36 replies to this topic

[brokenportal]

Active Topics Section 2 radical life extension topics

Edited by brokenportal, 11 November 2008 - 07:19 PM.

[brokenportal]

bump

Edited by brokenportal, 11 November 2008 - 07:13 PM.

[brokenportal]

bump

[brokenportal]

bump,

[Richard Leis]

What are you trying to do? There is a "Bump this topic" option under "Options". Or maybe not. Maybe it is only available to admins. I'm not sure. See if you see it (along with options like "Track this topic", "Email this topic", etc.)

As I have mentioned before, I do not know how to separate Active Topics. The Active Topics link is just a PHP command. It is not really a page.

http://www.imminst.o...;CODE=getactive

If we could come up with the right PHP command, then maybe we could have a few different Active Topics links, but I could not figure out how to do so and could not find any information about these "act" and "CODE" commands. Anyone have any ideas?

[lightowl]

It would be pretty simple to create a new page utilizing the forum database as a source. I could give that I try if you like? Changing the actual forum source will make it more difficult to upgrade in the future.

[Lazarus Long]

Thanks lightowl, I was going to refer Rich to you and your PM on this overall matter again anyway but you beat me to the punch.

[Richard Leis]

It would be pretty simple to create a new page utilizing the forum database as a source. I could give that I try if you like? Changing the actual forum source will make it more difficult to upgrade in the future.

Yes, please Tell me what you need.

[Lazarus Long]

In the thread caliban started on the Active Topics button I put out some advice for navigating the forums that might be helpful to everyone. Did you see those tips Brokenportal?

http://www.imminst.o...o...st&p=276564

http://www.imminst.o...o...st&p=276567

A concise form of these instructions and similar types for other functions also belong in our FAQ's.

[lightowl]

Yes, please Tell me what you need.

I will send you a PM about this tomorrow. Im off to bed now.

[brokenportal]

In the thread caliban started on the Active Topics button I put out some advice for navigating the forums that might be helpful to everyone. Did you see those tips Brokenportal?

http://www.imminst.o...o...st&p=276564

http://www.imminst.o...o...st&p=276567

A concise form of these instructions and similar types for other functions also belong in our FAQ's.

I saw the tips and I could have sworn I responded to it somewhere but I cant find it. The response was something along the lines of, the tips are good in theory, but rendered completely inneffective for the purpose we need in practice. Not to mention Im not even sure if some of them work, like the selective button seems to be broken. But even if it worked perfectly, if I had to guess Ide say it would at best, be only about 5 percent as effective at generating active radical life extension topics as an active topics button for radical life extension topics would be. I could be wrong though, maybe a second active topics button isnt in order, but from everything I and most of you see, all signs point to -we need one now, for the love of life we need one now.

[Lazarus Long]

Those are a different set of tips about utilities we already have and that are very useful. They do work but they do not diminish the need for a better overall system IMHO either.

I still would like to see at least 4 primary split categories. It is also an interesting idea to make that a perk of membership. A lot of the views here are leadership checking in and back as well as weighing in.

[brokenportal]

By four split catagories do you mean four forums where all the sub forums are all in the same list, pretty much like 4 specialized active topics functions?

I think two would work the best, but four may also. Does anybody agree with what I was outlining in the poll topic about how once we get to a point where we are really active, then we could drop the active topics buttons altogether? Because then every forum would have enough interest to self perpetuate its own activity and active topics buttons would be redundant at that point.

[Richard Leis]

By four split catagories do you mean four forums where all the sub forums are all in the same list, pretty much like 4 specialized active topics functions?

I think two would work the best, but four may also. Does anybody agree with what I was outlining in the poll topic about how once we get to a point where we are really active, then we could drop the active topics buttons altogether? Because then every forum would have enough interest to self perpetuate its own activity and active topics buttons would be redundant at that point.

No. I think people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link. It provides an alternative entry into forum posts and is incredibly useful to some of us.

[Lazarus Long]

I was actually saying keep the sup's, noots and lifestyle stuff all in one active topic button, social science, philosophy, Lifeboat, politics, religion, general longevity meme news and background socializing in the 2nd, a third for Institute projects, members only, forum business, intros, faq's etc and a 4th for strictly hard science.

"Immortalism" as a specific discussion category could be under any of the last 3 but it might get the most top page play under science (#4) since we seem to get the least amount of popular attention there of late. On e reason to make this change is to foster a more focused discussion n of real science on one specific area where it would not have to compete and could also be very tightly moderated for conduct.

The 3rd button also would not show a many topics until the individual is a full member so that might be a good fit for your Immortalism section.

[Lazarus Long]

No. I think people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link. It provides an alternative entry into forum posts and is incredibly useful to some of us.

I AM saying make 4 distinct buttons that each represents the active topics in the categories previously described. Call it something else if you want (or not) but it is still the active topics just *pre*-filtered. There is plenty of room on the menu bar to have 4 buttons instead of 1.

[Richard Leis]

No. I think people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link. It provides an alternative entry into forum posts and is incredibly useful to some of us.

I AM saying make 4 distinct buttons that each represents the active topics in the categories previously described. Call it something else if you want (or not) but it is still the active topics just *pre*-filtered. There is plenty of room on the menu bar to have 4 buttons instead of 1.

Yeah, that is what I am saying, too. We don't want to get rid of Active Topics, but we do want to separate it into different sets of Active Topics.

[brokenportal]

No. I think people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link. It provides an alternative entry into forum posts and is incredibly useful to some of us.

Im just jumping ahead to what might have to be done as a further step later down the road. I know the active topics function is useful now, but will it be useful when we have two, three or four active topics functions that are each 10 pages deep?


Lazarus Long- The outline you state seems like a great option to me. The pros and cons just need to be hashed out. Im just worried that the life extension philosophy section would end up in inactive spot. I think its an important subject. Its the reason why we do this isnt it? I would make the suggestion that it be added to any kind of projects and action taking section that may be developed. I also agree about the hard science section. Scientists would be more obliged to discuss there because they could keep their discussion pointed, moderated and on track a lot easier. Although, if 2 is better than 4 then it might be well off to stay in one of the two sections.

Heres an idea, do you think its possible to include the hard science for view in one of two active topics, but only allow people to post if they pass approval by the board? It would be like a members only board but only for scientists and the like and it might encourage them to discuss it more.

[Lazarus Long]

Heres an idea, do you think its possible to include the hard science for view in one of two active topics, but only allow people to post if they pass approval by the board? It would be like a members only board but only for scientists and the like and it might encourage them to discuss it more.

I have been considering a kind of *vetting to post* process for science as well. It was an aspect of the stricter moderation for the area I suggested. I also now think a two tiered politics area where there is a vet to post and stricter moderation rule versus the more open posting area that would remain off the active topics unless approved to be moved there by leadership.

[brokenportal]

Do you know how to work the programing of the forums and stuff Lazarus? Hopefully Richard and Lightowl can come up with some possibilities. Anybody else have any experience programming and or ideas for splitting a PHP command? Is there a test page where people can test out ideas themself? Like maybe google web pages or something like that has a similar format we can experiment with?

From what I gather, it comes down to either splitting the php command, or integrating forums in a different way right? Is there a way to make a main forum with sub forums with in, but its sub forums posts all go into that main forum? For example is there a way so that when we click on the "Immortality Institute" forum that we can see the topics of its sub forums all interspersed there under the block of sub forums on top?

[thefirstimmortal]

No. I think people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link. It provides an alternative entry into forum posts and is incredibly useful to some of us.

I AM saying make 4 distinct buttons that each represents the active topics in the categories previously described. Call it something else if you want (or not) but it is still the active topics just *pre*-filtered. There is plenty of room on the menu bar to have 4 buttons instead of 1.

Yeah, that is what I am saying, too. We don't want to get rid of Active Topics, but we do want to separate it into different sets of Active Topics.

Has anyone bothered to ask the members and the registered users if this is something they favor? If the active topics already enjoys support as been suggested, "people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link", and the members and users are not asking for a split topics format, why don't you just leave it alone?

[Richard Leis]

Has anyone bothered to ask the members and the registered users if this is something they favor? If the active topics already enjoys support as been suggested, "people have overwhelming stated they want the Active Topics link", and the members and users are not asking for a split topics format, why don't you just leave it alone?

Absolutely members and registered users were asked; this is not a new discussion. The question is in two parts and the first has even resulted in a poll. The second has been widely discussed for months. It even made our list of requested website update the past two quarters, here and here.

1. Do you use Active Topics?
2. Do you want to separate Active Topics?

Until now, we haven't had anyone who knew how to implement this popular request. Now it appears we do.

[thefirstimmortal]

It would be pretty simple to create a new page utilizing the forum database as a source. I could give that I try if you like? Changing the actual forum source will make it more difficult to upgrade in the future.

Hi Lightowl,
The Freedom Forum was supposed to get rolled back into the active topics list when it got cold again. Seems pretty chilly outside to me. Since we are on the Active topics list, wouldn't it be easy for you to roll that back into the Active topics? Isn't that a pretty straightforward easy fix?

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•  firstimmortal.gif   23.16KB   0 downloads
•  Imminst_logo_01.jpeg   3.97KB   0 downloads
•  firstimmortal.gif   23.16KB   0 downloads

Edited by thefirstimmortal, 12 November 2008 - 02:19 AM.

[Richard Leis]

It would be pretty simple to create a new page utilizing the forum database as a source. I could give that I try if you like? Changing the actual forum source will make it more difficult to upgrade in the future.

Hi Lightowl,
The Freedom Forum was supposed to get rolled back into the active topics list when it got cold again. Seems pretty chilly outside to me. Since we are on the Active topics list, wouldn't it be easy for you to roll that back into the Active topics? Isn't that a pretty straightforward easy fix?

That does not require any special fix. It is a simple setting in the admin options. As I listed in another topic, the "Can", "Free Speech Forum", and "2008 US Presidential Elections" forums are not included in Active Topics or search.

[thefirstimmortal]

Absolutely members and registered users were asked; this is not a new discussion.

Thank you for your prompt reply Richard.
I must be missing something, where was it that they were asked?

[thefirstimmortal]

It would be pretty simple to create a new page utilizing the forum database as a source. I could give that I try if you like? Changing the actual forum source will make it more difficult to upgrade in the future.

Hi Lightowl,
The Freedom Forum was supposed to get rolled back into the active topics list when it got cold again. Seems pretty chilly outside to me. Since we are on the Active topics list, wouldn't it be easy for you to roll that back into the Active topics? Isn't that a pretty straightforward easy fix?

That does not require any special fix. It is a simple setting in the admin options. As I listed in another topic, the "Can", "Free Speech Forum", and "2008 US Presidential Elections" forums are not included in Active Topics or search.

Well than, what's stopping the correction of this. The Free Speech Forum was supposed to fixed if my memory serves me correctly when the weather turned cold. Or is my memory failing me too?

Attached Files

•  firstimmortal.gif   23.16KB   0 downloads
•  Imminst_logo_01.jpeg   3.97KB   0 downloads
•  firstimmortal.gif   23.16KB   0 downloads

[brokenportal]

Thank you for your prompt reply Richard.
I must be missing something, where was it that they were asked?

As far as I remember the only person that suggested we do away with the active topics section is me, but thats only under certain conditions to be worried about way in the future. Other than that nobody is trying to work out a plan to get rid of them, and if they do they will poll discuss with members about it at that time.

Right now though we are tossing the idea of splitting the active topics section. That has been asked of all members in at least one poll that I know of here, and discussed in multiple other topics.

Edited by brokenportal, 12 November 2008 - 04:14 AM.

[Richard Leis]

Absolutely members and registered users were asked; this is not a new discussion.

Thank you for your prompt reply Richard.
I must be missing something, where was it that they were asked?

The poll I provided you is one example. I do not feel the need to find all the posts where this issue has been discussed. Does it really matter? Someone is working on it and will hopefully have a solution soon.

[thefirstimmortal]

The poll I provided you is one example.

Actually Richard, the poll you provided was not an example. You listed

1. Do you use Active Topics?
2. Do you want to separate Active Topics?

The first poll only asked about use of the current Active Topics. It enjoyed over 80% use, so it does appear that the current Active Topics list, as you yourself have pointed out, appears to be rather popular.
The second question “Do you want to separate Active Topics?” doesn’t lead to a poll. Did you forget the link?

Brokenportal however does provide a link to a poll
Poll, active topics sub forums, supplements and radical life extension?
http://www.imminst.o...o...c=23857&hl=
Here, Brokenportal provides evidence that separating the Active topics list is a very popular idea.

[lightowl]

Hi Lightowl,
The Freedom Forum was supposed to get rolled back into the active topics list when it got cold again. Seems pretty chilly outside to me. Since we are on the Active topics list, wouldn't it be easy for you to roll that back into the Active topics? Isn't that a pretty straightforward easy fix?

Putting the Freedom Forum back on the active topics list is just a setting. I don't have access to modifying forum settings as I am only a member. The reason that the change has not been made yet is probably political.

Its getting hard to keep up with the forums for me. I don't have time to click through all the forums/sub-forums every day and the active topics is a mess. I would really like to get started on cleaning that up soon.