me that we will soon reach a point where the forum will become dysfunctional. I've had some thoughts, but think that a quick discussion now might prevent this problem. What I find disturbing is that I'm missing important discussions that break out under a completely mundane heading. Since you often can't predict which topics will get legs, it must be dealt with after the fact.

I thought that maybe we could post a daily thread entitled something like "Daily Highlights" or "Important Threads" where people might go in and post/link a URL with a few words like. "Hey folks, there's a major debate about the Uganda's power grid. Rumor has it the wire got knocked down." This would be a grass-roots Sanger-style alert thread.

One could also imagine a daily post to Newcomers (hate newbies, kind of insulting) that draws attention to threads, events, recommendations, etc. that would bore the totally fried/brain dead/wake-me-when-it's-over/somebody-shoot-me-now regulars. (Stan has done a brilliant job at this and BigDog was "sniffing around" this idea in an earlier thread today.)

I don't know which solutions might work best. I just know that some will be needed here very soon.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), November 22, 1999

Answers

Response to SYSOPS/Regulars: I Can't Keep Up Anymore...

Dave I'll 2nd that emotion.

on de rock

-- Walter (on de rock@northrock.bm), November 22, 1999.

Response to SYSOPS/Regulars: I Can't Keep Up Anymore...

Good thoughts -

Although I'd like to point out that 'tis difficult to communicate sanely in the midst of deliberate actions to disrupt ....

Odd, isn't it that those would complain most loudly are those who cause the pollution....and who cause the problem.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 22, 1999.

Response to SYSOPS/Regulars: I Can't Keep Up Anymore...

Dave,

I will try to add an OT for Off Topic to threads which are off the Y2k focus.

I'd also like more suggestions regarding additional helpful ways to title a thread such as what Dave has posted. Can we use this thread for such a discussion?

We really need to bring focus to the issues at hand with such little time remaining.

Thank you.

Stealth

-- Stealth Sysop (home@Y2k.com), November 22, 1999.

Response to SYSOPS/Regulars: I Can't Keep Up Anymore...

Third ... or fourth depending on when this launches. At this point, it's beginning to seem like TB2000 should have a daily "I SAW THIS AT THE GROCERY STORE IN MY HOMETOWN" thread; a daily "DOES ANY ONE WHARE MY PARTICULAR SPECIES OF PRE-Y2K NEUROSIS?" thread; a "TODAY'S CUTE Y2K AND NON-Y2K RELATED POEMS" thread; a "REQUEST FOR OUTDATED LINKS" thread; and a "PREPARATION FORUM IS STILL ACIVE AND RECEIVING POSTS" reminder thread.

All these idle but pertinent thoughts interjected as seperate threads of no enduring substance..... well, yup. You're right.

-- Roch Steinbach (rochsteinbach@excite.com), November 22, 1999.

Part of the solution is to cut off the trolls at the ISP. With no connection, they can't pollute.

-- Ron Schwarz (rs@clubvb.com.delete.this), November 22, 1999.

Before this thread flies out of control and becomes a troll bashing thread, I just wish to reiterate that the problem to consider is simply that the volume of even potentially readable threads will preclude the usual through analysis. I personally would like to be able to catch the highlights of each day without quitting my job.

-- Dave (aaa@aaa.com), November 22, 1999.

What, you still have a job? Any real doomer has long since abandoned their job in favor of this forum :)

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), November 22, 1999.

Dave and sysops, I like this idea very much. It could function as well as the FRL thread; when everyone gets used to it and know how to fish it out when it disappears to keep it current. Perhaps the sysops could pay perticular attention to that thread to keep "pollution" out and irrelevant posts out too, i.e., simply keep the posts that are to the point and/or add usable hotlinks. A completely moderated thread in other words, if necessary.

-- Chris (#$%^&@pond.com), November 22, 1999.

I Third this idea whole heartedly, I just don't have the time to keep up. This is a critical juncture and relevant information is vital. Outstanding thought in which the genius and tenacity of Diane, Linkmeister, Sysops #2 & #3, Brian, et. al., could be used to the advantage of all who are concerned.

-- yes!!! (karlacalif@aol.com), November 22, 1999.

Here's an idea for making digressions from a thread's original topic easier to find.

Take the posts that constitute the digression, out of the original thread and use them to begin a new thread. Suppose the original thread is "Vulnerability of the Grid" and the digression concerns "Tantalizing Cricket Recipes." Label the new thread, Tantalizing Cricket Recipes - SPUR of Vulnerability of the Grid. The top of this new thread would hotlink to the old thread, and the old thread would contain (in lieu of the SPURred posts) a post with a link to the new thread.

I realize that this may be too elaborate to be workable, but such an approach is to be expected from a systems engineer. 8^)

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), November 22, 1999.